This past week, I attended my first Tu B’Shevat Seder in many, many years. Though most people, Jews and non-Jews alike, are pretty familiar with the Passover Seder, not all are as well acquainted with its tastier, happier cousin, the Tu B’Shevat Seder. Tu B’Shevat is described as the new year of the trees, and… Read More Tu B’Shevat: Rethinking the Rituals of Eating
It only been a little over two weeks since Donald Trump was elected President, and no matter which side of the political aisle you stand on, you are probably feeling pretty swept up in the crazy emotion of it all. This is probably even truer if you’re standing on my side of the aisle. As… Read More Three Reasons Why We Talk Politics at the Dinner Table (and think you should too!)
So, this week we finally got past most of the sicknesses that have been making the rounds in our house. Frankly, between politics and germs (which, now that I think about it, have a lot in common!), it’s been a rough month, and while almost everyone is feeling better, we have all been tired and… Read More 3 Stars and a Wish
Some dear friends of ours taught us a tradition that they do with their kids each day after school. It’s called…yup, you got it…three stars and a wish. Instead of asking the kids how their day was, and having them reply with the perfunctory, “fine,” it gives them an opportunity to share a little more… Read More Three Stars and A Wish
A couple of weeks ago, I made my first two loaves of homemade challah in probably more than three years. I had made challah religiously (pun intended!) just about every week for Shabbat for the better part of 10 years, but paused when my son became gluten intolerant, and then stopped altogether once my daughter… Read More Collective Memory: Mind, Body and Bowl
From time to time, while my children play on the I-pads at our public library, I like to peruse the cookbook section. A few months ago, I took out a cookbook entitled, It’s All Good, by Gwyneth Paltrow—yes, THAT Gwyneth Paltrow. “Really?,” my husband asked when I brought it home. “Seriously?,” he asked when I… Read More For the Love of Cookbooks…
Has a squirrel ever gotten into your bird feeder? Well they’ve gotten into mine! They’ll keep at it until they finally gain access, and then the unappreciative little rodents will make the most of the opportunity. With pure glee on their furry faces, they will enthusiastically pick out and eat all the best bits, while… Read More It’s Uncivilized!!
