bloviatrix

Ok, I know this is sacriligous, but I need some help. I'm planning my menus for Rosh Hashannah, and most of meals will be meat based. This means I can't serve dairy-based desserts. Does anyone have experience using soy milk to make pastry cream or ice cream? If it's doable, I'm thinking about that as an option.

What was your family food culture when you were growing up? I grew up on Long Island to parents that are first-generation Americans. As Ashkenaz (European) jews, the food we ate was a combination of the standard "jewish" fare and whatever food trends were popularized in the newspapers. Our life seemed to revolve around the kitchen or dining room table. My mom had certain ideas about food. Milk was required at every breakfast (you had to have at least 3 glasses of milk a day). Lettuce and tomatoes were served with lunch and dinner every day. Fresh ingredients were important. There were a few local farmstands, and in the spring and summer my dad would buy tomatoes and corn. Was meal time important? Extremely so. Everyone was expected to be home and at the table. There was no TV, radio, or printed materials allowed at the table. And you were required to contribute to the conversation - usually about current events. This even extended to when I lived at home after college. My dad would call me at work to verify the time of my arrival on the railroad so we could eat dinner together. When I explained that I had to stay at work and wouldn't make it home for dinner, I was told that since I lived at home, I was required to eat with the family. Was cooking important? I recently asked my mom if she enjoyed cooking. She said it was her job and it wasn't something that she loved to do, although she enjoyed cooking for special occasions and trying out new recipes. That said, cooking plays a very important role in the orthodox jewish house. It seemed to me that my mom was always preparing for Shabbos. It started on tuesday when she would prepare her menu. Wednesday was for shopping. Thursday and friday were for cooking and baking, and more shopping. Before the holidays, my mother cooked up a storm. I still remember the pre-Passover prep, when my mother, her two sisters, and my grandmother would gather for several days to cook and bake. We would have turkeys and briskets, and the lightest, fluffiest sponge cakes you ever tasted. Plus, Grandma's chremzels which are a savory, matza-meal roll. What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? Usually my father would issue a stern look. Who cooked in the family? My mom. My dad is fairly incompetant in the kitchen. And yet, for some reason, when it comes to barbeque, that's his dominion. The story in my family, is that after my parents were married, my mother was afraid to cook because she was afraid she might poison people, so every week my father would drive to my grandmother's where she would provide all food for shabbos - chicken soup, roast chicken, kugels, etc. When my parents moved to Long Island, my mom had to get over her fear and start cooking. And no one has ever been poisoned. Mom not only cooked dinner, but she made breakfast and lunch as well. As long as I lived at home, she made me breakfast. It was always either an orange or grapefruit, a main of hot cereal, grilled cheese, pancakes, etc, and milk. Always milk. And in high school, my lunches were legendary. I would get "make your own sandwiches" - all the components, that I would put together so the bread and lettuce didn't get soggy. Plus, there was always homemade cake. The first time I cooked a meal was in March, 1991. I was living at home after college, and my parents were away at a conference. Since they returning on friday, my mother asked if I would take care of shabbos. I defrosted chicken breasts and made a cranberry-pineapple glaze (no recipe, just throwing things together that I though would taste good) and marinated mushrooms. I'll never forget my dad's comment after tasting my food. He said "I won't be disappointed if I never eat this again." How's that for a shot to the heart? Were restaurant meals common, or for special occassions? Kosher restaurants on Long Island didn't really become prevelant until the 80s. In the 70s we would go for pizza once a month or so, and going out for "deli" was a real treat. But as I got older and there were more places to eat, we began to go out more. For birthdays we would come into "the city" and go to Moshe Peking, which was the "fancy" kosher chinese restaurant. I loved when we would go shopping on the Lower East Side, because it meant mushroom-barley soup and cheese blintzes at Ratners. Nowadays, my mom rarely cooks. They either have take-out or go out to dinner every night. They're getting extravagant in their old age. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? Never. I sat with the grown-ups. I'm the baby of my immediate family and of my generation of cousins. We all sat one very long table at holidays and were expected to contribute to conversation. The only concession to being a kid that I can remember was the little blue kiddush cup that I got at Passover instead of a crystal one like all the grown-ups. I knew I had "arrived" when I moved up to crystal. When did you get that first sip of wine? I was probably a toddler. We had wine at the table on our shabbos table. Of course, it was Concord Grape or Malaga. Dad always let me have a sip. My first exposure to hard alcohol was at 13 when I started going to bar mitzvahs. Somehow we got our hands on a screwdriver. I didn't have really good wine until I was about 20. It was a Gan Eden Gewurtzramiener. One taste and I understood what people meant when describing a wine as flowery. I could taste and smell the flowers. Shortly thereafter, my parents hosted Craig Winchell, the winemaker and owner of Gan Eden when he was in town for a bar mitzvah. I was beginning to explore wine and I inundated him with questions that weekend. Was there a pre-meal prayer? On shabbos we always started with kiddush (the blessing over the wine) and Hamotzi (blessing over the bread). After the meal we would say Bircat Hamazon (Grace after the meal). During the rest of the week, it was expected that you said the appropriate blessing pre- and post- meals. We worked on a honor system. Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)? Yes and no. There weren't specific meals, but you knew in concept what would be served. Sunday and monday tended to be shabbos leftovers. Tuesday and thursday were usually dairy meals. Thursday was frequently spanish omelettes. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? Quite a bit. Just like with my parents, almost all of my entertaining is done around the dining room table on shabbos. Although I don't cook as many traditional ashkenaz foods, there are still certain foods that I will cook to mark the seasons. For example, stuffed cabbage will only be eaten between Simchat Torah (the cabbage rolls are representative of the wrapped torah scrolls) and Purim. I will only make cheesecake once a year at Shavuot. Every year on Rosh Hashanna my mom would host a large open house for friends. I do the same thing. And I tend to go overboard with baking before Purim. The main difference is in the style of cooking. I use a much wider variety of ingredients (there is a lot more available to kosher cooks, than there used to be). I integrate different cuisines and flavors - I think nothing of using lemon grass or star anise, when my mom has no idea what they are. Plus, I tend to cook lighter foods.

