What’s Hot: Readers’ Top 5 Passover Gadgets, Favorite Cookbooks and Greatest Challenge of the Holiday

by | Apr 1, 2022 | Regular Feature

Passover, a holiday we have a love-hate relationship with. We love getting together with extended family and friends and many of us love sitting around the Seder table, hearing the recitation of the haggadah and singing the songs that haven’t changed for generations. But we also dread the endless days of cleaning and preparation that come before the holiday. The moaning and groaning of our families that there is nothing to eat in the house and the fear that someone will accidentally bring chametz (leavening) into the parts of the house that are already cleaned.

To gain insight into how our readers deal with all of this and what some of their favorite gadgets, cookbooks and challenges are, we posted a survey on our social media sites. The answers came in from around the globe; readers from Israel, England, Canada, South Africa and the United States sent us answers. Some of the feedback we received was overwhelmingly similar, while other responses were as unique as each of our readers

Top Five Gadgets that Make Passover Easier:

1. Food Processor

Coming in with an overwhelming 42% of the vote, our respondents made it clear that this kitchen tool is the most used and must-have aid in preparing foods for Passover. There is a debate as to the quality of the food processor for Passover. Some think that an inexpensive hand-cranked model is fine for the eight-day holiday (seven in Israel), while others espoused the merits of purchasing a high-end model that will last a lifetime. There are so many models and brands to choose from (Braun, Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach) and this is one tool worth purchasing for your Passover kitchen if you don’t already have one.

2. Peeler

This gadget came in second with 20% of our readers claiming this as their must-have tool for Passover. Whether a regular vegetable peeler or a peeler designed specifically for soft skinned vegetables and fruits, this gadget has become a tool that generations have used in their Passover kitchens.

 

3. Mixer

Our third place gadget came in at 14% of the total responses, including both stand, handheld and immersion variations. Our readers all had specific reasons as to why they had a preference and how much time it saved them in their Passover cooking. One reader even told us about the hand-cranked beater passed down to her from her grandmother that she still uses in her Passover kitchen.

 

4. Knives

 

Coming in next at only 9% are good knives and cutting boards. Again the debate between dollar store quality and high end was a major differing opinion. The general consensus, however, is to buy good quality so it will last from year to year.

 

5. Music

The fifth place must-have item for Passover came in with 8% of the votes and that is Music. Our readers who mentioned this all talked about how it helped them to get through cleaning and cooking with a more joyful attitude. If you have young children at home, this is a playlist that may interest you from Spotify. If you are looking for something to inspire you, this playlist may be more to your liking.

 

 

 

Must-Have Cookbook For Passover:

Our readers responded to this question with fewer options than we expected. Here are the top three responses.

1.

Coming in with 39% of the responses, the most-used cookbooks in our readers’ kitchens are their own collected recipes or those of their Bubbies and family members that have been passed down. For many, using recipes that they grew up eating is another way of having Passover truly be a holiday m’dor l’dor (from generation to generation).

2. 

Taking 17% of the responses, the second most mentioned cookbook is the Spice and Spirit Kosher for Passover, by the Lubavitch Women’s Organization. A tried and true classic, it is the companion book to the Spice and Spirit also put together by this organization. With both gebrokts and non-gebrokts recipes this book, for many, is the only one for Passover.

 

3.

And the third place source for recipes, at 12% of the votes, is the internet. Many of our respondents mentioned not having the need for another book and that with the help of search engines there were more recipes than they could ever use, just a few keystrokes away. There are many websites and blogs offering Passover recipes. Here are a couple to visit: The Out of Town Cook and Jamie Geller.

 

 

 

The Greatest Challenge of Passover:

1.

When asked about the greatest challenge they faced during Passover, the most common answer we received from our followers was the changing over of their kitchens from everyday to Passover-ready. At 25% of the responses, this was the largest shared challenge.

2. 

The second most common challenge our followers shared was figuring out what to feed the family in the days leading up to the holiday. In fact, 14% of the answers focused on this, and how annoying it was to hear family members repeatedly saying, “There’s nothing to eat in this house”. Many of our mothers are secretly smiling to themselves that this is now our problem.

3.

The remaining challenges were each so unique, and it was amazing that there were so many different challenges. From where to house guests to missing rice or keeping non-gebrokts. Some of our readers worried about having to check every processed item for kitniyot, while others stressed over trying to please everyone. A unique response from a reader in Baltimore, MD was stressing  about too much family togetherness, while a reader in New York worried about not enough family togetherness. 

 

Our reader poll was very eye-opening and it was fun to see where the responses came from. 

Chag Kasher v’Sameach To All!

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