In the joyofkosher Kitchen

Yosef Silver is the blogger behind This American Bite, a relatively new blog devoted to healthy seasonal recipes.

Tell us about your blog and how you got started:

I’ve been blogging since September of last year, and I started to record my own recipes and dishes – more often than not I make it up as I go along and had no record of how to recreate the finished project.  I’m not new to blogging, just to food-blogging, so this seemed like a logical next step.

What is your earliest cooking memory?

My whole life has been food-centric.  Even being raised by a single parent, my mother would cook for six to eight people every night and people would show up and dine with us!  Breaking the fast after Yom Kippur was always a big family event, and even when we moved to a new city, our home was the destination for the break-fast.

I tend to cook different dishes all the time, one of my go-to chicken dishes for Friday Night would have to be Chicken Marbella.  It’s possibly the easiest dish I can make and people always enjoy!

Who is your cooking inspiration?

My mother had a straight forward philosophy – if she was going to raise me to grow up and leave home one day, I needed to know how to cook for myself.  Food reminds us of our parents, grand parents and for the lucky few of us, great grandparents too – it’s our way of connecting the next generation with the people that got us to the point we’re at today.

Please share a favorite cooking tip or trick with our readers:

If making chicken soup with wings, wrap them in cheesecloth to ensure a clear broth

Which recipes are you sharing with us today?

Main Image – Tyler Inspired Swedish Style Meatballs

Lemony Radish Soup

Polenta and Black Bean Tamale Pie

To see more about recipes and articles contributed by Yosef, check out his JoyofKosher.com profile – Yosef Silver.

Author of This American Bite, Yosef lives in Overland Park, KS with his wife and son.  As passionate cook, card-carrying foodie, and an active WeightWatcher, Yosef loves to re-create restaraunt meals in his home kitchen. As a parent, healthy food is a priority and most home-cooked meals from the “American Bite” full of seasonal, local produce.  You can follow Yosef on Twitter @ysilver.

Fresh apricots have too short a season for such a yummy fruit.  That is why dried apricots have always been a popular treat.   Drying is an easy way to preserve the taste and be able to enjoy them all year round.  To be honest I have never been a real fan of the regular Turkish apricots available in most supermarkets, I find them somewhat bland, with sweetness but no real apricot flavor.  Over the years, I prefer the more flavorful and tart variety of dried apricots I find at Trader Joe’s.

Apricot Canapes

A few months ago, Enduring Sun contacted me about their imported sun dried apricots that I had to try.  They sent me a sampler box so that I could see and taste the difference between their four heirloom varieties of sun dried apricots.  Enduring Sun imports their apricots from Central Asia and they are certified by KLBD (London Beis Din).  Part of their mission is to provide rural communities around the world an opportunity to work and reap the true rewards from their labor. These apricots not only taste great, but also support fair trade and improving the lives of village communities.

The four varieties of apricots are: Jelena, Valentina, Natasha and Larissa and they all have unique visual and taste characteristics.

Just by looking at the package you can see how different they look.

Jelena is the largest and it is very plump and chewy, it has almost a honey like after taste, it really tasted like candy to me.

Natasha was smaller and thinner and lighter with a bit of tang and a touch of tartness.

Valentina was a little chewier, but not as sweet as Jelena – it had a very strong natural apricot flavor.

Larissa was the smallest of all and tasted more like traditional dried apricots, with a lot more flavor.

Artichoke Bottom, Apricot and Tomato Salad

I plan to eat most of these out of the bag, but will save a few to make these Apricot Canapes and this Artichoke Bottom, Apricot and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad that my family loves!

Find out more about Enduring Sun Apricots and how to get some of your own.

Sweet Designs – Bake It, Craft It, Style It, by Amy Atlas, brings the sweets stylist to the stars into your home.  Amy created this gorgeous book of sweets to help us make every occasion unforgettable.  The book is filled with 15 chapters, over 100 recipes, and 75 DIY crafts.  Learn to melt chocolate, work with fondant, use fabric to colorfully accessorize a cake pedestal and create a sweets centerpiece people will be talking abut for months to come.  Amy also happens to have a kosher kitchen. Today, we talk to Amy to find out more about her delicious new book.

This book is both cookbook and craft-book, what made you decide to combine the two?

I’ve always combined desserts and crafts on my dessert tables. I’ve had so many people ask me over the years how to put my tables together so I created an approachable book that shows how to make desserts and crafts using every day items.

You are considered the sweets stylist to the stars, who was the first star you worked for and what was it like ?  

The first star that I worked with was Brooke Shields. We created a princess themed dessert table for her daughter’s birthday. The table was pink and glittery and full of princess themed sweets. It was like every first, very memorable!

You teach your readers how to “bake it, craft it, and style it”, I’m very interested in the “bake it”, but I’m not sure I can “make it”, any tips for those of us that are intimidated with crafts and styling?

