I am only doing a bi-lingual post twice: as they say in Odessa, “the first time which is already the last.” I am only doing it because of a phenomenal blogger and a wonderful blogofriend Brigitta Moro who magically blogs in Russian and Ukrainian and who has shared very thorough, research-based information about April 1…
Tag: Party
Of Hats, Pockets, Ears, and Hidden Messages
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…
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…
Dairy Free Irish Cream
Do you believe in the luck o’ the Irish? My son, whose company headquarters are in Dublin, goes to Ireland pretty often. He assures me that the more you drink, the luckier you feel, if the drink is good, that is! Following this logic, I should be the luckiest person in the world because…
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…
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…
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…
Cranberry Pizza for Thanksgiving
Happy National Cranberry Day, Beautiful People (https://foodimentary.com/november-holidays)! Dear Beautiful People, I am cheating! I don’t have a step-by-step set of photographs of this crazy creation because I’ll assemble it tomorrow, right before serving. All I have is my cranberry sauce, ready for tomorrow. However, I promised a recipe for Cranberry Pizza, so here it…
Sweet Rose of Thanks
This beautiful rose and a beautiful sentiment by Paolo Coelho is for all of you, Beautiful People, with all my love and best wishes for Thanksgiving! I also have a delicious sweet potato rose to grace your table with love and heartfelt promises. I have been asked to post “something new to do with sweet…
Strong and Sweet: Poached Pears
“For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” Do I really have to cite a source for this one? I’d rather have you enjoy the beginning of “star-cross’d lovers” tragic story, as brilliantly expressed in music by Prokofiev. Although it has nothing to do with pears, Shakespear’s play…
Count Your Blessings – Quinoa Pomegranate Salad
The Holiday of Sukkos is called Zman Simchoseinu – The Time of Rejoicing. We are commanded to rejoice for eight days, and to do it outside, open to elements. For the duration of this holiday, eight days, we dwell in the sukkah – a booth, or tent, erected outside. Some people actually sleep in the sukkah,…
koolkosherkitchen 