Kosher Living

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah

Deborahmichelle — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:29:28 GMT

Dear All, Tagged on to the end of Sukkot/Succos/the Feast of Booths are another two festival Days, Hoshana Rabba & Shemini Atzeret. Hoshana Rabba is a holiday, but not a full Festival. Actually, it has few customs & is rather minor. On teh other hand, Shemini Atzeret is a Festival day. Its main feature is constant praying for rain for all arid regions & especially for Israel. This year, it runs from the evening of Mon, 10/20 through the aft of Tues, 10/21.

Running between the evening of Tues, 10/21 through the aft of Weds, 10/22, Simchat Torah is a much more widely-observed holiday. On the evening of that day, we read almost the last words of the Torah. And in the morning we read the final words of Deuteronomy & the beginning of Genesis (The very last words of Deuteronomy are read together with the beginning of Genesis ("When G-d began to create heaven & earth ... Amd there was evening and there was morning, a first day..." -- & so forth). Different congregations read differing amounts of verses -- Conservatives & more traditional Jews read the whole parashah of Genesis (a parashah is generally more than a chapter). All of the Torahs that a congregation owns are removed from the Ark, & everyone dances & sings. In many congregations, the Torahs are handed around to anyone who wants to carry one. As always, we say special blessings on the reading of the Torah, so we say many more on Simchat Torah. Larger congregations clear it with the local Police Dept to be able to close off the block so as to be able to dance in the streeet. Children are given flags to wave as they dance.

Succos/Sukkot: The Feast of Booths

Deborahmichelle — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:30:51 GMT

Dear All, A week-long holiday called Succos/Sukkot comes right on the heels of Yom Kippur. It will start on the evening of (Columbus Day) Monday, Oct 13th. It commemorates the Israelites' wandering in the desert for 40 years following their escape from slavery in Egypt.

This holiday used to be (in the Bible) the most important of Passover/Pesach & Shavuous/Giving of hte Torah on Mt. Sinai. All 3 were Pilgramice Feasts, going to the Temple in Jerusalem.

The sukkah is a booth with a latticed roof. Everyone eats at least one meal (at least the 1st meal of the holiday) in the sukkah during the Festival. Some of the Torah-True, haredi, or CHassidic Jews even sleep there. The children decorate the sukkah with harvest themes.

We also have special prayers with "props" for this holiday. We call these harvested plants "the 4 Species." They are a citrus fruit called the citron, & a group of 3 types of branches that we call the lulav. The lulav is composed of a palm branch held in a holder made of palm -- the holder contains the palm branch plus 2 willow branches & 3 myrtle branches. Holding the citron in the left hand, we hold the lulav in our right, & say the appropriate blessing.

We read the Book of Ecclesiastes on the Sabbath that falls within Succos.

RIght on the tail of Succos, we have 2 more holidays right in a row, Hosanna Rabbah (the great hosanna), & Simchas/Simchat Torah. I'll write about these holidays next week.

Questions? Comments? As always, I'm all ears! Yours in HIm, Deb

Yom Kippur/The Day of Atonement/Culmination of the Days of Awe

Deborahmichelle — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:00:34 GMT

Dear All, Jews commemorate the 10 Days of Awe starting with Rosh Hashanah & ending on Yom Kippur with the final blasts of the Shofar (ram's horn). While we had said at the New Year, May you be written in teh Book of Life for a good year, we now say, May you be sealed in the Book of Life. The idea is that people righteous in G-d's eyes were written in teh Book of Life early on, on Rosh Hashanah, but for the majority of us, we need to wait until our penitence, prayer, & giving to charity towards Yom Kippur before we can be sealed in the Book. During the Days of Awe, Hashem (the L-rd) passes judment on every creature of all types, animals,plants, & people. As to those who will die during the ensuing year, tehre is a very famous prayer that expresses how they will die, "who by fire, who by water," & so forth.

