This past summer, my father took my 3-year-old son for a day trip to the zoo. It’s a shared favorite pastime of theirs, and since my older kids think they’ve graduated from the zoo, my son is lucky to have one-on-one time with his Zaidy. At the end of this particular trip, my father took my son to a huge candy store.

When they came home, I asked my son about his day. “The zoo was good,” he said, “but the candy store was bad.”

“The candy store was bad?? How is that possible?” I asked. I couldn’t imagine that my son, who would climb on top of the cabinets to find a lone jelly bean, would think a trip to the candy store was bad.

“There was nothing to buy,” he said.

I asked my father what had happened, and he explained that my son had been so overwhelmed by all of the options in the store that he checked out. My father basically forced some flashing-light singing lolly into his hands.

I can’t exactly relate to my son in the candy store, but I know how it feels to have too many options. I’ve definitely sat, countless times, in front of an empty page of computer paper with just “Meal 1: appetizer, soup, salad, main, side, side, dessert” written on it.

Often having options that are too wide open isn’t liberating, it’s limiting. Options are good, but too many are stifling. When we’re limited to certain options, suddenly we know exactly what to do.

On Pesach, our food options don’t have to feel limiting. The narrow variety of foods can be very liberating; it can take a lot of the planning out of the picture, so that we don’t have to make such a big deal about what we’re eating.

This Pesach, I hope I can remember not to look for more options unnecessarily, and enjoy the limitation that is really our liberation.

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

One-Ingredient Clementine Ice

Usually fruit-based sorbets need at least two stages of blending. This was perfect after just one. Try adding in some liqueur for a great palate cleanser if you’re feeling fancy!

• 6 clementines, divided into segments
• shaved chocolate (optional)

Freeze the clementine segments in a single layer for 6 hours or overnight. When fully frozen, place them into a food processor and process. The mixture will go from dry and crumbly to smooth and creamy after a few minutes. If your clementines are not so sweet, you can add a bit of sugar while blending. Transfer to a freezer.

Serve in scoops with shaved chocolate or on their own.

Note: Halfway through freezing time, you can add 1 ounce of liqueur. Mix with a spoon to combine.

Homemade Sauerkraut

This is really healthy, since it’s fully fermented without the aid of vinegar, and very delicious!

• 1 head cabbage, cut into strips or small cubes (ask your LOR how to check this)
• kosher salt

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with kosher salt. Transfer to glass jars, and press in as much cabbage as possible. Let them sit for several hours and try to press in more cabbage. Let sit at room temperature for at least five days to fully ferment. Each day, shake the jars so the liquid gets distributed throughout the jar. Once it’s fully fermented, transfer to the fridge and enjoy!

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 838)