One year ago, on Vav Sivan, my
world turned upside down. While cleaning
for Pesach, my seemingly healthy and vibrant father, Tuvia Ben Nachum – Dr.
Theodore Saltzberg (z”l) suddenly passed away.
It was incomprehensible to us. My
father was a visionary and energetic leader of our family and community. It
wasn’t possible that he was gone.
Here I am, one year later
reflecting on the time that has passed.
It has been a difficult year. My
father did so much, it’s incredible how much he accomplished. His shoes were so big, and he is
missed so much – not just by me and my family but the entire community. It’s not uncommon for someone to come up to
me, even a year later, and tell me how much they miss my Dad.
With Pesach right around the
corner his presence is even more strongly missed. My father was world renown for his killer
chrayn (horseradish). It was so hot that
once the kids dared one of my sons to take a big sniff of the chrayn. He did, turned red, and literally couldn’t
breathe for a minute or two! Wanting to
be completely prepared to make his famous chrayn, six weeks before Pesach Dad
would put up his russel, beets to ferment for the fermented beet juice he would
add to the ground horseradish. The engineer in him came up with the process
improvement to use a “Sun Tea” pitcher with a spigot on the bottom so he didn’t
have to remember to foam off the moldy part on the top of the beets. Then he would be on a mission to find the
dirtiest horseradish roots he could possibly find. He always said that the dirtier ones were the
strongest. When he found them he would
call up with such excitement “I found the best dirty horseradish today!” If he found it too far in advance to have the
horseradish roots be fresh, he would fill a vase with water and stick the
bottom of the horseradish in it.
Eventually it would grow roots and a green top which we would use at the
seder. My father was an early
riser, and every time I wanted to help him prepare the chrayn (otherwise how
would I learn?), he told me he had already gotten up at 4 AM and finished
it! My father never put off doing a
mitzvah, especially one that gave him so much joy – we really enjoyed
that super hot chrayn on Pesach! Last year while we were sitting shiva, my husband found the russel and horseradish that my father had prepared for Pesach. One of the hardest things I have ever done
was finishing the chrayn that my father had started last year. I couldn’t conceive of letting the mitzvah
that my father had started remain uncompleted. Baruch Hashem my mother (KIH)
helped with the recipe (it had been her mothers original recipe). During Chol Hamoed I pulled out the
blender, and with the support of my dear husband and kids we finished what my
father had started with tears rolling down all our faces the entire time. We savored every bite of that horseradish
last year – it was my father’s legacy and tradition passed down to us.
This year I went out and bought
my own “Sun Tea” pitcher and put up russel before Purim. I too went in search of “dirty” horseradish
and ended up with nine roots – I kept finding ones that were dirtier than the
ones I had already bought! I bought a
few glass vases at the dollar store and lined up the horseradish roots just
like Dad did. This past week I once again pulled out my blender, my gorgeous
russel, and my son’s safety goggles, and proceeded to make Zaide’s Chrayn. Let me tell you, nine horseradish roots make
a lot of chrayn!!! Wanting to
give hakoras hatov to some of our very special friends who have been incredibly
kind, supportive, and loving this past year, I bought some Mason canning jars
to fill with some of the chrayn that I was making to give as Pesach gifts to
these special friends. In the end I had
nineteen jars!!! Dear Husband and
Dear Niece (who is vising from NY – HOORAY!) helped to add a finishing touch of
some special labels and Zaide’s Special Chrayn was complete. The labels even
had a “Caution HOT” emblem on them – no one can say they weren’t warned.
I have written in past articles
about the impact that my father had on my cooking style. “My Dad is the
“by the book” cook and baker in the family. He will follow a recipe
exactly and the engineer in him always comes through in the “whys and how’s”
when he is in the kitchen.” I
really miss his guidance in the kitchen and out. There is a hole in my heart, and I am so
sad that he’s not here physically with me now. I know that this Pesach will be especially
hard without him here, but I also know that we will try to continue to teach
our children about his legacy and all that he stood for. He will always
be here with us in spirit, and in the traditions he taught us.
Have a Chag Kasher V’sameach!!
For more of my Pesach articles check out:
- Passover
Meat Thing
- Sharon
Matten’s Famous Matzoh Ball Recipe
- Nutty
Passover Recipes on aish.com 2013 (because I’m such a nut!)
- Mainly Meringues
on aish.com 2012
Starting early...February 10th...
Cut up beets in my pitcher
Add the water...and wait...
Two days later...
Check out the foam on top!
This foam is so gorgeous it needed a close-up!
March 18th...
The horseradishes are waiting...
The beets are fermenting!
March 21st...
It is time.
Beets are done.
Amazingly dirty horseradish!!
Dad would have loved these!!
Peeled, cut up, and into the blender...
Prettiest Russel I've ever seen!
I kind of made a mess...
Yes...it took me a while to clean up...
All 19 jars!!
But it was all worth it in the end!!
Ready to go...
We love our friends and
want to give you hakoras hatov for
all your love and support!!
Kosher Everyday
is dedicated to the memory of my father
Dr. Theodore
Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L
May his memory
be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.
Look
for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,
aish.com,
Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,
The
Chicago Tribune Syndication,
or on Facebook at Edible Experience by Sharon
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visitors to Sharon Matten -Edible Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience
Kosher Everyday recipes are for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or
reprinted without express permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!
