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The Ultimate Passover Guide To Shake Up Your Seder

Katrina Dy, Lisa Eppich
April 15, 2011, 1:00 PM
Looking to shake things up a bit at Passover this year? We hear you. While we love the holiday's rich traditions, we're ready to give our matzo and brisket a twist (sorry, Bubby). Whether you're looking to have your Seder cooked for you (who needs to shvitz it out in the kitchen?), or you're in need of some new recipes to add to your repertoire, we've hand-picked some of the most unique (and delicious!) Passover finds to lend a little flair to your table this year.
Here are our tips for a Passover you won't soon forget!

Above, clockwise from top left, Toloache, Crumbs Passover Pack, Park East Kosher, Chozen Ice Cream, Honor's Haven Resort, Matzoh Crunch.
1. Let's face it, planning for any holiday can be exhausting. If you're in the mood to take a break and get away (uh, who isn't?), Honor's Haven Resort and Spa in the Catskills is offering a complete Passover package including three gourmet meals a day, synagogue services, private and traditional Seders, and much more.
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2. If you're not looking to get away, but would still like to be relieved of cooking duties this year (we don't blame you), The Strong Buzz has a lavish list of restaurants all around the city that are offering Passover Seders. Whether you're searching for something traditional or crave something new, such as JoeDoe's Manischewitz Manhattan or Yerba Buena's brisket tacos, these restaurants will relieve you of your culinary burden. Kick back and nosh!
3. Wanna do a little cooking? Big props, bubbeleh. We've rounded up a few delicious recipes to add to your table. For any vegetarians at your Seder (or just mushroom lovers), Zell Schulman's Wild Mushroom Ragout is super easy to make and uses ingredients you already have in your pantry.

For the more adventurous type, Emeril's Passover Brisket is just the ticket. This savory Seder staple might take some time to prepare, but the rave reviews are sure to have your guests kvetching about their cravings for more.

Okay, time for a little sweet, and we don't mean your Bubby's favorite hard candy. We're thinking that we could eat David Lebovitz's chocolate-covered, caramelized Matzoh Crunch any day of the year.

4. Need a little something else to top-off your feast? Crumbs is offering a Passover Taste Pack ($26 for 12 cupcakes), flourless cupcakes with fun names like Holy Moses (chocolate cake with fudge filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting), and Raspberry Red Sea (nut cake filled with raspberry preserve, raspberry vanilla cream cheese frosting, sliced almonds, and raspberry drizzle). Can you say salivating? Note that they are Kosher-certified but not Kosher for Passover, but if you're going by our guide you probably already live life on the edge. Sinful!

If you prefer ice cream over cupcakes, Chozen Ice Cream creates spoon-licking flavors like Coconut Macaroon, Matzo Crunch, and Chocolate Gelt. Get em' now at your local Whole Foods freezer. We may or may not have had four pints last night. Okay, we did. Oy vey.

Really wow your family with this truly revamped classic—Mitchmallow's homemade "Mallowschevits," or horseradish marshmallows. They'll be available this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Foodshed Market in Brooklyn, but you can also order online at info@mitchmallows.com, or by phone at 212-645-1121.

Sunday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Foodshed Market, 388 Atlantic Avenue (between Hoyt and Bond streets); 347-689-3908

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5. In case you need some last-minute dishes or ingredients, Park East Kosher has a full Passover menu with over one-hundred fresh and prepared foods. Even better: Save 20% on your second order by using promo code PEK072. Score!


Park East Kosher, 1623 2nd Avenue (between 84th and 85th streets); 212-737-9800.

6. No holiday is complete without music. Jill Schulster, whose husband presides over the kitchens at JoeDoe, known for its inventive Passover Seder fare, generously shared their Passover playlist that you can download on iTunes. Winning!

Above, clockwise from left: Passover Server, The Family Seder, Jonathan Adler Seder plate, The Matan Passover Haggadah.
7. Okay, now that you've got your menu all planned out, how is your table looking? We're loving these gorgeous Jonathan Adler Seder plates ($150, available at Jonathan Adler) we wish we could use all year long. Actually, maybe we will. And this Passover server ($8.95, available at The Jewish Museum) with the word "Passover," appropriately cut out of the lifter, makes a quirky Seder hostess gift—or just keep it for yoursel.
8. The Haggadah is essential for Passover proceedings, so why not spring for a beautiful one? Or, if you prefer your Haggadah to be more presidential, pick up Maxwell House's latest edition, the same one that President Obama is rumored to use. The best part: It's free with every purchase of a Maxwell House product. If you're looking for something with a little more flair, we think The Matan Passover Haggadah (Hebrew with Spanish or English, $19.95, available at Judaism), is a beautiful choice, and the Shushan Haggadah ($37.95, available at Judaica Mall) is equally exquisite. Finally, The Family Seder (Set of Six in Periwinkle Blue, $85, available at The Jewish Museum) has been hand-bound with gold foil and marble end papers that makes it treasure you can pass down for generations.
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