My family and I love seltzer.  It’s more fun than water.  It’s soda without the calories.  Over the years, the supermarket aisle has expanded from the ubiquitous lemon-lime and orange varieties of seltzer to ever more complex and sophisticated flavors of carbonated water.  As my three kids started requesting seltzer with every meal, the plastic bottles kept piling up outside our recycling bin and I started to feel a little guilty.  It was also getting expensive.

It was time to give Soda Stream a try.

We recently got the Soda Stream Genesis and it takes up a very small corner on our kitchen counter.  It’s sleek and stylish and an instant hit around the Shabbat table, where the kids beg for a chance to turn water into sparkling water with three simple pushes of the CO2 cartridge.  Making seltzer and soft drinks is simple and takes about 15 seconds!  If you like the taste of popular brand name cola and soft drinks, OU kosher-certified syrups are available for almost every style you can think of and some, you probably haven’t!  No heavy bottles to carry up to my apartment anymore and I don’t have to clear out a shelf in my coat closet to store a case of seltzer bottles.

I love the idea of being able to reuse the same dishwasher-safe plastic bottle, over and over again, and experiment with my own unique (calorie-free) flavors like Ginger Lime and Cinnamon Spice.  SodaStream rapidly became one of my very favorite kitchen gadgets.

CO2 cartridges are available at most major big box retail stores (where they can be refilled) or online and each cartridge lasts for about 80-100 bottles of seltzer.  It works out to about $.25 a liter.

SodaStream has its headquarters located in the West Bank of Israel and it feels great to support an Israeli company every time we sit down to drink.  Something is definitely fizzy around here!

Check out my other Gadget Adventures and let me know what else you want to learn more about and maybe I will try it out for you.

In this busy kitchen, designer Pamela Jemal combines graceful beauty and loads of practicality. An arched ceiling maximizes the sunlight contributing to an open, inviting space for the whole family and a highly functional space for the chief cook—mom.

Ice Cube Crystals – Each cube is a fixture on its own, in this group of fun and whimsical lighting over the dinette.

Inside the Pantry – The shelves glide forward.

Farmhouse Sink – The extra large, country style sink is reborn in contemporary style with stainless steel.

What’s in the Island? A pop-up bread mixer, a pop-up Kitchen Aid, and a spice pullout drawer—for maximum productivity and easy access.

Glass Balls – These funky fixtures are extra bright for ample kitchen light

Air Safety – A Zephyr Chimney Hood ventilates, sending the smoke and moisture out and maintaining good air quality within—even when cooking on all SIX burners

Dyed Koto Wood – Set in a horizontal grain, top cabinets in a shade of grey are the focal point.

What do you like about this kitchen?

Photos by Morris Antebi
Design by Pamela Jemal Designs
732 245 5151

Originally published in the Summer 2011 Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

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While hamburgers and hot dogs are requisite barbeque fare, in my family, a summer gathering isn’t complete without pickles.  After reading the labels on commercial varieties made with ingredients whose names I can’t pronounce, I promised myself to never buy another jar of processed, neon green pickles again.  Whether utilizing produce from your garden or purchasing veggies from the store, making pickles is a relatively simple way to preserve summer’s harvest. Get into do-it-yourself mode and think beyond cucumbers. Okra, tomatoes, peppers, snap peas, carrots, summer squash, radishes and cabbage, make wonderful pickled vegetables.

Sweet Freezer Pickles with Dill
Freezing marinated crisp, firm veggies is a quick, tasty way to preserve veggies like cucumbers, peppers, carrots, and cabbage. Once thawed, they can be kept in the fridge for a few days.

Like the flavors of cilantro and mint?
They won’t hold up in traditional canning methods but their delicate flavors are perfectly maintained in freezer pickles. These pickles were frozen with their brine in Ziploc bags before I defrosted to serve.

Mixed Pickled Vegetables

Mixed Pickled Vegetables

If you don’t want to bother with canning, combine the veggies in brine, and store the pickles in the refrigerator, where they continue to develop in flavor over time. Adding a sliced beet to this basic recipe turns the mixed pickles a lovely shade of pink.

