Category: Recipe

Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

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Spaghetti all'Amatriciana
Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

If you’re looking for another weeknight pasta recipe to add to your repertoire (I know I always am), then allow me to suggest Spaghetti all’Amatriciana. Hailing from the Central Italian town of Amatrice (hence the name – aha!), this flavorful dish comes together in less than half and hour and uses mostly pantry items. Although guanciale, or pig jowl, traditionally provides the flavor base, pancetta or bacon work as well. I find it’s a great alternative to carbonara, and its spicy, smoky red sauce will keep you coming back for more. Continue reading “Spaghetti all’Amatriciana” →

Homemade S’Mores and a DIY Blog Hop

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Homemade S'mores
Homemade S’mores

I’ve made homemade graham crackers AND homemade marshmallows, so you know where I’m headed. Yup, you’re usually one step ahead of me. S’mores. From almost entirely homemade ingredients. Does it get better than that? I didn’t think so. For those of you that have somehow been deprived of the amazing invention known as s’mores, these impeccable little treats consist of chocolate and toasted marshmallow sandwiched between two pieces of gram cracker. The residual heat from the melty marshmallow melts the chocolat ever so slightly and causes everything to gel together in a magical way. Continue reading “Homemade S’Mores and a DIY Blog Hop” →

Homemade Marshmallows

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Homemade Marshmallows
Homemade Marshmallows

Monday I brought you homemade graham crackers. Well, nothing goes better with graham crackers than marshmallows. That’s right. I made marshmallows, a food DIY project I’ve been meaning to attempt for some time. This is another recipe from Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it and Other Cooking Projects by Karen Solomon, which I can’t say enough good things about. Marshmallows are one of those things that that are hard to imagine homemade – they come in a bag and you use them to make s’mores, or to go with hot chocolate. But what are they actually made of? I never put much thought into it. Now I can tell you that marshmallows are made from corn syrup, sugar, and gelatin. Yup. How does that combination yield something that is light and fluffy and delicious? Magic is the only answer. Making them really is a kind of alchemy. Continue reading “Homemade Marshmallows” →

Homemade Graham Crackers

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Homemade Graham Crackers
Homemade Graham Crackers

Before moving to Israel I had never considered making my own graham crackers (similar to digestive crackers for you Brits). But, like so many products from home, they are unavailable here. And so, like many of my favorite take-out meals, I set out to make them at home. Graham crackers have an interesting history. According to Wikipedia (so, you know, grain of salt), they were invented in 1829 as “Dr. Graham’s Honey Biskets” by Reverend Sylvestor Graham. It was all part of a bland diet that he marketed to try to suppress evil carnal urges (the same theory, by the way, behind Kellog’s corn flakes). This entry also says that you don’t technically have graham crackers without graham flour, another invention of Reverend Graham. So if you want to be technical, I didn’t make graham crackers since graham flour is not widely available outside the United States. But you could have fooled me. Continue reading “Homemade Graham Crackers” →

Pomegranate Mojito and a Cocktail Blog Hop

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Pomegranate Mojito
Pomegranate Mojito

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve and that means I have cocktails on the brain. One of my favorite cocktail discoveries as of late is this refreshing Pomegranate Mojito that was concocted by my friend Ben Brewer of Israel Food Tours. I came upon it while doing research on Jewish cocktails for an article in the Jewish Daily Forward and simply fell in love. Although in the article I proposed it as a Sukkot-appropriate drink, the truth is I could sip on this all year long. Continue reading “Pomegranate Mojito and a Cocktail Blog Hop” →

Pollo Fritto per Chanuka

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Our Italian Jewish Hanukkah
Our Italian Jewish Hanukkah

Christmas may have come and gone (did you have a nice holiday?), but there’s still two days of Hanukkah left! If you’re tired of latkes and sufganiyot (as if that could happen), allow me to suggest a few recipes from the Italian Jewish canon. Italian Jews make up one of the world’s oldest Jewish communities, combining two great culinary traditions. After doing a good bit of research for an article in the Jew and the Carrot (check it out here), I learned that while Hanukkah traditions vary by region, one dish is universal throughout the country: Pollo Fritto per Chanuka, or Fried Chicken for Hanukkah. Continue reading “Pollo Fritto per Chanuka” →

Precipizi and a Holiday Blog Hop

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Precipizi, an Italian Jewish Hanukkah treat
Precipizi, an Italian Jewish Hanukkah treat

Can you believe that we’re midway through Hanukkah and that tomorrow is Christmas Eve? It’s wonderful to be home in New York celebrating the holidays with friends and family. My husband and I are fortunate enough to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, and so get the best of both traditions.  In honor of my Italian heritage, this year I did a bit of research into how Italian Jews celebrate Hanukkah for an article in the Jew and the Carrot (check it out here). And so I was introduced to Hanukkah Precipizi, which is similar to the struffoli that is also popular around Christmas time in Italy. Hanukkah is all about fried food, a celebration of oil in all its glory, and these certainly fit the bill. Continue reading “Precipizi and a Holiday Blog Hop” →

Guacamole and a Dip Blog Hop

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Classic Guacamole with Chips
Classic Guacamole with Chips

With the holiday season upon us, parties are in full swing. Whether you are hosting or attending, we can all use more quick and easy recipes for our entertaining repertoire. Enter the mighty dip. They can typically be made ahead and offer a range of accompaniments from chips to crackers, and from vegetables to fruit slices (as in this wonderful recipe). One of my favorites is guacamole. A simple recipe, I know and I’m sure you have your own. I like mine zesty and garlicky. Guacamole has the added bonus of being naturally parve, gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan (if you are gf of course the issue is what to dip in the guac). Continue reading “Guacamole and a Dip Blog Hop” →

Baked Mushroom Bao

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Baked Mushroom Bao
Baked Mushroom Bao

I’ve spared you my ramblings about my deep love of dumplings, Asian buns, and dim sum. Until now. My first experience with dumplings came at a young age in the form of the wanton soup that went hand-in-hand with Chinese take-out. Fast forward many years to the month I spent visiting one of my best friends in China. Obviously, I ate the most incredible dumplings of my life. And I was introduced to the range of dumpling available, the types of skins, fillings, and cooking preparations. I also must admit that New Years day in China secured the place of dumplings as my ultimate hangover food. Continue reading “Baked Mushroom Bao” →

Guest Post: Cinnamon Bun Cake

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Cinnamon Bun Cake
Cinnamon Bun Cake

When Miriam of Israeli Kitchen asked me if I’d like to do a guest post on her wonderful blog I was truly honored. Miriam has lived in Israel for 33 years and is full of knowledge about Israeli and kosher cuisine. She makes her own dandelion beer and fruit wine, bread and flavored oils. Miriam loves markets as much as I do and warmly welcomed me into the world of Anglo food bloggers in Israel. We’d been emailing for almost a year before we finally had the chance to meet in person at a dinner with cookbook author Gil Marks, and were really able to spend some quality time together at the Sommelier Wine Expo in Tel Aviv. She’s even coming to visit in Be’er Sheva (as soon as the trains are back up and running!) to see what our shuk has to offer. Continue reading “Guest Post: Cinnamon Bun Cake” →