What do My Roses Have in Common With My Nail Polish?

Take a good look and think about it.

In the meantime.... Don't you agree that I do have the most gorgeous roses, thank G-d.  Honestly, He is a better gardener than I am.

Just to show you the potential grapes growing...

Does anyone know what these roses have in common with my nail polish?  I'll give you a few days to guess. OK?

Modern Kosher, The Modern Menu

Kim Kushner's The Modern Menu, Gefen Publishing House, is very much the modern kosher cookbook for the Modern Orthodox or to be perfectly honest a very good cookbook for anybody looking for a cookbook for special meals.  The fact that the very tempting and attractive recipes are kosher is almost irrelevant. 

Kushner's book isn't a "Jewish cookbook."  Don't buy it for the young bride who wants to bake challah and make the traditional Ashkenazi foods.  You won't find challah, geffilte fish, kneidelach or latkes.  And the Moroccan foods she includes, such as her bourekas, aren't at all like you'll find in one of the popular bourekas joints in Israel.  It's all very modernized. And it all looks delicious.

I've reviewed quite a few kosher cookbooks, and my practice is to read them, review them and then give them to my sister-in-law.  She cooks by recipe; I don't.  I have no doubt that she will absolutely love this cookbook.  Even I'm tempted to try a recipe*, which is pretty much unheard of in my kitchen.

Unless I missed it, there's no explanation of what kosher means or how to plan a kosher meal by not serving meat/poultry and a side dish or dessert made with butter.  Actually, I only noticed one of the butter using recipes that indicated that margarine could be substituted. Could it be that Kushner originally wrote it for the general market (meaning publisher) and not the Jewish or Israeli one? Also in only one of the mentions of the crab, which isn't at all kosher, is it explained that she really is referring to surimi, which is mock crabmeat made from kosher fish.

Kushner has some important recipes "hidden away" as part of a larger recipe, like the pesto in Baby Lamb Chops with Pesto Croute. (exactly how it appears in the book)

This recipe calls for frenched lamb chops, which are chops with the meat cut away from the end of the rib so that part of the bone is exposed. Frenching the chop makes it cleaner and let’s call it fancier, almost like a lamb lollipop, if you will! Your butcher can do this with the quick swipe of a knife; asking him or her to do this makes fast work of this simple-to-prepare dish. Croute simply means “crust” in French. Fancy.
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 handful fresh basil, washed and dried well
½ handful cilantro, washed and dried well
3 garlic cloves, peeled 
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup unseasoned dried bread crumbs, plus more for sprinkling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 baby lamb chops, frenched

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a food processor, combine the basil, cilantro, and garlic. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and pine nuts and process until the mixture forms a paste, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the bread crumbs, and season with salt and pepper.

Season both sides of the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Prepare a grill or set a grill pan over high heat. Sear the lamb chops on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Place a spoonful of pesto in the center of each chop, then spread it evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with additional bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the crust is golden and crisp and the lamb is pink inside, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

A recipe I really must try is her *Lemon Celery Root Salad with Walnuts.

This salad takes me right back to my childhood home in Montreal: It was on the table, without fail, every Friday night. The funny thing is, I hadn’t a clue that the primary ingredient was celery root; I just knew that I loved the mild celery-like flavor and creamy texture. I love preparing dishes with somewhat unusual ingredients such as celery root; it’s what keeps me interested in cooking.

Ingredients

1 celery root, rough outer skin discarded, root halved

Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

On the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the grater disk, grate the celery root. Transfer to a medium serving bowl. Pour the lemon juice and olive oil over the celery root, add the walnuts, and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

There really are many interesting recipes to choose from, and I like the fact that Kushner doesn't obsess over her cooking.  She likes to experiment, which is what we should all do.

The Modern Menu is for the sophisticated kosher cook or any cook who wants good food without too many complicated steps.

.