Fermented Kosher Sour Pickles

Olive-green and deliciously tangy, classic kosher sour pickles are made through a fermentation process. In order to get natural bacteria to form and effectively preserve cucumbers, begin by thoroughly cleaning your veggies.  The cucumbers will be ready in about a week or more depending on how much salt was added and how sour you like your pickles. The more salt, the longer the fermentation process will take. Half sour pickles, made with about 1/2 cup salt per gallon of water, are ready in about a week. Full sour pickles, made with about 3/4 cup of salt per gallon of water, are ready in about 10 days, or more.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2011 issue of Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

***Giveaway*** We are kicking off Summer with 10 Days of Giveaways!

Win the Rosle Chicken Roaster (for the grill) – $20.

To enter:  Make and Review any recipe on this site and let us know you did in the comments on this article.

Contest ends July 11th  at 9:00AM EST. Make sure to check our contest page daily for new and exciting giveaways.

One winner will be chosen by online randomizer on July 11th .  Winners will be announced in the comments on this page.

All contests are open to US Residents 18 years old and up.

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This season, everyone is grill obsessed—especially the guys. But what’s a gal to do if she just can’t stand the smoke? Or if she’s tired of hot dogs and steak? Faige Sprecher from Kitchen Clique takes us way beyond your Weber or your grill pan on a tour of grilling’s coolest tools and appliances—indoors and out.

For Cozy-in-the-Kitchen Cooks
BREVILLE ELECTRONIC GRILL WITH REMOVABLE PLATES $349.95 at KitchenClique.com
“Yes, there are less expensive indoor grills.  Panini makers will also give you grill lines,” says Faige. “But this is the king of electronic grills—it’s large, stateof-the-art, and will give food that authentic BBQ flavor. It’s just like bringing your fancy barbecue indoors.”

For Chicken Lovers

CAMERONS BEER ROASTER $16.99 at KitchenClique.com $24.99 for the deluxe model (shown)
Tired of dry grilled chicken breasts? For the best, most moist chicken ever—pour your favorite marinade in the middle (or your favorite beer, the inspiration for this nifty cooking tool). “Stick the chicken on top, and cook over the grill or in the oven.  The fat also drips down, resulting in a healthy BBQ option,” says Faige. That’s way cooler than chicken burgers.

For the Veggie Lovers

CHARCOAL COMPANION PIZZAQUE PIZZA STONE GRILL $89.99 at KitchenClique.com
Rather munch on veggies while everyone else is wolfing down the meat?  Make a veggie cheeseless pizza. “Often, non-meat eaters don’t have something filling they enjoy at a BBQ. This PizzaQue makes brick oven pizza using your grill.” It just might be worth getting a second dairy grill—so you can make brick-oven style cheese pizza too!

For Shish Kebab Lovers
CUISINART GRIDDLER GRILL CENTRO $99.95 at KitchenClique.com
“This indoor electronic grill has a cool feature that rotates the skewers so they cook evenly,” says Faige. “The top can convert from a grill to a
griddle.”

How about a BBQ snack? Want to use your grill to…pop popcorn? Try the Nordicware Grill Popper. “You can also use this over the stovetop, but the grill gives the popcorn a nice smokey flavor,” says Faige.

Originally published in the Summer 2011 issue of  Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

Let’s take it outside!!

The sun is shining, the trees are swaying, and your garden is in full bloom, so why are you dining indoors?

Draw inspiration from warm climate locales where the balmy weather allows for a fusion of indoor and outdoor living.

Start with… Mediterranean Inspired
Choose an outdoor spot with easy access to the kitchen. Place your table and chairs out of direct sunlight. Set the scene with comfortable cushions, plants, lighting, and casual linens.

Keep it Going… Nature’s Palette
Inside you may rely on a neutral and reserved décor, but dining outdoors is your opportunity to bring on the color and bold patterns. Take your
cues from nature: Blue skies and sea, green grass, flowers in bold reds and yellows. Choose festive patterned tableware with Mediterranean
flair in practical materials for outdoor use.

Fill in the blanks…Earth Friendly Options
Give thanks to nature and incorporate organic and compostable items into the scheme.

Farm to Table
Serve fresh picked berries or tomatoes in this vintage inspired porcelain berry box.
Crate and Barrel, $6.

and

Utensils and plates made of birch and bamboo are fully compostable.

Natural Disposables, $10 at bambuhome.com, Birchware, $10 at birchware.com

Polycarbonate drinkware is nearly unbreakable.

