House & Garden: Matzo vase is a feast for the eyes

Matzo, a basic food at Passover, is the perfect material to personalize a Seder table, requiring little more than a few of the large crackerlike pieces, a glue gun and flowers.<br><br>This project, adapted

Friday, April 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Matzo, a basic food at Passover, is the perfect material to personalize a Seder table, requiring little more than a few of the large crackerlike pieces, a glue gun and flowers.

This project, adapted from Jewish Holiday Style (Simon & Schuster; $28), is simple; the result is elegant.

For the centerpiece vase shown above, buy a box of matzos, often found in the kosher foods section of grocery stores. A 1-pound box usually holds 12 pieces. You'll also need a trigger hot-glue gun, scissors and an empty 2-liter soda bottle.

Choose four large matzo pieces that are about the same size. Holding one, run a thick strip of hot glue down the length of an edge, leaving about a 1-inch gap at what will be the top end. Hot glue dries fast, so create an "L"-shaped 90-degree angle by quickly but gently pressing the hot-glued edge of one matzo to another.

When stable - about 20 seconds or so - repeat with another matzo, then the fourth. What you'll have is a box that's open on both ends.
Set this upright. Take a sturdy piece of cardboard (the back of a small note pad will work) and cut a square that's the same width as the vase, leaving 1-inch tabs on two ends.

With the tip of the scissors and a ruler, score along both tabs on one side of the cardboard, bending the flaps up. Insert into the bottom of the matzo box and glue into place.

With scissors, remove the top of the soda bottle; you'll now have a handy plastic insert that can be glued directly to the cardboard bottom of the matzo vase. It doesn't matter if the sides of the insert touch the matzo pieces since the flowers will cover the opening when the vase is displayed.

To display, fill the insert about halfway with water. To carry, support the bottom with a hand to prevent breaking the matzo sides.

We've used blue hydrangea, white stock, small purple wax flowers, fragrant lavender roses and a few sprigs of chinaberry.

If desired, a few quick coats of clear acrylic spray sealant and a careful wrap of tissue paper should protect the vase for future celebrations.

Tim O'Reilly is a Dallas free-lance writer.