Posts Tagged Food

Sukkot in Philly

Posted by Rachel Broder in Link Roundup on October 12, 2011

jewishiphonecommunity.org

So you’re looking for Sukkot festivities in the Philadelphia area? Here are a few goings on about town:

- Philly.com announced on Wednesday that Occupy Philadelphia would soon have a sukkah.

- If you’re looking for a less politically charged sukkah, check out http://www.localsukkah.org/ to find one near you.

- Take a look at the event page for a special sustainability Shabbat at the Moishe House in Philly this Friday.

- Indulge in some really unique etrog beer, brewed by David Cohen of Tel Aviv’s Dancing Camel Brewing Company.

- Enjoy fruits and vegetables harvested in the Philadelphia area! The Philadelphia Jewish Voice’s blog has some really tasty sounding suggestions.

- If nothing suggested strikes you as interesting or worthy, look through Jewish Philly’s master calendar to find more Sukkot festivities in your area.

Wishing everyone a chag sameach!

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Why We Fast

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on October 3, 2011

The Philadelphia Jewish Voice’s blog posted a really great piece on the interactive online activity (for lack of a better word) called “Spent“. “Spent” allows participants to make financial decisions that millions of people are forced to make on a daily basis, but are often overlooked by others. I know that I do so every day. “Spent” placed me, the participant, in a position of unemployed single parent, eventually granting me a job in the form of waitress. Bills and obstacles quickly accumulated and forced me to make large decisions, like whether or not to enroll in a health care plan, and smaller ones, like spending $6 on a salad or $1 on a burger for lunch.

playspent.org

The Voice connects “Spent” to the Yom Kippur fast. They write that, “Part of the purpose of our fast on Yom Kippur is to better understand that misfortune of the poor , and develop empathy for them, so that we can be inspired to make a difference in this world.” Sticking with “Spent”, poor can be substituted with unemployed or underemployed. On this Yom Kippur I will think of the 90 or so students I work with each day, most of who do not eat breakfast. 90 bodies come through my class each day, dragging until lunch at 1PM, and then either eat a budget-cut version of a lunch, or a bag of chips and a soda purchased at the corner store. My lunch is one thing I do not overlook on a daily basis. In real life I find myself stuck between wheat bread and whole grain bread, but in “Spent” I knew healthy foods weren’t even an option with $200 left in my account. I went for the burger, or the bag of chips and soda, with the knowledge that the decision to pick a cheaper meal over a healthier one would become automatic over time as long as I always only had $200 dollars in my account.

JPS’ Jewish Voices, Jewish Choices: Body has a section that discusses our obligations as human beings and Jews to exercise and eat properly. “Spent” reminded me of my obligation to myself, but also the difficulty in holding others to the same standard when money just wont allow it. I plan to spend this Yom Kippur curbing my urge to complain about fasting, and instead thinking of ways in which I can encourage the students I work with to develop healthy and affordable eating habits.

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Let’s Talk Honey

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on September 26, 2011

Rosh Hashanah has me thinking about food. Tablet Magazine has some seriously tasty-sounding Persian holiday dishes, while The Jew and The Carrot went Turkish. Though I am a budding young culinary student (of my mother and the Joy of Cooking), I’m not quite at complex holiday meals yet. What I can share with you is my love and knowledge of honey.

Whether dipping apples or challah in honey, I’m happiest at the table when my mom or dad sets down the gooey golden honey in one of the glass dishes we’ve had for my entire life. From local honey to Shop Rite huggy bear honey, I love it all. Now, onto my honey list:

- If you live around the Philadelphia area, treat yourself to Two Gander Farm honey. Made locally (Pleasantville) from local bees (my jar is made by West Philly bees!), the farm’s honey varies in flavor and color. There are a bunch of farmers markets and retail locations to pick up the local honey.

- The Milk and Honey Market in West Philly stocks local honey and yummy foods to dip in the honey. They also lead some of the grooviest markets in the city at the Fair Food Farm Stand in Reading Terminal Market and Almanac Market in Northern Liberties

- David Graves, or “Beeman”, has seven hives in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Check out Graves’ website for a great article on his honeybees, and for information about purchasing his honey.

- New Jersey actually has a New Jersey Beekeepers Association. Their website lists a ton of local beekeepers in NJ, along with details on each of their honey products.

