Gefilte Fish

     Page Two Hundred Twenty-Five.
     'Tis the season for Gefilte Fish. I think I've covered this already in this blog, but in case I haven't, here's what gefilte fish is: finely chopped fish, onions, spices and other stuff all mixed up and turned into "fish loaves" smaller than a child's fist, then boiled to cook. Traditionally eaten with horseradish.
     It's an acquired taste I think. Though I LOVE the stuff myself, I will admit that it is an oval, gray food which could be very intimidating to the uneducated palate. Most gefilte fish comes from a somewhat expensive can or jar. Few people actually make the stuff anymore, though some butchers and old ladies still do. It tends to run slightly sweet and salty, which may be why the hot/bitter horseradish goes so well with it; all the flavors balance each other out. It's extraordinarily healthy, running very high on the protein content and low on the fat.
     It has turned into a traditional Jewish food though that's not how it started. According to tradition, centuries ago it was a Polish, seaside food which was then adopted by the Polish Jewish population. It's likely still found in the Polish seaside. Because we see so so much of it at Passover time, some non-Jews tend to think that it's a traditional Passover food. Not so. Traditional Jewish food, yes; traditional Passover food, no. Try it sometime. You may like it.  

Home made gefilte fish with horseradish on a bed of greens