Gefilte Fish ????!!!! Passover for a confused Christian .

So as a nod of goodwill towards the Jewish residents where I work I will be bringing in some traditional foods for my lunch. Even though It won't be officially Passover as I'm off on that day. Soooooo .....got me some grape juice for a beverage(kosher) , some Matzoh ball soup and Gefilte fish ???? Now what the heck do I do with Gefilte fish. I know I will get flooded with info here but eh, what the heck. I got the Yehuda sweet jarred variety and have no clue how to prepare these things for a packed workers lunch. Suggestions are definitely welcome and Happy Passover to all you of the Jewish faith here. :angel:

Mazeltov, Nightblade! You will need a cooler of some kind for the Gefilte fish. Once the jar is opened it needs refrigeration. Prepared horseradish is the standard relish for Gefilte fish. One ball of fish, as much horseradish your palette can handle, a sheet of Matzo. It is not considered a main course, more in the appetizer area. Passover goes for a week. A good strong Russian type of tea is a good beverage to go with it. I hope you have a pronounced sweet tooth because, at least for me, Passover grape juice is even too sweet for this sugar-holic. Some roast chicken for main course is always good. Enjoy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Mazeltov, Nightblade! You will need a cooler of some kind for the Gefilte fish. Once the jar is opened it needs refrigeration. Prepared horseradish is the standard relish for Gefilte fish. One ball of fish, as much horseradish your palette can handle, a sheet of Matzo. It is not considered a main course, more in the appetizer area. Passover goes for a week. A good strong Russian type of tea is a good beverage to go with it. I hope you have a pronounced sweet tooth because, at least for me, Passover grape juice is even too sweet for this sugar-holic. Some roast chicken for main course is always good. Enjoy.

---

Okay..cool...so to recap got the fish(need to get the horseradish)no problem.Need some matzoh...will the matzoball soup suffice for both the matzoh and the chicken(not a lot of room in the lunchbag) ? Also got some canned chicken breast I could throw into the soup for a quick bolster if that is acceptable ? and finally,good Russian tea ha ha that will be easy of course. If I have to I'll dilute the grape juice a little. This is good stuff.

Ya got it in one. Any substitution is acceptable. There are no rules. Well there are, but you don't want to get into the do's and don'ts of Kosher eating. Something over 500 dietary laws if you are an observant Jew. And a whole bunch more just for the week of Passover. The tea I grew up with is called Swee-touch-Nee. Very nice strong black tea. You might be able to find it in the Denver area. If not PM me and I'll send you a dozen tea bags to try out. I get it off the bay and have to buy 5 100 bag boxes at once so I distribute it to anyone willing to try a new tea. (Please, tea lovers of SRP, don't all of you inundate me for a few samples all at once).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Ya got it in one. Any substitution is acceptable. There are no rules. Well there are, but you don't want to get into the do's and don'ts of Kosher eating. Something over 500 dietary laws if you are an observant Jew. And a whole bunch more just for the week of Passover. The tea I grew up with is called Swee-touch-Nee. Very nice strong black tea. You might be able to find it in the Denver area. If not PM me and I'll send you a dozen tea bags to try out. I get it off the bay and have to buy 5 100 bag boxes at once so I distribute it to anyone willing to try a new tea. (Please, tea lovers of SRP, don't all of you inundate me for a few samples all at once).

---

Okay...I'm good on the tea as I got a Russian market I frequent here and have some good stuff in the pantry (Take ya up on some later maybe though). I have been aware about jewish kitchens for a few years now. It would drive me nutty to keep a kosher kitchen but, then again to each their own. Now one more thing...do I heat the fish up or eat it cold ? I have never eaten a Gefilte fish ever so I hope I'm not in for a shocker lol. I like fish though so how bad could it be ?? Thanks so much for the help.:)

Gefilte fish is eaten cold. Generally very bland, hence the horseradish. Some like it, some don't because it is so bland. I stopped eating Kosher when I was sixteen even tho I grew up in a kosher household. I have a jar of Gefilte fish in my fridge, need to open it and enjoy my memories.

Feeling Kosher already. Okay then...I think i'm good to go with some feeling of confidence now. I'll let ya know how it turns out for sure. Now I gotta urge to watch Fiddler on the Roof(I own it)...Gosh I'm weird lol.:chapeau

Weird, huh? Welcome to the human race.

Good pesach.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

Good pesach.

---

And you as well Moo.

Flash back to the Spring 1970 Army Basic Training in Louisiana!. You're talking Deep Old South. About 1/2 the recruits were reservists from the New York City area and Jewish; the other half thought shit was spelled with a "e" on the end of it!. It was an interesting time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

Good pesach.

---

And right back at ya, my friend. The one thing I miss from all those Seders my mother's parent's put on, was of all things, a so called "treat" for the younger of us (usually about 30 people there) was a cold soup given only to the very youngest of us: a hard boiled egg chopped up fine with about a half cup of water added and a little salt. It was terrible, but it brings back strong memories every time I think about it. Good Pesach.

Speaking of kosher kitchens, i lived in an area of london with a large jewish community, and we got a newsletter from time to time, in one of them it told you how to prepare eggs, if i recall you had to mash it with a fiork in a certain direction, for a certain number of circuits iof the bowl, but we did also have accewss to fantastic salt beef bagels yum yum

What, no latkes, lol? Enjoy your time with our Jewish bredren, they are in my prayers.

In Christ
SB

No like horse radish, I eat my fish straight up.