The best part about this book is that there is something in it for everyone.  From the novice baker to the seasoned crafter to the busy mom, there is a bake it, craft it and style it that everyone can do.

What is your earliest memory of cooking?

Baking rocky road cake in my grandma’s kitchen.  She gave me my first baking lessons and I cherish those memories.

As a working busy mother of two, can you share any tips on how to get dinner and dessert on the table every night?

I try to cook meals on the weekend and then freeze them so I can pull them out quickly during the week when I have less time.  As a working mom, it is very hard for me to cook during the week.

What is your favorite recipe to bake with your kids?

The Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars from my book!

What is your connection to kosher food? 

My husband comes from a conservative family and was raised in a kosher home.  When we got married, we decided to keep a kosher home.  We also make Shabbat dinner on Friday nights. Our boys decided a few months ago that they wanted to get dressed up every Shabbat.  It is so sweet to see them love this tradition.

Do you have any special Jewish holiday memories?

Rosh Hashana is a big holiday for our family. Of course, our kids love Purim and that is a fun holiday in our home.

Thank you to Amy for sharing a bit about yourself and these recipes (they are dairy so they would be perfect for Shavuot). 

Chocolate Chipper Cupcakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

***Giveaway*** Amy Atlas is giving away a copy of Sweet Designs to one lucky JoyofKosher.com member.  All you have to do to enter is make and review any dessert recipe on this site and then let us know in the comments below by linking to the recipe you reviewed.  You may enter more reviews for more entries, no limit.

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, and must be US residents. Contest ends  May 8th at 9 am  EST. One winner will be picked randomly from qualifying comments.

Images – From SWEET DESIGNS by Amy Atlas. Copyright (C) 2012 Amy Atlas and The Stonesong Press, LLC. Photography by Johnny Miller. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All RIghts Reserved.

Pomegranate Kosher Supermarket is known around the country as the preeminent kosher supermarket to rival the non-kosher gourmet markets.  Located in Brooklyn, NY visitors from all over travel far and wide just to experience this store.  Pomegrante was voted as the Best of Kosher Supermarket 2012 by the JoyofKosher.com community and now we talked to Pomegranate to find out more:

1. Tell us about you and/or your company:

4 years ago, when Mr. Abraham Banda had the vision for Pomegranate, he set out to create something new in the kosher world that wasn’t yet in existence. Why shouldn’t the kosher consumer have access to quality foods that non-kosher consumers have? Pomegranate has even surpassed those expectations and become a destination. It’s the only 5-star kosher market in the world, with the best quality foods and the type of personal service you’ll only experience in the most luxurious hotels. We’re located in the heart of Flatbush, yet our customers come from all over the world to shop here. Those that live close by consider themselves very lucky.

2. Why do you think you won Best of Kosher?

When Pomegranate was launched, we set out to create an experience that wasn’t yet available to the kosher consumer.

Every single one of our employees comes to work with their hearts in it, and they love what they do. That translates into a superior experience for the consumer. Our entire team is genuinely devoted to making sure that every single time a customer steps into our store, they receive that signature Pomegranate service.

In our meat department, you’ll find cuts that are the best quality you’ll find, probably anywhere in the kosher market globally. You can buy a steak, take it home, and eat like you’re dining in a five star restaurant. You can’t get meat like that anywhere at everyday prices.

Our fish team goes to the market every single night and brings back the freshest. And everyone flips for Pomegranate’s sushi, all created by our master sushi Chef David, who studied under the Iron Chef Morimoto.

Our deli department is unprecedented. Every day, from early in the morning, our chefs are preparing a selection of hundreds of foods that customers can take home and enjoy. The selection of items and the gourmet options that our chefs create here are only available here. And our shoppers feel like kings and queens while they are perusing all the options and being waited on.

I haven’t even touched on our produce, bakery, grocery departments, or our gourmet cheeses made in-house. And all the salads and dips…they’re legendary.

I think that all of our customers know what Pomegranate offers, and they feel very passionate about shopping here. From those who live locally and visit weekly, to those who come from far away, consumers everywhere have been touched by the Pomegranate experience and we know, hands down, that each of them unequivocally believe that Pomegranate is the best kosher market in the world.

3. What are your plans for the coming year?

Pomegranate never rests on its laurels and always is thinking of what we can do to make the Pomegranate experience even better.

There are a lot of subtle changes that we’re always instituting in the store to enhance the consumer experience.

We’re always innovating and brainstorming new ideas. For example, there are a lot of new food products our chefs are working on creating and new departments that are in development.

The only way to find out what’s new at Pomegranate is to come and visit. You’ll find something new every single time you shop.

Pomegranate is located at 1507 Coney Island Avenue – Corner Avenue L – call 718-951-7112 for more inforamation.

Images from Pomegranate Marketing Team.

