My Cookbook Collection

I always say that I am crazy about cookbooks, especially Jewish ones that double as the Jewish food history books. I almost never use the exact recipes though, even for baking, let alone for cooking. I love to experiment with ingredients, always adding and subtracting stuff depending on what I have in my pantry or fridge,…

Learning from my Daughters

When does a parent rejoice? When their children surpass their own abilities. As a mother, I know that there is nothing greater than understanding that some things you taught your children have been internalized and  improved upon by them. I have two beautiful grown-up, and very much self-made daughters. Both of them saw me cooking and…

Veganism at its Best

I rarely review restaurants. However, the one I went to a couple of days ago with my girl friends, is really worthy of a review. Maybe because it is still out of norm, at least here, in New York – this is a vegan kosher place. I remember visiting them once before, when my younger…

Vegetarian One-Pot Shabbat Dinner

So, apparently, it is very easy to make a delicious vegetarian one-pot (or pan?) Shabbat dinner. It, actually, reminded me of a passage in the Tanach (is this inevitable now?) when Daniel ha-navi said to the person in charge of his and his friends’ health and appearance for the king of Babylon: יב  נַס-נָא אֶת-עֲבָדֶיךָ, יָמִים עֲשָׂרָה;…

Verses, Vegetarianism, Variations on Life.

Do you have days when you have more questions in your life than answers? And then other days – something that was foggy for a long time suddenly becomes clear? No matter how hard the decision is, you realize that it is the one you had to make a while ago, and no amount of…

Summer String Beans

Today is three months since we lost my father. How is it that when your parents age, you realize how much more you should have done? I’ve spent two weeks in beautiful Israel doing what I love – studying Torah – thinking how is it that I’ve never come with my dad. I “sent” him…

Back to New York Summer. Back to Salads.

And I am back. Back to my weird relationship with this city. Back to muggy, unbearable summer. Back to yearning for my next trip to Jerusalem. However, one has to go on, right? Working and cooking. So, here I am with a new salad recipe inspired by two meals I had in the homes of…

We are in it Together. Part IV. Never Want to Leave.

The beauty of this land The magic in its air When will I call you mine? It is intolerable to think that I have to leave so soon. I want to see and do so much more. I miss my mother and daughters immensely, but I’d rather have them here with me than me there….

Something from Nothing или каша из топора

Sometimes you come home after running errands on a hot summer Sunday hungry and tired. This is when you realise that there is pretty much nothing to eat at home. So, what does a creative woman do? She makes a каша из топора. For my non-FSU-origin readers – this is when you really get anything you…

Ice Cream, Anyone? Just sharing a great ice cream story.

This post is here just to share a great story about Jewish ice cream making in America. Guilty, I have to admit that I always thought Haagen-Dazs was German in origin. This was the only kosher ice cream I learned about in Moscow in my early days of Jewish observance. Of course, I love ice cream!…

Jury Duty Day

I have served as a juror once. Quite a while ago. It was a terrible mafia case, and I had to spend a whole week sequestered with other people discussing the murder. I don’t remember the particulars of the organization itself, but now, I have decided to document my experience whatever it will turn out to…

Easy, Fast, Vegan, Healthy, Delicious

This was a healthy Shabbat. I made a few salads, a peach crumb for dessert – a perfect way to eat late at night. One of my favorites is to use lots of greens, so this time since I got some really great fresh basil, I decided to experiment with one of my favorite summer salad…