Cook in Israel, Another Cookbook

Orly Ziv's Cook in Israel is a beautifully produced cookbook. It's attractive and professional-looking.  It doesn't skimp on photographs and isn't full of frightening complicated recipes. The recipes aren't full of exotic, expensive never to be used again ingredients. From what I understand, Orly Ziv is a cooking teacher with a large following.



I would really like to only praise the book, but in all honesty, I just can't.  It's not just the quirky English, "tomatoe" and "rough salt" sic which could have been corrected with a good editor.  It's the use of butter and milk in recipes that should be parve, meaning neither meat nor dairy.  Orly does explain that she's a pesco-vegetarian and eats a lot of dairy. For people who live on a similar menu, this will be the perfect cookbook.

IMHO a kosher and/or Jewish or Israeli cookbook should not have so many recipes with hidden dairy ingredients. By "hidden" I mean unexpected.  If someone is served a baba ghanoush or babka he/she doesn't usually expect them to be dairy.  If there's a new edition, I'd suggest adding ways to take out the dairy and make the right substitutions.  That way those who are on a non-dairy diet can fully benefit from this wonderful and tempting book.

Bread is not supposed to have milk and butter, and if you do want to add dairy to cakes, which would normally be eaten on Shabbat and other festive meals when meat or poultry are eaten, then at least provide easy to follow and find alternatives for the dairy. This is a serious kashrut problem. Just because Ziv is vegetarian, she shouldn't limit her potential customers to those who eat the same way.  Yes, when buying a general, secular cookbook, we know we have to adjust recipes, but a good Jewish cookbook should be much easier to use.  It should be written for those who keep a kosher kitchen.

And nowadays when more and more people are discovering that dairy isn't healthy for them, a cookbook filled with recipes that require butter, yogurt and milk isn't a good idea.

I've just given you my opinion.   I'm sure that many people really will enjoy this cookbook, but I almost never serve or cook with dairy ingredients.

What's interesting is that kosher labeling is becoming a requirement by law in Israel.  Dairy, Parve and Meat will have to be clearly labeled.  Homemade and restaurant food should also indicate if it's strictly dairy, meat or parve.

Following my Shadow

I'm not much of a follower.  I don't react well to getting too many orders.  I'm the firstborn in my family. My parents had me to "practice on."

I've always gone in odd ways, certainly not quite what my parents had hoped and expected.  "Out of the box" is the only place I feel at home.

My style of dress is also a bit eccentric.

I'm not from a religious home, but I was drawn to Jewish observance even before my NCSY days.

And then through NCSY I found the strength to make real changes, especially because a friend took the same path.

Soon that wasn't enough.  I learned Zionism and was brought to Betar, thanks to Dennis.

And then I dropped out of college and married.  Soon we were on the boat to Israel, lived in Jerusalem, did two years of Jewish youth work in London.

But then our return to Jerusalem wasn't enough either.

Off to Shiloh.   I wouldn't accept any excuse not to move there.

And now I'm drawn to the Biblical Shiloh, where the Tabernacle once stood and where for millennia Jews prayed.

What's next?

JPIX and More Pics

Leora has brought us the latest of the periodic Jewish Picture Blog Carnival aka JPIX.  It has some gorgeous pictures from Jewish blogs all over the world. The highlight for me is seeing my friend Leah's pictures and discovering that she's a great-grandmother already! This picture is from her granddaughter's wedding.

Another of the featured bloggers is Devo aka Pesky Settler.  She lives not far from me and is a very active and supportive to newbies member of 52 frames.

And yet another actual friend of mine, The Real Jerusalem Streets, also has pictures in this JPIX.

Cosmic X also has some great pictures.  Also Toby included some snow pictures.  There's nothing more photogenic than snow.  Is there? OK, babies and Tel Shiloh, too.

Mason's pictures are unusual, and the blog is new to me.  Lorri's blog is one that I do follow. You can find the link on my sidebar.

If you'd like to contribute to JPIX or host an edition, here's the form.  Just click.

And more about 52 frames, which Devo had blogged about. This week's theme/challenge was to shoot a self-portrait.  I really don't like the one I submitted.  It's not flattering. Reactions by those who know me and my family is that I look just like my father.

Well, that's no real surprise, because I've always looked like him. But this one really shows those genes.  I shot the picture in natural light coming from the kitchen window, while standing by the sink.  I very dangerously perched my old and demented Canon A620 on the ledge of a try which stands by the window near the sink.  I turned off the flash, after an earlier shot had awful lighting/shadows,  and turned on the 10 second timer.  I stared into the lens and waited for the timer sound click to go off.