- JPS is located up the street from Philadelphia’s Trader Joes, so I’m pretty familiar with T Joe’s honey products. Both the Trader Joes Clover Honey and the Trader Joes 100% Desert Mesquite Honey are worthy, but I lean towards the Clover.

- As said above, Shop Rite honey in the little plastic bear container is both delicious and adorable.

L’Shanah Tova to all!

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The Haimish Test

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on August 30, 2011

David Brooks wrote a little piece called, “The Haimish Line” for Monday’s Times. Tablet posted a comical reactionary piece on Tuesday, outlining guidelines for how to go about figuring out what is and what is not haimish. Brooks defines haimish as “a Yiddish word that suggests warmth, domesticity and unpretentious conviviality.” I would add that haimish does not necessarily signify uniqueness. This haimish business has me thinking about something I think about often: food.

I’m not sure I want to call myself a foodie, but I love food. And Philadelphia has a killer restaurant scene. Brooks claims that places considered haimish are not particularly fancy, but I think that really any kind of restaurant can be inviting and homey. I decided to put some of Philadelphia’s restaurants and eateries through what I call, “The Hamish Test.”

  1. Zahav- Do I feel warm? The staff is unfailingly kind, and the environment is really comfortable, so yes. Do I want to move in and eat the lamb every night? Yes. A+
  2. Maoz- Do I feel warm? Though the entirely green space leaves me a little overwhelmed, the people working and eating at Maoz are incredibly friendly and genuine, so yes. Do I want to move in? Not really, but I stop in for a Maoz Meal pretty often. B
  3. Q’Doba- Do I feel warm? Not exactly. Do I want to move in? Please, don’t make me. D
  4. Dos Segundos- Do I feel warm? Impossibly. Do I want to move in and consume fish or seitan tacos and amazing salsa every night? Yes, please!
  5. Starbucks- Do I feel warm? Only because of the overly caffeinated coffee that has made my heart race too fast. Do I want to move in? Nope. C
  6. Cake and the Beanstalk- Do I feel warm? Yes! This is my favorite local coffee/sweets shop. C&B has amazing homemade treats, great tunes, and a sunroom that overlooks the Locust Street garden. Do I want to move in? Have I not already? A+ (C&B is almost too haimish for its own good)

I could go on forever using my Haimish Test for Philadelphia food joints, but I’ll quit here. Wait, one more. Vietnam at 11th and Vine(ish) is my number one haimish spot. I spent almost as much time eating dinner at Vietnam as at my own home as a kid. The place has undergone countless changes, but I still feel warm and utterly at home when I stop in for a meal.

I agree with Brooks that the people I experience a place or meal with generally contribute to my overall feeling, therefore helping the spot to pass or fail my Haimish Test. What are the most haimish places or spaces in your life?

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I Love Pickles, I’m Crazy About `Em

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on July 28, 2011

ronaldmetellus.blogspot.com

Pickles have always been my favorite food.  I can eat them every single day- by the jar, on a sandwich, next to a sandwich, you get the point.  I even purchased pickle band-aids so that when I injure myself, I can patch the wound with something I love.  Honestly, pickled anything is okay by me- pickled tomatoes, pickled beets, you name it.

Growing up, my dad used to make pickles in our basement every July.  My Uncle G in Arizona made them too.  We had this great vat for pickle-making, and summers were blissful.  Dad would labor over our beloved family pickles, making enough to jar and share with neighbors and relatives.  But then the vat broke or went MIA, I can’t remember.  It was a dark time.

After years of listening to me whine, my dad finally decided last summer that the time was ripe to acquire a new vat.  He assigned my mom the task of purchasing a new one, and when it finally (yippee!) arrived, it was enormous.  I mean toddler-sized enormous.  The vat was quiet cumbersome, so we left it in the laundry room instead of schlepping it down to the basement.  My dad got to work with the cucumbers, my mom bought jars, and we all anticipated the first batch of sours.  Their presence in the laundry room made them difficult to ignore, so instead I checked on them regularly and dreamed of the day I could finally sink my teeth into one. 

And then that day came and they were a little disappointing.  Despite their mediocrity, I loved those pickles as much as I have ever loved any pickle.  The tradition of pickle-making is one firmly imprinted on my brain.  Though last summer’s batch wasn’t our best, it was a continuation of a fabulous tradition that had suffered too long of a hiatus, and I was more than thrilled to resurrect it. 