Le Cadeaux, $7 at touchofeurope.net

Talavera salad plates feature traditional Mexican pottery patterns reinvented in melamine.
Pottery Barn, $24

Le Cadeaux’s Benidorm tray, constructed of triple-weight melamine, has the look of hefty stoneware.
Touchofeurope.net, $33

Expecting a crowd?  Disposables with French country charm.|
Boston International.com

Stir it Up!
Hand carved wooden iced tea spoons
Anthropologie.com $14

Give a hand
Bamboo hands fit yours for tossing and serving salad with a clever design to keep them from slipping inside the bowl.

Crate and barrel $20

Originally posted in the July/August issue of Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

***Giveaway*** We are kicking off Summer with 10 Days of Giveaways!

WIN a Olivella Bath & Body Care products from Italy, a line of soap bars and liquids for the ultimate in skin care.

To enter, Like JoyofKosher and Olivella on Facebook and share any post or recipe on this site on facebook or via email and then let us know you did in the comments below.

For full contest and prize details click here.

Contest ends July 5th  at 9:00AM EST. Make sure to check our contest page daily for new and exciting giveaways.

One winner will be chosen by online randomizer on July 5th .  Winners will be announced in the comments on this page and on the contest page.

All contests are open to US Residents 18 years old and up.

This contest is now over the winner is Jaqueline Strand

Convenience foods (heat and serve) are typically made with inferior ingredients; contain way too much salt and empty calories. I do not purchase convenience products-ever!  I do not use pre-made sauces, stocks or pre-made products at work and I would never feed that stuff to my family and friends.  I cook with the Cucina Povera (“poor kitchen”) mindset.

In the kosher kitchen we only have so many ingredients to work with, both at home and professionally.  Many ingredients that most chefs take for granted are not part of my daily repertoire due to kosher restrictions.  I have a meat and pareve kitchen and cannot just add cream to a soup or sauce to thicken it.  I have to work a bit harder and find other ways that fit into the kosher laws. I do not believe in using faux foods for substitutions and look to natural ingredients that are already kosher and in season.  In the spirit of Cucina Povera, I embrace my constraints, accept the materials I have to work with and move on.  I always say that if a recipe cannot be made without completely mutilating it, then do not make it.  I have never put soy crème brulees on my menu and never will.  I also do not sell faux crab or mock sour cream. Real sour cream is amazing and who doesn’t love crème brulee? The artificial stuff doesn’t come close and I have too much respect for my ingredients, clients and family to ever serve ersatz food.

Kashrut is all about making choices—not getting around them with cheap imitations.

Another tip I’ve learned over the years, learn to make one great recipe and then riff on it.  Everyone should have their own signature dish. This is the dish that you know inside and out and can do in your sleep.  It can be as simple as meatballs or as complex as homemade sausage.  Once you have that recipe under your belt, you can shake it up.  Add new flavors and ingredients and play with it.  Now you have new versions and more options.

Most of all, have fun in the kitchen and take some chances. Everyone is so afraid to make a mistake in the kitchen.  As long as the food is safe to eat, go ahead and play with it!  No one knows what the dish was supposed to be, except you, so whatever you say it is, it is.

Don’t miss my other Secrets of a Restaurant Chef:

Quality Knives

Stocked Pantry

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Last week I shared the importance of having good quality knives.  Today we talk pantry.  A well-stocked pantry is essential.  I can pull off a healthy home cooked meal out of my pantry in usually less than 20

Minutes and you can too.  It all comes down to some staple items. Here are some basics I always have on hand:

• Good quality extra virgin olive oil (the better the oil, the better the flavor)
• Rice (I have many types: Arborio for risotto, brown, basmati, Chinese black rice and more)
• Lentils
• Variety of grains (barley, farro, freekah and more)
• Coconut milk (adds creaminess, flavor and is pareve),
• Canned wild salmon
• Wild smoked salmon (I always have some in the freezer)
• Spices
• Tomato paste
• Canned whole plum tomatoes (the good tomatoes are kept whole, the lesser quality tomatoes are chopped, I never buy canned chopped tomatoes)
• Dijon mustard
• Whole Wheat pasta
• Kalamata olives
• Capers
• Canned Beans

If you have picky eaters at home or are trying to put together multiple meals at once — like getting Thursday dinner on the table, prepping for Shabbat meals and trying to figure out school lunches all at the same time — a well-stocked pantry will allow you to play short-order cook without the stress.