I think I should have used one of the others.

This one is the most unusual, but I thought that in a self-portrait you're supposed to have an easy time finding the subject.

Taken in my daughter's kitchen. I was so impressed by the shine.  I just couldn't resist.

Recovering from the Trauma of the Blizzard

This post is also on RU Prepped

Many of my neighbors are shopping for small generators and non-electric heaters.  I'd love to find a new gas wall heater, but apparently, they are no longer marketed here.  Small gas heaters that can be mounted on the wall are "out of style."  Years ago, when I was cook in the maon, baby daycare center, that was how they were heated.  I don't want a heater that we can trip over, store away and must move and "plug in" when needed. I also don't want another neft kerosene one when it's impossible for us to buy the fuel.  Years ago we had one of those, but the upkeep wasn't worth it.  Generators also need fuel and upkeep. A large home heater using fuel can cost more than moving to a hotel in warmer climates for the rare few days every few years we may need it.  We did survive the snow sans heat, electricity and water...

Neighborhood trees did worse than we did.

There are actually few years when we are without electricity long enough to make a private generator a necessity, but the undeniable trauma of this recent blizzard has people totally freaking out.

I'm being very cautious, because it seems that Murphy's Law will rule and if I spend money I really don't have on a generator or new non-electric heating system, we won't really need it in the near future.  And those things need so much care.  One of the emails to the Shiloh list mentioned replacement parts and service for the small generators.  None of this is local or even Israeli.

The only thing I may agree to do is to change our gas canisters to the large ones, so I'd have enough gas to keep food hot and cooking when there's no electricity on Shabbat especially.  With a large gas canister, then almost any gas heater would be an idea.  We could always move into the livingroom when there's no electricity.

But right now the sun is shining, and G-d willing the repaired electricity supply towers will be stronger than the ones that collapsed.

Bo בא Come! Havel Havelim and the Sh'vat Kosher Cooking Carnival

Cross-posted on Shiloh Musings

Bo בא Come!  Another combined Jewish Blog Carnival, Havel Havelim and the Shvat Kosher Cooking Carnival in one big, facinating package.

I'm doing it again. As I've found myself as a very busy "default hostess" for both Havel Havelim and the  Kosher Cooking Carnival, since both were due to be posted last last week, I'm combining them into one tasty dish, sort of stir-fried blog posts.  There will be food and politics all together in one big wok, or blog carnival.

Havel Havelim is a weekly Jewish and Israeli blog carnival, which includes all sorts of posts about Judaism and Israel.  The Kosher Cooking Carnival is a monthly blog carnival, appearing on or around Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month.  It includes posts about all aspects of kosher food and kosher cooking.  Next month, Adar Alef, there will be the debut hosting by Foodiscovery.

Here's a variety of posts I found or were sent in to be included in KCC and HH.  Please read, comment and share, thanks.

Paam Shlishit Glidah
"Hold The Mayo"
Nu, Just Do It!
Inspiration for 2014 in Jerusalem
The Year that Was
Wonderful Shiloh, Wonderful Neighbors
The Missing Guest
The Boy and His Name

Sam, Z"L

Surviving the Snow, Another Saga of The Blizzard of Tevet 5774, December 2013, A Recipe, Too
Terrorists care about the strength of the shekel
JStandard.com: My Talmudic Advice Column for January: Shul Boycott and Carlebach Conundrum
Proposed Law: Rabbis cannot charge for officiating at weddings
Pre1A, The Gan Chovah Journey Begins
31-Dec-13: What is it about US policy that fails to understand the Hamas factor?
Keeper of the Scrolls – Get-hunter
Ariel Sharon, Moshiach and The Eighth Year
A Life Not with Standing, Inspirational Memoir by Chava Willig Levy
The King of Schnorrers
Spotted at the Jerusalem Lions Football Game
Small speech at the end of Ulpan
בזק בינלאומי - Bezek Beinleumi Charging for Services Not Rendered
Another Fifty-Two Frames post
January First 1st Isn't My New Year, Chodesh Sh'vat Tov!
Bo-5774
On the Plains of Moav
Snow/Blizzard Saga, Having Fun With Friends, Beer!
Bayit Yehudi Cannot Remain Silent Over Rabbi Druckman
Finally Partners Against The Obama-Kerry "Land Swap" Idea, Arabs!
It's Official, The OU Has Declared Quinoa Non-Kitniyot Kosher for Passover
Beer Festivals for 2014
Merry Christmas, Israel!
President Shimon Peres's "Valley Of Peace Initiative"
Demonstration in Support of MK Gidon Sa'ar; An Infiltrator Responds

Ode to the Israeli Tsofim Caravan
Healthcare without Politics: Ask for What You Need from Foundations Ready to Help YOU

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Spotted at the Jerusalem Lions Football Game

I must admit that I was forced to "lighten" these photos.  My old 620 camera does not do well in the dark except for close-ups.  Here are few shots taken from the stands.

