Gluten free!

 In the Book of Exodus we are told that the Israelites fled Egypt in such haste that they could not wait for the bread to rise, but baked it while still flat.  

From this comes the tradition of eating matzoh during Passover.  Matzoh is made by mixing flour and water, and baking it within 18 minutes so that it does not have the chance to rise.

So on Passover Jews are not permitted to eat any grain-based products that have the potential to rise.  Nothing made with wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt may be consumed.  No bread, no cake, no pasta… 

What most Jews use instead?  Matzoh meal.  It’s basically matzoh ground into a fine powder, which can be used instead of flour or bread crumbs.  Matzoh balls are made with matzoh meal. Want to make a meatloaf?  Use matzoh meal as a binder.  Dredge chicken cutlets in matzoh meal and fry them.  My mother used to make matzoh meal pancakes.

But there is a small group of Jews who think using matzoh meal during Passover is “cheating”.  They will not mix matzoh with liquid.  My family is not amount them, of course, but…

There are a host of Kosher for Passover products that are made gluten free!  Products that I cannot find year-round, like potato pancakes, blintzes, knishes.  

I fill my freezer …