Photographic Guide to Eating Artichokes

Yes, I did blog post about eating artichokes not that long ago, but it didn't include too many pictorial details. That's because I usually eat my artichoke on Shabbat. So last night when I ate an artichoke I took a few pictures and hope that it helps those still in the dark.

Not long ago I discovered that there still are so many Israelis, besides gazillions of others all over the world, who haven't ever tried artichokes. In our family they are considered a great winter delicacy. Of course there are those who eat them just because it's an excuse to eat mayonnaise, but that's not me. If I'm eating one "as a meal," I dip the "petal" in avocado or techina, but if it's a "snack," then I'll just use a bit of olive oil with/without freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Here's the equipment all set up:

• lots of white napkins*
• a bowl or plate for dipping
• a bowl to hold the artichoke and eaten leaves

The is the part you eat.

Dip in good quality olive oil, such as Meshek Achiya משק אחיה, or whatever creamy dip you like, or just eat it straight for the flavor and no fat.

See the teeth marks? This is what an artichoke petal looks like after being eaten. Yes, there is a lot leftover.

*Since "cleaning" an artichoke before cooking never guarantees it will be perfectly clean, keep lots of napkins to wipe on both sides of the petal. The flower is closed, as you can see in the pictures.

Eeks, Pesach is Just a Couple of Weeks Away!

I always freak out this time of the year. My house is too full of junk to easily clean. Yes, I know that the best thing is to throw things out, which I must do. It would also help to use up all the food we have in the closets and freezer/fridge. That used to be the easy part, but now we're just two old fogeys rattling around the house, so food just doesn't get finished all that easily.

The freezer looks deceptively almost empty, but there's a lot of food frozen and waiting to be consumed.

The pantry also has too much leftover in quantities that can't be finished before Pesach. OK, some things may be "sold" or donated to food charities, which I'll probably do.

I am thankful to be back to teaching, since in Israel schools close more than a week before the Passover Seder, which gives me plenty of time. And, no, I will not spend every single day cleaning. But I will make goals and doable plans to clear things out.

Sidney Spiegelman, Z"L
1920-2016

Gd willing this year there won't be any unexpected death or other tragedy. Last year my father died just three days before the start of Passover. So I spent the days before Passover sitting shiva. This year we will commemorate his death and life by having a family seder at my daughter's, Gd willing. And we just celebrated a granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah and are looking forward to a wedding soon. So, thank Gd after a difficult year, which included the unexpected death of my brother, we should Gd willing enjoy a much better year.

I pray for good health for family and friends. And as panicky as I always get before Passover, Gd willing this year I will look forward to a cleaner, more orderly and spacious home, once I throw out what I don't really need or use. And when the school year is over, Gd willing I'll get started on the new kitchen.

Tying Two Scarves, Dressing for a Granddaugter's Bat Mitzvah

I've been married and covering my hair for close to forty-seven 47 EEKS! years already, and for a good portion of that time I've worn scarves of various styles, shapes, etc. but always one at a time. Last night for my granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah I decided that I needed to tie two up. Many young women wear a whole closetful on their heads all systemically and artistically wound up together. It looks much too complicated and uncomfortable to me.

After I bought my dress, I realized that the unusual wooden necklace I had gotten from my parents years ago would be perfect with the dress, which it was. (A Hila dress, but not their usual form-fitting style.) And I planned on wearing it with my long gold scarf. That would be a very simple way to accessorize the dress which is classic black A-Line with large pieces of dark red and dark green fabrics sewn in. It's very subtle. Actually it reminds me a bit of the 1960s Mary Quant and Courreges shapes and style.

And then we had Silk Painting in the Senior Citizens Crafts activities I have been attending religiously ever since I left Yafiz. I suddenly saw colors that would be perfect with the dress and necklace, and I painted and created like some sort of nutty arty demon.
Since the dress is very dark, I loved the idea that the scarf would brighten the outfit. And of course it is always nice to wear one's own artistic creations.

The long piece of silk seemed the perfect size for my head when I was working on it, but afterwards, especially after the hemming done by a neighbor, I realized that the effect would be awfully flat and boring if I wore the silk scarf on its own.

There was only one solution to the problem. I had to tie them both on my head together, and after a bit of experimenting, this is what I managed to produce. Being that one is silk and about half the length of the other, I found it easier to work with than I had expected once I realized that I had to combine them before putting on my head, wrapping and tying.

I took this picture, yes a "selfie," after I got home so the scarf isn't all that neat, but you get the idea.

The moral is that we're never too old to try new things.

Coffee Saga, In Suspense

I'm at the very tail-end of my American coffee, which I use in my French Press, so since I had a bit of time in Jerusalem yesterday, I decided to try to buy some freshly ground coffee.

Maybe I'm crazy, because the last time I bought some it was much too powdery and fine even though I had requested:

"as coarse as possible for use in a French Press"

So, this time I'm pretty sure I went to a different place. Most of the coffees were NS10 ($2.75) per 100 grams (3.5274 ounces). This was at Bashkovitz בשקביץ which is a very well-known and popular coffee and spice store in Machane Yehuda.

