Shavuot marks an important religious event — the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. In ancient times, Shavuot was also celebrated as a spring harvest holiday, featuring foods gathered from the fields. Today, the traditional dishes we serve combine dairy products, fruits, vegetables and grains. The produce available at local farmers’ markets inspires us to celebrate the holiday with a variety of recipes using the freshest ingredients. For…

Make kids holiday kitchen helpers with Chanukah cookies   Russian Tea Cakes Photos by Dan Kacvinski   This year at our family Chanukah get-together, we’re having a cookie exchange. Everyone will bring their favorite cookies to enjoy as part of our dessert after the traditional latke dinner. Then boxes and tins of home-baked cookies will be exchanged as take-home gifts, gaily wrapped in blue-and-white paper and ribbons. This will definitely…

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is a holiday for serious fasting — no food or drink for 25 hours. At the end of the day, our thoughts inevitably turn to what we want to eat at sundown to break the fast. When I spoke with several friends about Yom Kippur foods they remember from growing up, many said their favorite break-the-fast meal was a variety of spicy, ready-to-eat deli foods. Some…

Molded Chopped Liver with Concord Grape Wine Aspic. Photo by Morgan Lieberman Jewish cuisine has always gotten a bad rap, and very often I hear the expression that “heavy Jewish food” is not healthy, but we have been cooking nutritious Jewish food for our family for as long as I can remember. Students in my cooking class always ask me for a healthy recipe for chicken soup that tastes really…

A bridal shower is one of the most joyous parties you can possibly give, and the occasion calls for light, delicious festive foods.  This menu offers four of my personal favorite chicken salad recipes.  (For a smaller shower, you could serve just two or three)  The French often serve a sampling of different foods and call it a “degustation,” so here’s your chance to be both chic and unique. Each…

We all have memories of how Mom made us feel special and loved beyond compare. This month, it’s time to return the favor. If your mom, or the mother in your life, likes breakfast in bed, then by all means surprise her before she gets up on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 13) with a tray filled with her favorite breakfast dishes. If she likes french toast, she is going to…