The evening of Yom Kippur (that segues into the day of YK), our service is called Kol Nidre. That translates to "all vows." We achieve redemption from any vows that we may make IN THE YEAR TO COME. We have to do penitence, prayer, & giving fo charity -- involving gaining forgiveness from anyone whom we may have hurt -- in order to surmount vows that we made in the past year. We also have to pray very hard to G-d that He forgive us from the vows that we had made to him in the preceding year.

Yom Kippur is the "Shabbat of Shabbats," the holiest day in our Jewish year. People in good health, starting with those who have been Bar or Bat Mitzvahs (aged 13 generally) fast including not drinking water for 25 hours. Since I have diabetes insipidus (a water-imbalance disease), I am not allowed to fast, which always makes me feel guilty. People also do not have sex, bathe, or wear leather shoes.

I have just scratched the surface of explaining this holy day. I'm all ears for questions. Yours in HIm, Deb

The Jewish New Year (Rosh HaShanah -- "head of the year")

Deborahmichelle — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:40:23 GMT

Dear ALl, The Jewish new year falls on the 30th of Sept this year (the evening before, on teh 29th, begins the holiday. The Jewish day runs from evening to afternoon.) We call this new year the year 5768, for that is how many years ago the Rabbis calculated that Creation occurred.

"Reform" Jews celebrate for 1 day, & Orthodox, Torah-true, & Conservative Jews celebrate for 2 days. The reason for the 2nd day is to make sure that the services are falling on the right day -- it used to be that heralds would run from Jerusalem to all the towns to announce the holiday.

Rosh HaShanah marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe, or the Ten Days of Repentance. It is said that the righteous are inscribed in the Book of Life on Rosh HaShanah, but that the life of every other person, creature, & plant is held in the balance until Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (I'll post about the Day of Atonement right after Rosh HaShanah.)

Before & on Rosh HaShanah, we greet everyone with (translation) May you be written into teh Book of Life. But after Rosh HaShanah & until Yom Kippur is over, we say, May you be sealed in the Book of Life. (We don't want it to sound as though we are not sure that they are righteous & have been written in on Rosh HaShanah.)

It is incumbent on all men & boys to hear the Shofar (ram's horn) sounded -- & in modern times, all women & girls choose to hear it, too. (Many Jewish laws are incumbent on males, discretionary for females.) The horn is blown in distinctive blasts. One of the reasons teh Shofar is blown is to remind us that it sounded to gather all the people about the mountains where G-d gave the Law to Moses -- Sinai & Horeb -- different mountains in Exodus & Deuteronomy.

Lovely song/prayers/chants are sung again & again on all the Ten Days of Awe. We seek the mercy of the L-rd.

A folk custom is "tashlikh." We put some bread crumbs in our pockets & gather around some flowing waters like a river (no ponds, which don't flow). We say some Psalms, & cast the breadcrumbs into the water. The custom comes from Micah 7:19. It is no substitute for prayer, penitence, & charity, which avert a Holy decree that we would not be sealed in the Book of Life.

Once home for each meal, we eat challah (egg bread, round in shape for Rosh HaSHanah to signify the annual cycle) & dip both it & apple slices into honey for a sweet new year.

I am all ears for any & all questions that you may have. I recognize that I have only scratched the surface in this description. Yours in Him, Deb

The month of self-reflection, Elul, starts on Thurs 8/20

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:46:23 GMT

Dear All, Before the New Year, Rosh HaShanah (which begins the 10 Days of Awe, culminating in Yom Kippur), we Jews examine our hearts & souls & seek forgiveness from all whom we may have wronged, for a full month. This month is called Elul. Every morning at services, the Shofar (a ram's horn) is sounded to remind us.

Folks, chime in if you have any questions or commetns! You're MORE than welcome!

Yours in Hiim, Deb

new apartment, new kitchen to kasher

truepeacenik — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:00:10 GMT

I chatted with my rabbi yesterday and he went over what I'll need to do.

Looks like a few hours hard work.

I have a self-cleaning oven, so that part is hands off. A flat-top stove, so heat up burners for 30 min on high, cool, and pour hot water on it.