“Mommy! We’re hungry! When’s supper?” The children run into the house, faces hot and flushed from their playing.  They crowd around me, clinging to my skirt, holding my hands, their faces waiting for an answer with all seriousness.

Forget that during the day, these three delicious children have eaten both breakfast and lunch, and have nibbled and noshed all through the afternoon. It was time for supper. Question to myself: What was I going to make? It was one of Those Days.

Those Days usually happen in the summer. It’s hot, and you’ve been busy from the minute you woke up.  Perhaps it’s the week in between school and summer camp, or the week between summer camp and the first day of school.  Whatever time it is, it usually involves a hot summer day, or a day packed with entertaining little ones, running errands…a day where turning on the stove is just too much.

It’s too hot, you have no clue what to make for supper, and you’re rushed off your feet- sound familiar?
Ordering in will take too long and they need a proper meal. Now what?

“Kinderlach, give Mommy ten minutes, and she’ll have a supper for you. Something yummy.” I say.

They watch me for a moment. “Ten minutes, ‘okay Mommy?”, my eldest says. At 6, he is the spokesman for the group.

“Ten minutes, tzaddik,” I say, before planting kisses on all their cheeks and heading into the kitchen.

It’s nothing fancy. But hungry children do not need fancy, they need food. And a Mommy busy on a hot summer day needs something that requires no cooking. It’s a perfect night for Make Your Own Sandwiches.

Make Your Own Sandwich- make it the way you want it, kinderlach, so long as you eat it.

Want tuna on rye with potato chips?
Egg salad in laffa with cut up pickles?
Tuna and eggs with salad on challah, with pretzels?

No problem. Just make sure you eat what you take, please.

And what could be better for dessert than homemade ice cream on a cone? Perfect ending to a wonderful summer day.

Homemade raspberry ice cream on a cone- nothing like it for a summer evening that seems to go on and on.

Deviled Egg Salad

Prepare the hard-boiled eggs the night before or early in the morning, when it’s not so hot. This will give them time to chill thoroughly. The golden yellow color from the egg salad is from mustard. I used Dijon in the recipe, with a bit of hot paprika to boost the flavor a bit. You can also use deli mustard for a stronger, spicier flavor-just omit the paprika.

Dill Lemon Tuna

The tuna is just straight from the can. I recommend albacore packed in water (for taste as well as health). You can add more mayonnaise if desired-my family prefers a dryer salad.

It’s better to let the salads sit, so the flavors can really mix and mingle, but if there is no time, these are good to serve immediately as well.

I deliberately will put in less seasoning to start, and then add later. You can always add flavor, but it’s really difficult to fix if you add too much from the beginning.

Vegan Raspberry Ice Cream

For the raspberry ice cream you do need to prepare ahead, make it the night before.  You can change the flavor by using any other sort of jam as the base- just make sure it has no seeds or pieces of fruit in it. I find it doesn’t freeze as well, and the rich, smooth creaminess is lost.

I have often said that I have the best job in the world. I get to create food for people that nourishes their body and soul.  I can make or break an event (I always try my best to make the event!).   I make jaws drop in amazement and I can give you moments of memorable ecstasy, with food.

I get paid to think about and create food.  It doesn’t get much better than that!

In my job, I cook for thousands of people a week.  Sometimes, I feed the same group of several hundred people, 3 meals a day for several days in a row.  Now, imagine going home and making dinner for just you, your husband and an errant teenager (the rest of my kids are out of the house).  It’s sort of funny to go home and whip up dinner for 2 or 3 or maybe a few more on Shabbat when I just finished making hundreds of meals.  But, for me, it is the calm after the storm and I love it!

I cook a lot in people’s homes as a private chef and to give cooking lessons and presentations.  There are a lot of beautiful kitchens out there and I am surprised that many home cooks do not enjoy their kitchens.  I wanted to share some chef secrets that will help you enjoy cooking at home.

Buy several pieces of good quality equipment.  I am not talking about spending a fortune on expensive mixers and copper pans.  I am talking about purchasing several good knives and a good cutting board.  A chef’s knives are the tools of the trade.  Just as an artist covets their brushes and a craftsman holds dear to their tools, we chefs take our knives very seriously.