I asked for a "sample" to feel, but he refused. Grrr... I really wasn't in the mood to go from place to place, so I asked him to grind up 200 grams of the Kenyan coffee. Then he gave me the bag, and of course the coffee felt much too finely ground, nothing like the American stuff. And I told him that.

"All the Americans come here to buy for their French Press," he insisted.

I hope he's correct about it being the right consistency. It does smell pretty good. I'll probably try another place next time. The Israeli Turkish coffee is OK in the percolator, but with the electric hob we're using now, it takes eons to boil and perk.

Gd willing my new French Press, which has a better filter/press will make a difference and the coffee will come out well. I will let you know, so in the meantime we're all in suspense.

Recommendations accepted, thanks.

Jerusalem Purim, 5777, 2017

This year our kids "spoiled" us. They did the entertaining on Purim, both days, even. So we weren't home much at all. On Shushan Purim, we were in Jerusalem, and even though it was a bit drizzly, London style, there were plenty of people in the streets dressed for the holiday in costumes, or at least funny hats. The trains even had some decals decorating the windows.

Here are some of the pictures I took.

Finally Finished, Purim 5777

In the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Gallery, waiting to hear the fourth and final Megillat Ester reading for 5777.

The most difficult of the Purim logistics for me is figuring out where to hear the required four readings of Megillat Ester, the Scroll of Esther, which we, including women, are commanded to hear twice each Purim Day.  So, since Shiloh is one a very exclusive select number of Biblical cities required for various reasons to celebrate two days, of Purim, I have four Megillah readings to worry about.

The reason that Megillah readings are the most difficult and stressful for me is simply because I can't do it myself. I'm also hypersensitive to noises and too easily distracted. Add those problems to my deteriorating hearing, and I need a "quiet reading." That means a reading in which there isn't noise, or very little noise, when Haman's name is said. And what happens is that there's usually an "echo" effect. The noise somehow gets dragged out another few words. And then I'm lost, miserable and even angry. Yes, I get angry on Purim.

"Why can't people aim their noise-making more accurately?" I keep muttering. "A lot of them are just copycats and start their noise-making when it should be finished."

We are supposed to follow the reading word by word, which is very hard for me. If it was just a matter of attending and tuning out with my eyes closed, I could just find a corner and meditate, but that's not the case. I have discovered that sitting in the back by a wall is helpful. At least the noise can't come from all four directions.

I ended up hearing the Megillah at three different venues, by three different readers. Both nights I went to the same place where a neighbor read according to his "quiet" rules. There was moderate, bearable noise for the first and last readings of Haman's name, plus a bit of additional noise by people who hadn't heard or paid attention to the "rules." Sitting with my back to the wall helped, but I had trouble following the reading. The first morning I went to a different neighbor. The venue was very pleasant, absolutely no loud noises, but not the clearest of readings. So, there, too, I got lost a few times. The final, fourth reading I end up where I had sworn I wouldn't go. Yes, I went to our neighborhood shul, but instead of the women's later reading, I went to the early morning one. The noise wasn't all that bad, and I sat in the back of the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Gallery. And in the synagogue there was the best reading. It was very easy to follow and understand every word he said, B"H.

On Purim I certainly had enough to eat at the two festive meals. And it was great fun to see all of my grandchildren and be a guest after decades of hosting, though I did offer to host this year and even host next year.

It's good that the more drizzly day was the second day, aka Shushan Purim. The Shiloh Purim Street Festival takes place on "regular" Purim.

Now there's just a month to Passover. EEKS!

Purim "Street Festival" in Shiloh!

The Purim 5777 me, a selfie

For decades it has been the custom for a "Street Festival" in my Shiloh neighborhood. One of the neighbors chooses a "theme" or sorts, dresses up and has a very cooperative cast, crew and enthusiastic audience. People make a point of getting to the location to see and participate in "the show."

This happens every year on the first day of Purim. "First day?" You may be wondering, because in almost every other location Purim is just one day. Some cities, like Jerusalem, celebrate a day later, but here in Shiloh one day just isn't enough... for various halachick (Jewish Law) reasons, we're blessed with a second day of Purim. Yes, that means, two seudot-festive meals and four megilla readings.

There are advantages, because it does give the opportunity for young marrieds to get to both sides of the family on Purim. My daughter used to go to her mother-in-law the first day and then we'd make a big gathering/feast on the second.

Here are some photos from Shiloh Purim, 5777.

May we all enjoy many, many more, Gd willing.

Baking an Apple-Coffee Cake

For this cake, I used my simple, basic cake recipe. Click here for it. It's the basis of the best of basic simple cakes and as easy to do as a cake mix.

I was feeling pretty stressed out when I started making this cake, or cakes to be more exact, since I used lots of small baking pans to give Mishloach Manot, the Purim food gifts. I had planned on making the cake with chocolate chips, but then I discovered that I hadn't enough, so I began to improvise and granted in a couple of apples. And I found some cold coffee in the fridge waiting for a purpose in life.

And as usual, I used dark brown sugar and whole wheat flour. I didn't measure exactly. My mind was someplace else. Post-fast can do that to you. But considering that I've been making this basic recipe for decades, it really did come out pretty well.