Boiling water in the stainless steel sink. New shelf paper after cleaning cabinets, and clean the refrigerator.

Pretty simple, and this is a Chabad rabbi's strictness.

I'm treating myself to new dishes.

I officially move Sept 1, so I don't know how consistent my Web presence will be that week. My landlord is allowing me the weekend before as well.

It's just me in the apartment after my son leaves on Sept 20.

It's really exciting to have a place that is all mine.

Matzoh Lasagna

Kate — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:51:58 GMT

I saw a jewish cooking show last month that had matzoh lasagna on it. I'm not jewish but it looked good. I asked my local grocery store if they had any Matzo/Matzoh/Matzah (not sure which is correct, recipes that call for it use one of the last 2, but the box says the first) and they ordered some in. I bought it today and made it and it tasted great. I couldn't tell there was no pasta in the lasagna. I do have a question though, although it's rather silly. Is Matzo a bread? or a cracker?

Kosher Gelatin

Helainemarie — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:22:28 GMT

what is kosher gelatin made from - since it is parve - I am wondering what is in it

TIZ

Helainemarie

Fast day -- the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:54:37 GMT

Dear All, Tomorrow (7/30/09) is Tisha'b'Av, the Ninth Day of the Jewish month of Av. On this day, both the First Temple in Jerusalem & the Second Temple in Jerusalem were destroyed, respectively in 596 BCE/BC & 70 CE/AD. Our Talmud (Oral Law whispered in Moses' ear) says that other tragedies befell the Jews on this day: for example, the revolt that occurred with respect to teh Chanukah history was put down. Later, the expulsions from England (1290) & Spain (1492) happened on this day.

It starts tonight, & is a fast day. However, work can be done. It is a day of mourning, & people so observe it.

Yours in Him, Deb

Pikuach nefesh --- any law can be broken for the sake of life

Deborahmichelle — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:51:04 GMT

Dear All, I know taht many Christians feel that Judaism is too "legalistic," with our 613 commandments. I want to tell you about the law that exempts an ill person or a persecuted person from following any of all the other laws. (However, there are no exempptions for murder, *** crimes, or blasphemy.)

It is called pikuach nefesh, or "for the sake of the soul." It means, for the recent example pertaiining to me, that if you are very ill or convalescing from serious illness, you can violate the Kosher/Kashrut laws. I ate trefe/non-Kosher chicken, mixed with dairy products, from 4/15 to 5/13. Once I get my "breath back" (just using an expression -- I am fine now), my aides & I have to re-Kasher my kitchen/make it Kossher again.

Yours in Him, Deb

Shavuous -- the Feast of the Giving of the Torah/1st 5 Books of Moses

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:15:33 GMT

Dear All, A week from Friday falls the 1st day of the 2 day festival of Shavuos. (Like all Jewish days, it starts the evening before.) This is variously described as the day that the bride of Israel marries the groom of Hashem, the L-rd G-d, the day commemorating the giving of the First Five Books of Moses on Mount Sinai to Moses, & the springtime dairy festival. We decorate the synagogue with flowers & plants to celebrate the Spring.

We read the Book of Ruth on this holiday. Ruth joined the Jewish religion voluntarily, & was the great-grandmother of King David, who will be the ancestor of Moschiach/the Messiah.

On the first evening (Thursday 5/28), Jews stay up all night at the synagogue, studyingn Torah.

We eat dairy foods such as blintzes (crepes) on this holllidday.

ANother name for this holiday is the Feast of Weeks. That is the same as the Christian Pentecost. Tere are 7 weeks between Passover & Shavuos.

Any questions you have about the holiday, I will be very glad to answer! Yours in Him, Deb

Deborahmichelle- info for you!

Kim_150 — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:29:10 GMT

A while back there was a discussion about marketing, and you'd expressed some frustration at companies not making it clear which products are kosher or vegan. I think this site I found might help!

http://www.vegcooking.com/guide.asp - over on the right is a list of grocery categories, and at each link they've researched and listed brand names and products that are vegan. You'd have to find the product and check the label to see whether it's been certified by a Kosher association, but these lists might be helpful anyhow.

