Under Majestic Cranberry Tree

Originally posted on Renard's World:
An unknown French traveler, visiting Russia during summer (there are summers in Russia, Beautiful People!), rested in the shade of a luxuriously leafy crown of a huge tree. Apparently not familiar with Russian flora, he inquired about the name of the tree. “Klyukva – cranberry,”  – with a straight…

Growing Super Soup

Originally posted on koolkosherkitchen:
Generations of kids grew up hearing about the super-power of spinach. Of course! They were told by the most reliable authority: https://youtu.be/2pbcieG3Tec A can of spinach – and Popeye The Sailor Man was ready to defeat all the wrongdoers of the world! Without a doubt, spinach has powerful properties, essential for…

The Real Treasure of the Caribbean: Haiti, Part 3. Liberty Soup.

The final and the most important installment of this set of recipes (for Part 1, click here; for Part 2, click here) is unique – where else do you see a dish that symbolizes liberty? On January 1st, Haitians celebrate not only the beginning of a new year, but first and foremost, the beginning of…

The Real Treasure of the Caribbean: Haiti, Part 2. Fried Accra.

Slavery started in Haiti with the arrival of Columbus. Met with friendliness, welcoming gifts, and delicious local fritters called Accra or Akra, he described the native Arawak Taino people as “tractable, and easily led; they could be made to grow crops and build cities” (Mellzer, Slavery: A World History, 1971). And the gentle, helpful natives…

The Real Treasure of the Caribbean: Haiti, Part 1. Baked Fish.

I love my Haitian students. Make no mistake – I love all my students, and I reveal in having “the United Nations” environment in my classroom. However, students who come from this tiny, much-suffered, but proud little country have a special place in my heart. No matter the topic of conversation, if there is even…

Summer Latkes in December

Originally posted on koolkosherkitchen:
I am not done with latkes yet, Beautiful People! In 1989, the Supreme Court ruling upheld displaying Chanukkah menorahs in public places as a symbol of “universal religious freedom.” Last night, on the last night of Chanukkah, our Rabbi invited the entire community to light the menorah outside, at Miami Beach…

Pollo Fritto Artistico

Originally posted on koolkosherkitchen:
I have a long-standing love affair with Florence, Italy. It is my second favorite city in the world, after Yerushalayim, or course, and on par with my native Odessa. Listen to its name – Firenze! – and imagine walking, breathing, eating and drinking art.  You are literally walking on art because…

Don’t Blame the Chard!

Originally posted on Renard's World:
What comes from Sicily? Most people have the answer on the tip of their tongues: the mafia and Mount Etna volcano. Both are pretty dangerous, so if it’s on the tip of your tongue, you better spit it out! But seriously, no other place in Italy has so many…

Vinaigrette – a Russian Winter Salad

Originally posted on koolkosherkitchen:
He is called Father Frost or General Frost. He lives in Russia, and he could be very cruel, especially to those who do not show proper respect to him. He has defeated many invaders, from the khans, to Napoleon, to Nazi Germany. He likes to decorate fields and forests, covering them…

Coconut Latkes Full of Light

Originally posted on koolkosherkitchen:
On the second night of Chanukkah, two lights are on, spreading their warmth and glow throughout the house.  We use the old-fashioned olive oil and wicks, rather than candles, as it has been done since that original cruse of oil in the Temple that lasted for eight days (for explanation of Chanukkah miracle of…

Kids, Miracles, and Banana Latkes

I got the best Chanukkah present from my younger son – he brought over his littlest daughter, the only one of his brood of four who was available. The two middle ones went with their school to Orlando, accompanied by their mother who is also the head of the school’s counseling services, and the oldest…

The Holy Hole-less Doughnuts

Originally posted on koolkosherkitchen:
When Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden in a hurry, they hadn’t thought of packing a lunch box. Supposedly, He Who had kicked them out, sent them a comfort parcel with a dozen hole-less doughnuts filled with jam. Yum! The Hebrew word for doughnut, sufgania, is here presented…