OK, I haven't tasted it, but what could be wrong?

Purim Gifts- Mishloach Manot

This is the clever a perfect sort of Mishloach Manot I can never come up with. I got it as a gift from a fellow teacher where I work. And not only was it cute, attractive and delicious, it was the perfect lunch last Wednesday when I didn't want to eat in the yeshiva's Dining Room.

• 2 low fat plain yogurts
• a small bag of perfect strawberries 
• a jar of irresistible granola
• packed in a lovely Purim gift bag

Yes, I know that it wasn't yet Purim on Wednesday. That's pretty obvious since I studied and taught then. It was a very long day for sure. But since it wasn't Purim, the Mishloach Manot was more symbolic than anything, and the strawberries wouldn't have lasted another few days...

Usually I do eat lunch in the yeshiva dining room on Wednesdays, but last week I was very upset with the menu. In the tradition of the Jewish Month of Adar, leading to Purim there was a "reversal." The meat meal this month is at night for dinner, not for lunch. And the week before I was very upset to discover that the menu was mostly carbohydrates, except for the salads. And there was no protein. For me that's not a meal. I don't eat carbs, and salads aren't very satisfying.

Since I generally sleep out on Tuesday nights, I can't bring lunch with me on Wednesday. I was overjoyed to have received this gorgeous gift. Yes, I know that granola is very fattening, but the yogurt is a nice protein. I was starving and ate it. For me it was a more balanced and satisfying meal than I would have gotten in the dining room.

Safety Glove and Vegetable Soup

I'm sure that I'm not the only person who has all sorts of scars on my fingers from "cutting accidents." Somehow the knife slices fingers more easily than a tomato. That's what happened to me other other night, and not for the first time.

A few years ago, I bought my kids and myself safety gloves that we're supposed to wear on the non-cutting hand to prevent these annoying, unintentional and sometimes long-healing slices. They were definitely not the most enthusiastically and graciously received gifts. Only one of my kids even admitted that it's needed. The rest made it clear that I had wasted my money. I kept one for myself and must admit that it has been sitting a the drawer with lots of kitchen gadgets I'd been given by my husband never to be used. But that last cut really bothered me, more as a reminder than anything else. I didn't need professional first aid.

I wore the glove on my left hand when cutting up vegetables yesterday for the post-fast, Ta'anit Ester-Fast of Ester, and Mishloach Manot (Purim food gift) Vegetable Soup.

Here's an illustrated Vegetable Soup Recipe:

For this vegetable soup, you need two pots, cutting implements and boiling water.

1- take a cup of dried peas, put them in a pot, add boiling water, cover for an hour or more so they will be at least partially cooked before you add them to the vegetables.

Here are all of the vegetables I used, 3 carrots, 2 squash, 2 onions, 1 sweet potato and some fresh garlic. 

As you can see, my left had is protected by the glove, even though I did very little actual cutting. That's because I "cheated" and used the food-processor for the actual slicing.

As you may notice from the magimix 2000 written here, my food processor is old and small. I work in batches and keep emptying it when full. There are two major advantages to using one especially for larger soups.
1- quicker and safer preparation since I don't have to do so much cutting.
2- it slices the vegetables thin, so cooking takes much less time. 

1- I put all the sliced vegetables in a large covered pot with oil and let it begin the cooking process.
2- I also boiled water, and when it was boiling...
3- I added the parboiled (partially cooked) peas to the vegetable pot and used the boiling water to rinse out the pea pot and added all the liquid to the cooking vegetables.
4- Lower to simmer after it all reaches a boil, and then have it cook for 40-60 minutes.
5- Just before you turn off the flame/heat, add salt and pepper. You can add parsley or whatever other seasonings you want at the same time.

Wait at least 15 minutes after turning off the stove before you serve the soup.

This is a "never fail," "TNT-tried and true" Vegetable Soup.

Depressing and Deteriorating Jerusalem Central Bus Station

The  Jerusalem Central Bus Station is relatively new, at least by my standards. It's barely fifteen years old. The basic design was good, with lots of shopping, a food court etc. After a few years, it was discovered that the airflow system was poorly designed, and too much dangerous bus fumes, carbon monoxide etc were getting in. So they had to make some changes for the health of the workers and customers. You'll see here that there are special "airconditioner-filters" over the doors to the buses.

Our Shiloh buses used to have it as its first/last stop there, so we commuters would greatly enjoy its facilities. But a few years ago, Egged bus company sold it and moved many of the bus lines out, including ours. Now when I go in, it's usually for a store or just to get indoors or because of curiosity or to go to the "RavKav" bus/train ticket office. I was there the other day to check out some of the stores. Of course I just had to see what had changed. The lower shopping floors and food court seemed to be nice and busy. But the big shock was that escalators going up to the third floor, where the buses leave from, was dead. People still walked it. I took the regular steps, more comfortable for the knees, and there's also an elevator.



Here are some of the pictures I took. The lighting is awfully dreary. Many eating places are closed and boarded up. The entire top floor is also out of use, as is the public toilet near the synagogue. At least I saw women praying or saying Psalms when I peeked in.  There are also fewer open ticket counters.