Good Morning, Matzo Brei.

My friend Justine and I have this tradition. In high school, and every couple of weeks in college, we made matzo brei and caught up with each other. The weeks get busy, you know? And sometimes it's hard to keep up with even your closest friends. This is especially true when several states stand between the two of you. (I'm looking at you, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennesee...) When I'm back among the pools and palm trees, we always make it a point to cook up her dad's recipe. Boy did he know what he was doing. The stuff's tasty-good.

Matzo brei literally means "fried matzo." Do you like scrambled eggs? It's basically scrambled eggs plus the added texture, heft, and taste of matzo. It's usually eaten for breakfast during Passover---no leavened bread allowed---but Justine and I eat it whenever because we like it.

Where I come from in South Florida, there's a large Jewish community, and subsequently a year-round Manischewitz portion of the grocery store. This makes matzo easy to come by. Not so easy in Iowa. Luckily, my mom loves me enough to mail me the occasional box of matzo. I saw the box in my pantry this morning and thought, Hey there, delicious breakfast-to-be. (Last week, during Passover, I thought, Hey there, delicious dinner-to-be.)


So here's what I want you to do. Go track down some matzo. I'll wait.



Got it? Good.

Now, whip up some eggs.



Scramble it all in the pan.



Don't forget the coffee! Some good cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg goes a long way.



Consume. I like mine with a bit of ketchup. Salsa and Tapatio are also tasty toppings. But, hey. You might like yours Plain Jane and that's just dandy.



Happy belated Passover!

Matzo Brei


slight variation on a Singer family recipe

2 pieces of matzo
2 eggs
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Spike seasoned salt
1/2 tsp milk

1. Place the matzo on a plate and dampen it under cool running water. Hold the matzo to the plate and drain off the excess water. You don't want it to be mushy.
2. Crack two eggs into a bowl (or mug, in my case) and add the spices and milk. Whip 'em up.
3. Heat up a pan with a little bit of butter. Break the matzo into chunks and toss it in the pan. Pour the eggs over the matzo. Make sure each piece of matzo is covered with egg.
4. Scramble until light and fluffy, though this will be denser than traditional scrambled eggs.

It's-Grey-and-Dreary-and-I'm-Sleepy Coffee

4 tbsp coffee grounds
3/4 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1-10. Brew!