These lemon bars do so many things right. Most important, they balance all the delightful contrasts in a good bar—soft, creamy filling and dense crust, sweetness and tartness, fruitiness and nuttiness. But they are also gluten-free and Passover-friendly, and sport a nutritious whole grain base. Thanks to quinoa flour, the crust holds nice structure and […]
Salted Bourbon Caramel Hamantashen
February 21, 2018 · by
Bourbon and especially bourbon salted caramel create quite a decadent hamantashen. But besides great flavor, bourbon has a Jewish connection—something I discovered while visiting the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Here is the story I wrote about it for The Jewish Food Experience: If the notion that Jews have a rich heritage in America’s bourbon industry surprises […]
Polpettone di Tonno with Horseradish Green Sauce
September 27, 2017 · by
No, that’s not gefilte fish. And that’s exactly what I love about it. Let me introduce you to my version of Polpettone di Tonno, Italian tuna loaf. It plays the “gefilte fish” role of festive holiday fish appetizer, but with more nuanced and fresher flavor. I was honored to have my Polpettone di Tonno featured as […]
Spiked Peaches with Grilled Pound Cake
August 2, 2017 · by
Come August, peaches are ready for their close up. The market bins overflow with the colorful, fragrant fruit, and I find it hard to resist their call. Just this week, I took home peaches almost as large as softballs and every bite was sweet and juicy. Although I love making sangria out of them, they […]
Rustic Sicilian-Style Strawberry Cassata
May 10, 2017 · by
A rustic but still decadent strawberry dessert for Mother’s Day? Shavuot? Just because? Yes, yes, and yes, please. Ever since seeing a photo last year of a strawberry cassata, a Sicilian-style ricotta cake, it’s been on my list to try. This year’s arrival of spring’s best strawberries motivated me to do it—to create my own recipe for this festive and […]
Passover Quick Tips 2017
April 4, 2017 · by
It’s always a good idea to have a few tricks up your sleeve for navigating the cooking and eating during Passover. Here are a few: Keep ‘em warm. If you are hosting a big holiday dinner (and this goes for those holding Easter dinners as well), you might enjoy these ideas for keeping multiple dishes warm that The […]
Calzones with Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper
March 6, 2017 · by
Calzones, like other turnovers, are comfort food that can be eaten on the run. But I’ve always found them to be too delicious not to sit and savor. And although they are often considered folded-over pizzas, they do pizza one better in giving you more of the tender crust, browned all the way around, that […]
Giveaway of “King Solomon’s Table” by Joan Nathan!
January 27, 2017 · by
Quick Update: Congratulations to drawing winner Carol Ezovski from San Jose, California! Thank you to everyone who participated! Just in time for Mother’s Day and the holiday of Shavuot, I’m thrilled to be hosting a giveaway (see the end of this post for details) of a signed copy of Joan Nathan’s newest book, King Solomon’s Table: […]
Post-Holiday Green Elixir
January 10, 2017 · by
Normally, you won’t find me making or sipping a smoothie. Or a green kale juice thing. I like to chew my food, and I don’t subscribe to the need for detoxes or cleanses. BUT, after a season of too much—sweets, rich and bountiful meals, chocolate, whipped cream, politics, tweet-storms, everything—a sparkling glass of green goodness suddenly […]
After the Latkes—Hanukkah 2016 Recipe Ideas
December 20, 2016 · by
After the potato latkes, then what? Here are some recipes honoring the oil and/or dairy traditions that have caught my eye for savoring Hanukkah this year. At the bottom are also links to a few personal recipes that I like to revisit for the holiday. Marquesitas by Pati Jinich—Pati calls these hard wafer rolls, but I see them as […]
Hanukkah (or Christmas) Gift Ideas
December 12, 2016 · by
Still looking for some gift ideas for Hanukkah (or Christmas), especially for the people in your life who love food and entertaining? Here are a few: Seed + Mill’s Gourmet Halva, available from Fig Tree & Vine (which also stocks a beautiful variety of sophisticated and often hand-made Judaica gifts). This lovingly crafted sesame confection comes […]
Hanukkah Fritters (Frittelle di Hanukkah) with Figs and Sambuca Honey
December 7, 2016 · by
Like a doughnut, but better. These fritters are less fussy to make, wonderfully chewy and flavorful—and they have a Jewish-Italian connection that I love. Plus, most fittingly for when holidays overlap, in Italy, similar versions are enjoyed for both Hanukkah and Christmas celebrations. Below you will find an article I wrote in 2016, and after that, some […]
Sweet Noshings Cookbook Giveaway!
December 6, 2016 · by
UPDATE: We have a drawing winner—congratulations to Toshia Frank of Alvin, Texas! Thank you to everyone who participated here, on Facebook, and on Instagram—I loved reading the comments. I think chocolate babka was a popular favorite in the Jewish dessert category though apple desserts and rugelach were also mentioned often. Wishing everyone a sweetly delicious season! […]
Pumpkin Cake (Torta di Zucca) with Orange-Mascarpone Topping
November 17, 2016 · by
Pumpkin and squash were historically favored by Italy’s Jews. You could find these fall fruits in soups, risottos, pastas, stews, fritters, and yes, even cake. I found recipes for Jewish-Italian pumpkin cakes, but decided to develop an updated version. We served samples of this during my talk in September about the culinary history of Italy’s Jews. When I started working […]
Rosh Hashanah Recipe Ideas 2016
September 27, 2016 · by
Even though I have some favorite recipes for Rosh Hashanah (hard to tear myself away from the brisket with cranberries and mushrooms from Meatballs and Matzah Balls served with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables), the coming of the new year often finds me looking through books, blogs, and Web sites and considering adding some new dishes […]
