Passover Cook-off

Passover is around the corner, and Jewish people around the world will be removing bread from their homes as they remember the story of the Jews fleeing from Egypt without taking the time to let bread rise. The holiday, which lasts a week, is often a culinary challenge for families who observe it and cannot eat any leavened products or corn, beans, barley products or rice. However, hosting a Passover cook-off a couple weeks before is a wonderful way to try and exchange recipes for the upcoming holiday.

If a lot of people are coming to the cook-off, ask them to indicate whether they will be bringing a main course, side dish, dessert or appetizer. Brisket is a popular Passover entrée so you can even ask several people to them and have a brisket cook-off. Label each brisket with a number and people can vote for their favorite. Invite participants to also select their favorite side dish and dessert.

At the end of the cook-off announce the winners and provide them with a small price. A bottle of kosher Passover wine is a nice gift. You can also create a list of recipes and share them with everyone who attends or participates in the event. If desired, you could turn this event into an easy fundraiser by creating a recipe book of Passover dishes that could be sold at the event. If you are planning to create a book, arrange for participants to submit their recipes about six weeks before the cook-off.

This can be a nice fundraiser for a synagogue or Jewish women's group. Remember to inform people about the event early so that it is well attended. The group can raise additional money by charging an entry fee to participate in the event. A Passover cook-off will help get people excited about the holiday and most people will love having a new collection of recipes for the holiday.