PASSOVER

Passover starts on Wednesday evening and I always start preparing early as there is always so much to do. But this year I had a dilemma. Traditionally, the seder plate must contain a shank bone or a chicken neck. Thus, in the past I always made sure that weeks in advance I would save a chicken neck from a whole chicken I had cooked. But now-a-days, the large grocery store chains seldom sell whole chickens. Instead, they stock mostly prepackaged thighs and legs, breasts, or wings. Luckily, I found a small butcher shop that would sell me just a chicken neck and so for the last several years I had no problem.

But yesterday when I called the Butcher, I learned they currently have only chicken necks attached to the chicken backs. But what would I do with the back? I told my daughter and she simply said, “Mom, why don’t you just buy a thigh from Kentucky Fried Chicken and use that?” “Oh, but I couldn’t,” I replied. Later I talked to an elder cousin and asked her what to do. Much to my surprise, she gave me the same answer. “Just use any chicken bone,” she said, “it really doesn’t matter.”

Nevertheless, it just doesn’t seem quite right. But I’m easing my conscience with the knowledge that I will as always follow a couple traditions. I’ll use the recipe my Aunt Pauline gave me for her delicious brisket and I’ll bake her wonderful sponge cake from scratch, using potato starch and nine eggs.

By Hannah --www.FunnyPhotosContest.com a photo contest for cute or funny photos and photo captions.