The perfect knaidelach

Submitted by Eliza Mayo
email address: danielbu@hotmail.com

Get together a bunch of Jews (ashkenazim) around Pesach and you can always get great knaidelach debates going - essentially, should the knaidelach be airy and float in the soup or should they be dense and sink to the bottom of existence?

Now, my father's Aunt Sylvia, may she rest in peace, made the best matzah balls in the entire world. (Her kugel was nothing to sneeze at either, but that's another story.)

Aunt Sylvia was a wonderful, loving woman. She had flaming red hair and was comfortably, lovingly plump (just right for leaning your head on her shoulder or lap). She had a love for life and a love of children especially. And oh, could she cook up a storm. My mouth waters remembering Pesach at her house.

Well, she had this secret knaidelach recipe. Her matzah balls were perfect. (At least, we thought so.) And now I'll take a stand on the famous aforementioned knaidelach debate- They were not to heavy but not too light. They floated in airful bliss, yet had a somewhat chewy texture. Delicesse. For, years we envied her matzah balls and gobbled them down ravenously. (who needs soup, pass me a bowl of knaidelach only please!)

Finally, at long last, she revealed her secret to my mother: Manishevitz matzah ball mix. No kidding, and no, this is not an advertisement. She swore by it, claimed it made the best matzah balls ever.

So while this revelation destroyed somewhat the myth of Aunt Sylvia toiling hours over the home-made knaidelach (among other goodies), it did reveal her to be a practical woman.

So, I don't really have a recipe to include! However, if you are stuck for decent matzah balls, you might try inviting Manashevitz to your seder.

For recipe,
see the end of the story.