My thoughts on Jewish food.
I’ll admit it: Ashkenazi food isn’t exactly thrilling. Kugel, gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, kasha varnishkes—these foods aren’t trying to impress anyone. They’re beige. Soft. Sometimes overcooked. But they’re comforting in a way that’s hard to explain unless you grew up with them. Ashkenazi food feels like safety. It’s food shaped by generations of Jews …
Cabbage is a humble vegetable. It’s cheap and filling, and when over the hill has an unpleasant taste and smell. But a good cook can do magic with even a poor man’s vegetable. In fact, one of my go-to Shabbos side dishes is shredded cabbage cooked in goose schmaltz and seasoned with lots of salt, …
I’ve written about latkes, how all these cooks out there on the web have their special secrets for crisp latkes with a soft interior. None of these recipes, however, are as good as the latkes my mother made, when we were growing up. Back in the day, we grated the potatoes by hand for my …
Our regular rendition of the classic Jewish dish known as cholent, is hearty, delicious, and satisfying. But sometimes you want to switch it up, perhaps by emulating the spicier cholent you are likely to find at a bris or a Shabbos Kiddush. Well, look no further. This one is spicy hot, the flavors are completely …
Everyone has a go-to chicken dish that is easy to put together on a hectic day or on short notice. This one is a favorite in our home. It is essentially my mother’s recipe, but I’ve amped up the spices to give it some punch. The seasonings are typical of the Eastern European Jewish kitchen. …
Potato kugel is ubiquitous on the Shabbos table, and with good reason. Doesn’t everyone love a really good piece of potato kugel? But not every piece of potato kugel is worth the (significant) calories. Here’s one that definitely is. Is it a patchke? For sure. But just as this kugel is worth the calories, it’s …
In the run-up to Sukkot, it’s nice to bake a variety of cookies. Most cookies keep well, even at room temperature. Biscotti or Mandelbrot are pretty much the same thing and are traditionally enjoyed with a glass of tea at the end of a meal. They are also far easier to prepare than most cookies. …
Sweet and sour brisket is a classic for Rosh Hashana. It’s savory, sweet, and a little tart, all at the same time. It also freezes well so you can make and slice in advance, and set it up in pans to pull out of your freezer, all ready to reheat on your hotplate. I like …
With the holidays coming up, canny cooks are cooking items that freeze well and storing them away to avoid any exhausting last-minute rush to get it all done. The following carrot kugel is noteworthy for several reasons. For one thing, it makes a lot! Probably more than the 12 servings listed here for yield. Also, …
Passover is over, but if you’re like most people, you’ve got leftover matzoh. What to do? Make matzoh brie! It’s easy enough to make and it’s deliciously rib-sticking good. While most people make a sweet version of matzoh brie—or “fried matzee” as we called it growing up—topping the mixture with cinnamon sugar, Jews of Lithuanian …