Shmurah Matzo Recommendations -- It's that time of the year...

[hml999]

A freilichen Purim to all!

Looking for tastiest, crispest, freshest, etc., etc. I have found many brands are good one year and not so good the next. I used to think Shatzer was the bomb but then found them to be a bit cardboard-like. Then I tried Pupa-Tzelem, which were reportedly thin and crispy. Again, inconsistent from year to year.

Also, any suggestions for Brooklyn stores that carry a variety of brands? Are their prices better than buying direct from the bakery?

TIA.

[falconress]

Some prices from today's shopping trip at KRM and Gourmet Glatt, Boro Park. All are for two-lb boxes.
At KRM:
* Charedim $44.99
* Tzantz $46.99
* Lakewood $39.98
* Kerestirer $41.98
* Montreal $38.98
* Kiryas Joel $36.99

At Gourmet Glatt:
Shatzer $45.50
Satmer $48.98
Boro Park $20.10 (I am not sure this was the 2-lb price, I think it may have been a 1-lb box)

[bestjackie]

Help, just came from Seasons in Lawrence and bought the last box of Charedim Matzah. I need at least 2 or 3 more, any place in the five towns, far rockaway or even brooklyn. Any ideas?
marty b do u remember where on kings hwy u bought last year?
If not do u have any recommendations for what brand is close to the charedim in taste and thinness?

[MartyB]

I posted on this last year ( http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7759... ). Interesting that the price did not go up ($25/lb). I don't recall exactly but it was on the right side of Kings Highway, (with increasing street numbers in front) between Ocean parkway and Coney Island Ave. I will check with my daughter when she gets up, she may remember.

[bestjackie]

No the price did go up, I paid $27.99 for a 1 lb box

[jdh11]

Off topic - but for those in Israel I highly recommend the Rav Machfoud hard shmura matzas. He also makes the soft shmura as well which I will try this year to compare to the American soft matza we had in previous years. The really good soft matza is baked in homes mostly by the teimanim.

[MartyB]

Lucked out. Seasons (formerly Supersol) in Lawrence is carrying Charedim for $25/lb. A little more expensive then what I would pay in Boro Park but to not have to shlep - well worth it.

To me shmurah matzo IS pesach and nothing else than Charedim will do. Yes, I would have shlepped to Boro Park just to pick it up but am glad that I don't have to. I can conclude my shopping here in the 5 towns since I can get everything else that I need here.

[hanistor]

KRM in BP had Chareidim shleimim for $19.99 per lb. and 2 lbs of shevarim for $35.99, today.
They had very limited supply.

[MartyB]

My friend just called me. He was in KRM and said that they still had broken Charedim but no whole, so I had him pick up some for me so I am now well stocked with Charedim matzos. Yea!

[falconress]

I snagged a box of the shevarim yesterday morning, and the pile was dwindling fast. At first I couldn't even find them on the shelf until a KRM'er pointed out the stack.

The new store up the block, Gourmet Glatt, had Shatzer's and others, no Charedim.

Shoprite has more brands than in past years of hand Shmura Matzo, including spelt and whole wheat. I remember Tzelem-Pupa.

Next time I go out I'll make some notes about brands and prices I see and update here.

[susiejane]

Thanks, Marty. I bought Charedim at Seasons in Lawrence on Monday for $24.99. Was just there again to do shabbos shopping and it is now $27.99.

[MartyB]

Tell me when it hits $30 then I will sell :)

[berel]

Matzah futures, grrrrrr.....

[MartyB]

HELP! I went to Seasons and this year they are charging $32/lb for Charedim shmurah matzo - up from $25/lb last year.

What happened, has the price of flour gone up so much since last year? I thought inflation has been in check for quite a while.

What has been your sighting of Charedim shmurah matzo prices this year?

[EllieS]

They have the Charedim maztos at KRM in Boro Park. It is $24.99/lb. They were the most expensive of the matzos they were selling (omitting those made of spelt, which were more $). They may also have them by Moishe's in Flatbush since the 2 stores are owned by the same people.

[MartyB]

Thanks, so ts off to Brooklyn I go. Good thing that I have a Vort to go to tomorrow night in Flatbush so I will leave a little earlier.

[cheesecake17]

Moishas had them.

[MartyB]

Yes, had, past tense! Moishas are out of Charedim matzos and KRM only has broken ones!!!!

I am trying to get some perspective here. If I want 5 pounds of matzos and I go to Seasons in Lawrence it will cost me $160 for Charedim. If I go to Key Food in Woodmere spend $25 on shopping I will get 5 pounds of Streits for free. HELP!

Flour and water my friends. 18 minutes. Man vs machine. Supply and demand. Sigh!

[avitrek]

The fact that you're freaking out and looking to drive all over for it is exactly why they can charge that. As you said, "supply and demand."

[MartyB]

My family all prefer the taste of machine matzah (Yehudah in particular) over shmurah matzah. I am the only fool who absolutely loves shmurah matzah, thin and burned if possible. To be truthful, I would not shlep to Brooklyn only for a few pounds of matzahs, my daughter was doing errands in Brooklyn anyhow. Because of this shmurah matzah shortage and price hike I decided to be different especially because of the troubling trend that I unfortunately am seeing. It appears that the supply and demand "battle" is being won by the suppliers and I am throwing in the towel. I will buy one pound of Charedim, one pound of Shatzers (which I never tasted but appears to get high marks and is cheaper) and a 5 pound box of Yehuda matzos. Since I will be having one seder at Chabad (and will have to suffer with their thick matzos) two pound of shmurah will carry me through the second seder and the rest of pesach will be machine. I usually only have shmurah for all of pesach.

