For Whom the Ball Tolls

First up, on Sunday, March 30, noon to 4 p.m. at Drumlins, 800 Nottingham Road (446-8511), the fifth annual March Meatball Madness competition will take place. There will be no brackets to fill out, but 12 of the most meatball talented chefs from the ’Cuse will be letting you sample their goods. The winner with the best balls will be determined by a panel of local celebrity and other “notable” judges.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to10, and free for ages 5 and under. The tariff includes a buffet courtesy of Dominick’s Restaurant (sponsors of the event), meatball sampling, entertainment by Mickey Vendetti and the Goodtime Band, a silent auction, raffles and, of course, a cash bar.

Then, on Sunday, April 6, noon to 2 p.m., those praying at the foot of the Western Wall will be wishing they were at the Temple Society of Concord (TSOC), 910 Madison St., for the inaugural Matzah Ball Cook-off and Tasting event.

Matzah is made of white plain flour and water, and is the substitute for bread during the Jewish holiday of Passover when eating leavened products—like bread—is forbidden. The Bible states that when the Israelites left Egypt, they left so quickly that they could not wait for their bread dough to rise. The result was the flatbread known to this day as matzah.

The cook-off is open to the entire Central New York community, kitchen magicians and restaurant chefs alike, and the deadline to enter is Sunday, March 30, which can be done by contacting TSOC at 475-9952 or by e-mail at office@templeconcord.org, to request an entry form and further details. The public is encouraged to attend and taste and the event will also feature crafts and Passover information. Representatives of Wegmans in DeWitt will provide samples of its Passover products.

The best matzah balls and soup will be determined by celebrity judges, including WSTM-Channel 3’s Laura Hand, “Big” Mike Fiss from WZUN-FM (Sunny 102); WCNY-Channel 24’s Food for Thought co-host Chris Xaver; NBA Hall of Famer and Syracuse University legend Dolph Schayes; Pillsbury Cook-Off Finalist Vicki Feldman; and the leaders of TSOC: Rabbi Sheldon Ezring, Cantor Francine Berg and President Margie Markson Johnson.