April 21st- The last few weeks have been rainy, raw and windy; a slow start to spring. So, when the sun finally peeked tentatively out, I made room in my schedule to head out for a hike at the Drury Preserve in Sheffield, Massachusetts.

Readers of my blog might remember an entry that I wrote, “Mann tracht un Gott Lacht” in the fall of 2022.(https://musicianstravels.com/2022/11/02/mann-tracht-un-gott-lacht-and-baked-apple-cider-donuts/) On that day, I had gotten turned around and became quite lost on the Drury Preserve Trails. I had to be rescued by my husband who had just come down with Covid!

This time, I remembered to pay attention to my surroundings! As I entered the woods, I breathed in the rich piney air and happily headed off on the familiar sun dappled trails. It felt as if I had come home.

As I continued on my walk, my thoughts turned to music and to upcoming changes in my musical career. Thursday, April 24th at the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, will be my last performance with The Hevreh Ensemble; a group that I started over 20 years ago! I thought of our many trips to Europe and having the chance to travel to Iceland- wonderful memories. No regrets here, but bittersweet thoughts of leaving the group. I have decided to devote more of my musical energy to Early Music and performance on the Recorder.

And, I look forward to writing future blogs about some of the trips that Hevreh Ensemble took to Prague, Vienna, Krakow , Berlin, Amsterdam and Warsaw!

I walked past a beautiful meadow and was quickly brought out of my reverie; on the small hillside next to me, I noticed one of the first woodland flowers of spring, Blunt Lobed Hepatica.

As I looked my closely, I saw small bunches of the flowers clustered all over the surrounding area.

Tiny speckled leaves of Trout Lilies peaked shyly out of the ground.

As I was finishing my walk, my thoughts had turned to making Matzoh Ball Soup for our upcoming Passover Seder. I did pay attention to where I was going and I am happy to report that this time, I did not get lost. I retraced my steps to my car without any mishap!

Each year, we look forward to sharing Passover with dear friends; cooking a large traditional meal that always includes Matzoh Ball Soup. Over the years, I have come up with a recipe for matzoh balls that are light and also flavorful. I make a rich chicken stock with diced carrots and a touch of dill- together this soup shared with friends is truly an antidote for our crazy world!

ENJOY!!

Matzoh Balls (Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine- August 20, 2004 issue)

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons white onion, grated

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ( I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it works just as well)

3/4 cup matzoh meal

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt, cayenne pepper, onion, and olive oil. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the matzoh meal in several additions. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Moisten hands with cold water and roll the matzoh mixture into 3/4 inch balls. After all the balls are formed, drop them into the boiling water. Return to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. These freeze beautifully- let cool completely and then place in a large plastic container. To use, defrost slowly at room temperature and then place in chicken stock and heat. I like to add diced carrot and fresh dill to the soup.

RICH CHICKEN STOCK

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 3-4 pounds)

1 large onion peeled and cut into 4 pieces

1 large stalk celery- cut into 3-4 pieces

1 large carrot- peeled and cut into 3-4 pieces

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

15 whole peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 tablespoon salt

TO MAKE CHICKEN STOCK:

Place all ingredients into a large stock pot

Cover with cold water

Bring to a boil- remove any scum that may rise to the top, reduce to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer about 3 hours.

Let cool completely- pour into a large bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next day remove fat from top. The stock can now be used or frozen.

ENJOY!!

AND: Here’s The “Tree of the Week”:

HAPPY SPRING!!