Smoked Salmon and Dill Mini Sandwiches. Photos by Dan Kacvinski. Food coordinated by Judy Zeidler Perhaps the most anticipated family event during May is Mother’s Day. If you are cooking for your wife, mom or mother-in-law for the first time, why not delight her with a delicious brunch, dinner or dessert? It’s easier than you might think to create a meal she will remember — especially if you can get…

Mother’s Day is the traditional celebration honoring all the mothers in the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society. To celebrate this special day — which is May 10 this year — I decided to ask members of our family to submit a dish they would like to share for a potluck extravaganza. We will have great-grandmothers, grandmothers and mothers represented at this…

While enjoying my favorite foods on a recent trip to Italy, I began to think about Chanukah, even though it was only October. This was a natural association, because the Italians love to prepare foods with olive oil, and the traditional dishes served during Chanukah are fried in oil to commemorate the tiny supply of oil that burned for eight days and nights in the ancient temple — a real…

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…

It all started with Signora Grazia, an elderly cheese maker in Panzano, Italy. While vacationing in this Tuscan village, just 30 minutes south of Florence, we walked by her farm early one morning and saw the sign that read “Pecorino and Fresh Ricotta for Sale.” We hiked up the path and, peering through the open barn door, saw her making hot ricotta cheese in a big copper bowl over an…

Sukkot, one of the happiest of all Jewish festivals, is a home-centered holiday that actually takes place outside of the home. The festival’s main symbol is the decorated sukkah, a temporary outdoor booth or hut, where Jewish law requires Jews sleep and eat all their meals for eight days. Families often invite friends and neighbors into their sukkah to share a festive snack or join the family for a meal…