MATZAH

All about that flat, unleavened holiday food—from dough to desert.

Starting with a brief description of the spring festival of Passover, which celebrates and commemorates the exodus of Jewish slaves from Egypt, Ofanansky goes on to describe, step by careful step, the preparation of matzah. Timing is all-important, as everything from preparing the dough to baking must be completed in less than 18 minutes. It is at the Passover Seder where the reading of the Haggadah, the story of the exodus, takes place. A Seder plate containing foods relevant to the tale and the time of the year sits on the table, and three boards of matzah in their own special cover are placed nearby. Children are always included in this family celebration, and in that spirit there are also instructions for baking matzah at home and creating a matzah cover, Seder plate, and cup for the prophet Elijah, who is invited into the house during the evening. Children familiar with the holiday will enjoy the close-up photographic details. Those new to the festival will learn much, especially benefitting from a well-captioned photograph of the Seder plate. The interactive text is engaging for all.

The combination of concise, easy-to-understand text and copious photography presents an accessible understanding of Passover and matzah