Knives

• Most people hate cutting/cooking because they do not like to struggle with food.  Usually their knives are the culprit.  A good knife will make cutting easier, safer and faster.
• A good knife will last a lifetime— I always say that your children will fight over the knives after you are long gone.
• A good knife is not cheap.  A cheap knife is not a good knife.
• You do not need to buy a “knife set”.  Most sets are priced attractively and include one or two great knives and then a bunch of knives that are odd sized and not very useful (thus the attractive price).
• Most homes only need a chef’s knife and a paring knife.  With kosher kitchens, that makes two chef’s knives and two paring knives.  If you are a die-hard home cook, then you can add boning knives, cleavers etc… P.S. a well-constructed knife can be kashered for Passover.
• Do not buy knives from cute college kids selling them during the summer.  Instead, buy the kitchen scissors. The scissors are OK the knife, probably not.

How to hold your knife properly:

Grip the kitchen knife with the last three fingers of your dominant hand.  Slide your hand upwards towards the blade.  Grasp the bolster of the blade with your thumb and forefinger. The bolster is the balance point and finger guard on the actual blade.  Your thumb should rest on the bolster on one side, while your index finger holds it firm on the other side.  Rest your last three fingers comfortably on the kitchen knife handle.  Let your index finger and thumb control the knife.  Hold the item to be cut in your other hand, curling your fingers under themselves and advancing the item with your thumb.  Rest the blade against your fingers and chop.

Take excellent care your knife and keep it sharp.

The basic rule on which knife to use is: if you are cutting a large item, use a large knife and vice versa.

To be honest, I usually don’t do much in the way of actual gift giving for Father’s Day.  My dad lives in Florida and so I usually just call him on the phone.  My father in law lives nearby and we usually get together and maybe buy him a book or CD.  A few years ago, though, I did send my dad a gift.  I found cedar planks and kosher certified spice rub at William Sonoma.  It was the early days of cedar planks and my dad never heard of it before and loves to barbecue, it was the perfect gift!

He now loves using a cedar plank to barbecue and has even replenished his spice rub at least once.

This year, I’m getting a little crafty.   And my crafts always come out of the kitchen.  A basket of BBQ-inspired homemade treats would be the perfect gift.  Of course you could buy all these things, but parents love our gifts more just because we made them, it’s just like we were kids!

I have a few fabulous recipes for you.

Go to your local Amazing Savings or dollar store and pick up some nice glass jars of varying sizes.  Then make your own…

Cajun Spice Rub

This recipe is for a Cajun Spice Rub, a little spicy and can be used on anything from chicken to fish to even potatoes.  Find more  Spice Rub Recipes here.

Carrot Ginger Dressing

Salad Dressing, try this Carrot Ginger  for gorgeous color and taste or make one of these flavorful dressings.

Date BBQ Sauce

There is nothing better than homemade BBQ sauce and this Date flavored version is perfect for any occasion, try it on a burger or brushed on chicken or even on steak.  Click for more Homemade BBQ Sauce recipes.

Mixed Pickled Vegetables

Don’t forget the pickles! Here at Joy of Kosher, we have some fantastic pickled vegetable recipes, from Quick Pickles to longer Fermented Pickled Cucumbers and my new favorite, Pickled Broccoli Stalks.

If you want to go full on Martha Stewart, pick up some pretty labels and print out custom labels for your homemade treats.

Whatever you choose dad will love it!  Happy Father’s Day Everyone!

Check out these other Father’s Day articles for more ideas.

Father’s Day on a Budget

How To Do Father’s Day the Right Way

Coffee Flavored Father’s Day Gift Ideas

A few months ago I was flipping through the channels of the radio trying to find something decent to listen to, while my 7 year old was complaining about every station I landed on.  Sounds familiar?  I happened to stop for a moment on NPR where this woman was talking about her new book on taste.  I was interested, and patiently waited for my son to tell me to switch it, which usually takes about 8 seconds.  When he didn’t say a word, I realized that everyone wants to learn about taste.  How we taste what we taste and how all our five senses play a role in the enjoyment of our food.

