The Arlington Passover Challenge

I'm not on the Shopping Team; I've proven myself to be too unreliable for such an important role (I am, however, very much on the Taking Out The Garbage Team). So when I go shopping, it's more as a spectator to walk behind Shira and take specific orders. Unfortunately for her, this leaves me a lot of thinking time. And this time of year, as Passover is fast approaching, I have the same thought every time we turn the corner and see the grocery store's Passover endcap:

We should totally do an Arlington Only Passover this year!

See, the display usually carries a random and limited selection of items (say, Matzo, borscht and marshmallows) that leaves me wondering how anyone could stock up for 8 days of eating with such a limited selection. Just across the border in Maryland are stores overflowing with Passover friendly options, from basics like tuna fish and potato chips, to the absurd chocolate breakfast cereal.

So I urge Shira, who lost patience with me 3 aisle ago, what if this year we *did* an Arlington Only Passover. That is, stock up for holiday using just what the County grocery stores have to offer. Wouldn't that be fun, interesting and adventurous?!

My mind immediately starts running through the various challenges: Trader Joe's has us covered in the wine department. And you can use a roasted beet instead of a shankbone on the Seder plate. Heck, my Sister-in-Law recently sent me this article listing 25 main courses for Passover that don't contain meat. So even if you couldn't find Passover marked meat (Whole Foods had Passover marked Kosher chicken), you'd be all set. And for all those who want to be trendy, Whole Foods is even carrying marked Quinoa:

So far, I've yet to come across marked tuna fish or potato chips. But there's almost always sardines, and you can make your own potato chips, so that should work. (Sardines are fish, tuna are fish, same thing. Right?)

Did I mention that I'm not on the Cooking Team, too? So yeah, I could brainstorm all I want, but at the end of the day, Shira will be the one doing all the cooking. (Can you guess who's captain of the Clean Up Team?) As such, she gets to decide where we shop.

So yeah, this weekend we'll almost certainly go to Maryland and live it up. But I'm telling you, one of these years She's going to see my little experiment as an adventure and is going to embrace it. Just not this year.