This year, the holiday of Sukkot was one of the most beautiful celebrations that I remember. The weather was unseasonably warm and we spent brilliant, sunny days in the sukkah surrounded by family. On Shemini Atzeret, the temperature dropped 20 degrees Celsius overnight. We sat in the sukkah for one last day, huddled in our coats, eyeing the threatening, gray clouds that were suspended in the sky overhead. Incommunicado because…
Boiling corned beef, the most commonly suggested method for cooking pickled meat, typically results in meat that shrinks by as much as one-third of its size. This can be a source of disappointment when you’re trying to feed a crowd. But roasting the meat in the oven using Noreen Gilletz’s recipe for oven roasted pickled brisket, published in The Pleasures of Your Processor, unfailingly results in perfectly cooked meat, bathed…
In an episode of the iconic television comedy Seinfeld, after waiting in line at the bakery, Elaine gets upset when the last chocolate babka is sold to another customer. Although a cinnamon babka is still available, she claims that it is a “lesser” babka. Jerry then becomes the cinnamon babka’s advocate, stating that people love cinnamon and that there is nothing inferior about it. My family members would heartily concur.…
On a tour of the vegetable garden in the backyard, my grandchildren peered in wonder through the thick canopy of leaves that camouflaged sunny, yellow, summer squash. Eyes rounded, they turned to me and asked if I was growing bananas. Their confusion was understandable. The ripening, golden, summer squash looked remarkably like their favorite tropical fruit. This year we have been blessed with a steady supply of homegrown squash, jewel-toned…
Nothing says summer like freshly picked corn, slathered with butter, and a judicious sprinkling of salt. But if you’re looking for inspiration beyond boiling it and eating it on the cob, this recipe for grilled corn salad fits the bill. The rich flavors of charred sweet corn, nutty roasted broccoli, and sugary sweet potatoes, are highlighted with a smoky paprika dressing in this summery salad. This eye-catching side dish by…
In case you haven’t heard, cottage cheese is having a moment. If you only associate cottage cheese with the virtuous diet food that your mother ate, scooped into the hollow of half a cantaloupe, it’s time to retool your thinking. The darling of dietitians, cottage cheese is high in protein and keeps you feeling satiated for a long time. The biggest issue that people have with cottage cheese is its…
I am inevitably thrown into a tizzy when the Nine Days approach, the period of time during the summer months when we mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temple and Ashkenazim refrain from eating meat or poultry, except on Shabbat. Eating meatless or dairy meals is already a part of my weekly meal rotation twice a week. But it’s the other four days that send me deep diving…
I conceded defeat in my battle against the squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits that wreaked havoc in my garden and came to the shocking realization that I had probably spent $12 on each of the three homegrown cherry tomatoes that Thumper, Chip and Dale had overlooked. Regretfully, I took a pause from growing vegetables last year. But the allure of heirloom tomato plants at my local garden center with enticing sounding…
Finding the exact winning formula for breaking my fast after the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B’Av, the long summer fasts in which we commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem and the First and Second Temples, has been a source of a lot of culinary trial and error. Striking the right balance can mean the difference between a sound night’s sleep post-fast or wondering if it would have been smarter to…
My daughter-in-law looked at me with a raised eyebrow when I placed a portion of honey-dill salmon with basmati rice in front of every seat before we sat down to lunch on Shabbat. Understandable. More than half of the guests were aged twelve-years-old and under. It’s hard for me to prejudge who is going to take the plunge and taste something new but in this case, my gamble paid off.…