Monday
Apr252011
Passover These Wrecks
April 25, 2011 During the celebration of Passover, it's traditional for participants to avoid all types of leavening, like yeast. In fact, you could say this is one of the most important, key features of the entire celebration.
So maybe someone should tell these bakers.
Let's hope it ages well.Now, before I start an Epcot here: yes, there *are* flour-less Passover cakes and pastries.
But I'm pretty sure this isn't one of them:
And if there's time, Google "Passover."And then return that Wonders of the Pyramids gift book.
Why do I bring this up?
Well...
Yeeeah.Hey, is this like wishing someone a "Merry Christian Lent"?
'Cuz I'm totally doing that now.
(Although, all things being equal, maybe I should write it on a chocolate bar.)
(Although, all things being equal, maybe I should write it on a chocolate bar.)
Thanks to today's Wreckporters Evelyn G., Amy K., & Alana M. for getting a rise out of these Wrecks.
Update from john: [rubbing temples] To those of you currently chilling in the Epcot Bunker™, yes, anyone can make a lovely Seder. Apparently there are [insert comment count here] non-Jews doing so.
It's still Jewish.
That is all.
Reader Comments (166)
Out of my own curiosity, is flour actually not allowed at all? I thought it was only if it had yeast in it, and most cakes don't.
But I'll be the first to admit that I could be very, very wrong and mean no offence if I am. (Judaism isn't a prominent faith in New Zealand, so I find it rather interesting.)
I am NOT criticizing you at all, I love your blog and have gotten many of my friends hooked on it as well, but I just wanted to let you know that some Christian faiths, like Anglicanism celelbrate the sedar on the Thursday before Easter as the last supper was a sedar meal. Just saying!. Adore you guys!
oy vey
Actually, there are other religions that celebrate the Passover! :) I'm an Interfaith minister, and we celebrate it (along with pretty much every other holiday I can squeeze in LOL), and my Christian church also honors Passover with a seder meal. So it isn't JUST Jewish people who celebrate. I agree, though, that it's a very Jewish thing. LOL
Actually there are Christians who participate in the seder.
At the risk of contributing to a major Epcot, Christians sometimes do have Seders, to get in touch with the Jewish roots of the faith. Christ's Last Supper was a Seder.
That said, there's no doubt that a Seder is fundamentally Jewish (not to mention free of leavenings), and putting "Happy Jewish Seder" on a cake is just silly, especially on a cake that you can't even serve at a Seder.
My eyes must be going - "And if there's room...what?"
ooh! ooh! Do I get to be the first to point out that some Christian churches do actually host a Seder meal (replicating the Last Supper)?
Now retreating to the Epcot bunker.
My eyes must be going. "And it there's room...what?"
And, oy vey, to say the least!
There are Christians that do Seder dinners. There are a few things that are tweaked, but not much. ;)
I think it has to do with Exodus being in the Bible and all.
My Passover cake also said,
"crda'b there's reond." Of course I had my name underneath, not Kaufman's.
It's Hebrew for, "Don't eat the cake, it's levened!"
I'm sure you've gotten this comment before, but Christians do sometimes have a Seder... we don't do it often though. (it's a lot of work)
My church had one on Maundy Thursday which is where we observe the Passover that Jesus celebrated before he was crucified. And it was Christian in that we add communion to it like Jesus did.
I really think that as a faith that does come out of the Jewish religion that more Christians should attend at least one Seder.
My husband is Jewish, I am not. We often have a house full of Jews for Christmas and a house full of Christians for Passover and other Jewish holidays. Why? They're not doing anything else. The Riordan's are free for Passover and the Weinsteins are totally free for Christmas. IIt's fun, but people are often confused.
I think this last cake would be ideal for us.
Except for the fact that it's a cake.
Made with flour.
For Passover
Actually, there ARE Christian Seders, since Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled the idea of the original Passover (and also instituted the Lord's supper while taking a Passover meal with His disciples)-- He was the Lamb who was slain for the sins of His people and so the Lord "passes over" those who accept His sacrifice and believe He rose again. I had Christian friends who held seders in their homes, explaining the significance of the parts of the meal, but I'm sure none of them served a leavened cake!
