[img_assist|fid=3535|thumb=1|alt=Kneidlach]
Photo of Potato Kneidlach from Gluten-Free By The Bay.

A few days ago Mata reminded us that Passover is Coming, and shared the history of this eight-day Jewish holiday which starts April 2 this year. Like every religious holiday, Passover has wonderful foods that are traditionally eaten.

I loved reading Mata's memories of the wonderful Seders, or special Passover meals, her family enjoys every year, and her job as "The Peeler". But, when I started spotting a few passover recipes online and decided I wanted to write about them, I must confess I knew next-to-nothing about Passover foods, so I wrote to one of my blogging friends, The Chocolate Lady at In Mol Araan, a delightful blog written in English and Yiddish. TCL had already alerted me to her post about Hemp and Walnut Kneydlekh (or Wheat-Free Matzo Balls), which she knew would be perfect for my own low-glycemic way of eating. I confessed my ignorance about Passover foods, and asked her to give me a short explanation about what foods are not allowed. She explained:

During Passover, it is forbidden to consume leavened products containing any of the five grains (wheat, oats, rye, spelt, or barley).

A lightbulb went off in my head, as I realized why I'd been seeing so many recipes for Passover foods on gluten-free blogs. Not in any way to minimize the religious significance of eating foods without leavening, but gluten-free cooking and Passover have a natural connection.

Not surprising then that the most comprehensive Collection of Passover Recipes on the internet might be found at Gluten Free By The Bay, where Isaiah (a woman with a man's name) has collected close to one hundred Passover recipes that are also gluten-free. Isaiah has coded the recipes like this to make them even more useful:

P = Parve (no dairy, no meat)
M = Meat (fleischig)
D = Dairy (milchig)
V = Vegan (no animal products, no honey)
VG = Vegetarian dishes containing dairy, eggs and/or honey

Don't miss visiting Gluten-Free By The Bay to see the amazing collection, but here are a few recipes that caught my eye:

Passover Lamb from This Mama Cooks.
Turkish Eggplant Vegetarian Stew from Almost Turkish Recipes.
Beef Tzimmes with Butternut Squash from Gluten-Free By The Bay.
Purple Potato Quiche from Gluten-Free Goddess.
Hemp and Walnut Kneydlekh (or Wheat-Free Matzo Balls) from In Mol Araan.

I also found some interesting blog posts about where to buy Passover Cupcakes (without flour) and a taste-test for the Coca-Cola made with sugar which is sold for Passover since many Jews don't drink coke flavored with high-fructose corn syrup during this time.

Thanks to Mata, Isaiah, and The Chocolate Lady for sharing their traditions and helping us all to learn more about Passover.

Food Editor Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen and didn't realize she was creating a recipe suitable for Passover when she posted Roasted Turnips with Balsamic Vinegar.