Earlier today, I came across this recipe for Mandelbread that uses matzo meal and is kosher for Passover. I thought about throwing it together after work today for a potluck I'm heading to later tonight. One of the things that makes this recipe appropriate for this time of year is that is uses kosher-for-Passover margarine (admittedly, I would probably cheat and use regular old butter since I'm not worried about staying kosher). However, there are lots of Jews out there for whom keeping kosher for Passover is deeply important and this year it's a little bit harder, because there's currently a shortage of that kosher-for-Passover margarine that the recipe calls for. This margarine is essential for Passover baking, because it can go with either milk or dairy meals, making the resulting baked goods far more flexible than they would be if they are baked with butter (made from dairy, you cannot serve anything with butter if it's a meat meal).
Part of the shortage has to do with the fact that this margarine can only be made with cottonseed or palm oil. Currently, there is a shortage of cottonseed oil, driving the price to an all-time high. Also, several kosher-for-Passover margarine manufacturers have recently gotten out of the business, increasing the scarcity.
So, if you planned on baking with kosher-for-Passover margarine this holiday season, you may well in be in for something of a challenge.
[via WSJ]
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