Pardes Rimonim, the kosher B&B of Venice, Italy is the winner of our Best of Kosher Hotel/B&B as voted by our JoyofKosher community.  Now it is time to learn a bit more about them.

Last May, the Jewish Community of Venice opened the new Hotel – Kosher House “Giardino de Melograni” (Pardes Rimonim/Pomegranate Orchard) and hopes to spread the word amongst Jewish communities and organizations around the world. Because the hotel is owned by the Jewish Community, all it profits go to tzedakah projects, initiatives for the Jewish Venitian youth, the elderly and students as well as the renovation of the ghetto and its 5 ancient synagogues. The Giardino is the only kosher accommodation in Venice.

The B&B is located in the sunny square of the Jewish Ghetto next to the old synagogues, original art galleries and local shops, overlooking one of the most romantic canals; walking distance from the center but removed from the most crowded streets, allowing guests to relax in the quiet of the lovely building and pomegranate garden.

The hotel is located only 10 minutes’ walk from the train and bus station and the Vaporetto (Water Bus) stop is just around the corner. Buffet Breakfast is included and Chalav Yisroel.

The hotel also boasts a new meat restaurant, “Hostaria Del Ghetto”, in the same building and is Glatt Kosher Lemehadrin. It is the only restaurant in Venice with a kosher certificate by the chief Rabbi of Venice, Gili Benyamin, serving a fusion of the best Jewish Venetian cuisine and Argentinian specialties.

We asked them why they think they won and the answer was :

“We think that we won because we are an hotel which is new and unique, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We give good value and kosher food to the Jewish travelers. Tourists staying in the hotel also feel that they are contributing to the continuation of Jewish life in the Ghetto.  We just opened up the restaurant for every day and plan to continue to enrich the menu with traditional Jewish-Venetian dishes.

Another remarkable initiative is to open a Venetian kosher cooking school. We are researching in depth the historic Jewish recipes of the Venetian Jewish community – a community that was  a crossroad of Jews from all over the Diaspora, German- Ashkenazi, French- Ashkenazi, Italian, Spanish and “Levantini” (Jews from Greece and the Ottoman Empire). These recipes were passed down from generation to generation creating a cuisine which is a unique fusion of tastes and techniques.  We will use this cooking school to teach them to others.

For more information, rates and to book a room go to PardeshRominim.net.

Today the spotlight is on Alessandra Rovati from Dinner In Venice our favorite Kosher Italian food blog.

What is your earliest cooking memory?
Making gnocchi while my mother was at work and I was at home with the chickenpox (I must have been about 8). Our housekeeper was a nice older lady who never tried to stop me from experimenting in the kitchen. Apparently, my mom knew what was going on as soon as she walked into the building – and we lived on the fourth floor! – because the traces of flour went all the way down to the street, at least that’s what she told me….

Crostata Di Ricotta

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
Probably the “Mezzaluna”, my Italian double-handed knife… I am constantly chopping fresh herbs and that’s what gives me the most control.

What’s your favorite kosher dish to cook?
Having grown up in Venice, I have to say risotto: hundreds of years ago Venetian Jews were already famous for their risottos “all’onda” (creamy and not too dense) and everybody still loves them now. It’s actually the Venetian Shabbat rice that is thought by many historians to have inspired the famous ‘risotto milanese’ with saffron. I find the constant stirring required for making this dish well more relaxing than yoga, especially because I get to taste something yummy!

Who is your cooking inspiration?
l have always liked eating in people’s homes more than in restaurants, because there is something intimate about food (after all, you put it into your body!). For this reason, most of my inspiration comes from family and friends – my mother first, for her “scientific” approach to cooking, and her obsession with olive oil (she is from Tuscany!), even in the early 70′s when a lot of people in the Veneto region cooked everything with butter or seed oil. Also, because there are only about 450 (Italian) Jews living in Venice, we don’t use a caterer for most holiday community-wide meals, but rely on a handful of volunteers. I was always impressed by a couple of the older ladies who could easily pull off a meal for hundreds while also taking care of their own family meals, and basically with no staff…

Please share a favorite cooking tip or trick with our readers:
When making pasta, always add a ladleful of the cooking water to the sauce: it acts as both a thickener and an emulsifier and makes it taste creamy even if you didn’t use much fat.

When making pasta for Shabbat, make an oilier sauce, use more sauce, and add more cooking water. That way, when you reheat it, it won’t dry out. You should also keep it very ‘al dente’ and reheat it only for the time it takes to make it lukewarm, or it will become mushy.

Which recipes are you sharing with us today?

Main Image – Tagliolini in Lemon Sauce

Crostata di Ricotta

Alessandra Rovati

Alessandra Rovati was born and raised in Venice, Italy, and has had a passion for food since a very young age (she is said to have feasted on garlic and chili-marinated herring at 15 months). Alessandra writes about Kosher and Jewish Italian food and teaches cooking; she also posts free recipes and how-to’s, offering a glimpse of Jewish Italian culinary history, on her website, Dinner in Venice.

