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)
Wow. That's all I can say. Wow.
I'm not sure which is more astoundingly stupid, the cakes or the responses here.
Wait -- did I see people criticising someone for not knowing how to spell Guy Fawkes?
Two more Dayenu verses! :-)
I cherish those who rightly spell,
Or try to do their research well,
But errors never make me yell, Dayenu.
Refrain
So? Someone thought the name was Fox,
An Epcot maker always “hocks
A chainik,” nags, or even mocks, Dayenu!
Refrain
Love the blog, always gives me a good laugh. Our church does a Seder and it's certainly nothing like a real, meaning Jewish, Seder. So I suppose the term Jewish Seder could be useful to make that distinction.
And now I know what an Epcot is after reading the FAQ.
I'm curious what all those deleted posts said. Were they really inappropriate or did John and Jen just enjoying deleting every dimwit who decided to point out the cakes were photoshopped?
WOOT!! I made a funny- bronze this moment.
Of course, we let the wreckerators in the bumper- someone's got to clean the loo!!
(evil grin)
-Barbara Anne
P.S. The SL couldn't find the bunker with Geraldo Rivera's help and written directions! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Stephanie,
All the comments that were deleted were due to a Google glitch. For some reason, every comment submitted by "anonymous" was deleted.
Ah well...
john
Actually, and don't get me wrong, I looooove this blog and the both of you, but pointing out that you're wrong all the time is really very nice of us. Because no one likes being wrong, right?! You're welcome for enriching your lives through our comments on your blog. <3
:\
There are definitely flourless cakes and pastries for Passover, but let me tell you, most of those cakes are "wrecked" long without any icing, sprinkles, etc at all. They taste awful! (Then again, there are some amazing ones from actual bakeries in New York City and other cities.)
@Marama,
All leavened products aren't allowed. Flour can rise if care isn't taken so it is generally not used. (Matzo is used with special flour and baked in a short time so that it doesn't rise.) Most Passover cakes use potato-based flour replacements.
May I also add that, after 8 days of matzo and dry Passover cakes, even the worst of the wrecks here began to look good. Obviously, I was suffering from Matzo-intoxication!
I love Cake Wrecks! I have to say, I love Epcots! I learn so much. I'm not ashamed to say, sometimes I don't get the jokes, so people who others think are stating the obvious, are actually helping! I have learned about Epcot, King cakes, Passover, all sorts of things! Keep the Epcots coming!:-) And once I get the joke, I can laugh too, not just nervously giggle in the hope that no one notices my ignorance.
Thanks Jen, John and #1!
@ andrea: So how do you decide who gets the afikoman?
Okay, heading to the bunker now. I'll bring my completely Kosher for Passover U(ltra)G(ooey)O(ne). Pass the maccaroons.
Actually you should narrow it down to Merry Catholic Lent, or Merry Lutheran/Methodist and probably a few other sects as well, but Baptist don't do lent. :)
I suspect that the confusion and apparent arbitrary-ness (is that a word?) of the Passover leavening restrictions are because the rules were established long before M. Pasteur started looking at things under microscopes. Thus the sourdough leavening of grains and some pulses would seem to be a totally different phenomenon from the fermenting of wine, even though the actual yeasts and bacteria involved overlap considerably. And both would probably appear to arise spontaneously from the basic ingredients, so leavening was seen as an innate process rather than as something you added. It makes perfect sense if you look at it with a pre-modern understanding of biological processes.
I do know some UK jews who try to stick to the "spirit" of the rules as they see them: eating modern-technique non-leavened baked goods, but refusing wine or vinegar. Of course, this then annoys the people who follow the very strict letter of the rules about flour, but drink wine as part of the traditional ceremonies. Then you get the argument about whether beating eggs for a cake (or creaming butter and sugar) is permissable, or is just sneaky barracks-lawyering. It makes trying to provide food for a group containing both sides very ... interesting. Especially if your party includes vegetarians and people with serious allergies as well. My fall-back was normally vegan-something (but watching out for nut and seed allergies) with mashed potatoes, and fruit for dessert.
Gary (who seems to be a rather prolific poster today, if one believes that all the "Gary" posts are the same person) @ 1:39 re: Andrea
Thank you for carrying on with that Epcot. I was going to say something about the improbability of making _anything_ with no ingredients, but I didn't want to be blamed for that.
ok sorry I know noones gonna read this, but as a pastry chef I have to correct this. Flour is NOT a leavening agent. it is NOT outlawed for passover or anything else. And technically an instant chemical leavener such as baking soda and baking powder would not conflict with the idea behind unleavened bread- to be ready to leave at any moment, not to wait for the bread to rise but be able to bake it immediately. therefore technically a cookie or a cake probably wouldn't have been wrong had such ingredients existed in biblical times. As long as those things arent made with yeast it wouldn't pose a problem.
OMG! The Passover one where you commented about the leavening reminded me of a advertisement I read a couple of years ago from a restaurant offering a special meal for Hannukah:Ham
As one of the Kaufmans to whom the cake was addressed, I can tell you that the apostrophe was extraneous.
Gotta say, we're all tickled pink we made it onto the site! Happy Passover Kaufman's indeed :-P