Avoiding my big brother’s comments that my matzo balls should be called cannon balls and remarks about how you could tell the ones I made from the ones mom made because mine had big thumb prints in them has been a lifelong pursuit of mine. …and he’s coming for Seder this year…along with a bunch of my guy friends from temple. Let’s just say I REALLY want my matzo balls to be floaters not sinkers in the worst way.
So, I am going to go all the way with a technique that I have used in part – substituting seltzer for the water or stock called for in the recipe (I use the recipe from the Manischewitz box even though I won’t buy their products since this week’s sale to Bain Capital…ugh! That’s another post). Anyway I put seltzer on my shopping list – expecting to buy bottled seltzer, a distant 2nd best to the real thing. Whole Foods – NONE. Trader Joe’s – NONE. So, since it was convenient I made a pass at Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, a great store that sells sodas from all over the world in GLASS, made with SUGAR not high fructose corn syrup. They also used to be the last place that the siphons of my childhood (and my parents’ childhood) could still be purchased, but that stopped several years ago when the son of the man who used to deliver all over Los Angeles became ill. Well, to my great joy, either he has covered and gone back to work or someone else has picked up the reins. So I have seltzer – real deal 2¢ plain (well, probably 50¢ plain).
Brisket is in the oven, chicken stock is cooked, charoset is done. Sally will peel 18 eggs for my updated version of eggs and onions.
I. AM. HAPPY. 11 or 12 of my favorite people will be here with me Monday night – my big brother and Sally among them.
So – Happy to you – whatever your spring holiday is – may it bring you great joy.
Flori Cooks 