Matzo Matzo Man

  I am a sucker for a value, a cheerleader for cheap. So when I saw two boxes of Matzos in the clearance cart at Kroger's, I bought them both. The 11 ounce packages were marked $0.39 and $0.49 respectively. Original price? Almost $3. So these were simply too good to pass up .... whatever they were.

 They look like crackers, Mom said.

  But upon opening one of the packages, I am convinced that matzos are to crackers as acres are to inches.

  They look like saltine crackers, to be sure. And they have somewhat of the taste. Except for being even less tasty, less salty, less everything.

 For my Jewish readers, matzo requires no explanation. For everyone else, they are unleavened bread, traditionally eaten during the Passover holiday (this year, the week-long event ran March 25 through April 2). Thus explaining why Krogers had them in the clearance cart.

 During Passover, "chametz" (bread and other items made with leavened bread) is forbidden.Thus matzo is something in the vein of "fish on Fridays" for Catholics.

 I was a bit surprised when I opened the package and found a large, flat cracker, regularly poked full of rows of holes. In the same way crackers are prevented from puffing up during baking, the holes are a way for gasses to escape, keeping the bread flat. A good explanation of matzo can be had by clicking here

 Mom and I both sat down to a matzo, widening our culinary horizons if not our waistlines. "Well," said she, "the tastiest part is the holes." For me, the tastiest part is the price.

 Now, what to do with two boxes of these? I've already tried them by nibbling cheese between bites. That helps. I think peanut butter will offer some excitement, too. I won't much have to worry about the calories (110). And there's no saturated fat, no trans fat, no cholesterol and very little sodium.

 There's actually very little to them at all. Except crumbs.