Pollo Fritto Artistico

Before presenting to you, Beautiful People, a unique Chanukkah recipe originating in Italy and inspired by non-Jews, it is my great pleasure to share a lovely poem composed by a non-Jewish blogofriend Jonathan Coswell who chronicles every day events in limericks. Please click on the link to enjoy the poem and come back for the…

Ukrainian Borsht for Sultana

Originally posted on koolkosherkitchen:
Nobody seems to know where the word borscht came from. The best guess is that it is a combination of schti (Russian cabbage soup) and buryak (beetroot in Ukrainian).  It is first mentioned in the legend about the two-month siege of the Ukrainian fortress Rohatyn by the Crimean offshoot of the Turkish army in the beginning…

Vinaigrette – a Russian Winter Salad

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 in pristine snow and…

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…

The Holy Hole-less Doughnuts

A dear blogofriend Shira of shiradest.wordpress.com has been asking for a very special Chanukkah treat – sufganiyot. Here they are, with my heartfelt wishes for light in your lives, Beautiful People! 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…

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…

Saving Kids, Animals and Herbs

Today we celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities, established by the United Nations General Assembly in order to raise awareness, promote empowerment, and help create opportunities for people with disabilities around the globe. For many years, until retirement, I ran a private school for children with special needs, mostly developmental and severe emotional disabilities….

Double Chocolate Avocado Mousse

It’s all Carol’s fault – she made me do it! Lovely Carol of Retired? No one told me! She reminds us about the National Mousse Day and then makes an excellent point about all these “national” food days. You have to read her post to get the brunt of her argument: National Mousse Day…Yet another…

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,…

Placinda – Flaky Pumpkin Pie

A prominent Rabbi picks up an apple, pronounces the appropriate blessing, and bites into it. One of his students also picks up an apple, mutters a blessing, and takes a bite. Then he stops and asks: “Rabbi, what is the difference between you and me eating an apple? We both say the same blessing, yet…

Cranes on Your Plate

Originally posted on Renard's World:
The stores are glutted with cranberries – Thanksgiving is coming, and if we believe Bridget Shirvell, one of the authors on https://www.marthastewart.com, cranberry sauce is the only one item on the traditional Thanksgiving menu that doesn’t vary from region to region and from culture to culture. Stuffing is highly…