Sasa Recipe

Passover 2013 Russian Gefilte Fish Gluten Free Matzo

The downside of writing about food is that you have to start thinking months in advance. In order to make publication deadlines, youre pitching springtime stories in the midst of blizzards, talking about Thanksgiving food while youre still on summer break. Which is all to say Ive been thinking about Passover foods for some months now. But I am not remotely sick of it. In fact, Im all the more excited for the celebration.

This year I looked into restaurant Seders around the country, for those not interested in hosting their own (and for those who are, there are some good ideas on those menus). I taste-tested gluten-free matzo, and found a traditional way of making gefilte fish (along with a beautiful story of growing up in the Soviet Union).

For my own meal, Im planning on making this delicate and lightly smoky gefilte fish, and the vegetarian dishes from this Sephardic-inspired Passover dinner. There will be appetizers, Manischewitz spritzers, and a little bit of metaphorical rebirth. Because even though its something Ive been thinking about for months, I could always use a bit more.

*photo from my gefilte fish post in Bon Appetit, taken by Kirk Jones