To answer Marama... cakes may not have 'yeast' as a specific ingredient, but they do contain baking soda and baking powder. As far as I know, the only 'leavening' allowed is egg. My mother makes a delicious Passover Wine Cake that takes about a dozen eggs to rise. Also as far as I know, the only flour permitted is that which makes Matzo. Even cake meal is just super finely ground matzo.
For all the Epcoters, I had a Catholic Seder described to me the other day and it's nothing like the real deal, though I suppose some churches may do it properly.
Heck, forget the cake, the icing is probably full of corn syrup anyway :o) These cakes are just amusing for lack of forethought.
At Epcot, many Christians have Passover seders to celebrate the Mosaic roots of Easter.
HOORAY!!!
There's no EPCOT, like a religious EPCOT.
Keep it going, people!!!
To make up for my Epcot contribution, I offer this link for your delight and amusement:
http://notalwaysright.com/congra-duh-lations/11237
It's not only the wreckerators!
Marama, to provide a simple answer to your question, wheat flour is not allowed at all unless it has first been baked into Matzah.
D
Flour isn't the issue for Passover; The leavening agent is. Think about it, folks. What's matzah made from? Cardboard? (Well, it *could* be!)
wv: gredish
Oy! Don't use the gredish for Pesach! We're not shlemiels here.
Leslie@leserleeslovesandhobbies said...
"There are Christians that do Seder dinners. There are a few things that are tweaked, but not much. ;)
"I think it has to do with Exodus being in the Bible and all."
Everybody said this, but I think Leslie said it best.
Thanks, Ehren! :) As I mentioned, my prior knowledge is (obviously) limited, but it's great to learn more. I had no idea that baking soda and the like would count!
Love how the wreckerator ran out of room for the word "room"!
And yes, Kaufman's what?
Lady Anne said... 'My eyes must be going - "And if there's room...what?"'
I think it says "and if there's room, Kaufman's." "Kaufman's" is probably a family name, with an extraneous apostrophe, so it should say, "Happy Passover, Kaufmans," although "Kaufman's" could be the name of a business, in which case the cake should say, "Happy Passover, Kaufman's," or "Happy Passover from Kaufman's."
One thing is certain: There would be plenty of room for the name if "and if there's room" were not taking up so much space.
So, just out of curiosity, what foods are and are not permitted during Passover? And what constitutes a traditional seder meal?
Isn't the first picture of a cookie, and not a cake? You can easily make a big cookie without baking powder or soda. :)
For those who are interested, this site is a guide to Jewish Holidays designed for Gentiles:
http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayg.htm
Ahhh the mind boggles.... O_o
Whoa...I'm stayin' outta this one....
wv - predi: nice looking, as in "look at all those predi cakes...."
Hey J, J, & #1,
Joining you in the bunker. Please pass the Manischewitz. What are you watching? Oh, "The Hebrew Hammer". Good choice.
Oh John....though I giggled when reading your bunker update, I feel so bad for you too! Have an extra few pieces of Easter candy today....you deserve it!
I give you extra points for being able to read those "cakes" at all. Those make my head hurt!
Who wants to join me in the Epcot bunker?
I'll make cookies!
(With or without blue and white icing, your choice)
What does the blue writing on that cake say? I can pick out "there's" in the middle... It looks like a medical prescription.
It never fails to amaze me on how people who read an entertaining and very sarcastic blog, always have to put in their 2 cents worth and try and make J, J and #1 look bad. While they are fantastically amazing people, I DO NOT come to CakeWrecks for a learning experience. I come here for entertainment. If I wanted to learn new things, I go elsewhere. When I want a laugh, I come here.
...and there are countless Jews, cooking a lovely glazed ham for Easter.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....
I love the 17 posts all thinking they're the first to say essentially the same thing (Does anyone else READ the comments before MAKING a comment) I don't care who does it, a Seder is always Jewish... And I LOVE THIS BLOG - ALWAYS.
