Ricotta Cheese Tart Photo by Dan Kacvinski. Food preparation and styling by Judy Zeidler Let’s have an outdoor summer party! Whether you have a tennis court, a swimming pool or a great lawn for playing croquet, now is the time to invite friends over for a fun-in-the-sun celebration and an alfresco meal. Or you can take your party to the park. At our annual summer event, we invite friends to…

  Hoop Cheese Blintzes. Photo by Dan Kacvinski Shavuot celebrates the receiving of the Ten Commandments and the arrival of the spring harvest. But, for food lovers, it is noted for the array of dairy foods that are served — delicious combinations of cheese, sour cream, milk and eggs. Also in abundance are “stuffed” foods, such as blintzes with cheese fillings. For this holiday, I have experimented with dairy ingredients…

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…

Around this time of year, I think of my grandmother and the stories she told me about making beef brisket and potato latkes for her first Chanukah dinner in America. She loved to cook, and sharing her recipes from Russia brought her such delight. Chanukah, often called the festival of lights, is a joyous holiday that is celebrated at home instead of taking place in the synagogue. Families light candles…

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,…