In the Song of Songs, an allegory of the love between God and Israel, King Solomon extols the fruit of the land — apples, figs, pomegranates, dates, grapes, walnuts, cinnamon and wine. And while there are many recipes for charoset, they all include some of the ripe, luscious fruits of Solomon’s verses. Symbolic of the…
One of my favorite recipes is this Spectacular Summer Semolina Cake, a great way to incorporate the flavor of peaches (and to use up all the ripe peaches in my home). A favorite summer ritual, as a young married couple, was to pick up a peach pie from Marie Callender’s, a famous Los Angeles pie…
Rachel and I have been inspired to become mixologists and make Gazoz for our social gatherings, only we add a bit of liquor to add to the fun! When we went back to visit Israel in September 1973, everything was different from what I knew of life in Sydney, Australia. The change from the soft…
We share Rachel’s Arroz con Leche recipe, but encourage you to make it your own. This dessert lends itself to many and any add ins. With its thick creaminess and special spice-infused sweetness, rice pudding is a wonderful comfort food. Served warm or cold, it is common throughout the Middle East and in the Sephardic…
The spices that are featured in this Thai vegetable curry—turmeric, cumin, paprika, cinnamon and ginger—are common to the Sephardic kitchen. This is just that recipe that we go back to time after time, year after year. This is just that recipe that doesn’t require a lot of thinking. This is that recipe that is a…
We Jews love our brisket. But there are some amazing butchers that provide the kosher consumer with cuts of meat from the rear half of the cow. Can there be a Jewish holy day or Friday night dinner without a brisket? It’s the quintessential cut of meat that’s great for a crowd, perfect for leaving…
Kubbah is the crowning glory of Iraqi cuisine and there are many different kinds. There were days when she’d take my brother Rafi and I for a swim in the crystalline blue waves of Bondi Beach. Afterwards, she would buy us Heart ice creams, crispy chocolate coated vanilla ice cream popsicles in the shape of,…
The beauty of a quiche for brunch or any meal, is that it can be prepared ahead of time and then reheated quickly. Mother’s Day, 2003 was a typically bright, beautiful Southern California day. The perfect balmy weather to host my mother, mother in law, my husband’s aunt Barbie, our good friend Louise and other…
Every community has different traditions surrounding the Mikvah, but I really loved this Syrian Mikvah ceremony because it included everyone. On the morning of my son Sam’s wedding in Cancun, all the female guests woke up bright and early and dressed in white to accompany Estrella, his beautiful bride to the mikvah. We drove away…
There is nothing more heavenly than the wonderful smell and taste of freshly baked challah. We will be watching Shtissel. We will probably be frying schnitzel. And, on social media, we’ll be keeping a keen eye out for all the fabulous Shlissel Challahs. This first Shabbat after Passover is known as “Shlissel Shabbos.” Shlissel is…
When Vivian met Nik she was charmed by his Irish accent and was amazed to find out that there were Irish Jews. Jewish history in Ireland began over a thousand years ago, when five Jews brought a gift to Toirdelbach, the king of Munster, but they were soon sent back to where they came from….
Two months after I started to date my future husband, I asked him, “Am I more Israeli, Australian or American?” His answer surprised me. “You’re more Iraqi.” My parents were born in Iraq but they met and married in Israel, where my older brother, Rafi, and I were born. My mother’s family moved to Australia…
One of the greatest treasures I possessed as a child was a brightly colored book called Bible Stories for Jewish children. It faithfully recounted every Parsha of the five Books of Moses. And I faithfully read each story from the Torah over and over. The illustrations by Laszlo Matulay were captivating and distilled the essence…
While the rest of the world anxiously awaits the end of 2020, the Jewish people are saying goodbye to 5780 and looking forward to a healthy and happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year. Nothing gladdens the heart more than a deliciously sweet treat. We baked these in the hope that they portend a year of…
When my twin nephews Luca and Nico were little boys, they loved Matbucha. At Friday night dinners, they would chime together “Maman, can we have Moroccan ketchup?” It was so cute and so heartwarming at the same time. Throughout the years, I would make Matbucha the traditional way. The way that my mother and our…
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea.
Recently, Rachel and I were picking up some flowers at the French Florist on the corner of Bedford and Pico Boulevard in the ‘hood and we noticed the bright blue exterior of Star Juice. We wandered in and discovered an oasis of fresh juices, fruit smoothies and açaí bowls. We met the young owner Yitzchak…
It was late June and one of those perfect Israeli Summer days, with clear blue skies. My friend Judy and I were strolling through the old and beautifully restored Sarona Market. The old stone buildings built by the German Templars in the late 19th century and early 20th century were bathed in a gorgeous golden…
Arroz con Pollo is a classic Spanish chicken and rice recipe. It is a fragrant, flavorful dish that can be found throughout Latin America, with minor variations of ingredients. Like the famous Spanish paella, the rice is subtly infused with the flavors of the spices and tomatoes. But unlike paella, no shellfish or pork sausage…
I met Rachel when she was a sophomore at Beverly Hills High School and I was a junior at YULA Girls High School. Brigitte, Molly and Shira were all friends in high school. Brigitte married Jonny who was in my graduating class. He was also good friends with Yosi. Esther married Yosi, who’s grandmother was…
