to your favorite ones again and again. For inspiration. For information. For entertainment. For support during challenging predicaments. Over the years, my favorite cookbooks have been given to me by my aunt Israela, my cousin Sarah Sassoon and Rachel Emquies Sheff. All three are major cookbook enthusiasts, so it makes sense. My collection is lovingly…
We’ve spent hours praying in the synagogue, we’ve eaten all the symbolic foods of Rosh Hashanah, we’ve fasted and now it’s time for some serious al fresco feasting. Sukkot is a time of joy in the Jewish calendar, an autumn festival of Thanksgiving. The Bible refers to this holiday as Chag Ha’asif (Feast of Gathering), when the…
Recently Rachel and I were invited to be on the podcast Kitchen Radio with Regine and Nathalie Basha, a talented aunt and niece duo. They are researching Middle Eastern and Mediterranean kitchens, so we had a fascinating conversation about family histories and culinary traditions. I told them the story of asking my then future husband…
Some of my most precious memories are of the days in preschool when my toddlers learnt the beautiful minhagimassociated with Rosh Hashana. They would come home with projects festooned with apples and pomegranates, bees and shofars. They would come home singing “Dip the apples in the honey, make a bracha loud and clear. L’shana tova u’metuka.Have a…
Pour your love into everything you make because your family and guests will taste it with every bite. Food memories are the most special and awaken so much emotion in our hearts. When my family moved from Morocco to America, my mother managed to keep all the old traditions alive through the years. Rosh Hashanah…
One of the hottest foodies on Instagram and Tik Tok is local talent Lindsey Baruch. Her bright and beautiful Instagram account @lindseyeats has 395,000 loyal followers. It’s filled with mouthwatering images and videos and chock full of outstanding recipes. Lindsey comes from an amazing family that continues to leave an imprint on the Los Angeles…
She leaves an incredible legacy of delicious food, tradition and Jewish ethics Last week, we lost Rachel’s beautiful mother, our original Moroccan Spice inspiration. She was gentle and kind, serene and regal. She leaves an incredible legacy of delicious food, tradition and Jewish ethics. —Sharon My mother Rica Bensabat was born in Larache, a port city…
This Sabich board couldn’t be easier to throw together When my grandmother found herself in Israel in the early 1950s, she needed to work smart to feed her young children. In Iraq, she had been the indulged and adored daughter of a very wealthy family. She wore chic European fashions and stunning jewels. Daily life…
Tunisian tuna salad may just change your tuna salad palate forever. One of my favorite memories of my childhood in Casablanca, is spending the day at Ain Diab Beach, where the coastline is covered with golden sand and turquoise water. My cousin Alia recently reminisced: “It was such a beautiful, carefree time. Your father would…
This is a beautiful, flavorful dessert that’s just perfect to serve at your next brunch or with your afternoon coffee. The magnificent city of Istanbul sits on the dazzling blue of the Bosporous Strait. A city that bridges Europe and Asia, Christianity and Islam, it was once the capital of the Roman Empire, then of…
Lentils originated thousands of years ago in India, where they are still an important crop and an immensely popular source of protein. The first time that Alan and I took my son Ariel out for dinner, we went to Grill Express on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. It was our favorite kosher Israeli restaurant. Just…
Here’s a fabulous, easy, healthy recipe just in time for the nine days (the days leading up to the Ninth of Av when observant Jews refrain from eating meat and chicken). I’ll say it here — my Moroccan Spice Girl partner is a fearless, talented cook! She doesn’t flinch from complicated recipes and sophisticated ingredients….
Saffron and paprika are the trademark spices of this dish, lending sweet, floral, earthy and complex flavor. If you have ever toured Barcelona, you know that the city is all about the sparkling blue sea and bustling port, the whimsically quirky Gaudi architecture and the grand medieval architecture of the Barcelona Cathedral, the art of…
This salad is lovely and so refreshing when served with cold oranges. Easy to make, so pretty and healthy too. Recently, I was sitting in my office and my phone rings and I see that the call is from David Suissa, editor of the Jewish Journal. I get a little nervous because I’m wondering “What…
This week we wanted to highlight the work of our online friend Ilda Dabda, creator of Inspired By Solange My children have politely told me to stay off TikTok and that’s just fine with me. I spend plenty of time (let’s be honest—way too much time) on my other social media. Checking my Facebook notifications…
A trip to Bella Roma will always be memorable. Magnificent art, awesome architecture, ancient ruins, fabulous fashion, mouthwatering food and breathtaking natural beauty. Any trip to Rome requires a visit to the Roman Ghetto. A hidden jewel bordered by the Tiber River and the Piazza Venezia, the Ghetto features amazing kosher ristorantes, old style bakeries,…
The warmer weather and longer days put us in the mood for outdoor dining. The shift in the weather is imperceptible. The day starts cool and grey but warms up a little more quickly and by noon the sun is shimmering and golden. The palm trees stand sentinel, patiently waving their green fronds, silhouetted against…
This week we commemorate the beautiful holiday of Shavuot, Z’man Matan Torateinu (Giving of the Torah). We learn Torah all night and indulge in deliciously dairy meals The Jewish people have been patiently counting the Omer for the past seven weeks. And now it’s time for their reward—cheesecake! This week we commemorate the beautiful holiday…
Imagine an Indian samosa but with meaty ground chickpeas and caramelized onion perfectly seasoned with cumin and curry powder surrounded by a fluffy, crispy dough. Many Shabbat afternoons of my childhood were spent at the Bondi apartment of my great uncle Nuri and his wife Auntie Tina. We were in Sydney, Australia but we may…
Il Bronzino’s magnificent portrait of Marie de Medici hangs in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. As a 12- year-old girl, I stood in front of this painting of a young woman. The famous Mannerist artist immortalized her with luminous ivory skin, large blue eyes, sensuous coral lips and a striking widows peak. Befitting her…
There is nothing more Sephardic than rice. When Tamar Rothenberg left her book “Cancer Diet For The Newly Diagnosed” in my front courtyard, my son Ariel brought it into the house with a raised eyebrow. “What is this?” he asked with a touch of worry in his voice. “Just a beautiful recipe book,” I reassured him. …
