Rabbi Eidlitz notes

[SoCal Mother]

Rabbi Eidlitz began by speaking about various hashgacha organizations that have bought up smaller hashgachas and no longer exist.

WK and half moon K are both now owned by the OU and are as reliable.
Texas K is now owned by the CRC and is as reliable.
K with an underline (look at Bob's Red Mill) is now Rabbi Teichman from LA Kehillah.

Triangle K and Tablet K have not changed.
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New product: Gluten-free imitation matzah (!) for those who will not eat gebrokhts or cannot eat wheat but want something similar to matzah without gluten. The bracha is shehakol. Good for places where you can't wash. He said it tastes better than it sounds.

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The popular rumor that all Coke from Mexico is KLP is untrue. Although it is made from cane sugar, it has non Pesach ingredients. There is actually a separate formula for Pesach Coke.

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OU now has a symbol for "Pesach for Kitniyot eaters".

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The confusion about grape juice is as follows:
The manufacturers of kosher grape juice have a new standard that all grape juice is mevushal EXCEPT grape juice sold in 64 oz. glass bottles. Why would anyone want non-mevushal grape juice? He says that since non-mevushal grape juice is potential wine, it can be used for the 4 cups or for kiddush. If you are using mevushal grape juice you should add some wine to it.

Manischewitz is the only wine company that requires OUP on their wine. That's because they add kitniyot flavorings to some of their flavored wines. All other wine is KLP.
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Fox's U-Bet (chocolate sauce) is reliably kosher only in the KLP version. The markings will be on the top.
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Rice Dream Original is acceptable for kitnyiot eaters.

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Food that do not require hasgacha:
Extra virgin olive oil
Plain tea bags (not including decaf)
Agave and Honey that are not processed, filtered, without additives, etc.
Nuts if they have NO ADDITIVES (and BHT counts as an additive)
Frozen fruit with OU does not require OUP
Bagged salad with hashgacha does not require KLP
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[mrotmd]

More than a reply, just a question. Is it possible to have maple syrup kosher for passover

[mamaleh]

In Rabbi Eidlitz's pesach guide (if you and your local rabbi follow his rulings), he lists maple syrup in his "be cautious" category because of anti-foaming agents. You would have to contact him directly to find out about specific brands of 100% maple syrup. On his lists, he does recommend: Maple Syrup - Janeric Maple Syrup (M/K p), Rancho Cucamunga (O/Kp),
Adirondack (Kof Kp)
Here is a link to his guide:
http://www.kosherquest.org/Passover-2...

[azna29]

I saw the gluten free matzoh at Shoprite. $6 a box. No thanks.

[pitagirl]

all nuts?? aren't peanuts (or are the not considered nuts) kitniyot?

[berel]

I think he meant tree nuts. Peanuts grow on the ground

[GilaB]

And they're technically legumes, not nuts.

[shoelace]

im still waiting for one of the organizations to say that all canned vegetables without additives that have a valid hashgacha, do not need pesach notation

[DeisCane]

I think the canning process is tricky. Plus, canned vegetables suck. Frozen on the other hand...

[SoCal Mother]

Rabbi Eidlitz specifically pointed out that frozen vegetables are processed on equipment that is also used to process pasta or something like that. (I had difficulty hearing him at that point.) Frozen vegetables require KLP designation.

[DeisCane]

I could see that. Pierogies, etc. I just meant frozen veggies are a lot better than canned and I'd be much happier to have them KLP than canned.

[shoelace]

i meant to say frozen when i said canned, youre right, canned stinks, frozen is much better

[AdinaA]

It used to be approved to buy Bird's Eye chopped frozen spinach on Pesach. It was handy. But I only teh Jewish brands on the list, hard for people in smaller cities.

[shoelace]

im in queens, i can get the frummie brands, thats ot the issue, i just find that theyrea worse quality, all water logged and yuck

[lacosta]

remember that spinach has a profound bug issue , mandating kosher brands.....

[AdinaA]

Checking ordinary garden or store-bought vegetables for bugs is not all that hard. Even spinach.

Don't forgo the pleasure of planting even a small or flowerpot garden with young children and allowing them to eat spring peas, summer strawberries and autumn squash they they have grown themselves. Hashem created this garden bounty, and Hashem made all of it kosher.

I think some marketer created packaged kosher brands. A long time after Sarah Imeinu cooked a perfectly kosher dinner using fresh wild-gathered spinach.

[berel]

CRC has a good video for checking green leafy veggies

http://www.crcweb.org/videos.php

[lacosta]

correct me if i am wrong but i believe spinach has tunneling insects, burrowing into the leaves....

[berel]

#

it would seem fresh spinach can be used per the CRC as long as it washed and checked according to the method used in the video

"Spinach – It is very impractical and close to impossible for the average consumer to properly check frozen spinach. Therefore, only product with a reliable hashgacha may be used. Pre washed may be used without hashgacha only after checking each leaf of the product or washing again using the chazaka check (see above). Canned needs a reliable hashgacha."

http://www.crcweb.org/fruit%20&%2...

[lacosta]

from the same crc website-----

Spinach – It is very impractical and close to impossible for the average consumer to properly check frozen spinach. Therefore, only product with a reliable hashgacha may be used. Pre washed may be used without hashgacha only after checking each leaf of the product or washing again using the chazaka check (see above). Canned needs a reliable hashgacha.

[SoCal Mother]

Trader Joe's has frozen spinach with the Mexico City hasgacha. Not KLP.

[SoCal Mother]

Peanuts are not nuts.

[berel]

maybe we should call them peanots instead

[pitagirl]

:)

[mrogovin]

They are also not really kitniyot, except for those who come from certain European communities that did not eat them on Passover. R. Moshe Feinstein, one of the most prominent decisors of Jewish law ruled that Peanuts may be eaten by anyone who does not have a family tradition not to eat them. That is why, for example, that peanut oil was readily available OU-P for many years. However, since the OU tries to cover all bases and only sanctioned Peanut Oil (and no other peanut products) this became confusing and sales of the oil declined annually until it no longer made economic sense. Peanut oil is no longer available for Passover. Unless you have a tradition not to eat peanuts, and assuming you could find unroasted peanuts with no additives, I would imagine you could eat them, and even make peanut butter. Of course, check with your Rabbi first...

[DeisCane]

Thanks, though I still don't really understand the grape juice thing. Luckily, I don't think I've ever purchased a 64 oz glass bottle. They must be very heavy.