The other day, while preparing my Passover meal, I remembered some things told to me by my grandmother many years ago. While many of us spend weeks pondering the right Passover mixer that will make the best, stiffest egg whites the world has ever seen there was a time when even wire whisks were a luxury.

I remember Grandma telling us of the time when her mother in Lithuania made a sponge cake for Passover. Perhaps they had a wire whisk that made life easier but if they didn't the only thing to whip the egg whites with were forks. The mother would take turns with her daughters to whip the egg whites before completing the cake and placing it in the coal burning stove. Today many have the custom of not eating manufactured items on Pesach but back in Europe there was no choice, there were no manufactured products. Passover week consisted of meat, potatoes, schmaltz used as cooking oil and apples when available. Just a little nostalgia I thought you would like.

Posted by Judith Bron