I’ve Got Some Explaining to Do

Our gracious host Renard of https://renardsworld.wordpress.com has kindly published my guest post that features the Indian Goddess Lakshmi and my recipe for stir-fried lotus root. In my post, I have neglected to explain the link between the two, and anyway, why is Lakshmi always depicted sitting on a lotus flower? Here is the answer, Beautiful…

Chinese Cabbage, Japanese Cat, and a “Frenly” Family Store

Contrary to a popular belief, the ubiquitous Chinese fortune cat is actually Japanese. There are several legends about it, but most agree that it first made its friendly appearance around 17th – 18th century, when Tokyo was called Edo. A samurai was once caught in a rainstorm. Finding shelter under a huge tree, he glanced…

“All You Need Is Love” – Zoodles, Part 3. Toodles.

You’ve heard all kinds of jokes about Jewish Time. It is tacitly assumed that “standard Jewish time” is about thirty minutes later than regular time. For instance, if an invitation is issued for, say, three o’clock in the afternoon, it’s a good idea to clarify whether you are expected there on time or on standard…

“All You Need Is Love” – Zoodles, Part 1.

According to the Hebrew calendar, today is the holiday of love. The date is Tu b’Av (15th of the month of Av), which is a minor, yet the most mysterious of all Jewish holidays. There are no special observances, other than certain sad portions omitted from the prayer service, although in modern Israel it is…

Tofu Fingers and Muli Stir Fry

Before you ask, yes, that’s a tiny Murano cat that found her way into the serving bowl – cats! You only turn your back on them for a moment, and who knows where they end up! During Stalin’s times, in the mid-30th in Soviet Russia, there was a patriotic female factory workers’ movement called mnogostanochnitza…