Our house was filled with conversation, laughter, the Ah ha of revelation when someone tastes something sublime, or grasps some pearl of new knowledge. We gathered in the family, kid’s friends, our friends to conduct a very traditional Seder. 
For weeks ahead I write lists, shop and shop and shop yet again. My husband asked out of curiosity, how much money I thought I spent on groceries for Passover, Um let’s see:
Doheny Kosher Meat Market
Kosher Club
Pico Kosher Market
Pico Glatt Market
Elat Market
Bristol Farms Market
Gelson’s Market
Sana Monica Farm Market
I really have only a vague idea, thank god he understands.
Something in me says make everything from scratch, use the best ingredients you can afford; make as many dishes as I can turn out in the time available. This is a list of what I made this year:
Capeloto Family Haroset
Huevos Haminados
Salmon with Tomato Sauce
Gefilte Fish
Chicken and Short Rib Soup
Matzo Balls
Passover Brisket
Passover Stuffed Veal Breast
Roast Chicken
French Roast with Prunes
Cranberry Sauce
Passover Popovers
Kufte de Prassa
Felichikas
Leek and Potato Patties
Steamed Asparagus
Sautéed Artichokes
Roasted multi colored cauliflower
Beet and tomato salad
Apio Agra Dulce
Sunchoke Latkes
Roasted multi colored heirloom potatoes
Multi colored Carrot Apple Almond Kugel
And for Dessert:
Marunchinos, Mustachudos, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Macaroons, Passover Mandel Bread, Lemon Meringue Marunchinos, Strawberry Rhubarb Meringue Pie, Lemon Curd Pie with Meringue Crust, Passover Mixed Fruit Crisps, and Individual Belgian Brownies. Oh don’t forget the Sorbet in Raspberry, Blood Orange, Chocolate, Strawberry and Coconut.
I hope you tried some of the recipes, Pesach is really more about the celebration of our liberation and the cooking is more about making the time to cook than the difficulty. You only have to make the Haroset, one kind of fish, or buy it, make soup, matzo balls, one main course, two vegetables, potatoes, and two desserts to make a very impressive feast. Have fun with the table setting. I try to collect a few new things every year. Consider napkin rings, glass plates, serving pieces…This year we switched the dining room and living room furniture around. I had one very long table in the living room and everyone was comfortable.
I am going to post the Meringue recipe so you can save it for next year or make it for the last days of Passover.
Beautiful table, Hanum! I’m coming for leftovers!!
I loved looking at those pics! What a beautiful table…. thank you! How do you manage to do all that? I’m cooking most of the time for my (small) family but produce a minute fraction of all this….
Hi Linda,
This Seder is amazing!!!! I don’t know how you managed to have the time for all the shopping, cooking, baking and sorbet making!!!!!
With so many different dishes, was this served as a buffet? Your guests were indeed lucky.
This year we enjoyed your marunchinos as well as the potato leek keftes. I will make the agristada over the weekend.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday–hopefully you have plenty of leftovers and can take a little break.
Norma
Dear Norma, I always hire a couple of helpers for the evening. I serve the soup, the fish and some years I plate the main course as well, but this year as everyone wanted to get up and stretch their legs, I served the main meal as a buffet. Dessert was also a buffet.