Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes. Photo by Dan Kacvinski Passover, the Festival of Freedom — also known as the Festival of Unleavened Bread — is celebrated for eight days. Over the centuries, Jewish cooks have produced a rich array of foods for the Passover holiday, and desserts are an especially important course of the meal. No leavened ingredients may be used, such as flour, grains, cornstarch, baking powder or baking soda. One…
Ground Beef and Matzah “Lasagna” (See page 2) Photos by Dan Kacvinski. Food coordinated by Judy Zeidler Families will gather at sundown on March 25 and begin the eight-day observance of Passover, commemorating the centuries-old flight of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt to their subsequent freedom. It is also known as the Festival of Matzah, or unleavened bread, because in their exodus, the Jews had little time to…
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…
Romantic dinners for two can be fun — and healthy, too Quinoa With Shiitake Mushrooms and Delicata Squash. Photos by Dan Kacvinski. Food coordinated by Judy Zeidler In a wild wedding party last year at the Hollywood Museum, our granddaughter Giamaica married Steve. They met in Flagstaff, Ariz., at the historic Hotel Monte Vista, where Steve was the chef. They moved to Pacifica, in Northern California, when Giamaica got a…
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…
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…
Thanksgiving is a holiday when American-Jewish families can enjoy the best of both heritages — hearty American food and an occasion to give thanks for their blessings. Food has always been the center of the holiday celebration, and I like to plan an old-fashioned farmhouse menu for the holiday. Everyone has a favorite turkey recipe, usually handed down from their parents — roasted, smoked or brined with lots of stuffing…
Add a bountiful dessert table to your Thanksgiving feast Pumpkin Date Nut Bread. Photos by Dan Kacvinski Thanksgiving dinner calls to mind roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls and cranberries. But the holiday meal wouldn’t be the same without a variety of pies and pumpkin desserts. My friend, chef Michel Richard, who started his career as a pastry chef, was once asked if dessert is necessary. “I…
Eggplant Marmalade. Photos by Dan KacvinskiThe eggplant has an important place in my kitchen and is one of my favorite vegetables to serve during Sukkot, the seven-day harvest festival that begins this year at sundown Sept. 30. The beautiful, glossy purple eggplant is appreciated and used extensively in Italy, Greece and France, as well as most Middle Eastern countries. Eggplants come in many shapes and sizes. While most are purple, one mild variety…
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…