Eating Out in "Village Green," Passover and The New Branch

It's funny.  I remember when Village Green was a new kosher, dairy, vegetarian, health food restaurant in Jerusalem.  Their salad bar was considered rather revolutionary at the time.  And well over fifteen years ago, when I worked as head of the ready-made sandwiches from a cart for offices for the now defunct Bagel House (bought by very successful Holy Bagel) we'd both deliver to the same offices in Har Hotzvim.  So, yes, I've known the Village Green for a very long time as a customer and even as a competitor.  Now I'm just a customer.

Village Green was one of the restaurants open Kosher for Passover, no kitniyot, in Jerusalem.  We ate there with cousins and enjoyed the food, though the prices add up when you're taking salad.  Their orange soup is delicious, with just the right amount of fresh ginger.  We ate at the Jaffa Road branch.

salad, vegetables and fantastic orange soup with ginger

quiche and salad

no complaints about the vegetable soup

Before Passover, I met a friend at the newly located Emek Refaim branch of Village Green.  They moved from Rachel Imenu Street. It's close to the bus stop near the zerRU florist.

It's nicely set up and sticks to the popular menu selections that has made it a Jerusalem favorite for decades. Yes, my friend and I have been meeting at their various locations for decades, ever since the Village Green first opened.

33 Jaffa St, Yoel House St. , Jerusalem.
Phone: 053-8094788
Fax: 02-6253062
Open Hours:
Sunday - Thursday 09:00 - 22:00
Friday 09:00 - 15:00

To Add AdSense or Not to Add AdSense, That is The Question

I love to write, and since I've never been much of a hustler, I couldn't get myself paid positions as a writer.  A few years ago, I began sending articles via email, essays I'd written about life here in Shiloh to friends all over the world.  I called them "musings."  The response was fantastic and people kept telling me to get an internet site.  That's how I started blogging.

I consider my blogs to be my  very own magazines.  I can post whatever I want whenever I want. I can even have guest-writers post on my blogs.  It's much easier than trying to get my articles in as op-eds in various publications.  I started blogging long before internet versions of newspapers allowed writers to blog on their sites.  I've even gotten those sorts of positions, but it's a "volunteer job."  I don't get paid.  There was a time when I allowed an ad company to advertise on my blog and whatever money I got I gave to charity, but they stopped years ago.

The closest thing I've gotten as "payment" has been books to review.

I blog daily on both this blog and Shiloh Musings.  That means that I do spend a lot of my time writing, and I take my writing/blogging seriously.  Shouldn't I make some money from it?  A neighbor insists that we, my blogging husband and I are missing out on money we could and should get from advertising.  He says that we really ought to get a paypal account and sign up with Google's AdSense.

Nu?  What do you think?  Does it really pay? If you have experience with AdSense, please let me know in the comments, thanks.

Better than Nothing

I don't get to exercise enough.  It's my fault.  I don't make the time.  But I do try.  I refuse to accept the idea that you need to exercise at least twenty minutes to get full health benefits.  That "rule" won't make me exercise more.  It would only make me say:

"Don't bother."

That's why I say, even a few minutes of exercise can help.

It's better than nothing.

Just keep adding up the minutes and even the seconds.  And just do more, a few minutes here and there.

Let's just keep on encouraging each other, ok?

A Short Trip to Zichron Ya'akov

A neighbor said that friends of hers had invited us all for lunch in Zichron Ya'akov.  Especially since I almost never get to go anyplace, I enthusiastically accepted the invitation.  I have almost never been in Zichron.  The last time was to pay a shiva (condolence) call to people who lived in what was then known as the "Or Sameach" neighborhood."  As I remember, it was a neighborhood of plain apartment blocks, low economic, very religious and English speaking immigrants.  I have no idea if there still is such a community in Zichron. 

Our post-Passover hosts are relatively wealthy and live in a very upscale neighborhood with large homes and well-kept gardens.  We had met them when we were visiting our neighbor.  She drove us up.  Israel is a small country, and with the new Highway Number Six it has gotten even smaller.  It certainly helps that Shiloh is in the center of the country.  Zichron Ya'akov isn't all that far away.

