Easter and Seder Made Easy

Put down the spatula, pick up the phone, and breathe a sigh of relief.

Just one week apart, Passover (Monday, April 10) and Easter (Sunday, April 16) often demand customary dishes that may take several days to prepare. If the idea of spending this much time cooking your holiday meal sends you into a panic, we have the solution: let someone else do it for you. Pay a visit to one of these six Valley venues, and all you’ll have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy a delicious celebratory feast with good company — no apron required.

Passover is not just about the food, it’s about the Seder, and creating an entire religious ceremony at a busy restaurant can be tricky. Destinations by Yossi Zablocki  offers both private and communal Seder experiences at Honors Haven in Ellenville. A complete Seder and meal is available for the first and second night at a set price of $100/adult and $70/child per night, with both Sephardic and vegetarian options available. Each Seder is kosher and includes a Seder plate along with a traditional five-course Passover menu that offers a choice of appetizer, soup, salad, entree and dessert.

If you prefer hosting, just not preparing, turn to Leslie Lampert, executive chef and owner of Love Hospitality in Mount Kisco. Her Ladle of Love soup shop and Love on the Run catering division will provide Passover takeout or catering services that feature her signature farm-to-table style. Lampert, who grew up in a Jewish household and uses enhanced versions of family recipes, will offer traditional foods such as matzo ball soup, chopped liver, and potato kugel along with more sophisticated dishes like matzo-stuffed veal roast, red wine-braised brisket, and smoked salmon mousse. These Passover-friendly options will be available at Ladle of Love throughout the week for utmost convenience.

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Harvest on Hudson (right), Morty’s Kosher Style Delicatessen (left)

For those further north, another Passover take-out option is Morty’s Kosher Style Delicatessen in Poughkeepsie. The original idea for Morty’s came from one of Chef Charles Fells’ clients who requested that Fells cater his Passover Seder several years ago. Fells, whose parents are Italian and Swedish, researched Jewish foods and culture, catered the Seder, and became inspired to open a traditional-style Jewish delicatessen. Morty’s will offer customized take-out platters for Passover Seder featuring many traditional foods, including homemade gefilte fish, matzo ball soup, brisket, and kugel.

For a special — and scenic — Easter meal, head to Hastings-on-Hudson’s Harvest on Hudson, where this Italian-style restaurant will offer a prix fixe holiday menu. Featuring its signature seasonal items based on fresh, local ingredients — including those grown in their on-site organic vegetable and herb garden — a visit here will allow you the opportunity to enjoy Chef David Amorelli’s spring cuisine while taking in the splendor of spring in the Valley. “Every table has an exquisite view of the Hudson,” says Chef Amorelli. Easter reservations require a $25 deposit for two guests and a $50 deposit for three or more. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance for a full refund.

If an intimate, traditional meal is more appropriate for your family, then allow Chef Pascal Graff of Le Bouchon to create your family dinner this year. His French bistro and brasserie, set in a centuries-old house in Cold Spring, highlights locally grown produce and meats whenever possible. Front porch and back garden seating are also available, weather permitting. The Easter menu features special prix fixe fare, including an appetizer, entrée and dessert.



Terrapin, Jennifer May

For a more multicultural take on the Easter experience, visit Terrapin in Rhinebeck, where Chef Josh Kroner’s farm-to-table cookery is inspired by a wide variety of international cuisines — including Italian, French, Asian and American Southwest flavors. Promising a mix of eclectic elements, Terrapin’s Easter offerings will feature the majority of the usual options in addition to several special dishes prepared just for the occasion (roast leg of lamb perhaps the most anticipated). The dining room will be opening early (at 1 p.m.), while the bistro will be open for regular service from 11:30 a.m. – 12 a.m.

So what are you waiting for? Make some calls or reserve some seats; this year, your spring holidays are going to be a breeze.

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