Jewish baseball legends Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg might have refrained from food and playing the game on Yom Kippur. But, there are thousands of baseball fans who can tell you where they were and what they were eating at the ballpark when their favorite Jewish players, from Ken Holtzman and Shawn Green to Ron Blomberg, major league baseball’s first designated hitter, played for their respective teams during Chol Hamoed Pesach.

The Festival of Freedom usually coincides with the birth pangs of the annual professional baseball season. So, there’s no better time to indulge your appetite for tasty dairy treats during the upcoming Pesach holiday, especially during Chol Hamoed, when many families head to the ballpark to take in an exciting springtime major league baseball game.

With the kosher concession stands shuttered during Pesach, it’s not unusual to hear the crack of the bat coincide with crunching sounds of matzot, as avid Jewish fans revel in delicious matzah sandwiches, such as a Tnuva sliced muenster cheese sandwich. The pre-cut Tnuva sliced muenster is also a great outdoor picnic treat.

By the time you get to the seventh inning stretch and start craving for a luscious dessert treat, Tnuva’s kosher-for-Pesach chocolate or vanilla puddings are a perfect solution. Ready to eat from the fridge, you can also enjoy this delicious low-fat dessert item anywhere, anytime of the day during the Festival of Freedom.

If you wish to go outside the “batter’s box” and whip up a fantastic Pesach chalav Yisrael pudding recipe to take to the ballpark, picnic or just serve to family and friends at home, Tnuva has a wonderful holiday recipe for you.

Strawberries and Vanilla Creme Patissiere

Servings: 10

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

2 ½  cups kosher-for-Passover cookies, crushed

Cream:

1-cup container whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

4 containers Tnuva Kosher-for-Passover Vanilla Pudding

1 cup white chocolate, chopped

Syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup (120 ml) water

2 tablespoons kosher-for-Passover fruit-flavored liqueur (optional)

Fruit:

1 lb. strawberries, stems removed, quartered or sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons kosher-for-Pesach apple vinegar (or similar holiday substitute)

½  cup cherry jam

1 cup candied almonds or pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Prepare the cream: Whip the cream and powdered sugar until it forms soft peaks.
2. Put the vanilla pudding snack and white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on low heat until chocolate is melted. Add remaining pudding cups, and mix well.
3. Gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate. Place in piping bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. Prepare the syrup: Place water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the liqueur (if using) and allow to cool at room temperature.
5. Prepare the strawberries: Place the strawberries in a bowl and add sugar, vanilla and vinegar. Mix and set aside for 15 minutes. Strain the strawberries while reserving the liquid, set strawberries aside and add the liquid to the syrup.
6. Assemble the dessert: Dip cookies in syrup, then layer at the bottom of individual dessert cups. Drizzle jam, then half the almonds, a layer of chocolate-cream mixture, a layer of strawberries, more cream, cookies and the rest of the almonds. Top with the remaining strawberries and syrup.
7. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated for a few hours. If allowed to sit, the cookies will soak up the syrup and intensify the flavors.

Tnuva sliced muenster cheese and vanilla-chocolate puddings highlight quality ingredients, as well as exacting standards of kashrus. Both products feature Vaad Mehadrin, Chug Chasam Sofer and OU-D hashgachot.

By Ken Stephens