We happened to hear them talk about Umami, a somewhat recent buzz word that many of us are still learning about.  Umami was actually only officially recognized as a term to describe taste back in 1985. It is now widely accepted as the fifth basic taste along with sweet, sour, bitter and salt.  Umami comes from the Japanese word meaning “pleasant savory taste” and is the taste of glutamate.  It is described as a sensation of meatiness, brothineess or savoriness.  Have you ever eaten a delicious food, but not been able to describe what was so good about it?  That flavor was umami.

Umami is something that we are striving to add to our food because it is present in so many of the foods we crave.  It is that special fifth taste that transforms food into a full sensory experience.

Foods that are high in umami include:

• Parmesan Cheese
• Steak
• Fermented fish sauce
• Kombu seaweed
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Chinese Cabbage
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Green tea

Many high umami foods have been used for years in classic dishes.  Later, it was discovered that many traditional foods paired several umami foods together to create an amplified umami taste, which is why they were so tasty.  An example from Italy would be Parmesan cheese with tomato sauce and mushrooms.    There are many ways to add umami to food, one great way is to use Marmite.  Yosef Silver from ThisAmericanBit enlightened us about the wonders of Marmite and shared one of his favorite recipes.  Give it a try and let us know if you can taste the Umami.

Umami is just one very small part of experiencing taste.  The book Taste What You’re Missing: The Passionate Eater’s Guide to Why Good Food Tastes Good is another great source to help us appreciate every food we eat, using all five senses.

You’ll Love Your Ice Cream Machine!

Think it’s hard or time-consuming to make your own ice cream? Ice cream machines like the ones below do the magic for you. Faige Sprecher from The Kitchen Clique fills us in on the best options for the at-home ice cream chef.

For Do-It-Yourselfers
CUISIPRO MANUAL ICE CREAM MAKER $59.99 at kitchenclique.com

I suppose some people need ice cream all the time, even during a power outage. Others like to go back to the basics. The Cuisipro uses no electricity—simply chill the cylinder overnight, prepare your recipe and pour it in, give the machine a few cranks, and presto. Twenty minutes later, you have ice cream.

For the Practical
CUISINART ICE-21 $49.99   CUISINART ICE-30BC $79.99  at kitchenclique.com

The popular Cuisinart machine is super easy to use, with great results in about 20 minutes. “I also like the 2 quart model, the stainless steel
Cuisinart Pure Indulgence ICE-30BC,” says Faige. More ice cream? Who could say no to that! “But—you can’t just say, ‘I’m making ice cream.’ The bowl must be put in the freezer in advance.”

ForProcrastinators
CUISINART SUPREME COMMERCIAL QUALITY ICE CREAM MAKER $299.99 at kitchenclique.com

Need ice cream anytime, all the time, and on a whim? “This is the king of ice cream machines. It has its own compressor, so the bowl doesn’t need to be stored in the freezer in advance,” says Faige. But, convenience comes at a price.

For Entertainers
BACK TO BASICS ICE CREAM MACHINE $79.99 at kitchenclique.com

A large 4 quart capacity and an authentic old-fashioned look, this model offers enough ice cream for a crowd at a price well lower than the similar White Mountain machines.

For Kids Who Want to Help
PLAY AND FREEZE ICE CREAM MAKER $29.99 at The Kitchen Clique
“This looks like a toy… but it really works! Fill the ball up, toss it around, and it makes great ice cream,” Faige tells us. “The kids love getting involved.”

Prefer Soft Serve?

When it works, it’s really good,” says Faige of Cuisinart’s ICE-45 Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker, priced at $99.99. “But you have to work on it to get it right—once you get your recipe to the right consistency, you’ll enjoy this machine.”

Do yo own an ice cream maker?

As a kosher caterer in Seattle, serving diverse expressions of Judaism, wedding planning is a time for me to sit back and listen, to “get” what a particular “Northwest Jewish Couple” envisions for their big day. My catering website is a mission statement and phone number. Trust me; we need to talk. A wedding is about logistics first, food second.  More important than the things people ask for are the things they really don’t want.

Northwest couples, with free-spirited abandon, opt for Sundays in our dubious summer weather months. The biggest request is for ‘no rain’, which is very different from ‘sun’. Overcast, drizzle, partly sunny, chance of sun….we’ll take any of those; just please Hashem, “NO RAIN!” Like a major league pitcher, I keep weather stats on my weddings. I’ve managed a near shutout career to date (knock on wood) with rain before, rain after…but, no rain during except once in the summer of ’03.