Do you have a favorite summer food tradition?  Maybe you make pickles too?  The Forward has a “Quick Kosher Dills” recipe up, so if you don’t make pickles, why not start today?

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A Taste of Independence

Posted by Rachel Broder in Link Roundup on May 5, 2011

Growing up, Yom Ha’atzmaut meant festival of delicious food for my brother and me.  We would go to a gathering in Bucks County (outside of Philadelphia) with our parents, and proceed to stuff our faces with Israeli salad and sweets.  The joke in my house on holidays is that the vat of Israeli salad – made by my excellent chef of a mother – is only for me.  In honor of my extreme love for Israeli food, here’s a smattering of food blogs focusing on Israeli foods to make you drool!

-  Cafe Liz is Liz Steinburg of Tel Aviv transforming known and unknown recipes into sumptuous Kosher and vegetarian meals.  The most recent post is what really caught my eye: pasta fonduta with labaneh and zaatar.  She takes a traditional Northern Italian pasta dish and adds an Israeli twist.  My affection for Italian/Jewish food stems from Roman Jewish artichokes, and I see no reason not to expand to Italian/Israeli foods.

-  Over at Baroness Tapuzina Michelle Nordell outlines components to an Israeli breakfast at home.  She really got me with her recipe for kuku, a Persian omelet with saffron.

-  Chocolate and Zucchini is Clotilde Dusoulier’s delicious blog of mostly organic foods.  Her hummus recipe is not completely unique, but nevertheless tantalizing.  My mother makes an edamame hummus that knocks my socks off.  Also, if you’re in the Philadelphia area, Zahav makes possibly the smoothest hummus I’ve ever had.  And if I haven’t talked enough about hummus, I also suggest you read a hilarious little blurb on Sabra hummus over at Jewcy.

-  Irene Sharon Hodes writes about food and wine.  In an April post, she celebrated Golan Heights Winery, the winery that won this year’s best wine producer in the world award.  If you’re really interested in Israeli wine, Avi of Hakerem- The Israeli Wine Blog writes really detailed posts on the Israeli wine world.

-  Today’s post from The Jew and The Carrot highlights the rise of Israeli microbreweries (yum).  The Jew and The Carrot is one of my favorite food blogs (my mother would know- I email her recipes from the blog all the time), but the coolest thing I’ve come across recently is their post on Israeli food tours.

-  Israeli Kitchen is a wonderful blog not only for recipe ideas and reports on produce in Israel, but also for the beautiful photos included in each post.

May your celebration of Israeli Independence Day on May 9th be absolutely delectable!

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The Greenest Summer Yet!

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Innovation on March 15, 2011

With spring on the way, I have summer fever.  You know the symptoms: glancing longingly at your shorts, playing Rubber Soul, wishing your garden would blossom, and planning meals around delicious summer produce.  Growing up, this time of year always had me really excited for the greatest Jewish social experience: summer camp.  Though I was a dedicated day camper at Camp America Day Camp, there are some really wonderful Jewish overnight camps that I wish I could attend now.

The grooviest Jewish overnight camp I have thus far come across is Eden Village Camp in Putnam Valley, New York.  This summer will be Eden Village’s second, and they have some seriously cool programs.  Eden Village is the only Jewish farm overnight camp.  It marries traditional camp with a focus on food and wilderness.  Campers and staff grow and make all of their food to learn what it is to be an ethically responsible consumer.  The food is all certified kosher- the camp has an eruv and a kosher supervisor.

Located 50 miles north of New York City, Eden Village has 248 acres and touches the Appalachian Trail.  In addition to food and farming related activities, Eden Village offers: expanded culinary arts; a ceramics program including pottery wheel and kiln; geology; yoga; rock climbing and rock scrambling; natural building projects including a treehouse, huge clay oven, outdoor kitchen, and fort village, and expanded wilderness and hiking programs.

Interested? (How can you not be?)  There are open houses on second Sundays, in April, May, and June complete with hiking, kayaking, arts and crafts, farm projects and Jewish text study.  If you can’t wait until April, they are offering Maple Sugaring programs, complete with blindfolded taste tests, on March 20 and 27.

