The name Messod means blessing and good fortune and my father was fortunate to live a life overflowing with both. In naming my father Messod, my grandparents, who spoke Haketia (a form of Judeo-Spanish) bestowed a blessing of goodness, blessing and good fortune. My father was born in 1930 in Larache, an ancient port city…
Baking challah is therapeutic and satisfying and I’m especially grateful for the spiritual opportunity to do the mitzvah of ha’frashat challah. It began as an experimental baking project when I was a busy young mother with three young children and adorable little nieces and nephews. As pre-schoolers, every Friday my boys brought home miniature loaves…
Chestnuts are really the unsung ingredient of festive holiday fare. We hope you enjoy this incredible recipe for golden turkey breast with potatoes and chestnuts. Chestnuts will always be a wintertime favorite for me. When I was younger, my father had his own way of celebrating the winter season — he would come home with…
This moist, tender cake perfectly balances fresh orange essence with the earthy notes of extra virgin olive oil. My father was literally the dark, handsome, silent type. A man of deeds, not words. Every morning, he would leave the house early. But before leaving, he would bring my mother a tray of toast in bed…
At my home, chicken is on the menu every Friday night. I can serve soup, salads, fish but a roasted chicken is always the star of the meal. Our friend Esther is blessed with a busy life (a lot of chesed and volunteering) and a home filled with family and lots of friends. She is…
Flan was popular in medieval Spain and Sephardic cooks were known for their simple, elegant desserts, transforming eggs, sugar and milk into something silky and soothing. Flan, a soft, creamy custard with a clear caramel topping, has always been close to my heart. As a young boy growing up in the port city of Larache…
We hope next time you bake challah, you try this wonderful savory babka recipe. Serve it warm with a pat of butter or a dollop of sweet jam. Between the ancient stone structures of the port city of Jaffa and the ultra-modern skyscrapers of Tel Aviv lie the charming, narrow streets of Neve Tzedek. It…
This recipe connects my family to generations of Moroccan Jews who ended their week the same way. Long before I light my candles, the smoky scent of my Moroccan fish signals that Shabbat is coming. Like my mother and my grandmothers before me, I serve my family and friends this flavorful, saucy fish dish every…
This hearty harvest veggie soup recipe includes my favorite cooking technique — roasting vegetables on a sheet pan. There’s an old Ladino saying, “Vinieron los huesos a su lugar,” which roughly translates to “Your bones have come back in their place.” It is a colloquial way of describing something that is restorative, to body and…
This classic slow-roasted chicken and rice dish is most emblematic of the Babylonian kitchen. Years ago, when Sharon and I were part of the Sephardic Educational Center’s Young Professionals, a large group of us would meet every Shabbat at Kahal Joseph Congregation. After the services, David and Sue, Sharon’s parents, would host all the singles…
On Sukkot, there is a tradition of eating stuffed foods from vegetables to pastries. These cooler, amber-infused days of autumn lend themselves perfectly to the outdoor festival of Chag ha’Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). This holiday, a reminder of the Jewish people’s 40 years of wandering in the desert, symbolizes the temporary nature of life. Just…
Shorba, the tomato, chicken and rice soup recipe that we highlight here is a beloved classic from the Babylonian kitchen. Sometimes there are glimpses of Jewish life in Los Angeles that remind you of what it must have felt like to live in the shtetl. (Of course, in Morocco the Jewish quarter was a Mella…
1/4 cup olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 15oz can of tomato purée 1 15oz can of cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes 2 tsp salt 1 tbsp sweet paprika 1 tsp hot paprika 1 tsp cumin 2 dried chilis 1/2 cup sliced…
For this Tu b’Av, Sharon and I share this recipe for pavlova with wishes for sweetness in your life. Friday night dinners at my grandparents house were epic. It was the early ’70s and everyone was young. I can still picture my uncles with their muttonchop sideburns and wide-collar shirts. My mother and her younger…
During the nine days leading up to the fast of Tisha b’Av, it is traditional to eat lentils. In 2007, Tisha B’Av fell on the evening of July 23, which happens to be Alan’s birthday. My extended family, including my grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins were in Israel for the upcoming wedding of my brother…
Rosca have a texture that is similar to challah, but the flavor is unique. At the henna party beforE our wedding, Neil and I were dressed in the traditional Moroccan costume — embroidered caftans. Neil wore a red fez and I wore an elaborate bejeweled crown and neckpiece. A special moment of the celebration was…
No matter where you’re born or how you were raised, one thing is certain — the more vegetables you place on the table, the more your family will learn to love them and expect them My Nana Aziza was in her late 20s when she and my grandfather landed in the ma’aborot (transit camps) of…
Pairing the tender fish brochettes with the vibrant herb sauce and crispy potatoes reminded us of eating by the sea with the scent of saltwater in the air. The sepia engagement portrait of my beloved Nana Aziza and Aba Naji is legendary. He sits leaning in to her, looking off into the distance, dashingly handsome…
Bright, earthy and deeply refreshing, this salad brings together the forest-like aroma of fresh herbs with a sweet and nutty crunch. The deep bond between my mother and her sister Mercedes endured despite decades of living on different continents, with my mother living in Los Angeles and my aunt in Haifa. Luckily for me, the…
The meatballs are light and fluffy because they are filled with grated onion and potato starch. The addition of chili oil, paprika and cinnamon lends them a sublime, flavorful taste. You cannot imagine how surreal it is to be stuck in Israel during this time of war. All the places that make Israel iconic are…
Nothing says summer better than biting into a ripe peach. Peaches are sunshine, sweetness and home. Last Wednesday, Alan, our youngest daughter Shevy and I arrived at LAX, only to discover that the Amsterdam to Tel Aviv leg of our flight had been canceled. Somehow, the amazing supervisor on duty arranged for us to fly…
