Artisan is definitely having a moment. When you can have your chocolate/candles/salt handcrafted, local, and one-of-a-kind, why settle for anything else? Well now, thanks to the Naga Bakehouse in Vermont, even matzah can be artisan. It’s Vematzah Artisan Matzah! (Vermont and matzah. Get it??)
This isn’t your average matzah, that’s for sure. Even the box is gorgeous, and comes with a lovely note about Passover, matzah and Vermatzah. It’s made in small batches with local, organic ingredients over an open fire just like our ancestors have done for 5,000 years!
Most of the matzah you buy on the shelves is square. Vermatzah, as you can see below, is round. For most of the past 5,000 years of matzah making, it was done by hand and therefore, irregularly shaped. In the 1800’s, modern mechanization changed all that, but Vermatzah likes to keep things simple and get back to basics. Theirs is round, just like out ancestors! Vermatzah offers foodies and localvores interested in healthy eating and sustainable agriculture a tasty alternative!
Passover stands for freedom and renewal, making it a great time to connect with nature. The nice folks at Naga Bakehouse include some Vermont wheat berries in each box of Vermatzah. Plant them in a pot on your sunny windowsill or directly in your garden, then harvest! Cool! (Next three photo credits: Vermatzah.)
But how does it taste, you ask?? Ah, a good question. I had mine with a schmear of jelly and it was good. Real good. Light, airy and crunchy with a wheaty flavor. More like a grainy cracker than the matzah we are used to. The Vermatzah folks say your matzah will last for months, but I think you’d eat it before you could test out that theory anyway.
The one catch? Vermatzah is not produced under Rabbinical supervision, but it is Eco-Kosher. What is Eco-Kosher? Good question! According to the Vermatzah website:
“Eco-Kosher is a new and evolving concept combining common sense and compassion with a range of ancient Jewish teachings. Vermatzah is Eco – Kosher, connecting modern ecology with ancient dietary laws and ethical standards about food production, preparartion and eating. At Naga Bakehouse we understand Eco-Kosher to mean a broader sense of “good practice” in everyday life that draws on the deep well-springs of Jewish wisdom and tradition about the relationships between human beings and the earth. Every box of Vermatzah is handmade with organic Vermont Wheat grown under the best sustainable agricultural practices from the harvest to the baking.
The concept of Eco-Kosher food entered Jewish thought in the 1970′s. In a recent blog post for the Shalom Center, Rabbi Arthur Waskow discusses how this concept applies to food prepared using modern technologies, and how by “eco-kosher” we mean a broader sense of “good practice” in everyday life.”
Cool, right? Use those factoids to impress your friends or a first date (maybe just your friends).
Vermatzah is available in select retailers in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and online. Find out how to get yours here!
This post is sponsored by Vermatzah but as usual all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting sponsored posts on What Jew Wanna Eat so I can keep bringing you delicious recipes!