As our society becomes increasingly in search of ways to develop healthful and sustainable lifestyles, places like Eden Village are critical for younger generations.  Eden Village is growing a community of ethically responsible and knowledgeable Jewish kids- the very people who will propel our civilization into the future.

I will now listen to “Norwegian Wood” and dream of summer camp.

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Prepare For Purim!

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Link Roundup on March 8, 2011

After a long drag without any good reasons to party, Purim is just a few weeks away! Purim, considered to be a particularly gleeful Jewish holiday, is a festival in celebration of the actions of Esther, the queen who saved Persian Jews from genocide.

Planning ahead? Here are some Purim-related recipes, resources, and entertainment to get you started.

  • If you’re looking for a film about Esther, you’ve got a lot to choose from. There’s the classic Esther and The King as well as the newer, flashier rendition, One Night With The King. Fair warning: The latter takes a lot of poetic license and gets more than a little cheesy at times. For lighter fare, I suggest For Your Consideration, a film by Christopher Guest. This one is a double dip for Purim and Oscar season, telling the fictional tale of the cast of an indie movie called Home For Purim. When the actors stumble across an online review of the unfinished film that suggests several Oscar nominations are in order, hilarity ensues. Lastly, a childhood favorite of mine: Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen, a VeggieTales film. VeggieTales is known for their Christian Biblical stories, but this Jewish tale is well represented!
  • Not to sing our own praises, or anything, but JPS happens to publish a pretty fantastic book on Esther and the Purim story. Megillat Esther, a graphic novel by JT Waldman, is available as a paperback or e-book. If you like graphic novels as much as I do, I highly recommend it. If you’ve never read a graphic novel…well, what better place to start?
  • Three-cornered hats. Delicious, delicious three-cornered hats. What would Purim be without them? Hamantashen (Oy! How do you spell it? It’s Channukah all over again) are one of many treats you can make to fulfill Purim’s requirement to eat, drink, and be merry. Speaking of Channukah, though, did you know that there’s a Latke vs Hamantash debate held annually? It sounds like a blast.

So, how are you celebrating Purim this year? Comment with any cool resources you know!

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Tu B’Shevat Is Almost Here, So Get Ready To Plant Some Trees!

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Jewish Knowledge on January 1, 2011

The Tree Of Life- Gustav Klimpt

2010 wasn’t a great year for the environment, even compared to other years in the past decade. The oil spill last spring was more than an ecological disaster: It was a wake up call. With Tu B’Shevat coming up in just a couple of weeks (on January 20th), you might be wondering how to make the most out of what many call the Jewish Arbor Day.

Last summer I wrote about Jewish Environmentalism on the Jewish Choices, Jewish Voices blog, and organizations like COEJL call for the integration of Jewish holidays with environmental awareness. With a little preparation, you can make this year’s Tu B’Shevat a celebration like none before!

First things first: Consider having a Tu B’Shevat seder. The service was first developed by Kabbalists during the 17th Century, but in recent years the practice has been gaining popularity with lots of Jewish groups. Hillel provides a Tu B’Shevat Seder, and so does Aish.com.

As for helping the environment that day, you have a lot of options! If you live in an area where planting your own tree isn’t possible, you can donate to an organization like the Save The Redwoods league (or a similar group in your own region) and support volunteers who work to save precious forests. You can also keep the spirit of the holiday by donating to a larger group like Greenpeace.

Of course, the real fun is getting to plant a tree yourself! Not sure where to start? The Arbor Day Foundation has great resources to help. Visit the site to find out what trees will grow the best in your area, where to get them, and how best to plant them. Consider using this tree planting ceremony from COEJL to tie in the holiday. After you’ve washed off the dirt, you can make a meal using recipes that feature the 7 Species. Yum!

Planting a tree can take a bit of coordination, especially if you want to do it somewhere other than your own property, so start planning now!

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It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year…To Be Online!

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Link Roundup on December 15, 2010

Unfortunately, this is not what Boston looks like right now.

It’s officially winter, and I’ve got the numb toes to prove it. Given the nature of the internet, I understand that not everyone reading is in such a place that they understand my pain…but I digress. The temperatures are plummeting, the days are about as short as they’re going to get. Can I interest you in the internet?

Well, that’s all I’ve got. Time for me to stand outside waiting for the forecasted flurries. By that, I mean it’s time for me to study for finals. Stay warm, entertained, and well fed!

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