The Last Passover Post

Very Nice Secretary Who Probably Only Knows Two Jewish People Of Whom I Am One: Becca, did you see the cake?

Me: Yes, but it's Passover and I'm not eating cake.

Secretary: Oh, I'm so sorry, I totally forgot. [pause] There are pretzels too!

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I always think that Passover will be a nice opportunity to take a break from my major carbs and sweets addictions and feel a little healthier, maybe even lose a few of those winter pounds. Then I rediscover my nemesis, the most delicious thing ever, more compulsively consumable than salt and vinegar potato chips: matzoh spread with unsalted butter and sprinkled with kosher salt. Mmm.

And then on Thursday, tired of lack of sweets, I made meringues which really deserve a higher Passover profile because they are so delicious and so easy (beat 2 egg whites with 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/8 teaspoon salt till stiff - beat in 3/4 cup sugar - fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips - put good-sized spoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered with brown paper [I cut up a brown paper bag, because that's how my mother did it] - bake for 25 minutes at 300 degrees). More mmm.

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Finally, congratulations to M for her first year of full Passover observance, completely self-motivated. She says the only hard parts were lunch at school, surrounded by her friends and their sandwiches, and one day at afterschool when they served pretzels for snack (though the head of her afterschool gets total Red State Capital City Suburb appreciation of diversity points for letting M help her plan the week's snacks, to make sure there would always be something she could eat).