Seder

The Menu

Matzo Ball soup

Gelfite Fish

Smoked Lamb Leg

Honey Herb Carrots

Roasted Eggplant with Shallot

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Seder is such a rich tradition on my husbands side of the family. Over the years we have enjoyed making it apart of our children’s lives as well. In celebration of Passover, this year we were honored to host family and friends at our home.

My husband printed materials for our guests to follow along. He and his uncle led an abbreviated service with songs, scripture references, and Hebrew readings. We passed around the seder plate of matzo, herbs, and salt water and were thankful to chat about many Jewish traditions with family and guests who are faithfully immersed in its beautiful culture. Every year we gain a little more knowledge and appreciation for such a sacred remembrance practice.

In remembrance of the Israelites hasty exodus from Egypt many did not have time to wait for their bread to rise. So our celebration is filled with many flourless or unleavened components. Since leaven is not a part of the seder tradition I was on the hunt for a delicious dessert to compliment our meal.

It took two attempts but I finally found a rich flourless chocolate cake recipe to suit the occasion. It’s worth duplicating for any occassion. My only deviation from the recipe was to substitute the espresso powder with an actual shot of espresso.

After dessert, we concluded our time together with the kids and their friends playing in the yard and then searching for the afikomen. Unbeknownst to the children, before seder began, a piece of matzo is broken and hidden in the house. The child to find it gets a prize— our little Sissy was the winner this year!