Shout out to Deb: ethical issue

truepeacenik — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:33:21 GMT

Sure, I'm good with others' dilemmas, but now I have my own. If I bought meat, this would be a no brainer.

But I don't.

SHARE Colorado offers produce-only boxes. THey are very close to my home, but administered by the catholic church.

I am usually reluctant to support obviously Xtian businesses (I have exceptions such as Bragg's, but generally if there's a fish or Xtian verse on the label or advertising, nope).

I know that putting my money into this program could be used for prosteltyzing activities, BUT it also supports more food charity.

I sort of (in my justifying way) want to look at that as tzedekah. I would be volunteering at the site (again, close to my home)

I'm not seeing this a s a kashrut issue, but more a what am I supporting issue.

I do know if it was at a messianic building I'd say no way. But we know the CC is xtian. it isn't hiding.

Deb, What would you do? How do you see it?

Shout-out to 4given, not perfect

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:53:28 GMT

Dear 4given, Please read teh most recent post that I made in the Shout Out to me thread. (I made it today, Mon, @ 5:50AM.) Am I wrong about your beliefs? ANyhow, I DO know htat you are a Righteous Gentile. Love in Him, Deb

Chag Pesach Sameach!/Happy Festival of Passover!

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:33:17 GMT

Dear All, Two weeks from tonight, hte 1st of 2 Passover seders will be held at almost every Jewish family's home. A seder is a glorified prayer session, with a hearty meal filled with symbolism. The basic idea is that every Jew must be aware that (s)he was once a slave in the land of Egypt, as all Israel is one. And now we are free, & must live up to our blessing.

There are 2 plates at the center of the seder table. One holds 3 whole matzahs (the unleavened bread eaten on the holiday) in a holder that separates the layers. The leader of the seder breaks the middle matzah, wraps it in a napkin, & discreetly hides it somewhere. At the end of the dinner, the children hunt for this, which is called the Afikomen. Whichever child finds it gets to negotiate with the leader as to his or her prize for findign it. The dinner cannot be ended & dessert put out until the afikomen is found. Therefore, leaders don't get too fancy about where they hide it.

The other plate holds the following:

a roasted bone, or for vegetarians, a roasted beet, to represent the Paschal lamb;

a roasted egg, which represents too many aspects of human life & Jewish life to recount here specifically, but you get the idea about birth;

parseley or another fresh green veggie, for Spring;

horseradish, to represent the bitter & harsh conditions of slavery;

and

charoset (apples, nuts, wine, & cinnamon in Eastern European/Ashkenazi homes; there is widespread variety around the world as to the ingredients.) This represents the mortar between the bricks that the Jewish slaves had to erect.

In most American Jewish families that are NOT Torah-true, today, an orange is added to the Seder plate to represent the important role of women in Jewish households.

At the Seder, there are 15 sections of the proceedings. They are recounted in the Haggadah (special prayer-book for the Festival). Most important are drinking 4 cups of wine (separately, & you can just take a sip, as long as you top up the cup in between), & having the youngest who can read Hebrew say "the 4 Questions." The answers to the 4 Questions summarize the meanign of the Seder.

The 1st 2 days for all Jews are festivals like Shabbos/Shabbat/the Sabbath, & I won't be online. Torah-true Jews also treat teh 7th & 8th day as festivals like Shabbos.

I have barely scratched the surface of the holiday. Please see "Cleaning for Pesach/Passover," the next thread down in this sub-Forum, for more info.

And, PLEASE, feel free to ask me any questions that you may have. As my Rabbi says, "There is no such thing as a silly question!"

