JEWISH FOOD AND JEWISH RAMBLINGS

Green Borsht (Photo credit: Such A Groke)

English: Sabich, Iraqi-Jewish pita sandwich popular in Israel; main ingredients: fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, onions, Israeli salad, hummus & tehina, stuffed in a pita (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kasha Varnishkes (Photo credit: Anne Feldman)

English: Home cooked rugelach, sour-cream dough with brown-sugar, walnut and rasin filling. A traditional eastern-European Jewish treat. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bagels with cream cheese and lox (cured salmon) are considered a traditional part of American Jewish cuisine (colloquially known as lox and a schmear). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Coming across a great post on the Internet made my mouth water for someone elses cooking. Traditions from ones childhood should be reveered but memories make the recipes a bit tastier when the time comes to pass on recipes to younger generations. Not one for Surveys this time decided one on Jewish Foods might enlighten me and teach me about the Eastern European dishes I’d long forgotten about or maybe keep my interest enough to learn about dishes from other peoples Booby, Boobie or Bubs whatever they called their Polish Grandmother.

Being a Pescitarian I no longer count Chopped Liver, Cholent or Gefilte Fish as a favourite past-time to enjoy and my children sadly won’t be aware of such dishes instead I learn the Sephardi way Kubbeh, Spicy Olives in Tomato Paste, or Sabich. I know my family loved Stuffed Peppers or Capsicum as we called them Down Under, and pickled herring was a traditional Eastern European delight which I never partook in even though these days if Mattias is served you may catch me with some on my plate.

The likes of Aranygaluska,Kokosh, Kasha Varnishkes, Ptcha, Schav or Teiglach ar unfamiliar to me and sharing such dishes may just encourage me to hit the cookbooks online. But for now I’ll take a tip from my Lithuanian guest and make a vegetable soup with pickles or Spinach Borsht with Sour Cream and play it safe before introducing my children to tastes from my childhood. Nevertheless Seeing Black & White Cookies or Egg Cream as typical Jewish foods surprised me but then again I did notice the survey was made largely suited to the American Jewish Ashkenazi population of which I am not affiliated. Still the famous New York Bagel with Salmon was a frequent treat for everyone but me growing up but I did enjoy the Cream Cheese Spread on one of our local Bagels. Today I head to Holy Bagels in Jerusalem if I’m interested in a Smoked Salmon rather than some other Sephardi treat for lunch. Anyhow having a guest from Lithuania gave me encouragement to look back to my Eastern European Roots and try out some recipes for my children whom somehow managed to pick up a few Yiddish sayings Oi Vay!

Meanwhile I’m preparing for the upcoming Sephardi dishes for Hanukah , Bulmakis or small doughnuts without filling made with yoghurt or even some Chorios to celebrate Hanukah and seeing as its also thanksgiving I may just make a pumpkin pie a memory from my American Aunt.Thanks for allowing me to take you down memory lane and enjoy sharing your memories and family dishes with me.

Just a simple Note from a new found friend in Lithuania whose inspired me to continue this blog.

They are very friendly, hospitable and great family. Mikki‘s home full of life, fun and arrangements. You can learn a lot from her. Mikki is very interesting, nice, smart, extremely positive person. She gived me advice before I come to Israel, invite me to music festival in her town and show around interesting places.
It was a pleasure to meet your family and have good time together. Hope your childner will use CS to know the world, countries, cultures. Good luck and see you in Lithuania.