What makes the holiday of Purim so special for our family is more than the heroic story of Queen Esther. These days, our celebration wouldn’t be complete without a holiday meal that starts with all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren dressed up in costume to re-create the Purim story and making mayhem, using groggers —noise-makers — from our collection that are part of the table decor. The menu itself is much less chaotic….
It is the custom to eat fresh or dried fruit for Tu b’Shevat, an ancient agricultural holiday that is often called New Year of the Trees. Although there are no specific dishes that have traditionally been prepared for Tu b’Shevat, the custom of serving dishes that contain fruits and nuts has emerged. With a great assortment to choose from — and a little creativity — there are endless possibilities. One of…
Chanukah is not just for children, but usually they have most of the fun. They open presents, light candles during the eight days of the holiday and get more than their share of cookies and potato latkes. Our Chanukah party will be shared by four generations this year because our two great-granddaughters will be joining us. In planning a Chanukah dinner for the entire family, I always try to remember…
The Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect time to invite family and friends to celebrate an American tradition with a home-cooked feast. The essential elements are turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and yams. And, of course, everyone looks forward to several delicious desserts. My mother was very proud of her very special veggie stuffing and used it for chicken as well as turkey. She mixed everything together and placed it in the bird…
Sukkot is known as the Jewish Thanksgiving. It offers thanks for a bountiful autumn harvest of fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. Many Jewish families begin building their outdoor sukkahthe day after Yom Kippur and will serve the first meal inside it on the evening of Oct. 8. The sukkah resembles the small huts that field workers lived in during the harvest season in ancient times. It can be decorated with Jewish…
Lorraine and Harris Zeidler prepared more than 150 kreplach, inviting family and friends to their traditional Rosh Hashanah kreplach tasting. Photo by Lorraine Zeidler I am always impressed by the fact that food plays such an important role during the holiest of Jewish holidays, and kreplach — dough wrapped around meat and boiled, fried or baked — is certainly one of these dishes. Traditionally, it is served between Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish…
When I was growing up in Los Angeles, Rosh Hashanah dinner always meant that my mother spent several days shopping and cooking. But with the current popularity of vegetable-centric menus and plenty of local farmers markets, I’m able to prepare fresh, vegetable-based holiday meals for my family in much less time. This year the holiday begins on the evening of Sept. 24. Start your Rosh Hashanah meal with the age-old…
When you feel like you are always packing the children’s lunch boxes with the same old boring foods, it is time to branch out with new ideas and ingredients. I am sure that school lunches can be more creative and exciting than when my kids went to school. In those days, it was peanut butter and jelly day after day. To make the job easier, plan ahead. Make sure the things you…
Girls love guys who know their way around the kitchen There is an old saying that men don’t cook at home. Yet it is also said that women always appreciate men who cook. Only one of these is true. Can you guess which? I can’t exactly remember when our son Marc’s passion for cooking began, but he certainly loves to cook. He was always in the kitchen watching or helping me,…
Frozen Hazelnut Soufflés With Champagne Sauce, photo by Dan Kacvinski The addition of wine to your favorite recipes can impart wonderful flavor, but too much or the wrong style can potentially ruin a delicious dish. Example: Fish is usually better with the addition of white wine — except when using a pinot noir with a salmon recipe. Red wine can give meat a lot of extra flavor as well as…