Our holidays go according to the Jewish calendar. Passover begins this year on the evening of April 7th with the first Seder, which is a celebration of the time when Moses brought the Jewish people out of Egypt, where they were slaves.

At that time, the Jews were in such a hurry to leave, they had no time to let their bread rise. We commemorate this by eating Matzos, an unleavened bread that looks like large crackers.

We also bake cakes without any baking powder, soda or yeast. We do not use regular flour, but have a special flour, called Matzo meal and Matzo cake meal. Potato flour or starch, which can be found in the kosher section of most supermarkets, is also allowed to be used.

The Seder is celebrated by telling the story of the Exodus. There is a big meal with many special foods, wine and much singing. The Passover holiday lasts for eight days.

One of the food items I have treasured, even when I was a little girl, is the special sponge cake that we always had, which my mother and grandmother served. It reminds me of the family getting together for the Seder and we still do this today.

The cake is always our dessert, and we add strawberries or other fresh fruit to the side of each plate.

Passover also is a harbinger of spring to me. It is a time when flowers are starting to show and the buds are coming out on the trees-a good feeling all around because you know that the long, cold winter is over.

Here is my recipe, which is excellent for young children, invalids and those allergic to wheat flours:

Potato Flour Sponge Cake

Ingredients:
8 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon and rind of whole lemon
1 scant cup of potato flour (potato starch)

Instructions:
Place egg whites in large mixer bowl, add a pinch of salt and set aside in the refrigerator. In small bowl of electric mixer, beat yolks until light and lemon coloured. Gradually add sugar. Add lemon juice and rind, beating until well incorporated.

Remove egg whites from refrigerator. Beat until stiff and shiny but not dry. Fold yolk mixture into the beaten whites.

Sift potato flour lightly and gradually over mixture, folding it in carefully and thoroughly. Pour batter evenly into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Bake in a 325ºF oven for about 50 minutes, or until lightly browned and a tester inserted near centre comes out clean. Remove from oven, immediately invert pan on a wire rack; cool completely before removing cake from pan.

This is a very high and fluffy cake.

I don't ice or glaze it, but you can do either, or serve it with strawberry or raspberry purée.

To serve, use a serrated knife in a sawing motion, or an angel cake divider, to prevent squashing as you cut.