In 2004, 13-year-old Arvind Mahankali of New York City won the Scripps National Spelling Bee by spelling correctly the word “knaidel”, described as a type of dumpling. It is a Yiddish word often used to describe matzo balls. Not by HG’s late beloved Mom, Ida Kopkind Freeman. Her super light matzo balls which enriched her chicken soup were called, with Yiddish accent, “mahtzeh buhls”. A “knaidel” was a very dense, fairly large dumpling composed of matzo meal, grated onion, chicken fat, salt and pepper. It was boiled and served with pot roast or other dishes with abundant gravy. It soaked up sauces like a sponge. “Knaidel” is the spelling in the Merriam’s-Webster dictionary, the source of correctness for the spelling contest. Mahankali’s victory caused controversy among Yiddishists. YIVO, the ultimate authority on all things Yiddish, said the correct spelling (as translated into phonetic English from Yiddish) is “kneydl.” Others insist on “knadle.” HG scoffs. No matter how you spell knaidels they remain a happy culinary memory.
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