Following are pictures from the drive and Zichron Ya'akov itself.

We had a lovely day.  And we were very surprised to discover that although it was still a vacation day from school, the roads were totally empty.

Something Special at Tel Shiloh on Rosh Chodesh Iyyar

Please join us.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh
Rosh Chodesh Iyyar
Thursday, April 11, 2013
1 Iyyar 5773 8:30am
Tour of Tel & Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים
ראש חודש אייר בתל שילה
יום ה' 11-4 א' אייר תשע"ג 8:30
יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל
נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

We usually start walking to the large flat site which is considered where the ancient Biblical Mishkan Tabernacle had stood after 8:30am praying the morning prayers, including Hallel together.  It's always exciting to see what has been newly discovered by the archeologists.

In Biblical times Jews made pilgrimages to Shiloh to pray and sacrifice to G-d.

Next week on Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, Tamara Spiro will present a special program at 9:30am on the Healing Potential of Sfirat Ha'omer in Hebrew, with the possibility of translation in English. You may bring some snacks, preferably healthy, so we can feast together.

נלמד על הצמחת ומימוש הפוטנציאל בספירת העומר

אתן מוזמנות להביא משהו טעים ובריא אם אפשר כדי שנוכל גם לסעוד יחד.

 

Please come and also spread the word, so we have a nice turnout.  For more details contact me shilohmuse at gmail dot com.

Does This Really Mean...

Do you know what these flowers are?

They are flowers on the lemon tree I bought and planted about twenty years ago.  We've never gotten any lemons from the tree.  I've never seen so many flowers on the tree.  I hope that means that the tree will finally bear fruit.

The flowers are only on one section of the tree, but that's better than no flowers at all.  There's another citrus tree right near it.  I think my son planted it from a seedling he had found.  It also has some flowers.  Could this year be the year?

May G-d bless us all with fruitfulness, joyous occasions and good health.

New "Market" in Jerusalem

A few weeks ago, when I was walking downtown Jerusalem center, I noticed all sorts of tables set up with items for sale on the King George end of Agrippas Street.  I managed to take a couple of pictures before the threatening reactions of the "peddlers" made me hide my camera away.

Last week, during Passover, we were there again and people are still selling.  I didn't dare take out my camera in broad daylight.  You can find used clothes, household items, jewelry and more.  I didn't check out prices, since I don't need anything they were selling.  The person I was with was wondering if that would be a good location for a "garage sale" to clear out things instead of just dumping them.

Our Seder- The Grandkids Took Charge

I must say that the younger generation is amazing.  Our eldest grandchild is just short of her tenth birthday, bli eyin haraa, but that didn't stop her from taking charge of the Passover Seder, with the able assistance of her eight year old sister.

The entire Israeli clan of the family attended, hosted by my daughter and her husband.  Actually, there weren't all that many people, but we managed to fill their large living room in which the enormous dining room table was opened to its maximum.

The Hagaddah was read by most of the adults taking turns and the two oldest kids, those very precocious young ladies already mentioned.  The girls had a booklet written by their school principal, which had all sorts of quizzes and games.  So, periodically, the girls read things and asked questions of their five year old brother.  I know there are families in which the parents  know how to ask their kids and each other and guests all sorts of questions, but we were never good at that.  I used to tell my kids to interrupt with songs and things they had learned in school. 

At my  family s'darim (Seder in plural) when I was a kid, we also split up the reading among all those who could read.  We did it all in English except for some Hebrew songs.  But we didn't ask and answer questions. There was no concept of preparing any thing but the food.  My husband grew up with his grandfather quickly reading the entire Seder in Hebrew.  One just didn't interrupt or really understand what was being read.

