I was wondering if anyone could help me. My family loves matzo ball soup. I have a recipe, but it calls for several things that I don't have any idea what they are. The first is schmaltz and the second is matzo meal. I have practically every grain you can think of and a grinder. Is this something I can come up with? We are miles from the nearest store that would carry something like this. Thanks. Jennifer in Kentucky

-- Jennifer (acornfork@hotmail.com), April 17, 2000

Answers

Matzo meal is made of ground matzo. Matzo is an unleavened cracker with a distinctive flavor,and I have heard of people making it, but from what I understand, it is quite a production to make it, and it's not easy to make. You can find matzo in a big grocery store in the deli,ethnic,or cracker section. Right now is the best time to find it because Passover is tomorrow evening and matzo is a crucial part of keeping Passover.If a store is going to have it they will have it now.If you can't find it, see if someone in a big city can get a few boxes and send them to you. If you get them,grind them up into a coarse meal for the recipe. Schmaltz is another story, you can make that quite easily. It's rendered chicken fat. Just render chicken fat as you would other tyoes of fat, and you can store it in a jar at room temperature for a long time. It can be used to saute onions,etc, in cookig. Don't try to use oil, I tried that once and it just didn't taste right! Both of these ingredients have a distinctive flavor and should not be substituted.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@transport.com), April 18, 2000.

Thank you.

-- Jennifer (acornfork@hotmail.com), April 19, 2000.

I've been told that schmaltz is actually rendered goose fat. It's a much smoother, richer fat than chicken fat.

Not being Jewish, I can't attest to this myself -- an old woman who lived near my parents swore by the health benefits of schmaltz spread on her morning toast...grossed me out!

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), April 22, 2000.

Our grocery store always has a whole bunch of boxes of matzo on the reduced rack after Easter/Passover -- I think it ought to keep well, so you could probably stock up for the whole year!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), April 22, 2000.