Yours in Him, Deb

Cleaning for Pesach/Passover

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:30:22 GMT

Dear All, As Truepeacenik wrote yesterday in the Holidays & Birthdays forum, under a thread that she entitled "Purim ...", the holiday of Purim traditionally marks the start of preparations for Pesach/Passover. EVERYTHING must be cleaned to meet 2 objectives: (i) to throw away any forbidden foodstuff that has fallen inside crevices anywhere in the house, & (ii) to re-Kosher the kitchen for the holiday. This is such a complicated cleaning that it takes up the month that ensues between Purim & Passover. The foodstuffs that are forbidden for all Jews are called chametz (wheat, spelt,rye, barley, & oats). Ashkenazi Jews (from Eastern Europe) also forbid foodstuffs that are called kitnivot (rice, corn, peas, soy, green beans, lentils, beans, mustard, poppy seeds, & sesame seeds).

You may know that when the Israellites left Egypt, they were in such a hurry that they did not have time to leaven their bread; they brought it out in unleavened wafers that we today call matzoh. Foods that are chametz are foods that bread is often made out of. Foods that are called kitnivot are foods that expand in cooking, that remind us of how bread rises.

Matzot are wheat wafers/crackers that do not have any leavening in them. Each Jew is commanded to eat a few pieces of matzo at the seder meals (2 nights of re-telling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt), but it's not necessary to eat any more if one doesn't like the taste.

Truepeacenik well described how she needs my prayers for her, lest "[she] get crushed in the clutter," & she has my prayers.

I'll be glad to answer any questions. This thread will probably go on until Pesach time (April 9-16 this year; seders on April 8 & 9), Closer to that time, I'll set up a thread on Pesach itself, "the reasons for the season."

Yours in Him, Deb

Purim is coming! (March 9-10, '09)

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:46:21 GMT

Dear All, Can you imagine a holiday where all are commanded to make as much noise as possible every time the name of a certain villian is pronounced? To stomp feet on the floor, to boo, to rotate a noise-maker called a grogger? This is what Jews do when the Bibical Book of Esther is read, whenever the name of Haman, who wanted to exterminate the Jews of Shusan in Persia is mentioned.

This is Purim. Can you imagine a holiday where folks are commanded to drink until they can't tell the difference between Haman & the hero Mordechai? This is Purim. In a few words, Mordechai was an official in Shusan & he married off his cousin to King Achareus when he was dissatisfied with his former Queen. At the same time, Haman was plotting a massacre of the Jews. Mordechai impelled his cousin to reveal to the King that she was a Jew & to reverse the massacre edict. So it ended up being Haman who was hanged, instead of Mordechai.

The Book of Esther is the only book of the Bible that does not exalt, or even mention, the L-rd G-d Above. The Rabbis have debated the reasons for this long & hard. The consensus seems to be that the Book (called the Megillah or long story) is itself a parody, & that it would be a bit of a disgrace to invoke the Blessed Name in a parody.

I'm all ears for any questions! Yours in Him, Deb

Yoghurt sauce for cauliflower

Deborahmichelle — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:33:29 GMT

Dear All, This is a subtly spiced, delicious use of nutritious & in-season cauliflower:

1 medium cauliflower, cut small (florets should be cut into 4-8 pieces depending on size; stems should be cut in1/2" slices

1/2 c plain yoghurt

2 medium chopped onions

2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled & minced

1-1/2 tsp salt

Combine all in a large bowl.

Heat 3 T canola oil in a stockpot over high heat. Add

1/2 c sliced onions. Mix well.

Saute for 3 minutes. Add

6 cloves. Saute till onions are golden, which will be about 7 minutes.

Add cauliflower mixture from the bowl. Mix very well.

Add 2 tsp ground cumin. Mix very well.

Add 1/4 c water, Mix.

Add 1 cup frozen but thawed peas ONLY ONCE THE CAULIFLOWER IS COOKED, which will take about 10-12 minutes. Mix well. Heat the peas through --will take 3-5 minutes.

Serves 4-6.

