Life in the land of the Pure, 2024-25 season, episode 11: A night like no other nights.

Catching up on my blog posts after my R&R.


Back in April, someone in the diplomatic technology office  was wondering if anyone at Post is hosting a … Passover Seder?”  And since I got to go to one in 2022 hosted by a British colleague, I figured it was my turn.  After all, how hard could it be?  I even had copies of a Haggadah with me already.  


And a quick search of my office kitchenette turned up the plastic Seder plate I had left behind in 2020.  Getting easier by the minute!


Guest list …. The Tribe was represented by myself, David from DT, Nomi the consular chief, and Sarah who works in our Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts—unfortunately at the last minute Nomi couldn’t make it. Jacqui and Nikki from my office, plus my friend Lisa from consular, were our designated non-Jews, a tradition that focus dates back 20 years to our New Delhi days. Mind you Nikki had di done extensive research and arrived ready for game day.  


The menu was a bit trickier.  I got and bleached carrots to make candied carrots, plus cooked up some collard greens from my garden plot.  I was delayed when the butcher shop in town sold me a brisket (more on that later); I made two trays of matza crack for dessert; the guests ensured we had sufficient wine for the four cups (plus Elijah); and I asked my favorite rug merchant for a few kilos of their award winning Afghan palau for coverage. First course: matza ball soup.   


When I picked up the Palau a few hours before the Seder, the guys at Chobi (the rug shop) had included 40+ chicken gyoza style dumplings and chicken skewers.  Good thing because that brisket … wasn’t.   We think it was a rib cage from a baby pterodactyl.  Super boney and took forever to cook.  Lisa (the army veterinarian) and sarah (former … well, she’s a former lots of things) together dismembered it, and the stray dogs outside Dunkin would later have their own feast.  


https://youtu.be/kxPqg8KRW0Q?feature=shared







The brisket fiasco aside, the night was wonderful.  As is our tradition, we all took turns reading, there were lots of great questions and discussion, and fortunately all were staying on compound because we demolished at least five bottles of wine.  And my office got the leftover matzah crack.




I’ll try to catch up blog posts in the next few weeks — my vacation and our mini war put me behind.  But I’ll keep mostly to chronological order so next installment will be a tour of my flat.  Feel free to send me questions & suggestions!


Love to all, 

H


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