Passover Preparations

I attempt to be kosher during Passover, in addition to observing basic chometz rules and the kitnyot. The last is the hardest, because just about everything nowadays has corn syrup in it. I'll admit, I don't have separate dishes, pans, and utensils for meat and dairy, I don't kasher my kitchen for Passover, and I don't "sell" my chometz, so technically it's "kosher-style". Anyone who observes true kosher will tell you that "kosher-style" isn't kosher at all.

The advantage to living in L.A. is the plethora of kosher markets. I was disappointed with Western Kosher Market on Fairfax because they don't have a produce section. There is a produce market two doors down, so they don't really need one, but I only had one quarter for the parking meter and was in a bit of a rush. The meats and fish at Western were wonderful, and the KLP (kosher l'Pesach) was clearly marked. I also went there the day they were rearranging the shelves for Passover, so I'm sure it's usually a much more organized market. Glatt Mart and Elat Market on Pico are true Supermarkets which just happen to be Kosher. They have produce, a meat counter, fish counter, bakery, deli, frozen, boxed and canned foods, and non-foodstuff like shampoo and foil that you would find at any supermarket. It's a plus that they are next door to each other; if you don't see what you need at one, go to the other.  Parking in the lot is a frightening experience, and good luck getting a spot within a block the week before Passover.

I suspect that the origins of Spring Cleaning were the chometz search by candlelight done the night before Passover. Weeks of scrubbing, vacuuming, and sorting out foods precede the ritual. I don't perform the actual candle ritual, but I do use the week to remove everything from my pantry and fridge and clean the shelves. When I replace items, I sort all the KLP onto one shelf. I know that's my "safe" shelf and I don't have to look at the labels again for the week.

While I find cooking for Passover challenging, I also find that it means cooking from scratch and using fresh ingredients. There are loads of KLP convenience foods around, but I'd rather make my own recipes. And for those bemoaning a week without any grains or legumes, I found out that quinoa is KLP!

This year's Seder menu:

Gefilte fish & hard-boiled eggs to start - we do this every year
Leg of lamb with pomegranate glaze - Techie Smurf's contribution
Plantain Latkes
Stewed garlic spinach
Hungarian Chocolate-Walnut Torte