Judy’s Original Blog

Panzanella (Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup). Photos by Morgan Lieberman We just returned from another amazing adventure in Italy, one of many since our first visit 40 years ago. This was a short trip to see the Christo art installation “The Floating Piers” on Lake Iseo in northern Italy. It also gave us an excuse to visit our friends in Tuscany and Lake Maggiore. One of our special, innovative lunches…

Vegetables from the garden are basis for tasty, nutritious meals Jay Farbstein holds a freshly picked squash blossom. Photos by Lynn Pelkey When I think of the original baby boomer, I think of our friend Jay Farbstein. He is an architect specializing in the design of large government buildings, and he lives on his family’s original property off Sunset Boulevard, in a rural area of Pacific Palisades. He grew up…

Passover Meringues. Photo by Judy Zeidler Passover is our favorite family holiday — last year we hosted nearly 40 people at our house. It’s also one of the most complicated. The seder begins at sundown, but the formal dinner won’t begin until we finish reading the haggadah, which is usually late in the evening. Fortunately, small bites are served as part of the seder that help keep the guests from suffering…

Persian chicken with dried fruit and almond stuffing. Photo by Judy Zeidler Purim is the holiday that celebrates the liberation of the Persian Jewish community long, long ago. It is a happy time when families rejoice with eating, drinking, costume parties and singing in a carnival-type atmosphere. The Purim story transpired in the ancient Persian Empire, with King Ahasuerus at the helm. It was a time when Queen Esther intervened…

Smoked Salmon Pizza. Photos by Lynn Pelkey I have known Wolfgang Puck since he was about 19 or 20 years old and he was working as a chef at Ma Maison restaurant in West Hollywood. I met him at a cooking class, probably the first one he had ever taught. I will never forget what happened when he rolled out the pastry dough for a raspberry tart. He confidently flattened…

A selection of Judy Zeidler’s Mandelbrot. Photo by Lynn Pelkey Tu B’Shevat, known as the Jewish celebration of trees, falls on Jan. 25 this year, in the middle of winter, and marks the time when barren fruit trees begin to spring back to life. It is customary to eat several kinds of fruits and nuts during the holiday, and over the years it has become a custom to serve an…

Romanian Noodle Latkes. Photos by Lynn Pelkey. Food preparation and styling by Judy Zeidler Chanukah, which begins the night of Dec. 6, has always been a joyous holiday celebrated more in the home than in the synagogue. Every year, we invite a minimum of 25 family members and friends to our celebration, and it is always a festive occasion.  When our guests arrive, we begin with platters of Crispy Potato…

Butternut Squash Soup. Photos by Lynn Pelkey. Food preparation and styling by Judy Zeidler In some ways, I’m pretty traditional when it comes to my family’s Thanksgiving Day meal: I like to plan a lot of old-fashioned farmhouse food for the holiday.  Who doesn’t enjoy a handsome bronzed turkey with lots of stuffing, an appealing array of relishes and a lavish dessert buffet? We pour apple cider for the children, a robust…

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…