We’ve known for years that shalach manos is a competitive sport, but what about when the competition is between you and yourself? I can’t say I’m not guilty of that one. Even worse is when you’re trying to prove a point to no one but yourself. The pursuit of being “right” can cause us to do things we never knew we had the power to pull off.

One year of shalach manos stands out most in my mind, and it’s the year I gave a sampler box of a dozen different types of cookies. It wasn’t crazier than the year I did homemade sushi (never again!), but it was the year that I felt the need to convince myself (my husband??) that it was really no different from making batch after batch of chocolate chip cookies. Think of it as 12 different types of chocolate chip cookies, that’s all!

Looking back at it from the other side, I see how time sucks of that nature come with a cost, even if it’s an activity I genuinely enjoy. I also feel that we’re collectively outgrowing this sport, and people really notice less and less over time. I beg you to keep this in mind when you plan your shalach manos this year!

Disclaimer time: I really didn’t want to push anyone in the direction of starting to think about Purim just yet, but I did want Miriam (Pascal) Cohen to tap into her talent of developing recipes for super-makeable and truly delicious baked goods, which by the way freeze beautifully so you can bake them ahead for your shalach manos. Think of this as a baked goods set that you definitely need to save no matter how you use it, and if you do use it for your shalach manos, well, that makes a lot of sense. As long as you don’t try to add another eight varieties!

CHANIE NAYMAN
Food Editor, Family Table
Editor in Chief, Kosher.com

Here’s How

This really requires no skill, took only a few minutes to assemble, but it still looked impressive. Actually, my kids told me I should start selling these. (When I asked them when I’d make them, they said, “Ummm, on Fridays!” Lol.)

Leave all the chocolate pieces as large as possible, cut once or twice on a bias, and dig them into the cake on an angle. You want to make it look kind of like a forest of trees all standing, but dispersed. Make sure to use chocolate bars with different kinds of fillings for variety and to show off all the different shades of chocolate!

Sponges Are Not Just for Sinks

Freeze a sponge in a ziplock bag for a perfectly flexible ice pack.

Give Knives a Chance

If you’ve been here for a while, you know I’m pretty into sharpening knives. If you’re not ready to get on board, at the very least try this. Turn a mug upside down and use the unglazed ceramic part as a sharpening stone. Do it on both sides of your knife, following the curve of the knife as you slide it across the mug.

Friendly reminder that sharp knives are safer, not more dangerous, because they don’t slide when you’re cutting something!

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 780)