When Holidays Collide

Many families now have two or even three religions being practiced in their households. This year, Easter and Passover are almost simultaneous , with Orthodox Easter occurring a week later. With all these come some sort of dietary restriction, Can a home chef cope with all of these? Surprisingly yes.It does take some thoughtful planning but it can be done.

The first night of Passover happens on the Christian Good Friday. This is normally a time to eschew any meat except fish. What happens when the two religions are observed? Serve fish. The most commonly made one is gefilte fish , a kind of croquette. You can use salmon, or red snapper for a more flavorful mix. Gefilte fish can also be baked into a loaf bound together with four eggs and matzoh meal. Celery and onions give it a nice Spring freshness. Another idea is the whole filet itself for a more substantial meal. Think of combining salmon with both lemon and orange juice, spiked with garlic and dill. It can also be cooked in a garlic and coriander sauce. What happens when some of the family observe Greek or Russian Orthodoxy? Their's is a strict Lenten diet. Unlike Catholics and Protestants, they can't even have fish with spines  along with other meats.Only vegetables are allowed and they can only be boiled, not sauteed or fried. Oil, butter, and even margarine are forbidden. Boiled vegetables such as the meatier sweet potatoes or potatoes are allowed. These can be mashed and combined with other veggies to create a substantial mash.

Easter is also the time of bread and cakes. So many holiday breakfasts start off with a slice of egg bread.Unfortnately this can be awkward for some in a household that don't celebrate the day.Mmatzoh brei can be made. This is a variation of French toast with the cracker being first soaked in water then in egg. Serve it with maple syrup or honey. Matzoh can also be turned into a fun, crispy snack with the addition of kosher for Passover margarine, chocolate and brown sugar. Named Matzo Crack because it's highly addictive and tasty, it's even perfect for an Easter party.One dessert that transcends the two holidays are macarons. These can even be made with aquafaba - bean water from chickpeas  - to satisfy Greek Orthodox Holy Week laws. Dye them (using Kosher for Passover dyes) in delicate Easter egg colors such as pale pink , robin's egg blue and lavender. These can even be dusted with cocoa powder or sanding sugar to look more festive.

A multifaith household can be problematic during the holidays. Yet there are ways to deal with this . It's just being creative and thoughtful, keeping in mind ancient traditions and dietary laws.