Floaters vs. Sinkers - A Hanukkah Story and Recipe

The true gifts of this holiday season are the stories and memories passed down through the generations.  Told. Re-told.  Embellished?  Ours are downright accessorized. A gift that has a story embedded is hardly ever forgotten, ages beautifully, and never goes out of style.

In my family growing up, Matzo Ball Soup (a Passover tradition) was always a holiday favorite.  It's a classic that sat in a warm, simmering pot on the stove, served right along with the potato latkes.  Traditional during Hanukkah?...um, not exactly.  Against the rules? Definitely not.

As soon as we sat down to eat, my dad always told his monstrous matzo ball memory: "Remember the giant matzo balls at Sally's house?"  Of course we remembered!  We were invited to share a holiday with lovely family friends.  As we sat down to eat, the hostess, in her starched apron, buzzed around the table, asking each guest how many matzo balls we wanted in our soup.  (My mom's matzo balls were rock-hard jawbreakers in every way imaginable!  They were "sinkers" at the bottom of your soup bowl.)  My father proudly ordered four matzo balls.  Out came our charming hostess with four really large fluffy matzo ball "floaters" in what looked like a serving bowl and proudly placed them in front of my dad.  He was downright flabbergasted by their size and airiness (delicious, in my recollection).

Of course those matzo balls got larger with every re-telling.  They grew from ping pong balls to baseballs to bowling balls.  Dad's eyes would light up as he gestured their enormity with his hands (just like a fisherman's tale of the giant fish hooked on his line - "It was this big!).

A number of years ago, I painted the picture that you see below.  I named it "Floaters."  So here's a holiday gift idea, made with love, from my kitchen.  And remember that a steaming bowl, steeped in storytelling, beats any chills or ills headed your way.

I use boxed matzo ball mix and chicken stock (also boxed).  I then infuse the broth with onion, celery, parsley, and carrots.  Sometimes I add some fresh dill.  And I always include one parsnip, with love, as a remembrance to my friend Shelley, who passed many years ago, and who always had a parsnip in her matzo ball soup.  Enjoy!

"Floater" Matzo Ball Soup - serves 4
Ingredients:
3 quarts good quality chicken stock in a box
1 whole onion - peeled and quartered
2 whole carrots - peeled and sliced
2 ribs of celery - sliced
1 large handful of flat leaf parsley - chopped coarse
1 box Manischewitz matzo ball mix (use both packets of mix that come in the box)
4 eggs
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
1.  Simmer the vegetables in the chicken stock until soft.  Strain out vegetables and set to the side.
2.  In a bowl, blend 4 eggs and 4 Tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Add contents of both packets and stir with a fork until evenly blended.
3.  Chill in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
4.  Removed chilled mixture from refrigerator.  Wet hands and form mixture into 1" balls.
5.  Bring soup to a brisk boil.  Drop matzo balls into the boiling soup.
6.  Cover tightly and reduce heat to simmer matzo balls.  Cook approximately 20 minutes.
7.  Add vegetables back and serve.  You can add more chopped parsley or dill to garnish.