Thursday, March 31, 2011

Changes

“The only inevitable thing is change, except from a vending machine.”

“What?”

I was sitting on the couch when Ari read that. He handed me the piece of paper it was on and, sure enough, that’s what it had said.

It got me thinking about all the changes that I had experienced over the past six months. A lot has shifted in my life, and I think it’s actually for the better. Ari and I are in a very different place than where we were before, but rest assured, the core hasn’t changed.

- A new job came into both of our lives. His is up in Los Angeles for 1-800-DENTIST, while mine is down in Laguna Hills for a company called Crittenden Research. My job has been a return to my roots as a reporter, which were planted in business writing. However, it’s very different, namely in the fact that if I don’t have an article in by 5 p.m., I won’t be verbally abused for it. Admittedly, it’s a nice change.

- We are also moving out of the ghetto apartment of Long Beach and heading down to Orange County – namely Costa Mesa, home of South Coast Plaza, one of the biggest malls in the United States. I am proud to say that I picked the apartment, complete with a bigger kitchen (!!!) and a sizable dining room for the Shabbat dinners I cannot wait to host. And it comes out to the same price we were paying before.

- I have also committed myself to make sure that I lead a healthier lifestyle. I am working out at least three times a week, loading up on veggies and trying my best to stay clear of my vices (namely pasta and ice cream). It’ a long road, but I know that I want to be healthy and active for the rest of my life. I won’t be perfect, but I feel like it’s something I can do.

Mind you, certain fundamentals haven’t changed – Ari and I are still not doing so hot in the monetary department, and I’m not sure when that will change (hopefully, shortly after the time that we move from the cursed apartment). But for the first time in a long time, our lives are turning in a positive direction.

Change is a difficult task. We like to be comfortable, so when things are shaken up, we are gripping at straws trying to figure it out. For the past eight and half years, Ari has had the same dry cleaner, gone to the same market (even after we moved away from his old place) and driven the same streets day after day. It’s a hard thing to give up the old ways, even after they have outgrown you.

I will miss Long Beach always; it was the first time that I really felt at home in the city where I lived. It’s hard to shake off the old ways and upend your lifestyle, even when it’s positive – it was a such a struggle for me at first when I got this job and had to start commuting again. Yet we are always thankful in the end when we move on and find a new world just waiting to take us in. It’s the leap into the unknown that is scary, but once we embrace it, it’s for the better. And, of course, when you have the best people surrounding you, helping you on that journey, what could be better than that?

So despite the fact that moving has made my apartment look like an episode of “Hoarders” and Ari is complaining every day about his soon-to-be extended commute, I am excited to embrace the future. It has taken us a long time to get to this point, and I cannot wait for what the future holds.

Unfortunately, there are no recipes for this week, as the move has been taking a toll. But next week, I will have a fabulous new one!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Elizabeth Taylor and the Power of Converts

Elizabeth Taylor has been talked about a lot in recent days -- her movies, her marriages, those eyes -- but the most interesting thing that has been mentioned is Jewish.

Yes, Elizabeth Taylor is Jewish. She converted in 1959 to the faith, after studying for a year. Two of her eight marriages were to Jews (director Mike Todd and Eddie Fisher, respectively). It was even announced today that she would be buried in Jewish tradition.

However, there are many people who would probably dismiss her conversion. She did not convert in the Orthodox way. She did it only because she was married to Jews. She may not have passed it on to her children. She didn't follow the traditional Jewish system, and wasn't as open about it.

I think of many things when I think about comments like these. I ponder people I grew up with whose parents didn't allow them to date converts because they didn't think the converts were Jewish enough. I think of the rabbis who would admonish that as a sin, as converts are considered to be even more Jewish than people who were born into the faith, as they had to adopt it and go through a conversion process. That's followed by thoughts of the rabbinate in Israel who has been so strict in recent years of who is Jewish versus who is not, dismissing completely legit conversions.

