Comfort food

Matzah Ball Soup.

Yes, that is right, Matzah Ball Soup will forever and always be my favorite comfort food.

Over the years, I have noticed that everything seems better after a big, steaming bowl of Matzah Ball Soup. I feel lighter, happier and relaxed each and every time. It is truly amazing. It can be in the middle of the summer,  100 degrees outside with the blazing sun beaming down or it can be in the dead of winter, -10 degrees with freezing rain falling from the sky. It has become my answer to just about any issue. From just a simple cold, to any kind of emotional exhaustion and all the way to the worst of mental blocks. No matter what is going on in my life, if I need a little push in the right direction, Matzah Ball Soup has always worked. It is truly magical.

What is so good about Matzah Ball Soup, you may ask?

Good question. I’ve thought about this long and hard. I mean seriously, how can one soup can consistently bring me this much peace and comfort.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that no matter what time of year it is,  Matzah Ball Soup is always an acceptable part of a Jewish meal.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that when I was growing up, we would gather around the table every Friday night over a nice bowl of soup, fluffy challah bread, and great conversation.

And maybe it has to do with the fact that Matzah Ball Soup has become such a big, yet subtle part of the Jewish Culture.  No matter what your Jewish affiliation is, where you live or how you vote, if you consider yourself Jewish, Matzah Ball Soup is a part of your life in one way or another. Jews of all generations, of all walks of life and of all situations have paused, sat down and enjoyed a big warm bowl of soup.  What better way to make you feel more relaxed than knowing you are not alone. You are connected to this huge network of people. You are one small (but important) part of this incredibly big and awesome world.

Whenever I am having a bad day and I need a little nudge; I make soup. It has become somewhat of a religious experience for me. Soup is no longer just soup but a friendly reminder that everything will be ok.  If I am sick, I will get better. If I am feeling anxious, things will get easier. If I am dealing with some sort of mental block, that too will pass.

With every ingredient I throw in, I feel the weight of my adversity lift off my shoulders. With every Matzah Ball I roll, I feel a calmness fall over me and with every twist of the wrist as I stir, I feel serenity set in. And then, when all is said and done, all that is left is a delicious bowl of soup.