Well, It's been more than a year since I wrote anything here. Hopefully, I will not be so tardy anymore, and will come back to this page once in a while.
Meanwhile, just wanted to share a few food-related stories:
Here's a small one published by Beyond Bubbie:
beyondbubbie.com - my-grandmas-lekach

And, here's a picture of Vegan Cinnamon Rolls that my now-very-grown-up daughter made.

Hope to see you later soon!

Chanukah!

Can you believe that Chanukah came and is gone already?

Well, I can't. This year not only I made a party, but I actually made real yeast dough sufganiot, thanks to my sister-in-law's mother's recipe.
Tetya Galya, this one is for you:

They were not hard to make at all. Or, was it because I wanted to put my heart in them?
Anyway, here is the recipe for you:

1 tblspoon dry yeast
3/4 cup warm milk (or water)
4 tblspoon sugar (I use raw)
1 tspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
2 egg yolks
2.5 cups flour
2-3 tbspoons melted butter

First, combine yeast, warm milk and half sugar in a bowl and let stand for about
15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, but butter and mix the dough until soft ball forms.
Add melted butter so that it nicely covers the dough.
Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest overnight.
I made it on Friday afternoon and started making donuts motzei Shabbat. Was a bit worried, but they turned out great!

Next day, roll the dough out and cut in rounds. Put jam on each round and cover with the other dough round. Pinch the dough pieces together and brush with the egg white left from the egg yolks you used to make the dough.

Fry in hot oil and enjoy your delicious desert! Sprinkle it with powdered sugar, if desired

Morning Coffee Anyone?

Now, that I finally got myself the real coffee grinder, I am looking for the best beans. Any ideas?
How about these:

A glimpse into the "Prime" Empire

Here's an interesting article about the new direction the kosher restaurant industry is taking. Thought you might enjoy it

www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/118954/elevating-kosher-food

Here's a new salad recipe:

This is one of my favorite salads, which looks totally unpretentious, but is packed with flavor. Unfortunately, the prohibitive cost of pine nuts here, in New York, prevents me from making it as often as I would love to, but for a special occasion it is just great.
You may find this recipe on some Jewish Food sites or in some cookbooks, but I believe it's worth repeating everywhere:


The famous Arab geographer al-Muqadasi, writing in the year 985 CE, noted among the marvels of Jerusalem pine nuts, called kadam, which are unrivaled anywhere on earth.

Ingredients
200 grams pine nuts
Olive oil
A bunch of fresh coriander
A bunch of fresh parsley
Fresh lemon juice
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
A little vinegar-wine
Salt

Roast the pine nuts carefully in a small pot on a low flame, using a little oil. It is important to stir constantly. Don’t do other things in the meantime! Stir all the time and make sure the pine nuts do not burn.

With a large, sharp knife chop the coriander and the parsley, place in a bowl and add the pine nuts, which have by now cooled.
Squeeze in lots of lemon juice, drip in a little olive oil, season with garlic, vinegar-wine, and salt. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve. A few green onions, very thinly sliced, can be added to the salad.

Note:

Make sure to wash parsley and coriander MANY times in big bowls of water. These greens tend to be very dirty. For kashrut reasons, of course, I also leave them undisturbed for about 15 minutes in lots of salty water and then carefully pick them up from it washing yet again in clean water afterward.
Enjoy!

Back to life!

Well, it's been a long time and a lot has happened in my life. Hopefully for the best.
In any case, I have decided to continue with this blog promoting a few of my life-long passions - Jewish cooking (now, before Chanukah, is a good time, no?), Jewish education, Jewish Travel, etc.
I hope my long-distance daughter will still join me, at least in comments. We are in need of a healthier approach to food on the East Coast.
Meanwhile, I am also planning to put my recommendations for new books, culinary utensils and other things that I find useful.
Hope you will enjoy reading.

 Just bought this:

Now I drink real coffee every day, can't believe I survived on an instant one

Challah!

This is my second attempt at the most important mitzvah - backing and taking the challah. It's way past midnight and I am too tired to write, but had to post this picture, mostly for my girls to see :-)
Specifically for my dad it has olives inside. For me - zata'ar. Can't wait to taste it tomorrow. No, wait - today.
B'H to be continued...


So now, that I have tasted it at the Shabbat table and so did my hosts, I can safely say:
Here's the recipe. This is for you, girls. B'H one day you will make it for your families.

1 tblsp active dry yeast
1.5 cup warm water
1 tblsp sugar

2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup oil
2 tsp salt
3 cups flour (sifted)
1.5 cups whole wheat flour (sifted)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped olives
1 tbsp za'atar

In a cup mix dry east with sugar and warm water. let stand for about 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a big mixing bowl put together eggs, honey, salt, oil and half the flour and mix it. Gradually add the rest of the flour. Don't forget to add the yeast mixture :-)
Once the dough starts forming a ball, knead it adding the flour so it forms nicely and stops sticking to your hands. Closer to the end add olives and za'atar and knead a little more to incorporate them.

Oil the dough ball, cover the bowl with plastic, parchment or foil and a kitchen towel and put it on a warm surface for about an hour.
For best results use this hour for Dvar Torah!
Prepare Baking Sheets that are large enough to hold two or three challot depending on the size you want. This amount of dough should be enough for 2 nice sized ones.

Split the dough in half and each half in 3 parts. Roll each part with your hands to form long rolls and make braided challot. Put them far enough from each other on a backing sheet.
If you want them to shine, brush them with egg-wash with a pastry brush and sprinkle with more za'atar or just sesame seeds.

Leave them in a warm place for another 40 minutes or so. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for about 30-35 min.

If you gather your friends and have 3 times as much flour, you get a chance to say a brochah for a challah - the biggest mizvah a woman can do. (you can't do this along, unless you bake challot for a family of 10)

I only wish you father had a chance to try them.


Well, it’s been about a year and a half since this post and I've baked many challot since then. I have to say that I tried a few recipes, made them with raisins, plain, poppy seeds, olives, etc.
I believe that this one is the best recipe. You need to have about 1/3 of the whole wheat flour vs. regular white. Then, the challah will be soft, rise well and you will want more. Not too big a sin against your health/weigh watching considering we only eat bread once a week for Shabbat.
So, Challah it is!