WV surim - I surim glad you have an Epcot bunker and I hope it's stocked with leftover Easter candy!
I'm laughing!! Thanks!
To answer Nancy McGill - nothing leavened is allowed. Flour isn't forbidden, if it's relatively flat. Rabbis are present during commercial manufacturing to make sure that items with flour or other ingredients are cooked properly and for a certain amount of time, something like 13 minutes or less. In addition, Ashkenazic (European) Jews will not eat rice, barley, corn, and a few other items. Sephardic (African & Iberian) Jews will.
[Brightly]
Anyone know the price of cabbage at Fanuel Hall?
Mocking
A question for John:
Can you see an EPCOT coming? When you post, do you sometimes say to yourself, "Well, this should be a contentious one?"
I ask because I never, ever see an approaching EPCOT. Its always a special surprise.
Why people think a Passover Seder has anything to do with Easter and the Last Supper? It seems to me a strange thing; mystifying.
Have had many laughs reading, as Chrystle said, the same comment overandoverandover. Also, as Anonymous mentions, seder is always Jewish.
LOVE THE SITE!!! LOVE!
John, Jen & #!,
So at some point, do you just stop reading the comments? Or does it get funny after a while?
-michelej :)
There is a song often sung at Seders, talking about how each good thing the Jews received would have been enough.
The last word of every verse, which is also the only word, repeated over and over, in the refrain, is "Dayenu" (pronounced, roughly, Die-yay-nu).
It means (roughly, cause I certainly don't want to *start* an Epcot!) "it would have been enough for us."
Skimming through Epcot comments, looking for something witty or thankful to JJ&J, the word "enough" sometimes pops into my head! :-)
So, I couldn't resist another song parody. If you don't know the tune, or what some of the words mean, accept my apologies, and/or Google. No offense is meant to any tradition, and no animals or knaidlach were harmed in the writing of this parody:
A Pesach Epcot is no joy,
So, whether you're a Jew or goy,
Please don’t repeat, it ain’t a treat, Dayenu!
Refrain
I know you've mentioned leavening,
We’ve heard about the leavening,
Genug about the leavening, Dayenu!
Refrain
Some thought Jen’s knowledge was too weak,
Last Monday’s start they had to leak,
But Jen knew that it lasts a week, Dayenu!
Refrain
’Bout Christian Seders we’ve been told,
That subject now is getting old,
We’ll take, we’ll eat, just don’t repeat, Dayenu!
Refrain
A pesach cake, one can be fed,
Your stomach might just think it’s lead,
Don’t beat that horse, it’s really dead, Dayenu!
Refrain
The Pesach rules aren’t fast and hard,
Ashk'nazi varies from Sephard,
As long as you’re not using lard, Dayenu!
Refrain
Did that cover everything? :-)
Oh, and JJ&J - great post!
wv - mantless
No comments have ever mantless to me than the ones "correcting" JJ&J.
OOOOH, Anonymous @11:55 is really asking for it. I can't wait for the responses!
(holding my right hand in the air, in the making-a-pledge style) "I do solemnly swear that I shall look at Cake Wrecks solely for my entertainment. I shall not expect to see historically accurate factiods or to be politically or culturally enlightened in any way. I will remember that Cake Wrecks exists to poke fun at cake, not people or cultures" (puts hand down and reaches for the chocolate bunny ears.
Anon @11:55:
It's because according to some versions (but not all) of the story of Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter), the Last Supper was the Passover meal, i.e., Seder.
But yes, it's a Jewish thing.
And all these cakes are wrecks, leavened or no.
Dear Ellen,
Do I have your permission to print your lyrics? I think we'll sing this tonight. It's just perfect!
Might I point out that... Nah, I've already been called on attempting to start an EPCOT; I'm not about to *add* to one. ;-)
No non-Kosher marshmallows? No store-bought angel food cake spackled with store-bought vanilla frosting (dyed to match your decor) that contains just a hint of whatever is on hand to make it 'homemade'? Is Sandra Lee slacking?
Oh, dear. At what point do we reach Epcot proportions? LOL. Love these wrecks.