I then think of all my beautiful Jewish friends who converted to be a part of our faith, one of which who will be receiving her Hebrew name in her temple in several weeks. They had to give up so much to be a part of our world, which has sometimes meant having difficulties with family members who can't understand why they would let go of their previous faith. Some of them have been so dedicated to their Jewish life that they have become leaders in the community, with many new people never knowing that they were once a different faith. They have shown dedication above and beyond people that I have known who were actually born into being Jewish.

Sometimes I feel that we make being Jewish an exclusive club, that people outside of our circle aren't allowed in. I never wanted that to be the case when it came to my faith. When people ask me questions about being Jewish, I am happy to answer to the best of my knowledge. I don't try to convert; rather, education is the name of my game. At the same time, there are rabbis who deem people not good enough to be part of our tribe.

To which I pose to the Rabbinate: When is someone good enough to be Jewish? After all, when my mother was growing up, Orthodox rabbis said that Sephardic Jews couldn't possibly be Jewish. You are so quick to dismiss anyone who is different from our faith, pretending like they don't matter. For years, there have been complaints about intermarriage in the faith, and instead of barring those who want to be a part of it, shouldn't we try to bring them in? After all, as I have said before in this blog, isn't G-d the ultimate judge? You are interpreters of the law, and G-d is the only one with authority.

After all, Elizabeth Taylor performed acts to tzedakah that were beyond the imagination. She devoted herself to the state of Israel, purchasing bonds and raising money for different organizations. She condemned the UN when it equated Zionism with racism, visited Israel frequently and offered herself in place of the 104 Jews being held hostage by terrorists in Entebbe. She was willing to sacrifice her life for the Jewish people to survive. What more proof do you need that she is one of us?

So Elizabeth, wherever you are in our world, please know that your quiet devotion to our faith has been something that is a great anchor. We thank you so much that you chose to be with us, and we are a better people because of you.

In honor of Elizabeth, I actually am going to salute her English roots with a Shepard's pie. This one is vegan, though.

VEGAN SHEPARD'S PIE
1 pound wild and/or cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup mock beef broth
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen peas
Leftover mashed potatoes (see quick tip)
Salt and pepper


Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan. Add mushrooms and thyme leaves, allowing them to turn golden brown in the pan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and carrots, allowing them to become translucent. Add back mushrooms and allow to mix. Add flour to absorb all the liquid from the vegetables, stir for several minutes. Add the cup of mock beef broth and tomato paste and allow to simmer for several minutes. Add the peas. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to broil.

Pour the mixture into an 8-by8 glass baking dish. Top with leftover mashed potatoes. Place in the oven and allow to brown for several minutes. Serve warm.

Friday, March 18, 2011

The Month of Our Gladness (?)

As many of you know from a previous post, I was in a wedding last weekend. As I stood on stage with the rest of the bridesmaids (and bridesperson – yes, there was a guy bridesmaid), the rabbi said, “Adar is the month of our gladness.”

The Hebrew month of Adar is associated with my favorite Jewish holiday: Purim. It not only has my favorite Jewish food (Hamentashen, or a butter cookie filled with a delicious jam), but on top of it there is nothing quite like dressing up, making a whole bunch of noise and watching a bunch of Hassids getting sloshed. And you thought St. Patty’s day was fun.

There has been so much to celebrate this month, from two weddings to babies being born, new jobs and new homes. And yet there are so many horrible things in the world right now: I think of the earthquake in Japan, the revolutions in the Middle East (overthrowing dictators good, people getting killed bad), the massacre of Itamar and of an 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, Texas, who is being blamed by a whole community for being gang raped. There are terrible tragedies, some that bring out the worst the human race has to offer.

The balance of happiness and sadness is a confusing one. How do we know when to celebrate and when it may be left to a better time? How can we dance at a wedding when everywhere in the world there is sadness, death and heartbreak?

For this, as in so many cases, I turn to Nony – my beloved grandmother, Regina Amira, of blessed memory. She was one of the happiest people that I have ever known. She loved to laugh, she loved to smile and she loved to tell jokes and make mischief. In fact, when she died, my mom’s best friend, Wendy, would say to me, “Your grandmother told the dirtiest jokes. She had a mouth on her like a sailor. I had to have Siggy translate half of what she was saying.”