Kosher Camembert is the winner of our Best of Kosher very competitive Kosher Food Blog Award.  Written by Gayle Squires also known as Zahavah.  She loves to read cookbooks as if they were novels and is always looking for the next destination.   Let’s find out some more about Gayle.
1. Tell us about you and/or your company:

Kosher Camembert is a food blog that I launched about three years ago after visiting Paris and meeting Clotilde Dusoulier (Chocolate & Zucchini). What initially began as a means of keeping a recipe log has turned into an amazing outlet for creativity and learning. I have developed a voice, gained photography skills, and taken a few cooking and baking classes. While working a full-time job (health care IT), I try to post new recipes weekly. I am an untrained cook and like to to share recipes that remind me of my travels, often meeting with local chefs when abroad.

2. Why do you think you won Best of Kosher?

I suspect that my recipes and photos inspire people to turn to Kosher Camembert when looking for something to make for any time of the day, whether it’s a salad for lunch, brisket for shabbat, or great cookies to share with friends and co-workers. From a practical perspective, I have friends and family all over the world and they were kind enough to ask their own communities to view my blog and vote.

3. What are your plans for the coming year?

It’s always so hard to know what the future holds. I have a few projects in the works, including possibly writing a food column for an international newspaper, but it is too soon to be able to share the details.
Enjoy my recipe for Almond and Orange Croquants

I’ve heard of heirloom tomatoes, but heirloom beans? As someone who tries not to eat too much meat and a family that jumps for beans, I was so excited to learn about heirloom beans.

An heirloom is something that has been passed down for generations through family members.  Some people have jewelry and some people have seeds.  An heirloom plant is a varietal that has not been used in the modern large scale farm production, but rather passed down through family or farm from an earlier period in time.  Steve Sando, founder of Rancho Gordo, defines them as pure seeds, that when planted will produce the same kind of bean every time.   I remember buying a special heirloom variety of popcorn at a local farmers market a few years ago, they said the seeds were passed down in their family for years and it happened to be the best popcorn I have ever had.

Steven Sando scours the markets of Mexican and Central America to find many kinds of heirloom beans and bring them back to cultivation in his farm in California.  Although heirloom beans are harder to grow and the yield is smaller, they produce a far superior product.  These beans are fresh — beans found in a bag at the local supermarket may be up to 10 years old!  Although soaking does reduce cooking time, it is not necessary.  If you are someone that doesn’t really like beans, you have to heirloom beans a try. The depth of flavor from these heirloom beans surpasses anything you’ve ever had.  Gourmet chefs like Thomas Keller (hailed as the best chef in America) swears by them.  There is also huge variety and they all taste different.

Beans in the supermarket are typically under a $1 for a pound and considered a great budget health food.  These beans are $4-$5 per pound, but if you consider them a substitute for meat and other proteins, like I do, they are still a bargain.

My first try with heirloom beans was the Good Mother Stallard beans from Rancho Gordo, recommended for its great pot liquor (or bean broth) it has so much flavor that it can be prepared simply with onions and carrots, Simply Beans.  I served over a plain soft polenta for a full delicious meal.  My second try was their cannellini beans that grew larger than any I have seen.  I made a simple Tuscan Bean Soup that was out of this world.  While I wouldn’t suggest these specialty beans for cholent, they are worth a shot for an easy weekday dinner.

You can purchase Rancho Gordo Beans through their website where they also have more recipes and information on heirbloom beans.  They also say that you can try sticking one of their beans in pot of soil and grown your own heirloom beans.

Other companies selling heirloom beans are as follows:

http://www.seedsavers.org/Items.aspx?hierId=14

https://nativeseeds.org/index.php/store/91/2/food/beans

http://www.purcellmountainfarms.com/Dried%20Beans.htm

http://www.zursunbeans.com/

The Dash cookbook, inspired kosher recipes for the seasoned palate was created as a fundraiser for the Torah Academy for Girls in Far Rockaway.  It is available for purchase through TAG at 718-471-8444.

Why did you name the book Dash?

The book was created as a fundraising endeavor for T.A.G. which is in the midst of a major building project, the cookbook’s title, “Dash,” involved much deliberation. “We wanted something short, catchy, and food-related,” said Sori.  We chose Dash for a number of reasons. It reminds us of the dash through life that we all seem to be speeding through. Sometimes we just have to pause for a moment and thank Hashem for all the good things in our lives. I am a very practical person; freezing is an integral part of my busy routine. Because Sori and I are both busy mothers, we’ve included many quick and easy recipes, as well as tips for busy mothers, yielding elegant results, that are ready in a dash! In order to make them irresistible, we have incorporated a dash of spice into our recipes. And, of course, a dash of salt is the universal ingredient found in recipes!

