From the Macaroon Sisters to Passover Table and Shabbat Shalom from a Friend

First, a poignant message from Marc Gellman that I suspect many of us can relate to. Grieving isn’t all that bad: 04/25/2024 A Shabbat moment to think about other things: GRIEVING ISN’T ALL THAT BAD . . . . . . and some of us know of the “DER TSAR” (grief) that doesn’t go away….

Joyous, No Matter What, and Shabbat Shalom from a Friend

First, a strongly motivational message from Marc Gellman. 03/21/2024 A Shabbat Message: SOMETIMES OUR LIFE FEELS LIKE “GORNISHT” (strong sense of nothing) . . .    . . . giving the kids breakfast, sending them off to school, and we leave for work. In the evening, having dinner, watching TV, going to sleep, and starting…

The Clever Suitor and the Dietetic Hamentaschen (reiteration)

You have already met the famous prankster and jester Hershele of Ostropol in some of my previous posts (https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/2016/09/28/yukh-a-one-eyed-soup, https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/2016/12/20/summer-latkes-in-december). He is not a fictional character; he actually existed and served as a Shamesh (synagogue attendant) for one of my illustrious ancestors, Rabbi Boruch of Medzhibozh who lived in the second half of 18th – beginning of 19th…

Of Hats, Pockets, Ears, and Hidden Messages (remix)

These pastries are called Hamantaschen. We can no more imagine the holiday of Purim without them than without the graggers – noisemakers gleefully shaken by children and adults alike to drown the name of the evil villain Haman. That’s a story of Purim in a nutshell. Once again, the Jewish people, marked for wholesale slaughter, were saved through…

Puffkin Surprise and Shabbat Shalom from a Friend

First, an important message from Marc Gellman to all of us in the blogosphere who can’t wait to click that button and have our work posted. WHY CREATE NISHTICK 03/14/2024 A Shabbat Message: WHY CREATE “NISHTICK” (worthless trash) . . . . . . and make yourself appear to be a “Lepish” (awkward and stupid)….

Sword Fights, Curlicues, and Shabbat Shalom from a Friend

First, a heartwarming message from Marc Gellman. I’m speaking at the Levis JCC: 02/22/2024 LOOKING THROUGH SHIVA EYES . . . . . . . I hoped my mother was listening in. As the guest speaker at a luncheon at the Levis JCC in Boca Raton, I started my presentation by saying, “My mother would…

Chocolate Roses for Valentine’s (remix)

I’ve been getting an impression that you, Beautiful People, like reading my historical improvisations more than my recipes. I am happy to accommodate. As we say in Odessa, “If it’s songs you want, I’ve got them for you.” This is Frida Kahlo, a great Mexican artist famous for her self-portraits and paintings of flowers. She…

Victorian Sandwich (remix) and Shabbat Shalom from a Friend

First, a heartfelt and timely message from Marc Gellman. 12/28/2023 A NEW YIDDISHE SLOGAN . . . . . . “It’s nice to hang out with Jews.” Let’s have our own slogan. I’ve mentioned this before, and now I’m asking you to spread the word. During this time of darkness for our community, let’s start…

Coconut Latkes Full of Light (reiteration)

On the fifth night of Chanukkah, five lights are on, spreading their warmth and glow throughout the house.  The fifth night is considered special for several reasons, but as a child, I was told that on this night we “tip the scale,” so to speak, by bringing more lights into the darkness of the world. A…

Gambling for Education and Retchene Latkes (reiteration) and Shabbat Shalom from a Friend

First, a wonderfully uplifting message from Marc Gellman. CHANUKAH: 12/07/2023 DURING THIS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS . . . . . . can our lights shine bright? Do we show who we are? Or . . . do we hide out of sight? It’s a time for our menorah to be in clear view, to remind…

The Holy Hole-less Doughnuts (reiteration)

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 as an abbreviation of…

But Hannah Did Not Have Potatoes! Latkes with a Tropical Twist (reiteration)

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…