She had a hard life, there was no doubt about that. She grew up poor and lived poor until she got much older. She made do with very little money. There was a lot for her to be miserable about.

However, there is a story that I love to tell about my grandmother, and it all has to do with a little packet of cream cheese:

At one point, my mom was at Costco and found individual packets of cream cheese to serve with bagels. She purchased it and brought it home for a party my parents were going to throw. Before the party, my grandparents came to visit, and my mom gave her a packet of this cream cheese.

Her face lit up as my mom opened the packet for her. All I can remember her doing is sitting in a chair, beaming, laughing, smiling like a happy schoolgirl eating this packet of cream cheese that wouldn’t have normally cost more than a dollar.

As she ate the cream cheese, she explained to me through the giggles that when she was a little girl, her parents were very poor, and cream cheese was a huge luxury. At times, her mother would bring her over, cut a little bit of cream cheese off of the block and give it to her as a special treat. This was the brightness through the dark of poverty.

It takes a special gift to see the light through the black, to create happiness where you feel like there will never be again. It’s about taking our joy and our sorrow with a grain of salt, to find the balance of the world within whatever event we are experiencing at that moment. After all, do grooms not break glasses under their feet to remember that, even on a day as joyful as their weddings, that there is still pain and suffering in the world, and even within our own hearts?

So I encourage you all this weekend to celebrate this joyous holiday. Go have some shots with some Hassids, wear your best costume and carry those graggers proudly. We have a lot to be thankful for in this world, and when there is an opportunity for celebration, we must celebrate. Even though there is still tragedy, and we will remember that there are people still crying for help, we will maintain the balance of love and hate, happiness and sadness. For after all, “If we do not laugh, we must weep.”

I made hamentashen for the first time last night, and here is the recipe I used. Enjoy!


HAMENTASHEN


1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

Your favorite filling, jam or preserves


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla together. Mix the flour and baking soda together and mix into the creamed mixture in batches. Add the milk halfway through the flour incorporation. Combine until it becomes a nice soft dough.

Grease a large cookie sheet. Meanwhile, roll out the dough to 1/8th inch. Using a glass, cut out circles from the dough. Put one to two teaspoons of filling the center. Take each end of the circle and fold it up to the top, pinching it together. Do the same for the other sides until it forms a triangle. Put on the cookie sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each one for expansion.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until dough is golden brown. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet and remove with a spatula.


QUICK TIP 1: In this recipe, I used vanilla, but if that's not your flavor, feel free to use orange or almond extract. This recipe is basic, so add your own flavor!


QUICK TIP 2: When it comes to fillings, I love strawberry and raspberry as well as apricot. I don't dig on the traditional poppy or prune, but feel free to find your own mix. My cousin actually did a special chocolate filling for his at Yale one year. As for the recipe for that, well, he'd have to give it to you.


Monday, March 14, 2011

Beautiful

When I look in the mirror, I don’t see myself as beautiful.

It’s hard to look at myself sometimes. I critique – is that a double chin I’m developing? Ooh, I look like a pizza face, I have so many zits. I feel like my back is enormous – why do I have to look like I have boobs on my back too? I see myself in pictures online, and I untag myself on Facebook if I think I don’t look just right.

I’m sure there are tons of women who get this feeling. As I go to the gym, I watch women in the morning standing at the mirror for 20 minutes, making sure that they get their curls just so, pouting their lips as they put on their makeup. We struggle for it. We seem to have to fight to feel comfortable within ourselves.

Jewish women come with a whole mess of beauty issues. Typically we fight with our dark curly hair and our noses. Nothing seems to be right enough, whether we look too Jewish or we don’t look Jewish enough (or in my case, I don’t look Sephardic enough). For example, my grandmother longed to be a busty blonde her entire life. She also wanted to be tall. However, despite her longings, she was perfectly wonderful just the way she was.

