Wrapping up Passover

 In a couple of hours the last days of Passover begin.When I post again, the holiday will be over and our kitchen will be back to Chametz. So a few reflections...

My name is Sarah and I suffer from Jewish Hostess Delusion. After I finished slicing fifteen lbs of brisket I was sure that there is no way that it would be enough food, so I cooked two chickens, just in case. I made three different kinds of potato side dishes because they each looked far too small to serve to our crowd. I baked two large cakes and also made many small sweets...because of Jewish Hostess Delusion I don't know if the quantities of food shape shift between cooking and serving but I assure you that I was truly worried about our guests going hungry. Our guests did not go hungry. Our kids took home generous amount of food and we still have enough to get through the rest of the holiday.

Our dishwasher died after our second Seder mid wash. A new dishwasher got installed today. 

There are some people who do no work during the intermediate days of the holiday. My third grade teacher instructed us to write on the diagonal during the intermediate days of Sukkot because doing work in an irregular way didn't count as work. I did a bit of work this week.

I cut bias stips of Nova Scotia tartan

 and sewed them together for the Nova Scotia themed tallit.

I am only partially through this task. I will be using miles of the bias cut strips.

I laid down the first layer of ocean color

On this lovely silk with dobby woven dots.

The color needs to be added in thin layers to end up with the look that I want.

I also did a bit of sewing for our home.

I work out on a little rebounder with detachable legs. I store the legs in a little bad that I made out of upholstery fabric that goes with our couches. I think the little bag went home with one of our small guests.

I took another bit of upholstery fabric and made another bag for the rebounder legs.

 

You see it both open and folded over.

My favorite everyday napkins

Began their life in my house as a duvet cover that I had made out of two different cotton shirting fabrics. The were a duvet cover for about ten years and have live as napkins for about five years after parts of the duvet cover just shredded away.

I noticed that some of the napkins are making the transition from napkin to the ragbag.. It was time to make some more napkins.

This  Indonesian batik started out life as a tablecloth in the home of  Shari, my friend Alix's mom. When Sharri died I inherited textiles.

The fabric is a little thin so I doubled it and hemmed the napkins with a serger. I may eventually turn the hems and stitch them on a sewing machine for a longer life.

We will be using them tonight for our Shabbat dinner.

Since Passover is ending I want to share a couple of tools that have made my cooking life much better.

I have two of these large stainless steel bowls. They look like standard dog food bowls but much, much bigger. The lemon is included for size. They have been incredibly useful in the process of straining the soup.They are good for any sort of a big job that needs a big mixing bowl. I believe i purchased them in the dollar store.

A few years ago I bought an Cuisinart immersion blender with attachments at Costco. It was terrible. The motor was too small for the unit and it broke after a couple of weeks.

When I was last at Costco I saw that they were selling a different model of immersion blender also by Cuisinart. I bought it knowing that if it was a dud I could always return it.

This thing is great.It is wonderfully designed and engineered.  OK-- the plastic cup isn't all that useful but this was a gadget worth buying.

For several years I had been using the soup ladle that my parents bought in 1954. It was terribly designed. Eventually I tossed it and just used a mug as a ladle. My sister bought me this excellent ladle last year. I have been enjoying using through the entire holiday.

I am so grateful to everyone who helped me to pull of this year's Sedarim, especially my kids and my husband who were willing schlep and drag everything into place...and then be joyful participants at both  Sedarim.

Several years ago as I was walking to synagogue on the second day of Passover a man stopped me and asked me for money. I explained to him that it was Passover and I wasn't carrying any money. He then asked me if I had already crossed the sea.

It took me a minute to understand what he was talking about. He meant the crossing of the Red Sea which traditionally took place on the Seventh day of the holiday.

This song, with the words written by Yehudah HaLevi  marks that event.

Here is the Biblical account.

Now the Moroccan melody

this is a terrific setting---it makes me want to get up and cross the sea right now.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!