Weather is a factor since a popular request is “no hotel”. Right up there with no hotel is “no synagogue”. Seattle doesn’t have a designated community hall for Jewish weddings. Even if it did, the novelty would wear off after a few uses and we’d be back in the parks, our glorious awe inspiring parks. The backup plan against unpredictable weather includes a tent rental requiring a 50% non-refundable deposit running into the thousands of dollars. We may need it, we may not. Often, we can’t guess until erev Shabbat. Should it be put up? Should we chance it? Sometimes, we put it up in case it is sunny; guests might get too hot. We’re not used to sun.

Taking further notes, I ask where the happy couple is having their wedding. We’ve driven an hour North, South, East and West praying that nothing has been left behind in the kitchen. We’ve taken ferry boats to State parks, a convoy of refrigerator trucks and BBQ grills to backyards in the country. It is worth the effort when a couple stands under the chuppah framed by evergreens, a view of Puget Sound in the distance, a medley of nature’s perfection playing on all senses.

When I finally sit to draft a proposal, I work logistics first. Trucks, tent, tables, chairs, linens, dinnerware and glass rentals are line items with service and timelines. Ferry schedules may be consulted, Mapquest routes tracked and packing lists compiled. Once I have the logistics down, I can turn my attention to the rest of the event. Looking back at my notes, I read:

No smorgasbord – appetizers during yichud

No bar – wine, beer, a signature cocktail, seltzer and flat water (lots of water)

No plated meal – buffet featuring the bounty of the Northwest

No meat – dairy/fish okay, vegan option (gluten-free)

No flowers – maybe a food donation centerpiece or Pike Place Market bouquets ($10 each)

No mechitzah – after the Rabbi leaves

No cake – finger desserts for ½ the guests, everyone else will be gone

Now that I know when and where the couple doesn’t want everything, I can get creative and draft a menu.

Main Image Photo credited to Gordon Modin.

Other photos credited to Julia Bruk.

This post is a continuation of my WORST mistakes of all time!  These are skills I have learned by way of mistakes.  I hope to never make them again, and prevent you from ever making them in the future!  I even added a recipe that I adapted from non-kosher to kosher.

1.  Knife Skills

Without going into any details in respect for the uneasy reader, I have had stitches, twice, on my hand from the slip of a knife.  Let’s just say I was dealing with a slippery cantaloupe and also decided to cut a parsnip in the air without a cutting board.  These mistakes ended me in the hospital on Shabbat and on my sister’s bat mitzvah.

If you don’t have knife skills or know how to use a knife properly, take classes.  Knives are extremely useful but can be dangerous if in the wrong hands and not used for the purpose they were intended.

2. All Flours are Not Created Equal

One section in culinary school was “The Art of Making Pasta.”  Rolling out the pasta dough was an athletic feat in itself.   It resulted in utilizing anything that could grab the never ending rolled out pasta from falling on the floor.  We were literally wrapped in this thin and tasty dough.  Recently, I made one successful recipe and decided to make another!  I gathered up all my ingredients (or in chef terms mis en place’) and mixed it up.  One problem, It wasn’t holding together!  Confused, I ran over to the flour to grab more and realized I put my spoon into cake flour, not the AP flour sitting right next to it! Cake flour has a lot less gluten then AP flour and therefore, it won’t become as dense; bad for pasta, good for cake. Completely ruined and a waste of ingredients, I dumped it out.  That mistake makes me double check every flour I use, and when something calls for a certain flour, I use it!

I have started my internship at Solo Restaurant in NYC and love it!  My first mission was to create a vegetarian pasta dish and I chose ravioli.  As I tried to conjure up how exactly we made ravioli in school, I related back to my past article about pasta in my blog, AliBabka, titled “Mama Mia.”  Instead of looking at the recipe, I (the chef ) decided to make classic pasta dough like we did in school.  After two batches turned out more on the al dente’ side, I decided I wanted to make something more soft and buttery.  Traumatized by my past experience, I was fearful of wasting ingredients.   Long story short, I ended up making lighter pasta, using cornmeal and some extra fine flour combined with AP Flour.    Without my mistake I wouldn’t have thought to add the regular flour to my cornmeal mixture, it just needed a little boost of gluten!     Mistakes can be made again, but we have to own them and use them to our advantage.  I probably could have saved the cake flour ravioli by adding AP flour too it.  With experience, comes knowledge and I hope some of my knowledge has or will help you.

