Kosher Food Menus and Traditions for Purim
Purim Rules and Traditions
Triangular-shaped food such as kreplach and hamantashen pastries are eaten in memory of Haman’s three-cornered hat.
Purim celebrates the freedom of the Jews from the wicked Haman, through the leadership of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai.
Top 7 Things We Do at Purim
1. Reading of the megillah also referred to as the Book of Esther
2. The purim meal or seudah
3. Drinking of alcohol. One of the more unusual food customs associated with Purim comes in the form of a commandment that says adult Jews should drink until they can no longer tell the difference between blessing Mordechai and cursing Haman
4. Matanot la’evyonim, gifts to the poor
5. Dress up in costumes.
6. Mishloach manot or shalach manot use to be simple and easy.
It would consist of homemade hamantaschen, candy, fruit, chips, pretzels and grape juice. Now it has become a business. It consists of elaborate gift boxes and trays which feature: Kettle chips, peanut brittle, seasoned almonds, chocolate covered fruit, freeze dried fruit, gourmet hot cocoa, Guylian twists, Ghirardelli chocolate and more in a beautiful keepsake container. More elaborate gifts include: Enjoy mounds of roasted & salted pistachios & cinnamon dipped nuts. Chocolate chip cookies, creamy milk toffees, chocolate caramel filled sweets along with a double espresso flavored Vodka. Instead of sweet delicacies some people send savory baskets which include: salsa, tortilla chips, avocado, hot sauce and tropical fruit.
One of my favourite foods to eat at Purim is kreplach. It is a dumpling which can be shaped like a triangle and filled with meat, potatoes or sweet filings.
A variety of kerplach recipes exist on line. The following are my favourite recipe sites:
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/1363/jewish/Basic-Kreplach.htm
http://ruhlman.com/2012/02/kreplach-dumpling
http://www.jewishrecipes.org/recipes/kreplach/kreplach.html
Purim is one of our most festive and fun holidays. Dress and enjoy the festivities with your kids.
Mitzuyan Kosher Catering offers a wide variety of kosher food menus  to accommodate all Jewish holidays.
