“It’s grown and grown — the problem is I just can’t say no.’’
She could not have expanded the free service without the help of her friend Lesley Adams and two other assistants. Hundreds of kneidlach are being prepared to cope with the demand for the deliveries, made on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
A London team also makes drop-offs to homes in Hampstead and Borehamwood, Golders Green and Southgate and elsewhere while requests have been fulfilled from as far afield as Southend.
The care package typically contains three portions’ worth of soup and a week’s supply of challah, plus fruit salad and latkes.
For many customers, it’s their first taste of chicken soup and Mrs Davis credits its popularity to her own recipe.
“It has a bit of a twist to it,’’ she told the JC. “I put a bit of turmeric in which is healthy and gives it a really nice colour.’’
At the outset, she paid for the food herself but now receives donations from individuals and stores including La Boucherie, Village Deli and, from next week,the local Shalom Bakery.
“The community has been incredible,’’ she said.
“We have people offering money and buying ingredients. They are bringing eggs, matzah meal. I can’t stop crying because of the generosity.”