How did you get involved in creating this cookbook?

Sori and I were Women’s League Presidents.  I have been creating and collecting recipes for 17 years and always had the dream of putting out a cookbook in the back of my head.  When I became one of the Presidents, I realized that this would be a great venue for my cookbook.  Sori and I teamed up to do it together.

Veal Breast with Matzah Stuffing

Are the recipes created by one of you or both of you together?

The recipes are my creations as well as some submissions by restaurants and a few friends.  Sori handled the visual aspect of the book and is a decorator by trade.  I am an attorney.

What is the “Simplify” feature you mention in your book?

The Simplify feature is for when you would like to prepare the essence of the recipe but just do not have the time to create the full recipe.  It is a shortcut that will offer the same flavors and essence while cutting back on certain timely aspects of the recipe.

Grapefruit Salad with Candied Pecans and Avocado

What other features are unique in this book?

We feature recipes by popular restaurants, as well as an array of delicious grilling recipes.  I have given my favorite tried and true recipes and had them all prepared, tested and tasted by a whole slew of woman so they are perfected and reliable.  We have provided a large selection of meats and chickens so there is a nice variety to choose from.  We also wanted to feature a beautiful accurate photo of each dish. People see food first and then decide if they should make it.  It is difficult for many people to envision how a recipe will turn out without a photo.  It was important for me that people be able to see what they will be making.

The flavors in this book go way beyond the usual Shabbat and Jewish palette, how did you come to cook this way?

I began cooking as a newlywed in Israel and pursued it from there as a passion.  I love gourmet flavors and ingredients and never repeat a menu at my shabbos table.  I love to experiment with food.

Slow Cooked Corned Beef in Wine

What is your earliest memory of cooking?

My earliest memory of cooking? Probably making macaroni and cheese for my 5 siblings (BH).  We grew up on cheese.  But I do remember my first shabbos having company after I was married.  I had 16 people over and began cooking on the Sunday before…. My food came out perfect and delicious.  The only problem was, when Friday night came, I was so overwhelmed I forgot the order of the courses.  Do you serve the fish first? Soup? Salad? My two good friends smiled and said sit down, Rebecca, we will take it from here…. Needless to say, I have come far since : )

Do you have any tips you can share with our busy readers on how to get dinner on the table every night?

Always have a well stocked house.  If you have the ingredients at your fingertips you can pull together an amazing dinner in no time.

Chocolate Semifreddo with Candied Orange Sauce

What is on your typical Shabat dinner and lunch menus?

Well, my family is very traditional when it comes to food.  We love gefilte fish, chicken soup, cholent etc.  my children enjoy a healthy version of carrot muffins that I came up with, potato kugel and chicken cutlets.  When I have company is when I go all out and get to experiment.

A sampling of recipes from the Dash Cookbook that are Kosher for Passover:

Veal Breast with Savory Vegetable-Matzah Stuffing
Chocolate Semifreddo with Candied Orange Sauce
Grapefruit Salad with Candied Pecans and Avocado
Slow Cooked Corned Beef with Wine

When I first discovered frozen cubes of ginger, garlic and herbs from Dorot at the local kosher market, I couldn’t believe it.  What a great idea!  It’s about time someone came out with an easy to use alternative to dried herbs or jarred garlic.  How many times had I bought a huge bouquet of dill for chicken soup, only to find a bag of mush on the bottom of my fridge a few weeks later?  These Dorot cubes give the taste of fresh garlic and herbs, without the chopping and the waste.

Charoset with Ginger

Dorot is named for the kibbutz in Israel where the idea was hatched.  Like all great ideas, the inspiration for crushed garlic came as an answer to a clear consumer need.  About 30 years ago one of the kibbutz members turned his home into the first experimental laboratory and worked on what would years later become Dorot’s flagship product, frozen crushed garlic. The first plant for crushed garlic production was established in Kibbutz Dorot in 1992, in a caravan.  And the rest, as they say—is history!

Seder Matzah Ball Soup

Dorot Garlic & Herbs come in 7 varieties, Crushed Garlic, Chopped Basil, Chopped Parsley, Chopped Cilantro, Crushed Ginger, Chopped Dill, and even Chopped Chili, no more “chilified” fingers burning your eyes.  Dorot picks, chops and packages all its products while they are still fresh and tasty so they retain all their natural flavor.   They are easy to use one cube at a time — like miniature ice cubes and they last for 2 years in your freezer.  But I’m guessing they won’t last long in yours!

Dorot Leek Pancake

On Passover, the challenge is adding vibrant flavors with so many restrictions and an off limits spice cabinet.  Here are some fabulous kosher for Passover recipes from the Dorot chefs that will make your Passover herbalicious!

