Easter And Passover Catered Or Home Cooked?

Nothing beats a holiday with a table full of food and tradition especially the. Easter and Passover ones. With them comes the question of catered or home cooked? Would it better and easier on the home chef if the whole brunch or dinner was cooked? Or are family recipes important and vital in keeping up tradition?

Easter may be the easier dinner - especially in the States - to have catered. Every family has different traditions. Southern Italians and Greeks are the most traditional, cooking and baking foods and bread recipes that have been passed down for centuries.Everyone else usually just makes ham and a few sides.Some groceries such as Acme and Stop & Shop will work with you to create the perfect holiday dinner. They'll offer sliced ham and/or turkey along with sides such as potato  and macaroni salads along with throwing in a festive Easter cake.Easter brunch is always popular and there are shops and caterers who will bring in such brunch favorites as quiche, scrambled eggs and even French toast.Of course, all of this can be made at home and there is a lot of control as to the ingredients. If you don't want an elaborate Easter meal, then think of a German style one.It's a roast ham with do it yourself potato salad and handcrafted baked beans. All these are labor intensive but the homemade taste is worth it. Dessert can be a simple lamb, bunny or egg shaped cake, and again these can be baked on Holy Saturday.

Passover is a bit trickier because there are strict family traditions involved.  Some Kosher markets can cater the entire menu, creating even better versions of tsimme  - a sweet stew of carrots and dried fruit and charoset - the sweet paste of apples, cinnamon, and raisins, symbolizing the mortar used in building the pyramids. Many caterers will offer such traditonal dishes as kugel but with a hip twist such as broccoli and spinach added.The main courses could be an entire brisket or roast chicken or both if you're hosting a crowd. caterers can also supply chopped liver and gefilte fish too. yet there is something in making decades old family recipe too.Relatives may want the family version of charoset which is not only rich in flavor but also stories too. They also make want just your matzoh ball soup, because of the way you make the balls or because you add scallions for bite and color. Unlike Easter, Passover lasts  a week and you could easily cook one night and have the second night seder catered. It's up to you and what you can handle.

Catering or home cooked? What makes for a better holiday meal. It's up to you and what you want.

Spring Holiday Food Shopping

With passover starting next week and both the Orthodox and Christian Easters occurring on the same Sunday , it's now time to start holiday food shopping. The weeks before are perfect for stocking up on both large and small items. Most supermarkets and box stores are are offering some good deals on everything from cuts of meat to candy as well as on tableware and decorations. Before you start , decide on what you want to have. In some parts of the world Easter is going to be a warm weather holy day. You may want to fire up the grill and have outdoor cooked lamb similar to how the Greek Orthodox celebrate. At this time spend the remaining days cleaning out the grill and prepping it. You could even host an outdoor sit down dinner as well. here again you can go for the traditional ham and asparagus or try different quiches and salads. As with any major holiday, decide on how many people you want to invite and work around the guest list. This always determines the amount of food you'll buy. After that start shopping. Take advantage of all the sale prices going on right now. Many stores have good two for one deals on everything from matzoh bread to Easter candy. Of course buy the veggies, fruits and veggies a day or two before your dinner but stock upon other products such as mayo for salads, raisins and almonds for charoset and any canned goods.This is also a good time stockpile soda and seltzers too as well as wines . You may also want to buy some new table linens and napkins for your holiday table too. Stores such as Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond are offering some amazing deals on fancy tablecloths, matching napkins, and napkins rings right now. The Spring holidays are quickly upon us. To have a memorable seder or Easter dinner start shopping now ! Cash in on deals at your local supermarket and box store. these deals will help you in having a sumptuous holiday feast.!

Passover Cuisine

Tonight and for the next eight days is the religious observance of Passover. The holy days have their own foods ; each with a special significance . Each dish has been handled down for centuries, some with modifications , others with the same ingredients from ancient times.

There are the traditional foods that symbolize various meanings. There is matzoh, the unleavened bread, that symbolized the Israelites quick flee into Egypt. Th Passover table also has horseradish and bitter herbs to stand for slavery's bitterness. Charoset, a, mix of chopped apples. nuts wine and cinnamon represents life's sweetness while a roasted egg symbolizes life. There are also vegetables and lamb which symbolizes hope and sacrifice. A bowl of salt water symbolizes tears shed while there are four glasses of wine on t he table one for Elijah.


Of course over the centuries additions have been made to the table. various countries such as Italy and Spain have added some of their influence especially with the Roman and Sephardic Jews. Flourless cakes and pastries are also included to give some kick to the meal.


A Passover table is one of the most symbolic tables . Each dish has a meaning that goes back eons . Yet every year it still remains relevant.