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…

Honey adds special touch to Jewish New Year Honey Chocolate Fudge Bars. Photos by Dan Kacvinski. Food coordinated by Judy Zeidler The use of honey for Rosh Hashanah symbolizes a sweet year and dates back to biblical times, when refined sugar was unknown. Its sweetness adds a distinctive flavor to a variety of dishes in addition to dessert: It can be used as a glaze for everything from carrots to broiled…

We love entertaining friends. The process is easy: We check our calendar, pick a date and discuss whom to invite, usually eight to 10 guests. It is fun to mix couples who have the same interests but have never met. At our last dinner party, we bought white cotton fabric to use as tablecloths and had a large selection of crayons and markers available. We then asked everyone to draw…

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…

 By Judy Zeidler (Photo by Dan Kacvinski) If you are in a dilemma about what to serve your family for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, expand your menu options to include dishes that can be served in both the dining room and the sukkah. Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 8-10) usually occurs during the warmest days of the year, so I plan to serve a refreshing and delicious cold Apple-Spinach Salad…