Main Image – Coconut Cream & Ginger Tower

More Recipes from Dorot -

Seder Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Slices of Beef Fillet

Chopped Liver

Beef Bourguion

Roasted Lamb with Artichoke Hearts

Herb Leek Pancake with Aioli

 Chopped Liver

Charoset with Ginger

Roasted Chicken with Peach Chutney and Cilantro

Many more recipes are available online at www.mydorot.com – for Passover and other holidays.

Tell us about your blog and how you got started:

In December of 2010 I was working at an uninspired corporate job that I wasn’t passionate about, so I started What Jew Wanna Eat (WJWE) as a creative outlet. I called up my Bubbe Eleanor, and of course she was kvelling when I told her about the idea! She sent me dozens of her favorite traditional Jewish recipes. To add my personal touch, I twisted each recipe a bit to make them my own such as pumpkin hummus or dark chocolate mandel bread. Before I knew it, WJWE turned into so much more! I quit my job and now am in culinary school, teaching cooking classes and food writing on the side. I love it!

What is your earliest cooking memory?

Definitely baking rugelach with my Mom and Bubbe! I remember rolling out the dough, sprinkling the cinnamony sugar mixture inside and then waiting for them to bake as the scent of homemade baked goodies filled the house. And then I would get kicked out of the kitchen for the cleaning part- I was never good at that! Usually I made things messier. I wish someone would clean for me now…

What is your favorite kitchen implement / utensil / gadget?

I love my Kitchenaid mixer, but lately I have been into my food scale! It helps make baking more accurate, and once you get the hang of it, it is actually quicker than measuring things out in cups. I swear!

Mexican Potato Latkes

What’s your favorite kosher dish to cook?

I really love playing around with my challah recipes. I made a pumpkin challah in the fall that I turned into an awesome bread pudding, and cannot wait to play with some spring flavors in the next few months! Maybe an herbed challah? Ooh that may be a keeper!

Who is your cooking inspiration?

Definitely my Bubbe! Not only is she an awesome cook (her brisket is to die for!) but she encourages me in all my endeavors and is just so proud of me! I get all verklempt just talking about her!

Please share a favorite cooking tip or trick with our readers:

I love making homemade whipped cream for dairy dishes, but it can be tricky! Start with using a cold bowl and whisk or mixer and beat the cream until just before stiff peaks form, and then beat in the sugar and extract to a stiff peak. You can have fun with the flavors from basic vanilla to lemon and more!

Which recipes are you sharing with us today?
Even though Hanukkah is months away, I must share my Mexican Potato Latke recipe- it is the most popular one on my blog by far! And my Jerusalem Artichoke Salad (Pictured above) is also a keeper- I make a big batch in the beginning of the week and nosh on it for lunch!

Amy is a food writer and recipe developer from Austin, Texas. In her spare time, Amy enjoys country music, theme parties and cowboys. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Tell us about your blog and how you got started:

Real Food Digest is about inspiring people to cook more at home from natural unrefined ingredients and the impact this approach has on our health and the sustainability of the environment. Real Food Digest is also about reconnecting to the roots of our Jewish tradition – our holidays are based on an agricultural calendar and many of our customs have a connection to nature.

My husband persuaded me to start blogging a few years ago to share recipes, cooking advice, and green living tips that my friends kept asking for.  It’s been a great way to connect to others who care about the quality and ethics of our food, teach others what real food is all about, and learn from an amazing online community.

What is your earliest cooking memory?

Watching my mom cook. Her priority to have a home-cooked meal for her children every night even while working full time is so admirable.

What is your favorite kitchen implement / utensil / gadget?  

A sharp chef’s knife.

What’s your favorite kosher dish to cook?

Chicken soup – I make it almost every week in my slow cooker. It’s full of minerals and nutrients plus I get a few meals out of it; soup, chicken salad, and enough stock to freeze for preparing rice and other dishes throughout the week.

Who is your cooking inspiration?

My local farmers. I use to create weekly menus from my favorite cookbooks, but now that I go to the farmer’s market every week I get inspired by the amazing fresh produce I bring home each week and plan my menus around what’s in season.

Please share a favorite cooking tip or trick with our readers:

Don’t be afraid of using fats!  I love using butter or ghee and coconut oil in my cooking – they add a ton of flavor, keep you satisfied longer (and keep those sugar cravings away), and actually help our bodies absorb the nutrients in our food. Vegetable oils and non-dairy spreads are highly processed. We’re taught to fear fat in our diet but many traditional societies using saturated fats from animals and plants (like coconuts) demonstrated robust health until the introduction of industrialized products like vegetable oils and refined flours.

Which recipes are you sharing with us today?

Slow Cooker Ginger Chicken Broth – a nutrient rich and easy dinner.

Apple Macadamia Nut Crisp – a no-fuss recipe that works well for Shabbat entertaining and a great Passover dessert since it can be made without flour.

