And you're right, there's no way anyone who really kept kosher would be visiting my house. It's been cleansed of neither chametz nor schmutz. But I figure there's still the spirit of the thing.

Sounds perfect!

Thanks very much, everyone. I think I'm all set to go with my frittata, my roasted vegetables, salmon and cream cheese on choice of matzoh or toast (don't want to tempt anyone with bagels), and some fruit. I'm skipping the pancakes. I think all the kids like salmon and cream cheese; if they don't they can eat frittata and fruit.

This should be fun. I've learned some things. I appreciate it!

Do eggs, fruit, some kind of breakfast potatoes. Lox is not meat. It is smoked salmon.

I would skip the pancakes and french toast. If you do bacon, do turkey bacon not pork.

If you need a dessert, coconut macaroons or any type of meringue would be ok (like french macaroons)

The fact you are making the effort is very nice.

I don't think lox is considered meat, but my understanding is if they're kosher enough to care about not mixing milk with meat, they aren't going to eat anything in your house because it isn't kosher for passover. To make a food that's truly Kosher for Passover, it needs to be made in an environment that's cleaned in a certain way of any trace of chametz, using dishes that have never cooked chametz.

My understanding of chametz, is that you can't have any products made with flour if the flour has had any chance to rise whatsoever. This includes any flour that has been mixed with wet ingredients, unless it's made into matzoh under strict conditions where it's rushed into the oven under the supervision of a rabbi. So, while baking powder may not be chametz, pancakes definitely are.

I think in your case (not observant Jews, knowing that they're coming to a home that doesn't keep Kosher or observe Passover) you're fine with pancakes as long as you have enough other foods to allow people to skip them. I'd have something else carby to balance out the eggs and lox, maybe a fruit salad? Kids will love that, it's gluten free, and easy to make. Maybe have a box of matzoh on hand too.

Thanks very much. I'll start caramelizing my onions right now. I assume roasted veggies are also fine? And I guess from your frittata suggestion egg dishes in general and goat cheese are fine?

I may have to just slide with the pancakes. One of the children is GF and I don't want to go search for GF matzoh. I assume it has wheat in it.

I'm confused about the complete prohibition on flour--I assume matzoh is made with flour, just not leavened? But that's a theoretical question--not important right now. I just need to get prepping/cooking. Thanks! (And keep the ideas coming.)

P.S. Not to be a a complete idiot, but is lox considered meat, and therefore not OK with dairy? Or is fish and dairy OK? (I know it's a staple with cream cheese, but I suppose plenty of things could be staples that break the rules--I don't know.)

Matzah bri (delicious!) Look up a REAL recipe online BUT... it
is sort of prepared like French toast but made w/ crumbeled matza dipped in a bowl (to saturate) in a mixture of raw egg and milk. Let it soak. Pan fry on a skillet pan (stove top) with a bit of melted butter on the pan first before putting in the matzah mixture. Serve with sour cream or syrup or straw/rasp jam.

Eggs & potato pancakes

Challah french toast & bacon (sounds like they are not kosher.)

Jew here. It's not just leaving agents, you can not have any flour on Passover. There are tons mixes out there for everything under the sun including pancakes--also tons of recipes for kosher for Passover pancakes that use matzah meal.

Frittata is a good bet, caramelized onion and goat cheese is a yummy combination. Fresh fruit. Kosher for Passover muffins (again tons of mixes and lots of recipes online)

It's nice that you are doing this for your friends!

I just learned some close friends who are Jewish are visiting from out of town, and we're having them over for an impromptu brunch tomorrow.

They're not super-observant, and I'm sure would be fine with a regular pancake brunch (there are lots of children involved), but I'd like to make the effort. I'm a reasonably good cook but not Jewish and have no idea of the rules or traditions.

Other friends who are visiting are vegetarian, so I think I'll go the dairy route rather than the meat route. Wikipedia tells me that baking powder is not considered chametz, so I'm still safe with pancakes for the kids.

But what for the grownups? Ideas? Bonus points for recipe links, and for not requiring hard-to-find ingredients. I just got in from weekly shopping (before I had this news) so I have a reasonably stocked fridge and pantry.