I love potato salad and it's one of my husband's favorite foods. I make both mayo and vinagrette based potato salads depending on my mood and the rest of the meal. When making a mayo based salad I always make my own mayonaise. I'm partial to garlic mayo, but I recently made a basil mayo which I found pretty tasty. Currently, my favorite is a "dilled" potato salad. The vinagrette is EVOO, white wine vinegar, mustard and paprika with lots of dill, chopped dill pickles and scallions.

For a Latte Landmark, the Last Drop

Three days of corn dogs, here we come!!

I wonder... if this had anything to do with the letter I received. It took a good month for a response and was not sent by either person I addressed it to... Maybe egullet is more of an impression than a letter. I don't think you should be too concerned with who responded to your letter. In my experience, letters of complaint usually get forwarded to the person best equipped to resolve the situation and respond. It's probable that in your case Ms. Seltzer was that person.

For all you New Yorkers, Ben & Jerry will be making an appearance at the scoop shop on the corner of Broadway and 104th on September 17th to celebrate the store's grand opening. They'll be giving away FREE ice cream!!

For those of you interested, Jessica's Biscuit (eCookbooks, see link below) has Herme's Chocolate book for 50% off ($20).

I received the new Jessica's Biscuit catalogue yesterday. Lots of new releases. I'm sensing a buying spree.

So do you refuse to eat at McDonald's as well?

I'm finishing up left-over blanched green and yellow beans tossed with toasted sesame oil and sea salt. Yummy. Let me take a moment to declare my love for toasted sesame oil. Truly a wonderful thing. I love the scent and I love the taste. Just opened a fresh bottle. Delightful.

I thought this was hysterical.

Deleted because I just realized I mis-read something.

Dinner tonight will be: Tuna Tartare w/ponzu Pan-roasted Arctic Char w/Honey-Soy Sauce Glaze Green and Yellow Beans w/Toasted Sesame Oil Roasted Fingerling Potatoe w/EVOO and Sea Salt Corn A loaf of Pugliese/butter Not sure what we'll drink.

You must have been floored to see that envelope in your mail. Any plans to go back?

oh jeez, i used to love the Connells, and haven't thought about them in probably 10 years.

mrs. tommy took to slowly throwing out all of my "band" shirts. but that's another thread altogether. I take it Mrs. Tommy doesn't realize that rock concert t-shirts from the 70s and 80s are all the rage now. People are paying obscene prices (three digits!!) to own vintage ones. Even Urban Outfitters is selling Ramones t-shirts. My favorite band t-shirt is from The Connells. The album was called Weird Food and Devastation. It's got a Dali-like fork on it. And yes, there are food splatters on it.

Well, it seems like the tuna tartare last week made such an impact, that my husband bought tuna at the fish monger and asked that I make more for dinner tonight. Whatta guy.

There's one thing worse than ketchup on scrambled eggs - Jam!!! I'm queasy just thinking about it.

Yesterday, at a stand in Hillside, NJ, I bought a delicious cantaloupe (I think there's a sliver left), corn, garlic, and cherry tomatoes. Today, at the the 97th street market, which has been temporarily re-located to Columbus between (97th and 98th): Fingerling potatoes Green and Yellow Beans Assorted Plums Sun Gold Tomatoes Bell Peppers A loaf of Pugliese

I tend to use spearmint.

I'm so jealous. I'll be glad to take some of your extras off your hands. Last summer I was able to get fresh edamame from the greenmarket, but I haven't seen any this year. In addition to eating them straight from the pod, you can make a multi-bean salad. I used to make one with yellow beans, grean beans, flat beans, kidneys, chickpeas, and edamame (you get the idea) with a light vinagrette. It was yummy.

Chocolate cake with mocha buttercream. Frozen buttercream is really yummy.

My favorite flavor is the dearly departed Dastardly Mash. Chocolate ice cream, with raisins, pecans, and slabs of chocolate. They just opened a scoop shop in my neighborhood. Whoo-hoo!!

My stomach hurts from laughing so hard while reading this thread. It's a good thing I'm not eating, because I'd be spraying my food. My worst spill was 14 years ago, when I was an intern at a consulting firm. It was morning. I sat down at my desk with a cup of coffee when the phone rang. Within seconds, there was coffee covering everything, including me. I was wearing a light colored suit, and I was scheduled to give a presentation to one of the Principals that afternoon. I ran into the bathroom and started to cry. Nowadays, I'm fairly neat, except when I'm wearing something light-colored and expensive. There is a direct correlation between cost of item of clothing and type of stain.