At 102, Minn. Woman Still Cooks A Great Matzoh Ball Soup
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For nearly 90 years, a Minnesota woman has been making matzoh ball soup and still manages to teach a cooking class at Temple Israel in Minneapolis.
In Ruth Knelman's cooking class, you can't just stand around "kibitzing."
At 102 years old, Knelman has the chutzpah to tell you there's a right way to cook, which doubles as her outlook on life: Don't rush and don't stress.
"If you've got a big job, big money and you're stressed out, forget it. Do something. I mean it. It's not worth it, that is, if you want to live long," said Knelman.
She should know. She still lives on her own, volunteers a few days a week and likes a good happy hour.
"That's my winter drink, scotch," she said.
Grandma Ruth's cooking classes are usually on Tuesday and Wednesdays.
For her matzoh ball soup, read on.
Grandma Ruth's Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Soup chicken – whole
5 Carrots (sliced)
2 Stalks Celery (sliced)
Parsley (bunch)
Fresh dill (bunch)
2 brown-skinned onions – yellow (leave skin on)
Sugar (a heaping tablespoon)
Salt (to taste: ½ tbsp. – 1 tbsp.)
Pepper (to taste: ¼ tbsp. – ½ tbsp.)
Directions
1. Clean chicken
Put whole chicken in a full pot of cold water
2. When water comes to a boil, skim fat out
After skimming, add whole onions, unpeeled and uncut
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add heaping tablespoon of sugar
3. Cover pot, but leave cover slightly open
Turn flame down and simmer for about an hour
4. Add whole bunch of parsely and dill
Simmer for an additional half an hour
5. Taste soup before adding:
5 sliced carrots
2 sliced stalks of celery
Cook for an additional half an hour