Well Passover has done just that and it went very well. Had a toast with a young Jewish couple in the building and The Boyfriend even said a blessing/prayer before we toasted. I learned two wonderful things...1) Love Matzoh ball soup and being a good cook ,am now on a mission to make my own from scratch version as opposed to the box stuff. 2) Gefilte fish liked'em but, figured since I was a good cook, I could make better and so the challenge begins.:chapeau Life is interesting.

Nightblade, ya da man! Good luck on the gefilte fish making. It can be a tedious process. I have vivid memories of my mother chopping up by hand (no grinder) the blend of fish she used for her gefilte fish. She always made a huge pot of them since they disappeared rapidly.

I'm always surprised by what I learn on this forum.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nightblade

Well Passover has done just that and it went very well. Had a toast with a young Jewish couple in the building and The Boyfriend even said a blessing/prayer before we toasted. I learned two wonderful things...1) Love Matzoh ball soup and being a good cook ,am now on a mission to make my own from scratch version as opposed to the box stuff. 2) Gefilte fish liked'em but, figured since I was a good cook, I could make better and so the challenge begins.:chapeau Life is interesting.

---

Seing as there are jewish residents at your work, you are going to HAVE to have a lot of practice runs before next year, you wouldnt want to offer them not quite right passover goodies now would you.

Apparantly is a major shortage of the stuff as most comes from whitefish from the great lakes which still has 4 ft of ice.

Gefilthy fish is something that I had a hard time stomaching as a youth. I think the fact that my family teased me with the "name" as I listed it here, might have had something to do with it.

Since I could not tolerate horse radish, I went the opposite route, and spooned a little honey over it to sweeten. Was rather tasty like that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Seing as there are jewish residents at your work, you are going to HAVE to have a lot of practice runs before next year, you wouldnt want to offer them not quite right passover goodies now would you.

---

Ed, a small, but significant point. If the residents he would offer his goodies to don't keep Kosher there would be no problem. If they keep Kosher, whether religious or not, in good faith they would have to refuse his gifts. Keeping Kosher also means that any food they eat must come from a kitchen, store or restaurant that is obeying the rules and laws of keeping Kosher. Compound that with the fact that for the week of Passover the very observant use dishes, flatware and posts and pans that are used only for that week, yearly. If they are cultural Jews than all bets are off on food source.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Magpie

Since I could not tolerate horse radish, I went the opposite route, and spooned a little honey over it to sweeten. Was rather tasty like that.

---

Magpie, interesting switch, will have to try that. Have one of my own. Rebelled against sweetened oatmeal (sugar, raisins, cinnamon, etc). Couldn't stand the stuff. Only way I can eat oatmeal and enjoy it is by salting it, then it's delicious for my taste buds.

Happy Passover, to all the Chosen!

I, personally, will pick up Gefilte fish when the mood strikes. I'm not a Jew, but, I found that I actually like it on occasion. And some other interesting treats, dishes and deserts.

God Bless Jerusalem!

MOTHER: But are you SURE the wine OK for passover?
SON: Ma! It says right here on he label, "Kosher. May be used for Passover."
MOTHER: "Maybe" nothing. It has to be for sure.

Did a seder the other night at church, it is really nice to get out of your own skin once and a while and get to understand others and in doing so find out more about yourself.

Next year in Jerusalem.

Okay...while I was away ha ha.. y'all got to gabbing without me so.......First off, the Jewish residents at my work are fairly relaxed. Second...I'm not Jewish so I have room to play with and this is mainly for my own consumption any ol hoo. Gefilte fish in all my readings seems to be in essence fish cakes made with just about any good whitfleshed fish. So we'll see what I come up with. As the Matzoh ball soup..pretty much a no brainer. This was a good learning experience for me as said. I actually don't mind the gefilte fish as an everyday food but, like I said, I think I can do a bit better than the jarred stuff. I'll keep every one posted though. :chapeau

Oh almost forgot....I don't have the money or space to keep a kosher kitchen ,that would make me batty I do think.:chapeau

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Ed, a small, but significant point. If the residents he would offer his goodies to don't keep Kosher there would be no problem. If they keep Kosher, whether religious or not, in good faith they would have to refuse his gifts. Keeping Kosher also means that any food they eat must come from a kitchen, store or restaurant that is obeying the rules and laws of keeping Kosher. Compound that with the fact that for the week of Passover the very observant use dishes, flatware and posts and pans that are used only for that week, yearly. If they are cultural Jews than all bets are off on food source.

---

ok, well perhaps not then, its a good job i never professed to be proffesional professor of what to proffer at passover. Thanks for setting me straight though Richard. :)

Almost forgot I had taken a pic of my modest little Gentiles Passover dinner....It wasn't too bad actually. A little Matzoh ball soup, some Gefilte fish,and some Grape juice(can't drink at work).Attachment 163368

Bill, my Great Grandmother made it from Pike as well. Either way, it is much different when made fresh. My daughter was home for the holidays and left me with a huge pot of home made matzo ball soup. Tastes just a little better when made by a daughter. I'm glad one of them took to cooking and learned from her Great Grandmother and Grandmother .

Thanks Mvcrash. You jogged my memories. I now remember that my Mother would use a blend of Whitefish and Pike, and I'm sure there were another type of fish or two also. Grew up in a small family grocery store. Until it got to much of a chore and burden she would make a huge pot of Gefilte Fish every Friday. It wasn't very much of a Jewish neighborhood, but predominantly Catholic and fish on Friday was still strong back then. It was a popular item.