Yours in Him, Deb

Masoor Dal (East Indian red lentils stew)

Deborahmichelle — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:17:27 GMT

Masoor Dal:

Equipment Needed:

8-qt stockpot or Dutch oven, with cover

skillet, 7” preferably, but doesn’t matter that much

splatter screen big enough to cover the skillet, wire-mesh

silicone spatula or silicone spoon

spatula to get washed dal into the pot (do not immerse a non-silicone spatula)

set of 8 custard cups or other small bowls

measuring cups: 8-cup liquid (or the equivalent), +

dry measures 1 cup + 1T, 1 tsp, ½ tsp, 1/4 tsp

Ingredients: OTHER THAN THE LENTILS/DAL, EACH INGREDIENT SHOULD BE PUT IN ITS OWN CUSTARD CUP BEFORE YOU PREPARE THE DISH. THIS IS CALLED MISE-A-PRET IN CLASSIC CUISINE. THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE RECIPE CALLS FOR LICKEDLY-SPLIT TIMING.

2 cup masoor dal (split red lentils) or Egyptian red lentils (not split)

½ tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp salt, preferably sea salt or Kosher salt

4 T canola oil

1 tsp whole brown or black mustard seeds

18 frozen curry leaves OR 4 bay leaves OR 10 fresh basil leaves (Only the curry leaves will give a genuine East Indian taste. They will thaw immediately upon use.)

6 garlic cloves, minced

Juice of one large lime, or 3 T bottled lime juice

Method:

First, cook the lentils. Boil 8 cups of water. Pour 2 cups dry lentils/dal into a large bowl & pick over to take out any pebbles or rough pieces. Wash 3 times, then drain. Pour the lentils into the water to a rolling boil. With the silicone spatula, remove white froth to a small bowl & discard contents. Add the turmeric, stir. Cover the pot almost completely (just a quarter-inch of the cover should be open.). Turn the heat down to very low & cook for 45 minutes. Test for done-ness by taking up a spatula’s worth &, with a table spoon, tasting a lentil. It should be soft. If not, cook 5 more minutes. Toss in the salt. Stir. Turn off the flame.

Put the oil in the skillet. On a medium-high flame, wait until the oil is hot (test by putting your hand above the oil by about 6” –caution to not get burnt.). Put in the mustard seeds & IMMEDIATELY cover with the splatter screen. The seeds will pop, pop, pop. Wait until you don’t hear any more popping. You’re done with the screen. Then put in the red dried chilis & stir. Put in the leaves & stir. The oil will splatter – be careful. Put in the garlic – the oil will splatter so be careful.. Reduce the flame to medium, & cook till the garlic is golden (just a matter of seconds). Now, pour the contents of the skillet into the pot with the lentils – keep your face away from the pot! Stir. Add lime juice & stir again. Serves 6. (This dish is better reheated on the 2nd day; it thickens.)

East Indian staples

Deborahmichelle — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:55:50 GMT

Dear All, I'm planning to post some East Indian recipes here in Kosher Recipes, but I think taht first, I should tell you what staples you would be well to have on hand, so that you don't have to run out to the store every time you cook:

Vegetables: onions, ginger, garlic, jalapeno peppers (you need 1-4 in any recipe), cilantro, mint. You can cut up these items as soon as you return home from the market, in one long cutting session to save time when you cook.(veggies to be frozen in1/2 cup portions -- except for the herbs, which should be frozenin 1/4 cup portions -- for meals; stems & peels to be put in your for-soup bag in the freezer).

Legumes: dried beans -- butter, kidney, garbanzo/chickpeas, mung, baby lima

dals (split legumes) -- val, masoor (or Egyptian red lentils), chana, mung, toor, & urad

peas -- black-eyed, green split, yellow split

Grains:

long-grained white rice (basmati if you can afford it)

brown rice (I use this exclusively, & just adjust the cooking time in recipes) There is a brown rice that is basmati -- but I find it too expensive.

