[Sca-cooks] FW:request for recipe(s)

[Randy Goldberg MD]

> And, I know the Moslems go through great difficulty in
> order to acquire and sacrifice the lamb for their
> holiday. My usual lamb supplier was breeding his ewes
> so that there'd be plenty of lamb for that purpose.

Jews don't perform sacrifices except at the Temple, which no longer
stands.

> Leavened products, yes, but doesn't the rest vary
> according to which tradition you follow? I can't keep
> them straight, but I've heard of at least two from
> different areas of Europe, and if Jews disagree
> amongst themselves half as much as Christians and
> Muslims do, there are no doubt more.

Yes, in fact, there is one basic variation. Ashkenazic Jews are
prohibited from using legumes; Sephardim are not.

> Not really, since neither I nor my persona are people
> of the Book, but it is interesting. How often would
> that happen? I know Easter is the first Sunday after
> the first full moon after the spring equinox, but I
> never have quite figured out how Passover is
> determined. Likely nothing to do with Sunday, though

Passover isn't "determined"; per se. We've maintained our calendar
despite the Diaspora. Pesach begins on the 14th day of the month of
Nisan, which is traditionally the day G-d's hand "passed over" the
houses of the Hebrews to kill the firstborn of Egypt. Pharaoh chased the
Hebrews out of Egypt the next day.

> The recipes do look pretty tasty. Question, though. I
> notice that most of them include sweet red wine. Why
> sweet and red? And, since more or less the same yeasty
> beasties which cause wine to ferment also cause bread
> to rise, why is wine not only allowed, but encouraged,
> but leavened bread as well as certain other things
> which MIGHT ferment are forbidden?

Sweet red wine is the traditional wine served for Passover. I'm not
entirely certain why. Haroset is supposed to be sweet; everything on the
Seder plate has more than one meaning, and the sweetness of the haroset
represents the sweetness of freedom.

The prohibition on leavened bread comes from the tradition that the
Hebrews left Egypt so quickly that they didn't have time to let their
bread rise (remember that there-and-then most bread probably rose by the
accumulation of wild yeast from the air), so risen grain products are
forbidden. The wine would have been made previously and completely
fermented, so it's permitted.

> Forgive my many questions, but as you know by now, I'm
> like that with any question which piques my interest.

I'm a teacher; I never mind questions. :-) I'm also very traditionally
educated in my heritage/faith, although I barely practice any more; it's
one of my favorite subjects to teach.

Avraham