I cannot anymore convince myself that shmurah matzah is "lechem oni" - machine, yes, but shmura - "lechem ashir".

[HaroldC]

>I cannot anymore convince myself that shmurah matzah is "lechem oni" - machine, yes, but shmura - "lechem ashir".

You misunderstood, Shmurah Matzo if bought in quantity will turn you into an *Oni* so it is indeed *Lechem Oni*!

[queenscook]

I think one of the problems is that all you are seeing are the ingredients; the difference between HANDMADE shmurah matzah and non-shmurah matzah is all about labor.

Key Food also is a huge corporation that can afford to use matzah as a loss-leader. You may go in and only buy your $25 worth of food to get your "free" matzah. Others will be attracted, and go and do a large shopping, and spend $100 or more, which benefits Key Food enough to "give it away."

And finally, as evidenced in dozens of your previous posts, you value money over time. Many of us would have just paid the additional $35 ($7.00 extra per pound of the five pounds you wanted), and be done with it. I know my employer certainly values my time at over $35/hour, so I do as well.

[MartyB]

I asked Brachs of the 5 Towns if they will carry Charedim matzos and they said they are working on it but it is in short supply. Gourmet Glatt will not carry it. Looks like I better go to Flatbush/Boro Park and soon. Last year most stores ran out and I was only able to find it in some hole-in-the-wall store. Al the biggies we out (KRM, Goldbergs, Pomegranates etc).

Word is spreading that they are the best. As far as breakage. Last year I had very few but a point worth mentioning is that they have more matzos per pound than the others because of their thinness so you must take that into consideration.

Just got off the phone with a friend of mine who lives in Boro Park and asked him is he can to pick up some matzos for me - his answer - You are probably too late! Bummer!

[DebbyT]

Yet some places specifically start baking AFTER Rosh Chodesh. Maybe there'll be another run...

[AdinaA]

Chareidim.

I've already got mine. More to the point, the place where I got it is already out of it. I'm told that the bakery actually shipped them less than they wanted to receive. Limited capacity, high demand.

The tastiest, crispest, freshest, etc., etc. would probably be softmatza.com.

[hml999]

Right...since the web site touts the softness of their matzoh. Think I'll order some rice while I'm at it.

[hanistor]

Chareidim, for sure.

Just realize that if you are looking for shleimim (whole matzos), Chareidim have a tendency to break, or at least crack partially, so your box is liable to contain several matzos that are not 100% whole and uncracked.

Also, note that if you do not need shleimim for Lechem Mishneh, you can buy shevarim (broken matzos) that cost a dollar or two less per pound, at least in the big, Boro Park supermarkets.

[hml999]

Are Chareidim matzohs available in Monsey?

[MartyB]

I must add to my post, Chareidim matzos are the thinnest, crispiest around, you get more matzos per box than others. The matzos are prepared differently than all other brands. All others the matzos are rolled flat with wooden rollers. Chareidim also shape their matzos with wooden rollers then each one is transferred to a metal table where they are further flattened with a metal roller. This last step is the reason why they are the thinnest and crispiest.

Here ia a video of the process in their facility.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAtnxtfUwy0&feature=player_embedded

Compare with this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JaY5AWENc8&feature=related

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilrVeW...

[berel]

was as Shatzer matzah factory this morning, they also have been using the metal tables and metal rollers to flatten the matzahs for the last 2 years.

[MartyB]

Thanks for the info. I will keep that in mind. This year I am well stocked partly because my friend called me from KRM and told me that there were 4 boxes of broken Charedim matzos (no whole ones left) and I told him to buy me a two pounder.

[berel]

I'll let you know after the seder whether it was a thin as the charedim. Cost @ the factory was $21.50 a lb, but at least I know they weren't baked Chanukah time

[bestjackie]

Help, just came from Seasons in Lawrence and bought the last box of Charedim Matzah. I need at least 2 or 3 more, any place in the five towns, far rockaway or even brooklyn. Any ideas?
marty b do u remember where on kings hwy u bought last year?

[MartyB]

Chareidim, nothing else will do. I hope one of the stores here in the 5 towns carries them if not I will shlep into Brooklyn for them - it is that good!

Last year most stores ran out. I had to hit many stores till I found a hole-in-the-wall that had some!

They are unparalleled and more and more people are findinding out about them. I better start early this year!

[Moishefrompardes]

i basically stick to whole wheat boro park but the one with tartikov hashgacha was the tastiest ive had, although its been a couple years since i had it.

[berel]

My vote is Chareidim

[vallevin]

I always thought shatzer was a good bang for the buck since most the matzot were NOT broken

[IsItkosher]

Did anybody try Lakewood Matzoh http://www.lakewoodmatzoh.com/? Is it good?

[momrn]

We have used it in the past few years. It is almost as good as Tzeleh Pupa,thin and crispy.

[magiesmom]

We like this matzo very much , especially the whole wheat.

[DebbyT]

Satmar...seriously...won a taste test at the hotel a few years ago.

[mrotmd]

And, for us, Floridians, who do we get it

[masteraleph]

I've had Chareidim for the last couple of years and it's been quite good.

[chazzer]

I wish we could get Chareidim down here, we are limited to the Chabard Matzo.