Lisa’s blog Real Food Digest is a compilation of her favorite recipes, kitchen tips, healthy living resources, and nutritional information. She strives for nutrient dense foods that serve as a foundation for optimal health; foods that offer the body a line of defense against our toxic environment and assists in the prevention of chronic diseases. Most importantly, however, it needs to be delicious.

Most of all, Real Food Digest is about connecting to avibrant online community passionate about real food – minimally processed, without artificial ingredients or pesticides, not genetically modified – and properly prepared.

I am in love.

Yes I know, again.

Sometimes I just can’t help myself. In this case I actually feel like I didn’t have a choice. The restaurant chose me.

Tamar and I were wrapping up a late (read: very late, missed the kids’ bedtime kinda late) night at the office in BP- that’s Boro Park – in BK – that’s Brooklyn.

So we decide to reward ourselves for a hard day’s work that goes so way beyond the 9 to 5 it’s scary, and on a rainy dark night we drove across BK (thinking it would take us 5 minutes because we ain’t from these parts) and 40 minutes later (admittedly most of the time was spent looking for parking) we arrived at Basil, the then new restaurant in Crown Heights.

Now, I love Tamar too. Because Hubby will never accompany me to a milchig restaurant (why would he when he can eat a steak the size of my head) so I have to rely on true friends like Tamar to join me on what I like to call…research.

We ate some nice apps like Polenta Fries with Sun-dried Tomato Caper Mayo, great pastas like Cannelloni with Mushrooms, Pencil Asparagus and Parmesan Cream and great desserts like Lavender Dusted Funnel Cake with Basil Ice Cream. And yes you read right we ordered lots to share. And, yes, that funnel cake was like a gourmet retro throwback to my youth. Those hot summer days at the theme park watching the guy with the funny hat make and dust the funnel cake with confectioner’s sugar. And you know how nothing can be as good as your memory?  Well, this grown-up version was better.

But, the Pièce de résistance…

The reason to travel back there even if takes 4 hours in the rain and you can’t find parking so you have to eat in the car…

Their wood oven pizza.

More specifically…

The Bosc Pear & Blue Cheese with Arugula Pizza

Now when I tell you I dream about this pizza I do not lie. When I tell you it inspired a recipe in my new cookbook I do not lie. When I tell you that in my over 3 decades on this earth it may be one of the single most exquisite things I have eaten, I do not lie. The crust is thin, the pear slices paper thin, the blue cheese with just the right balance of cream and tang the piled high peppery arugula so fresh I am convinced they ripped it from the ground just before serving me.

Next time, though, as much as I love Tamar, I don’t want to share my pizza.

(Main Image from Basil’s website)

Hagafen Cellars is located in Napa Valley, California and was founded in 1979 by Irit and Ernie Weir, as the first kosher winery in California.  At a time when fine kosher wine was almost an oxymoron, Weir sought to produce a wine that can hold its own against the best of the Valley yet upholds the strictest of kosher standards.  Judging by the number of gold medals and now frequent accolades in mainstream publications like The Wall Street Journal and New York Times, he has succeeded beyond his own wildest imaginations.

I recently had the chance to enjoy the 2007 Hagafen Cabernet Franc and the 2009 Hagafen Merlot.  Both are elegant red wines with soft, silky tannins and red, ripe fruits.  With Passover approaching, now is a perfect time to stock up and bring a bottle over to wherever you are spending the Seder — just make sure you also get a couple for yourself.

I also had the chance to speak with Ernie and find out a little more about the story of Hagafen and his plans for the future.

Tell us about your decision to start a kosher winery in the Napa Valley?

I had been working for a large winery in Napa since the early 70’s.  I saw the mainstream market change and I had a feeling the Jewish and kosher market would change in parallel.  I thought I had a unique opportunity as someone established in the high quality wine making of Napa to bring quality kosher wine about.

At that time, none of the other quality kosher wines of today were around.  I wanted to make a wine that would be inspirational to all types of Jewish people, not just those who were religious.  I wanted to make a wine that would appeal to a broad market.  I also wanted the wine to be as high quality as possible so that anyone could and would enjoy it, kosher, Jewish or not.  Now, over 30 years later I can attest that most of the people who come to our winery and buy the wine don’t even know it has anything to do with kosher.

Has kosher winemaking brought you closer to your Jewish roots?

Absolutely.  I grew up in suburban L.A. to European immigrants of the Holocaust.  My grandparents were Orthodox, my parents were Conservative and we were connected Jewishly.  I had cousins in Israel but didn’t visit until the 60s.  Now, my wife is Israeli, our house is bilingual and we go to Israel regularly.

I am not necessarily more observant now, but I am fully conversant in the whole topic of kashrut.   I have been able to meet Jews from everywhere on the planet.  Daily, I speak to people from a broad range of communities.  I am a very proud Jew.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and had to select one bottle of Hagafen wine to drink, what would you choose and why?