Of course, in Israel the kids all know Hebrew and read the Hagaddah as a familiar book.  In school and even the youngest preschool classes, they have been learning about Passover, the Seder and the traditional songs.  Periodically throughout the evening the two year old would serenade us with her rendition of the Four Questions.  One can never hear it too many times, especially from someone as cute as she is.

It's  a whole new world, Baruch Hashem, thank G-d!

And What's Your Favorite Passover Food?

Vote via comments, thanks.

• matzah
• matzah brei
• savta brei, see recipe
• geffilte fish
• kneidelach
• charoset- please specify how you make it, since there are many versions
• chrain- horseradish
• wine
• something else, if possible please include the recipe, thanks

There's Nothing Like Jerusalem

In downtown Jerusalem there are many old buildings from the earliest neighborhoods built outside the walls.  And there are signs on buildings telling what happened in the area, the building itself and about historic people who lived in the buildings.

Just wander around, especially the Nachalat Shiva and Nachla'ot neighborhoods.  Nachalat Shiva is near Zion Square.  The main streets there are Yoel Solomon and Rivlin.  Nachla'ot is near (or includes) Machaneh Yehuda, the open market, Agrippas Street, Betzalel Street and all of the connecting ones. 

It's like a maze.  But if you read what's written on the buildings, you'll learn an awful lot about Jerusalem and its history.

Easy to Make Vegetable Kugel by Pictures

This vegetable kugel has evolved from classic raw potato kugel.  I now use mostly low starch/carbohydrate veggies, because neither my husband nor myself eat a lot of potatoes.  I pretty much cut them out entirely.

Here are the vegetables I used in this year's kugel, an onion, a couple of potatoes, squash and carrots. 

I pre-cut the vegetables for the blender.

The onion, a couple of potatoes, squash and carrots were blended up with a few eggs in my Passover blender.  If you're using a blender, like it did, use as many eggs as needed so that all of the veggties will be pulverized.  If you're using a food processor or hand grating, then add about two or three large eggs, or more smaller ones to the grated vegetables.

Then add your salt, pepper and any other spices or herbs you like.  Mix well, then add matzah meal, so it won't be watery.  You need the matzah meal, or the final product will be mushy.

Pour the mixture into baking dishes and add some olive oil, or whatever cooking oil you use, on top of each.  Lightly mix the oil into the top of the kugel.

I always bake my kugels in disposable pans so I can freeze and then reheat them.  Yes, I make more than I need.  They freeze very well.  This quantity, about half my usual, filled three long loaf pans.

I baked in medium plus heat (hotter than a cake) and lowered the heat a bit after the top looked ready.

Don't obsess over quantities and timing.  To check if it's ready, cut into it to make sure it's really baked.  If the top is crispy and the inside mushy, lower the heat and cook longer.

Two Very Different Jerusalem Museums

About a month ago, I went to the Israel Museum with a friend.  I try to get there every couple of months, because there's always something new.  It's a large museum, at least by Israeli standards and is ranked among the best in the world.  The Archeology and Judaica departments are amazing, and it also has lots of classic, impressionist and modern art from all over the world.  It has been recently renovated and enlarged.  Here are a few pictures I took at that recent visit:

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I visited a much smaller more intimate museum Conegliano Veneto Synagogue and The  Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art, 27 Hillel  Street.  It's in downtown Jerusalem, barely a block from the Ben-Yehuda Midrachov and the popular Mamilla Mall.  It's easy to get there by public transportation, both bus or train, and there is parking not far for those who come by car.

The outstanding highlight of the Museum is the synagogue, which is now used by Italian Jews in Jerusalem: it was originally the synagogue of Conegliano Veneto, a village located between Padua and Venice.

We met relatives in Jerusalem and wanted something a bit different to do on Passover.  When our kids were little, we'd visit each other for a meal, but now the kids are grown up and do their "own things."  The Italian Synagogue seemed like the perfect place to visit, because it combines Jewish History, art and convenience.