By JUDY ZEIDLER, Special to The Times Saturday night, the first night of Passover this year, will mark our 100th family Seder. When we were married just one year, my husband Marvin and I decided to observe the first two Seder nights of Passover in our own home, and we have done so ever since. The house we lived in 50 years ago was very small, but we borrowed chairs…

Nationwide, there are all sorts of activities to celebrate Father’s Day, different ways to honor the hard work of dads and their contribution to society. For our family, it is usually a fun party focused on enjoying each other’s company — and a special meal.  When our kids were growing up we lived on a ranch in Topanga Canyon, and we celebrated Father’s Day by having a picnic and a…

Chef Brett Swartzman is a chef with passion. The Chicago native started working in his parents’ Jewish bakery when he was 10 years old, making bagels, muffins, cookies, challah and sandwiches. Chanukah was always a big celebration at his grandparents’ home. Coming from a big family, there was always a kids’ table, and because there were so many cousins, Swartzman sat there until he was 17 years old. But while…

  What makes Purim so special? Maybe it’s the heroic story of Queen Esther. Whatever you decide, it is still one of the happiest of all Jewish holidays. Filled with accounts of bravery, it tells the story of Queen Esther and how she helped defeat the wicked minister Haman in ancient Persia. We plan on celebrating the holiday this year with an after-the-Purim-carnival buffet, inspired by the elaborate banquets served…

Rocky Road Clusters. Photos by Daniel Kacvinski This year, I gathered together all of the Passover dessert recipes I have made, dating back to our first seder in 1950 — more than 125. This was in anticipation of compiling them into my new project, a Passover dessert cookbook. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites in advance of the book’s publication, with a focus on some…

Just back from Italy, I was inspired by the foods served at our favorite restaurants. My Chanukah menu this year is a travelogue of those culinary experiences. We devote Chanukah to our children and grandchildren, and many of the dishes are easy to prepare and perfect for the whole family. In addition to the traditional potato latkes, I have included two special treats to begin our Chanukah celebration. We discovered…