{"id":1931,"date":"2012-03-22T17:02:27","date_gmt":"2012-03-22T21:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/homeshuling\/?p=1931"},"modified":"2013-11-04T17:15:46","modified_gmt":"2013-11-04T22:15:46","slug":"guess-whats-kosher-for-passover-this-will-change-your-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/homeshuling\/2012\/03\/guess-whats-kosher-for-passover-this-will-change-your-life.html","title":{"rendered":"Guess what’s Kosher for Passover (this will change your life.)"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m not exaggerating.<\/p>\n

The bane of my Passover existence has been pareve baking. I cook a lot more meat during the holiday than I do the rest of the year, which means a lot more pareve desserts. Which has, up until now, usually meant margarine made from disgusting ingredients such as cottonseed oil.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Last year, I caught wind of the possibility that extra virgin coconut oil, the darling of crunchy mamas<\/a> everywhere, was Kosher for Passover. Alas, I didn’t catch wind of this possibility until the day before Passover when it was too late to call the OU hotline.<\/p>\n

This year, I planned ahead and called and emailed the OU hotline. And what I learned will change your life. Trust me.<\/p>\n

Spectrum unrefined organic coconut oil is kosher for passover when labeled OU. (No special Passover labeling.)<\/p>\n

I know you won’t believe me. I don’t know why it’s not in their Passover guide. But friends, I have names. And an email. The person whom I spoke to at the OU hotline was named Rabbi Geiger, and he said I could quote him.<\/p>\n

Here is the email I got from the Webbe Rebbe (also of the OU.)<\/p>\n

From:<\/strong>\u00a0Webbe Rebbe <kosherq@ou.org<\/a>><\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

To:<\/strong>\u00a0‘amy meltzer’ <xxxxxx>\u00a0<\/em>
\nSent:<\/strong>\u00a0Monday, March 19, 2012 12:07 PM<\/em>
\nSubject:<\/strong>\u00a0RE: extra virgin coconut oil?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Thank you for contacting the OU.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

\u00a0That is correct, Spectrum unrefined coconut oil is kosher for Passover.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u00a0Please do not hesitate to contact us again should you have any further questions.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u00a0Sincerely,<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u00a0The Web(be) Rebbe<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Orthodox Union Kashruth Division<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n

From:<\/strong>\u00a0amy meltzer [xxxxxxx]
\nSent:<\/strong>\u00a0Monday, March 19, 2012 12:39 PM
\nTo:<\/strong>\u00a0Webbe Rebbe
\nSubject:<\/strong>\u00a0Re:\u00a0extra virgin coconut oil?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Will it be labeled OUP or does it not require the P?<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\u00a0thanks for your help in this-<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

I received this reply on Tuesday, March 20<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thank you for contacting the OU.<\/em><\/p>\n

With a plain OU symbol.<\/em><\/p>\n

Note: This information is valid for\u00a0Passover\u00a02012 only.<\/em><\/p>\n

Please visit\u00a0www.oupassover.org<\/a>\u00a0or consult our printed “Guide to Passover” for more a proper listing and other details.<\/em><\/p>\n

Please do not hesitate to contact us again should you have any further questions.<\/em><\/p>\n

Have a Kosher and happy Pesach.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sincerely,<\/em><\/p>\n

The Web(be) Rebbe<\/em><\/p>\n

Orthodox Union Kashruth Division<\/em><\/p>\n

For those of you who haven’t used Coconut oil, it’s a solid at room temperature and has a mild coconut flavor. While refined coconut oil is on everyone’s list of unhealthy fats, unrefined coconut oil is generally considered \u00a0somewhere from benign to a miraculously healthy. (Here’s a fairly balanced\u00a0NYTimes article<\/a> on the topic.) I won’t take sides, I just know it’s better than hydrogenated cottonseed oil. I’ll be making Levana’s Passover Brownies<\/a> this year with coconut oil. Yum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m not exaggerating. The bane of my Passover existence has been pareve baking. I cook a lot more meat during the holiday than I do the rest of the year, which means a lot more pareve desserts. Which has, up until now, usually meant margarine made from disgusting ingredients such as cottonseed oil. 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The bane of my Passover existence has been pareve baking. I cook a lot more meat during the holiday than I do the rest of the year, which means a lot more pareve desserts. Which has, up until now, usually meant margarine made from disgusting ingredients such as cottonseed oil. 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