Oy vay – it is so hard to choose. There have been a lot of stars over the years.   Right now the 2008 Cabernet Franc under the Prix label is a winner.  I also love our late harvest wines under the Prix label.  But, I can’t forget our first Riesling from 1980 that set the tone and has been made every year for the last 32 years.

Really, I can’t answer this question.  Wines are like a metaphor for children.  I can’t choose a favorite.

As we approach the Passover holiday, Jews all over the world will gather together to celebrate the story of our Exodus from Egypt and celebrate our freedom with four cups of wine.  What is your best Passover memory?

Passover always occurs right around my birthday, so I am often stuck with sponge cake for occasion, but my fondest memories are sitting next to my grandfather.  Because he read every word, every syllable, even though I couldn’t understand it as a young child I loved that time, I loved how involved he was.  It is a lasting memory.

What are your plans for the future?

I have a new vineyard that will be certified organic and I am committed to growing grapes using sustainable agriculture.  My wines won’t be organic because of the restrictions imposed on making organic wine, but most of the grapes used in them will be.

I also want to add how pleased I am and our customers are that our wines are served at the White House.  On the walls of our winery you can see the menus from the White House.  I think all Jews can get satisfaction out of that, seeing our contribution to society.

The Hagafen label is available around the country in most stores, and you can order the Prix label from the website… or be a part of our wine club.

Tell us about your blog and how you got started:
I have always been a food enthusiast. I love cooking my own recipe creations along with the traditional foods from my family which is from Iraq/India. My blog is a way to document my recipes, and a place to give my readers easy, healthy and accessible recipes. To come up with a “clean” recipe you often have to do a lot of recipe testing. It can take a great deal of time to perfect a recipe, and be quite expensive. As a busy mom working full time I do not have enough time to test and perfect every recipe. This is where my blog is unique. I post a new recipe each week, and I also ask for feedback from my readers. If I receive enough feedback on a recipe I will revise the recipe and post a new “Final” recipe. In addition to posting a recipe every week, I write a food related article as well. This is where I share some insights as a busy home cook and food lover. Topics range from spices, to food book reviews, to the essentials for your pantry, to cheese.

What is your earliest cooking memory?
My earliest cooking memory is cooking with my Grandma. She used to babysit me while my parents were at work. She always had me in the kitchen with her and used to let me help with whatever she was making, from cookies to meatballs. My grandma used to love watching cooking shows like The Frugal Gourmet and Julia Child and I used to love watching them with her. I also have a lot of memories of my dad and aunt cooking for huge parties and me sneaking around the kitchen trying to see what they were doing.

What is your favorite kitchen implement / utensil / gadget?
It is funny that you ask this question because I have an entire post dedicated to kitchen gadgets. I have never had a huge kitchen, so to to be on my list it has to be compact and also inexpensive. I have four listed on my blog, but if I have to pick one it would be my immersion blender.

What’s your favorite kosher dish to cook?
All of my recipes are kosher. It is hard to pick a favorite! If I had to pick I would say my chicken soup or pasta sauce.

Who is your cooking inspiration?
My Auntie Seemah. She lives in Israel and is the best cook I know. She lived in Canada when I was growing up and we visited her often. My favorite food memories are of the food she made us. She makes a lot of traditional Iraqi/Indian foods and she does it the old fashioned way. Everything she makes is a labor of love. I can only hope to be as good a cook as she is one day. She cooks like everyone else in my family – without recipes and by instinct so it is hard for me to replicate her cooking. Whenever I see her we spend time in the kitchen together and I try to take lots of notes on everything she makes! In addition to being an amazing cook she is also an excellent baker. I am not an excellent baker so I really admire her for that as well.

Please share a favorite cooking tip or trick with our readers:
A recipe does not have to take a long time or be difficult to be delicious. If you keep some essentials in your refrigerator and pantry you are able to whip up delicious and healthy meals in no time. My other tip would be to use fresh ingredients whenever possible.

Which recipes are you sharing with us today?
I am sharing my family’s chicken soup recipe which I call “Not Your Grandma’s Chicken Soup“. This is a perfect example of Iraqi/Indian/Jewish cooking and was the first post on my blog. It is a different spin on a traditional chicken soup, but so delicious and easy to make. Everyone who has tried the recipe has loved it. I am sharing my Quinoa With Black Beans which is a healthy and easy vegetarian dish. Lastly, I am submitting my Lamb Kababs. We love kababs in my family because they are so versatile and can be made with any kind of meat. They are also an easy, quick and tasty dish.

Micky is a busy mom, home cook, foodie and blog writer.  She strives to provide easy, delicious and health conscious recipes to readers on her blog, www.testmyrecipes.com.  In addition to posting recipes, she also writes food themed articles.  Micky comes from a long line of fantastic and creative cooks and  loves to share her take on her family’s recipes along with her own creations. She firmly believes that food can bring people together and be the basis for lasting memories.