If you have a pesach kitchen

amother

OP ↓

Yesterday at 12:02 pm

And you’re cooking for around 10 people, when do you start cooking?

We just moved to a new house and finally have a separate pesach kitchen. I’ve never had one before.

I would love to cook early and stock food in the freezer. It would be wonderful to avoid the last minute rush.

When do people begin cooking? (I know January is too early!)

(Please only respond if you have a separate pesach kitchen)

amother

Watermelon

Yesterday at 12:05 pm

My pesach kitchen is in my chumetzdige kitchen so not so helpful, but I know that some people have told me that foods that can be jarred or frozen they start a little bit before purim time. This is only helpful if you have an empty freezer that is pesachdig or if you jar things like compote.

amother

Aster

Yesterday at 12:27 pm

Around the same time as you would start cooking for sukkos.
Say 4 weeks before. If you think you want to start really early, 6 weeks before.
That is if you have a good separate freezer. The groceries will not be stocked until Purim time with baking ingredients. You can only start with very basic cooking very really on.
What will you make? Sautee some onions? Will your butcher even have chicken and meats before Adar? Inquire about that and work accordingly.
Perhaps you can make some juices or ices. Or Kugels.

amother

Chambray

Yesterday at 12:31 pm

amother OP wrote:

Just after purim. The stores where I live only start stocking Pesach ingredients then. But even if they would start a couple of weeks before Purim, I feel like too much is going on then (plus my freezer is full with Purim related foods so I can't clean it until just after Purim). After purim I clean my extra fridge and freezer, buy first set of pesach ingredients, and cook/prep foods to be frozen. Then I clean the rest of the house.

Enjoy your pesach kitchen!!!

mommish613

Yesterday at 12:57 pm

2-4 weeks before, depending on who I’m having and the year in general.

You don’t really want to be cooking for more than a month and you don’t really want to eat food that’s been in the freezer for more than a month…

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 8:25 am

I just looked at the calendar to see when pesach will be this year.

I don’t think it’s crazy to start cooking a few things at the end of February.
That would be around 6 weeks in advance.

I think I would start with making lots of potato kugels since that’s what I do anyway. I have a method that freezes well.
Maybe I would also make a large pot of chicken soup and divide it into containers.

I would have to buy lots of vegetables, eggs and oil which I don’t think would be a problem.

And then when the stores start pesach food I’ll do cakes and meats.

I just realized that I have to make sure the chicken for the soup is okay… I would have to speak to my store…

I guess I’ll begin with kugel.
I usually dread cooking for pesach because I’m under a lot of pressure. Now I’m excited 😆

tweety1

Today at 8:39 am

Between 2-4 weeks before. I start off with the extras. Soup and fish is something you'll make regardless, cakes and cookies and Italian ices if you're running short on time you might skip it. I then move on to kugel, yapchik , lukshen,

amother

Tulip

Today at 8:45 am

I make chicken soup, meatballs, and all my meats (not chicken) about 3-4 weeks before once the stores have turned over their meat sections.

My daughters start baking once they’re done with school. Which is usually a week or so before.

I really don’t like the freezer taste so don’t do a ton on advance.

For me, the convenience is not having to turn over my regular kitchen. I just cover everything up with plastic tablecloths and use my Peseach.

I do my big shop early (at the same time, the stores turned over and put up their tents, etc.) and leave everything in the kitchen. I do an inventory of spices, gadgets, cookware, aluminum pans, etc. during February so that I have a shopping list when I go right after Purim.

amother

Coral

Today at 8:57 am

Around Purim . If you have ingredients you can do a few weeks before , if you don’t you need to wait until they stock the store with kfp products. If you need to stock your kitchen with pots pans I would do all that now

doodlesmom ↓

Today at 9:00 am

Most will cook after Purim, since groceries and butchers don’t usually have KLP fresh stuff before that.- especially butchers.

And 4 weeks is ample time! Seriously. 2 weeks you don’t need to rush either!

Bnei Berak 10

Today at 9:22 am

amother OP wrote:

What is your method for freezing potato kugel?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 9:54 am

amother Tulip wrote:

Do you also cover your sink(s) in the regular kitchen?
I’m wondering if people use the sinks for washing if they don’t kasher anything.
And which washing cups? I wouldn’t want to use my pesach washing cups in the chometz sinks…

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 9:57 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

What is your method for freezing potato kugel?

Wrap kugel with heavy duty foil and place in a ziplock or challah bag before placing in freezer.
Remove foil before heating up. Add a little water to the top of the kugel and cover tightly with a regular foil.
Place in hot oven (probably 300 degrees) for 45 minutes. Then lower to 225 for an hour.

boysrus

Today at 9:58 am

amother OP wrote:

this exactly. im so happy for you! would love to be able to start cooking for pesach at the end of february before all the pressure begins! you will feel so good having kugels in the freezer, maybe chicken soup and roasts. Thats what I would do. Possibly also veg soup, but I dont always like the way it tastes after being frozen. You can cook feeling calmer than usual, this is great! Enjoy your pesach kitchen OP!!!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 10:07 am

boysrus wrote:

Thank you!

This is a real gift after making pesach for a few decades in my regular kitchen! For some reason I found the last few years exceptionally difficult. Maybe because I’m getting a little older? Maybe because it was easier when my kids were little and went to bed early and then I cooked at night? Maybe because my family used to be fine eating sandwiches for dinner on the back porch but now that just doesn’t work as a meal before pesach anymore?
Anyway, I’m very grateful and want to make the most of it.

amother

Ruby

Today at 10:14 am

I have a Pesach kitchen in my basement - I usually start 2 weeks before Pesach. This year we are making a simcha between Purim and Pesach, so I’d like to start cooking 2 weeks before Purim. Freeze everything that’s possible to freeze.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Today at 10:24 am

care4u wrote:

When I worked, I used to cook a lot in advance but now that I'm home I like to just do everything in 2 days before any yt, including pesach even though I have a separate kitchen.

Wow… how many people are you cooking for?
Why do I find pesach cooking a huge job?

Raisin

Today at 10:28 am

I don't have one but wouldn't it depend on your energy levels and other committments? Are you happy to spend 3 straight days cooking or is it easier to spend one day a week cooking?

I think its fine to freeze food for 2 months.