Gambling for Education and Retchene Latkes

To continue with the story of Chanukkah and latkes, Judea was eventually captured by the Romans. Some of the Roman rulers could care less about various religions of the occupied territories, or provinces, as long as the taxes were collected regularly and accurately. Some others, however, persecuted Jews relentlessly; Emperor Hadrian even earned the nickname “Destroyer of the…

But Hannah Did Not Have Potatoes! Latkes with a Tropical Twist.

Chanukkah is coming, and kids are looking forward to stuffing their faces with latkes – potato pancakes. When I was growing up, we had all kinds of latkes on Chanukkah, and sometimes my grandmother skipped the deruny (potato latkes) altogether because of the variety of other, more interesting ones: carrots with apples, zucchini with raisins, and my father’s favorite rechene (buckwheat) latkes. When a guest inquired about…

Pardon My French… Toast!

Lovely Carol of carolcooks2.com says that today is a National French Toast Day. I don’t know which nation, but I do have a delicious recipe to offer you, Beautiful People. One of those names that varied from country to country, it was called Spanish Toast in Germany, German Toast in Italy, Nun’s Toast in Spain,…

Kugel: Where East Met West

At first, Jews had it good in the Roman-administered land which is now France. Having lost their own homeland, they have dispersed throughout immense Roman Empire, settling mostly along trade routes. Even though they were still not allowed to own land, nor practice law or hold any administrative positions (restrictions are nothing new to us!),…

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…

Only Good Words for Savory Cupcakes

In a wonderful Russian play of the 60’s about love, kindness, and caring, there was a line that bothered me: “Even a cat appreciates a good word.” I could never understand the word “even” in this phrase – why “even a cat”? What about dogs? Birds? People, after all? My grandmother, may she rest in…

Surprise – Healthy Potato Chips!

I am cheating, Beautiful People, but I have a good reason for it! These truly are healthy sweet potato chips, but they are oven-baked, and my oven went on strike. Hopefully, the situation will be remedied before Passover, with G-d’s help. Meanwhile, as we were making Tropical Salsa (see here) at the recent Lasting Joy…

Florentine Omelette for an Unlucky Queen

I hope you had a hot breakfast this morning, Beautiful People, as https://foodimentary.com informs us that February is a National Hot Breakfast Month. If you didn’t, you can start by making this delicious royal breakfast for lunch! What an unlucky queen Mary Stuart was! Having lost her father when she was only six days old,…

Hawaiian Snowballs

Are you, Beautiful People, watching your woods “fill up with snow”? A great American poet, with an appropriate last name Frost, had, and wrote about it: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening BY ROBERT FROST Whose woods these are I think I know.    His house is in the village though;    He will not see me…

Feeling That Is Danced! Gabriela Galette

Tango alert! Any of you, Beautiful People, who are not inflamed by this most famous Argentinian product, passion transformed into music, feeling that is danced, might as well scroll all the way down to the recipe.  But wait! Give it a try, won’t you? “You can dance love, rage, happiness, pleasure, every mood. The tango is not…

Summer Latkes in December

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 Marina, with festive music,…

Coconut Latkes Full of Light

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 oil, please see But Hannah…