I also want to share this seasonal potato salad I know you will love.

Red Potatoes with Basil and Chives

I’m not a potato salad kind of gal.  Well at least I wasn’t until I discovered an oil based (not mayo) potato salad.  It can be served warm or cold and doesn’t leave you with that heavy feeling.  The basil and chives really brighten the dish and make it flavorful and fresh!  Reminiscent of a potato salad I made in my non-kosher culinary school, you can throw some crispy smoked beef “bacon” in this salad and really amp up the flavor and add a great crunch!

I’m about to tell you an embarrassing confession.   Earlier this week I was dipping cheesecake truffles into melted chocolate. I “invented” a double boiler using a bowl and a pan filled with boiling water to melt the chocolate.  I placed the bowl on top of the pot of hot water and waited till my chocolate melted.   As I waited, I went to finish up other preparations for my recipe.  Washing dishes, I began smelling a mixture between chocolate and plastic.  I turned around, and there was my plastic coated metal bowl melting all over my Calphalon pot.   “Holy Shnikey!”  I ran to remove the bowl from the pan to prevent more damage, but it was stuck.  Literally fused together.  I sulked in my embarrassing mistake and wondered how could this happen?  I am a good chef!  After all, I just graduated culinary school and started working at a hoity-toity restaurant in Manhattan.   While I do have more common sense than this, I made a mistake.  It happens.

Chefs make mistakes.  No chef was born great, they all had to acquire skills.  But, like every position, these skills have shortcomings.   Chefs feel their best when they serve a completely satisfied customer.  Thomas Keller, one of the greatest chefs in America, was quoted as saying “When you acknowledge, as you must, that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving toward perfection becomes clear: to make people happy, that is what cooking is all about.”  There is no perfection in cooking, or life for that matter, but we can strive for our best and make ourselves and other people happy along the way!

With all the deep stuff out of the way, we can now focus on (more of) my WORST mistakes of all time!  These are skills I have learned by way of mistakes.  I hope to never make them again, and prevent you from ever making them in the future!

1. Don’t Start With a Cold Pan

It’s so disappointing when we “sauté” onions, peppers and mushrooms and they turn out soggy, when were really striving for them to be sweet and caramelized.  We have all been there and I know I’m not alone on this mistake!  This stems from impatience and a need to just “get that job done.”  In order to get those beautifully golden, the pan and oil must be hot before you throw the veggies in.  Drop a touch of water in the pan to just give off a soft sizzle and this is your cue to sauté’ away!

2. Burn Baby, Burn

Getting a pan hot is crucial to the sauté process, but make sure not to get it TOO HOT…

I was home for Sukkot last year and was all ready to show off my awesome culinary skills to my friends and family.  On the menu: braised lamb shanks!  I fired up the stove, which happens to be electric, got my pan smoking hot and added the oil to begin caramelizing my vegetables and lamb.  My sisters and mother were watching me like a star on the Food Network and I was explaining step by step, including making sure the pan is hot.  As I poured the oil into the pan a huge fire ball shot up.  As it burned, my mother ran for the baking soda, I ran for a lid, one of my sisters screamed, and the other one clapped.  The fire, thank G-D, ended up disappearing quickly without the use of the lid or baking soda.  That day I learned, gas stoves are VERY different than electric stoves.

Know how hot your stove, ovens and grills are.  Have you ever made a cake that said it would take 1 hour to bake, but in actuality it took 30 minutes and was unevenly baked?  Your oven is too hot!  Have you ever grilled something that said it would take 3 minutes on each side, but took you 15 minutes on each side?  Your grill is not hot enough.  Knowing these temperatures help you cook safely and correctly and not cause any unwanted, although thrilling entertainment!

3. The Perfect Peak

Flat meringues?  Welcome to the club!  That is until I used this awesome trick.  Start whipping your egg whites and sugar in a separate bowl (not plastic) in a double boiler over hot water.  This takes away the need for cream of tartar or any stabilizer and will make your egg whites nice and fluffy and will keep a stiff peak.  Whip the egg whites till sugar dissolves.  This should take no more than 5 minutes.  Remove bowl from double boiler and continue beating till stiff peaks form.

Stay tuned for part 2, tomorrow, the mistakes never end.