It was a good game, at least for our team.  And as per the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions tradition, after the game they thank the fans.

Chodesh Tov! It's Shvat, So Have Some Fruit!

Yesterday I was in the shuk/shuq Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda.  You can tell it's Shvat -two weeks to TU (the 15th of) Shvat from all of the fruit being sold.  Here are some pictures.

This can be my favorite holiday.  I love fruit even more than any candy.  The only thing that can turn my eye from fruit is Hagen Daz Mint ice cream...

Not What I Need to be Reminded of Before Flying

I get very nervous being forced to lose eye contact with my valuables during those security checks.  I've heard too many stories of things going "missing."  There's really no way of safely taking valuables with you nowadays on planes.  Everything's x rayed including the passengers.

Rafi, Life in Israel just posted about a security worker caught stealing...

Well, at least he was caught.

Havel Havelim at A Soldier's Mother

Better late than never...

Paula, A Soldier's Mother was quick to volunteer to host Havel Havelim a few weeks ago during the snow/blizzard. At that time I was sans electricity, and the official predictions were that it may take even a couple of weeks for things to return to normal in Shiloh.  And to tell the truth, there still are problems with the street lamps between the main junction and Shiloh itself, even though we have "regular" electricity at home.

 I didn't take into account an emergency trip to the hospital (he's fine, thank God). I didn't take into consideration a birth (she's fine and so is her new baby boy). I didn't take into consideration having to deliver about 100 documents rebranded (let's not talk about that one).

Paula is not only a soldier's mother, she also has other children and a business, so after a few more important things than our long-running international Jewish blog carnival, she posted it yesterday.  Read, comment and share, thanks.  THANK YOU PAULA!!

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Havel Havelim is the weekly blog carnival, started many, many years ago by David of Soccer Dad, which offers links to many Jewish and/or Israeli blogs. HH  floats around the internet.  We organize it on our facebook page.  Links can be sent via blog carnival.  Let me know if you'll like to host an edition.  It's not hard.  Hosts will receive the links and the "instacarnival" from them and should also include other posts of their choosing. 

I'll be hosting the next one in just a few days, and as I've done before when my HH hosting and my Rosh Chodesh Kosher Cooking Carnival coincide, I'll combine them.

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Just to remind you, it's not all that difficult to host a blog carnival. Try it.  Choose one or both.  If you'd like, then please email me at shilohmuse at gmail dot com.  You're invited to join our facebook pages Havel Havelim andKosher Cooking Carnival. It's best to send in your links via blog carnival,KCC, HH.  Blog Carnival send the hosts not only links to posts that have been submitted but also a suggested "mock-up" sample of what could be the carnival.  They send it in two versions, embedded text and html.  You can paste an edit what they send.  In addition I suggest adding posts and pictures you've seen which fit the criteria of the carnival.  

Planning Another Trip

With my father still alive in Arizona, I'll be going there again in a few weeks.  There were years I didn't travel abroad at all.  But since my parents became too old to travel to Israel I started going there once, now twice a year. My mother passed away early summer, so now it's just my very elderly father who lives near my sister.

This year I'll combine the AZ trip with visiting cousins in Miami.  I've never been to Miami, FL before.  I've always wanted to go, ever since my mother's oldest and younger sisters moved there with their families when I was little. One cousin and his family are still in Florida, and they have always been telling me that I'm invited.  They were in Israel a few years ago, and we had a wonderful time together.  This year I'm taking them up on their offer.

I have my Arizona Shabbat plans set with the people I stayed with last January, and I still have to set up the Miami, Florida end. That's what happens when you're the only strictly Torah observant Shomer Shabbat person in a large Jewish family.  But I'm not worried. G-d willing, it will all work out.  (Invitations appreciated.)

And as for the blog carnivals I coordinate, we have a debut hostess lined up for the Adar Alef Kosher Cooking Carnival,  Food Discovery, and I'm looking for a few volunteers for Havel Havelim.  If you'd like to host, please let me know, thanks.