Teaneck—Lush, deep, dark, smooth chocolate is certainly one thing that makes eight days of matzoh more appetizing. “I can honestly tell you that one can get along in life very well without desserts, but chocolate is in a category by itself,” began Rachelle Kassai, as she explained how she conceived of her company, Finchi’s by Aunti Rashi, purveyor of only two products: chocolate brownie tortes and chocolate mousse.
The company’s self-described “decadent” chocolate mousse, a thick, satisfying burst of flavor, is available locally at Cedar Market, Grand and Essex, Glatt Express, and Ma’adan, as a new item available this Pesach. Winning best new Passover product this past October at Kosherfest’s national new products competition, Kassai’s mousse joins her already legendary chocolate brownie tortes, which are as unique as they are darkly delicious. If chocolate could ever be described as meaty, you can really sink your teeth into these dense treats.
“‘Tata,’ as my father was affectionately known, always appreciated quality in everything. His motto was “whatever you will buy, even if it is one suit a year, buy the best,” Kassai said.
As a connoisseur of quality food, clothing, art, etc., it was Kassai’s father who always referred to his daughter’s creations as being “finchi” (from the word finom, delicious in Hungarian). That led her to start launching this new gluten-free, nut and dairy-free line in his memory. “He would hold up his elegant hand and look at me with that twinkle in his eye and say, “Everything you make is always ‘a la finchi.’ I adored my father who is an inspiration to this day for me to adhere to quality,” she said.
Finchi’s by Aunti Rashi uses the finest European cocoa and chocolate, bourbon vanilla, olive and vegetable oils. Both the premium, low fat and sugar-free brownie tortes contain no additives, preservatives or chemicals. Decadent chocolate mousse and low fat decadent chocolate mousse joins the latest addition to the line, a sugar-free mousse made with Sorbitol for Pesach. To preserve freshness, all the items in the line can be found in the freezer case.
Fresh ingredients as well as beautiful presentation was also something Kassai learned from her parents. “My mother was a wonderful cook and baker, and I was introduced to her fine kitchen with fresh ingredients at a very early age. Her philosophy was to give her children lots of responsibilities, which translated into our having confidence in our abilities.
“She and my father were always quick to compliment my culinary achievements and encouraged me to not only cook but to make sure I decorated everything appropriately. ‘Remember, the eye must be satisfied first,’ was a constant reminder,” she said. “If something looks good, you’ll be willing to taste it, but if something tastes great but looks unappetizing, few will go near it. A sprig of parsley goes a long way,” she said.
One year, for a kiddush when Kassai’s father was Chatan Bereishit on Simchat Torah, her mother created 25 assorted strudel from scratch: “Cabbage, apple, poppy, apple nut, cherry. I remember helping her pull the dough on a white sheet on our dining room table,” Kassai said.
“My first chicken paprikash was made when I was 7, with instructions given from the front doorway. When asked how much salt, pepper, and paprika to add, my mother answered, ‘You’ll know.’ How’s that for boosting an ego of a young child and encouraging self-confidence?”
That was her culinary education; Kassai was never formally taught cooking or baking. “I learned from watching, listening and reading. After getting married, and raising my five wonderful children while working in the corporate world, I decided to go with what I loved to do for my family: cooking and baking. I always gave away lots of food, and when one day some of my family and friends suggested I go into business with my ‘hobby,’ I took the leap,” Kassai said.
All the foods under the Aunti Rashi brand are manufactured under strict supervision at the Oberlanders Factory, a dedicated nut-free and dairy-free facility that handles wheat located in Belleville, New Jersey. Aunti Rashi’s Goodies, Finchi’s parent company, makes chocolate and cinnamon babkes, pound cakes, chocolate cakes, biscotti, banana cakes, and gluten-free brownies. Finchi’s by Aunti Rashi products are certified kosher for Passover by the Kof-K.
By Elizabeth Kratz