Cream of Wheat (not instant) (semolina/farina)

spices -- teh ones with asterisks are vital; you can collect the others as you go along

ajwain (you can substitute oregano)

ground amchoor

*hing/asafoetida (this is a digestive aide, as well as being a spice*

cardamom pods, whole &/or ground cardamom

*chili peppers, red, whole, dried*

*ground coriander*

cumin seeds, black Kurdish

*cumin seeds (regular)*

*ground cumin*

*curry powder*

fenugreek leaves

fenugreek powder

*ginger, powdered*

kalonji/nigella seeds

*masala, garam*

masala, sambar

*mustard seeds, brown or black*

pomegranate seeds, dried

*turmeric*

I had a lot of the legume types in the house already. I spent about $50 total getting the other things. There is a Bazar of India chain where you can buy all of these items. If you can, also purchase fresh curry leaves (they are frozen, for preservation) -- they make such a difference in taste of the recipe! You can substitute fresh basil leaves, but the taste will be unauthentic.

SO, next week, I'll start posting East Indian recipes every once in a while.

Yours in Him, Deb

Carrot Halwa D or V/P

truepeacenik — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:39:00 GMT

Veggies for dessert!

Halwa is one of my favorite desserts/ breakfasts, so I looked up loads of recipes, took a series of Indian cookery classes, and developed this hybrid.

For dairy, use ghee and condensed milk.

For prve/vegan, use oil and coconut milk (not cream of, but the type in the Asian aisle. Dried is fine, but it always has a dairy additive)

1/2 kg carrots ( a bit over a pound), grated

1/2 can condensed milk, coconut milk

15 tsp sugar (I plan to try agave nectar)

4 tsp ghee/light oil

3 cardamon pods

optional:

arrowroot starch or other thickener

some raisins and cashews/pistachios

Saute the carrots in the oil, add sugar

Sugar will melt and the paste will thicken (more with ghee than oil, so arrowroot or other thickener can be useful toward the end)

add crushed cardamon pods and milk until it thickens.

add rasins and nuts, if desired

Serve warm or well chilled.

The New Year of the Trees

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:35:15 GMT

Dear All, We are fast approaching a wonderful Jewish holiday called Tu B'Shwat, or the New Year of the Trees. This is when in Israel the almond tree blossoms. We believe that the L-rd looks over all the trees of the world, & assigns to each a degree of blossom for the coming year.This year the holiday starts on the evening of Sunday, Feb 8th, & continues to the afternoon of Feb 9th.Tithes of ancient Jews were agricultural. Also, there is a law that one cannot eat fruits/nuts of a tree until it is 3 years old. In the following year, all fruits/nuts had to be taken to Jerusalem to be consumed. There were no more restrictions specific to trees starting in the 5^th year.We plant trees locally in celebration today, & make donations for trees to be planted in the State of Israel.We also celebrate this New Year with a seder that includes 4 cups of wine (or grape juice). This started out with the Kabalah masters of the 16^th Century.We taste 1 each of 3 types of produce:(i) Tht totally edible: grapes or figs or apples or lemons or pears or berries(ii) The edible with a nut inside: olives or dates or cherries or apricots or peaches or plums(iii) The edible after throwing ut the outside: nuts or coconut(iv) There is also a theoretical kind of produce, which we celebrate in its absence: the purely spiritual,which obviously does not exist in this earthly realm.Happy New Year of the Trees! Yours in Him, Deb

Rugelach?

Hofmama — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 02:59:28 GMT

Anyone have a good rugelach recipe they'd be willing to share? Thanks!

"Let's have a party, We'll all dance the 'hora'" -- it's Chanukah time

Deborahmichelle — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:10:01 GMT

Dear All, On Sunday, 12/21, Jews all over the world will be lighting the 1st candle of Chanukah. Actually, we will light 2 candles. A chanukiah (called a "menorah" by many -- a "menorah" is a lamp) has 9 candle-holders. One, generally the highest one -- but sometimes set off to one side -- is called the "shemus" candle. We light it first, & then use it to light all other candles that represent that night of the holiday. For example, on the 6th night of Chanukah, Friday the 26th, we light the shemus, &, with it, we light six other candles. Because Friday also ushers in the Sabbath, we light the chanukiah first, before lighting the Shabbos candles.

