R: Oh, matzo ball soup. Every Ashkenazi home has their own version, passed down from bubby to bubby, simmered on high holidays and chilly winter days. There are two critical criteria by which this soup is judged. The first is the matzo ball, which we could call the closest thing Ashkenazis have to an American dumpling. It has to be tender and light enough to melt in your mouth, but still retain a firmness throughout, which has more to do with how you shape it than the recipe itself. The second is the chicken stock, which must be golden yellow and crystal clear, “clean” to the palate and the eye. So while roasting the bones or sim- mering the liquid for longer would actually give you a more intense flavor, that’s not quite the point of this dish. Matzo ball soup is intentionally a bit muted, like some- thing you eat when you’re sick.
All this is deceptively difficult to accomplish, and we’ve done our best to explain how we go about it. But no matter how hard we try, whenever Alex sees a group of old Jewish women walk into Arthurs and order this soup, he runs away. He knows that, without fail, they’re going to be drawing comparisons to their own recipe (it’s the Ashkenazi version of Moroccan Salade Cuite, see pg. 222).

Unless you’re trying to wow the bubby next door, don’t stress about keeping the ball perfectly soft or the stock perfectly clear. It doesn’t affect the taste whatsoever. All technique aside, the importance is that your soup brings you a feeling of heimish, of being at home.

We love a scone, and if we had our way, every gathering would feature one! At the bakery we have created hundreds of scone variations over the years, but we rarely do a chocolate base. Cocoa powder can tend to dry out baked goods, and it took us some testing to get the right balance to make this scone super chocolatey but still moist. Mini eggs provide an extra-crunchy exterior and a sweeter flavour than in traditional scones. These scones are almost cake-like in texture. We like them served simply with butter or whipped cream. This recipe is for full-size scones, but if you are serving them alongside other foods, try them at half-size. For sixteen mini scones, reduce the baking time to 15 to 17 minutes.

These little egg bites are a lifesaver on busy mornings, and are so satisfying! They also make for great snacks on the go. They’ve got my dietitian-favorite PFF combo—protein, fat, and fiber—to power you through the morning. The cottage cheese ups the protein factor and makes for the creamiest, fluffiest consistency. I love the combination of Gruyère and roasted red pepper for these, but you can truly make them your own by switching up the cheese and vegetables. Chopped kale, mushrooms, or broccoli all work great! You can also dice up some ham or bacon for an extra bit of salty, savory goodness. You really can’t go wrong with any additions. They may just be the secret ingredient to a great day

You can “dress” your dressed eggs pretty much any way you like. If you like things a little sweet, finely mince a tablespoon of sweet pickles and add them to the yolk mixture. If you like things savory, add a tablespoon of minced olives to the mixture. Carl (Dolly’s husband) likes them simple, so that’s how we make them for him, but some of our family members even like chopped bacon on top as a garnish—it’s delicious, too. Since it’s Easter, wear your best dress and decide how “dressy” you want your eggs to be!

A plate of fresh herbs is served at most Persian meals, often taking the place of a salad. Serve this dish as an appetizer, or do as the Persians do and leave it on the table throughout the meal. Toasted spices and olive oil poured over the cheese add a warming boost of flavor.

This rice—a version of tahchin, the classic saffron-scented, tahdig-topped Persian rice—holds the title for Kismet’s most popular dish. (It’s worth noting that though it’s often confused, the tahdig is just the coveted crunchy part, while the whole dish is known as tahchin.) We started developing this version in 2013 when we worked together at Glasserie, but we didn’t really find our footing with it until we were rounding the corner to opening day at Kismet, years later. We needed a version that could be made to order and portioned individually, with an eye-catching, perfectly bronzed dome. As for the oozy egg yolk addition, well, we never want to miss out on the opportunity to put on a little show.

This is our interpretation, and not a strictly traditional representation, of Persian rice. It is a celebration of our love of crispy (or scorched) rice across many cuisines, Persian rice being the most direct reference. There are a number of wonderful, more traditional tahchin/tahdig recipes out there; we particularly want to steer you in Najmieh Batmanglij’s direction. Her cookbooks (especially Food of Life and New Food of Life) are tomes of Persian cooking and up there with the greatest cookbooks of all time.