Restoring Moses

By Rabbi Karen Deitsch
Published on October 9, 2008

Parshat Ha'azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52) It isn't nice to say, but if I were hanging out in the desert with my friends -- all excited about moving in to a land of milk, honey and great falafel -- and an old man with a stutter insisted on "speaking into our ears" a weird doom and gloom poem, my likely remark would be: "That dude's got issues."

A dessert wine with a healthy finish

By Zev Stub
Published on September 21, 2006

Several years before pomegranates became a favorite of health food fans everywhere, a family in Israel's Upper Galilee region began working to create a tastier and healthier version of the ancient fruit, only to cross their way into yet another huge food market. Their product: the world's first pomegranate wine fit to be sold to international wine connoisseurs

PASSOVER FOOD: Treats to Leaven Desire for Dessert

By Judy Zeidler
Published on April 6, 2006

Something new for the holiday, use the charoset ingredients to make a Passover Fruit Cake filled with nuts and dried fruit that offers a tasty and a crunchy treat. It is similar to the Italian delicacy known as Panforte that originated in Sienna. The mixture is tossed together in a large bowl, spooned into parchment-lined baking pans, and baked for an hour and a half. The good news is that these loaves will easily keep for the eight days of the holiday.

Mommy, Me & Cheesecake Makes 3

By Melissa Maroff
Published on April 6, 2006

OK, mom, so what part of eating that cheesecake is making you feel guilty? If you fear that little bubbela is annoying the other customers in the bakery, your worries are over.

A Yummy Hat Trick of Triangle Treats

By Judy Zeidler
Published on March 9, 2006

The traditional shape of the quintessential Purim dessert, the hamantaschen, is a three-cornered filled pastry. Some say it even looks like George Washington's hat, but I'm certain he wasn't around in those early days. But, what about the shape? What does it represent? Is it the shape of Haman's pocket, his hat or his ear? I think it all depends on the story your grandmother told you.

Let My People Merlot

Published on April 14, 2005

In the beginning, there was sweet wine. Really, really sweet wine. But as the kosher market broadened, a trickle of new wines targeted to a more sophisticated audience began to raise expectations among Jewish wine lovers.

Fritter Away Your Time for Chanukah

By Judy Zeidler
Published on December 2, 2004

We just returned from a trip to Italy, concentrating on the provinces of Puglia and Campania close to Naples. It is a region that we enjoy because of the diversity of the foods and wines available.

Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Meal

By Judy Zeidler
Published on September 9, 2004

The apple, even more than the bibical pomegranate, has become the symbolic first fruit to be eaten during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which will be observed at sundown, Wednesday, Sept. 15.

B’nai Mitzvah Planning 101

By J. G. Friedman
Published on March 11, 2004

So you're going to have a mitzvah -- whether it is a bar or a bat, the planning begins early.

A Sweet Dream Come True

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on February 19, 2004

The tip jar at CremaLita in Santa Monica reads, "Make Me Fat," which is the opposite of why patrons frequent this new, kosher fat-free ice cream chain in Los Angeles.

Celebrate with Cheesecake

By Judy Zeidler
Published on November 29, 2001

On the first night of Chanukah, the family always gets together at our home for a special evening. We enjoy lighting the Chanukah candles, eating traditional foods and exchanging gifts.

Dessert is always a highlight of the evening, and this year for Chanukah, I am going to surprise everybody with a special cheesecake. I discovered the recipe on a recent trip to the wine country when we visited the Redwood Hill Goat Farm near Sonoma. After touring the goat farm, we attended a cooking class where the focus was cooking with goat cheese.