The holiday commemmorates what? There is a lot of controversy. Everyone agrees that its background is stalwart refusal to eat pork, even at teh penalty of death. Most commentators state that in 167 BCE (before the common era; BC), upon the death of Alexander the Great, the Syrians took hegemony over Israel. King Antiochus replaced Jewish worship in the Temple with the worship of Greek gods & the sacrifice of pigs on the sacred alter. Many Jews became martyrs/refuseniks. When the Syrians came to a village called Modi-in to set up an altar, the local priest Mattathis murdered a Jew who was willing to sacrifice a pig to show fealty to Antiochus. Both he & (upon his death) his son Judah the Maccabbee, waged successful guerilla warfare against the Syrians. They even were able to reclaim the Temple. But, desecrated as it was, it was necessary to rededicate it. ("Chanukah" means dedication of a building.) They could find only one small vial of oil to light the menorah, but, by Divine miracle, the oil kept burinng for eight days, long enough for them to find additional supplies.

HOWEVER, the 2 Books of the Maccabbees nowhere mention this miracle. Furthering the dispute is the problem that these Books are Apocrypha, books in the Christian Bible, but NOT in Hebrew Scriptures. Jewish sources do not list or explain the holiday -- along with the miracle -- until approximately teh fifth century Common Era/AD, in a set of sacred texts called the Gemara portion of the Talmud, the compilation of Oral Law as the Rabbis developed it. In this rendition, the guerrilla warfare is barely mentioned.

This is probably enough or too much discussion of the holiday's origins. Let us look at its celebration today.

Chanukah has been "Christmas-tized" in American culture. It has devolved into a frenzy of eight-day gift giving to children. Some secular families actually bring a Christmas tree into their homes & call it a "Chanukah bush" -- I am not kidding.

In traditional homes, however, each person lights his or her own chanukiah. They are then placed on teh windowsills so that all can see. The celebration involves a game called the dreidle, a top which the children spin. Hebrew letters are printed on each side, & dependign on which letter comes upward, the child has to put into the pot a candy, take one out of the pot, etc. Latkes, which are potato fritters, are eaten by all Jews whose family origins are Eastern European or German (Ashkenazi). Doughnuts are eaten by Israelis & other Sephardim (families whose origins are Spanish or from North Africa or the Middle East). Other fried foods are eaten by all. The oil for frying represents the miracle of the oil's perduring. There is a custom that Mom doesn't have to do any work for a half-hour after the candles are lit. Gifts of chocolate in teh shape of coins ("Chanukah gelt") are given.

The problem in non-traditional homes is that the childern have been impressed by the Christmas season. They want what Santa has to give, & they want it 8 times over. And many parents give that many gifts to them. Remember the oft-cited Christian refrain, "There's a reason for the season" of Christmas. It is too bad that secular Jews do not learn & carry forth the reason for the season of Chanukah.

And, by the way, when there is a Chanukah party, dancing is customary. The "hora" is a joyous Israeli circle dance, which involves kicking right with the left foot & then left with the right foot.

I've only skimmed the surface of the holiday. I'm open to any & all questions. Chag Chanukah Sameach! Have a joyous Chanukah festival! Yours in Him, Deb

The invidous use of white grape juice ....

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:53:31 GMT

Dear All, I mentioned in teh Food Stamps sub-Forum of Frugal Foods that my Darling brother had bought me some luxury goods. I did not inspect them in the store. The items that I had bought before, the Dr Praeger's broccoli pancakes, the King Arthur's Flour, & the Ezekial English muffins, naturally are all Kosher. The luxury that he talked me into was Knudsen Spritzer Ginger Ale. We bantered about it back & forth, because I really wanted a diet product. I failed to look for a hecksher/Kosher seal, & I have no excuse. I just now went to put a can in the fridge, & looked at the label. No hecksher. Looked at the ingredients. White grape juice. No wonder that there is no hecksher! Grape products are inordinately pricy when Kosher as they have to be watched something like registered mail.

SO, I'm going to get $5.29 back the next time I do errands, & I don't believe my brother will accept the cash back.

Just a word of caution to those who FAIL to look a gift horse in the mouth!

Yours in Him, Deb