Indio, California: We had invited Debbie & Mark for the first night of Passover. I had planned a traditional-for-me-considering-we-were-in-our-RV menu. Then the wind came up. We would not be dining outdoors, in the sun, on the canal. I have written several times about the wind since we have been in Indio. Forget everything I have said. Today the wind blew like it has never blown before (since we have been in Indio on this trip).
As in, "our internet satellite dish keeps being blown off-course" windy.
I spent most of the morning preparing my soon-to-be-famous Smoked Salmon Gefilte Fish. The recipe is complicated in a home kitchen. Which means the recipe is way-too-complicated for a teeny RV kitchen. But that did not stop me. I pureed. I molded. I poached. The result? 18 perfect little gefilte fish ovals as our appetizer.
Which I forgot to photograph!
DT had to improvise a wind-block situation for our grill. My traditional Passover roast chicken was going to be a non-traditional butterflied grilled chicken this year. The flame keep going out, so My Driver utilized our Duck cooler as a wind block. (NOTE: DT had to place two gallon jugs of water inside the cooler so it wouldn't blow away.)
I butterflied that organic kosher bird myownself with my little kitchen shears inside my motorhome. Marinated it all day with garlic, lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper, white wine, fresh rosemary and parsley. (It had to be delicious, because it is the base of my chicken soup for tomorrow night.)
And it was. My Griller is exceedingly skilled.
I united the salty/bitter part of the Seder into a salad/side-dish of marinated shaved zucchini, asparagus and baby crimini mushrooms over bitter arugula. Of course, we also had matzo.
And I also served Hasselback Potatoes - yellow potatoes sliced (nearly-through), drizzled with fat and roasted. Okay, so I drizzled these potatoes with rendered duck fat and garlic. Doesn't everyone keep rendered duck fat in their RV freezer?It really comes in handy.
Dessert was a (again, not photographed!) meringue with fresh berries. Nothing fancy, if you don't count the two long hours a meringue need to bake in a 200-degree oven (when my oven only goes down to 250 degrees).
We enjoyed a wonderful evening with Mark & Debbie. We discussed the exodus from Egypt, we discussed the Four Questions, we drank four cups of wine. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who do not have access to clean, healthy foods, nor friends or family to sit at their tables. We are so blessed.
Until my next update, I remain, your Kosher correspondent.
RV Park: Motorcoach Country Club. Without a doubt (to me - and don't forget, it's my website) the finest RV Resort in The World. Every available amenity. Golf, tennis courts, 3 pools, 3 spas, bathhouses, 2 laundries, fitness center, club houses, restaurant, bar, gated security, 2-mile waterway and wifi.