An innovative and highly profitable method of borrowing money was practiced by King Edward I of England: you borrow from the Jews, as there is no one else to borrow from (usury was forbidden by the church), then, since legally all Jews are the King’s property, all debts payable to them instantly become payable to…
Category: Pesach
Pesach on the Boat
Misconceptions abound regarding all Jewish holidays, yet none so widespread as those concerning Pesach (Passover). Some think that Pesach is a two-day holiday, while anyone who has been to Israel is certain that it is only one day. Others believe that it actually consists of two holidays, two days each, with a few days in…
Hello, Stranger, Have Some Soup!
Passover starts tomorrow night, and the most important part of the celebration is called a Seder which means order. The order is prescribed in a little book called Haggada that we read at the table. The most important part of that is called Maggid which is the actual story of redemption and exodus from Egypt. And the most important part of…
Eggplant Caviar Odessa Style
In the midst of the war, despite the tragic events described in my post Hello, Ovid! Я вам не скажу про всю Одессу… (war edition), the inimitable quirky Odessa sense of humor keeps the spirit strong. The following photos were taken in Odessa a few days ago: “Tossing trash on the street, don’t forget to…
Distress? No, De-stress!
During these trying times of global distress, it is great to be reminded that March 20 is an International Happiness Day. I am grateful to a great blogger Renard of https://renardsworld.wordpress.com and his fabulous contributor Dr Sridhar for a wonderful post reminding all of us, Beautiful People, to celebrate this day with joy and laughter…
Zucchini Caviar from Beyond the Sea
Tzar Ivan the Terrible was a cruel tyrant. Everybody knows that. And just like many things that “everybody knows” and thus nobody questions, the sobriquet “Terrible” should be taken with a grain of salt. Since we are in the middle of Pesach (Passover), I recommend Kosher for Passover Red Sea Salt. True, he did accidentally kill his son…
Preserving Jews and All Sorts of Fish: Escabeche
An innovative and highly profitable method of borrowing money was practiced by King Edward I of England: you borrow from the Jews, as there is no one else to borrow from (usury was forbidden by the church), then, since legally all Jews are the King’s property, all debts payable to them instantly become payable to…
Coconut Chocolate Macaroon Muffins by Necessity
To all of you, Beautiful People, who had wished my oven speedy recovery, I hasten to report that it has finally gotten repaired. Meanwhile, right before it went on strike last week, I had been planning to try out a new Pesach (Passover) dessert recipe, while, at the same time, getting rid of sundry leftovers…
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…
Success Factory
Your brain is busily working for you, manufacturing biochemicals called endorphins. Research has shown that those incredible little hormones infuse your blood stream and circulate through your entire body even when you act AS IF you were joyful, not only when you actually are happy. Think about it, says Rabbi Pliskin: your experience is totally imaginary, yet…
Tropical Appetizer and the Fruit of Love
A legend of true and undying love that emerges from the mango tree is found in old Sanskrit tradition. Once upon the time, the daughter of the sun, Surya Bai, transformed herself into a golden lotus to evade persecution of an evil sorceress. The sorceress became angry when the King of the land fell in…
Zucchini Caviar from Beyond the Sea
Happy Holidays, Beautiful People! Enjoy this repeat of one of my Passover and all-year-round favorite recipes! via Zucchini Caviar from Beyond the Sea
koolkosherkitchen 