We have been conditioned: Fat equals ugly. Young is preferable to old. Blonde is better. Our locks should be lustrous and we should be picture perfect when we wake up in the morning. We should even look perfect when we work out. I have seen girls in full-makeup mode at the gym, right down to the lip gloss. If I have any makeup on at the gym, it’s what I was wearing the night before to go out and didn’t take off.

Our quest for beauty does more harm than good. Eating disorders run rampant, from overeating to anorexia and bulimia. It disables people from functioning properly. I have watched my sister beat herself up over countless years over her weight, delaying her life by saying, “When I lose 75 pounds, I will do [something she could do without losing 75 pounds].” She longs for how skinny she was back in high school. She yearns for a past look.

But let’s face it: When I look at a reflection of myself, with my size 20 jeans and big boned tall body that makes me tower over other women like a giant, I feel out of place. My sister’s insecurities may have prevented her from living a full life like I have had, but we all still have them.

I grew up in a time where Britney Spears was the ideal of what a girl should look like – sexy, six-packed and blonde. I grew up in a town called Thousand Oaks, where girls wore short skirts in order to get the teachers to give them As in their classes and were wearing stiletto heels that made them look like porn stars. It was uncomfortable, particularly when I experienced a 40-pound weight gain in my junior year.

The pressure didn’t stop at home. My mother, who has struggled with her weight, longed for the days where my body used to resemble Gwyneth Paltrow’s (I don’t). She couldn’t accept that I could be perfectly happy in a body that doctor’s didn’t qualify as a normal weight. She’s not the only one – I see the way that I am judged and viewed differently because of my size. The people who love me don’t care, but it is hard to approach people being me.

My struggle to feel beautiful has consumed me over the years, even as I left my parents’ home to make my own. Yet, unlike my sister, it never got in the way of living. I was meant to live. It’s the spirit that my grandmother instilled in me as a child. We are so much alike, she and I – lovely and perfectly happy people on the outside, brimming with so much life it spills on everyone else. Despite that, on the inside we longed to be the things we never would be.

It’s 10 years since high school. I have found my own identity and try my best to take care of myself. Yet as I look in fashion magazines, I am haunted by the perception of beauty. I feel like a strange freak in this world, not fitting into one community or another, not feeling beautiful and not knowing how I should feel. No matter how many times my husband says that I am gorgeous, I can’t find it in me.

And yet, it is comforting to know that on top of the pop charts right now there is a size 16 soul singer from England with the country’s number one album and a self-proclaimed monster on top of the single’s chart (for the record, that would be Adele and Lady Gaga). The Daily Beast proclaimed the end of the pop princess, where image was everything in lieu of the talent.

I was reminded that it’s the gifts that we give to the world that matter more than how we appear to everyone. Yes, there is a lot of emphasis on our beauty as women, but what ever happened to our brains, our senses of humor or our hearts? Why should we care about being able to turn people on when the best thing in the world is to stimulate the intellect? What ever happened to finding success and going beyond physical appearances, but making the best of it? It is important to be healthy, but I don’t think it matters what size jeans I wear, as long as I feel comfortable in them. We lose ourselves in vanity sometimes, and we need a reminder to who we are, and that we are such special people. We need to have that kick in the head to tell us that those who love us will do so no matter what we look like.

So when I look in the mirror, I will stare into my green eyes and remind myself that no matter what I think of my body that I am beautiful in more ways than one. And that’s what really matters. After all, in the words of that number one hit of the week, “I was born to survive… I was born to be brave… I was born this way.”

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Wedding Fever


In the next two weeks there are two weddings that I will be attending (Jenna and Sean, who are to the right, and Nelli and Uri, who are down below), and that has led me to do a lot of thinking about the institute of marriage – something that has nothing to do with weddings.

Let’s face it – when it comes to weddings, the overwhelming majority is serious political actions. Each person involved is trying to make a power play so they can have control over this or that. There is also a lot of spending involved, another display of who wants it more. On top of that, making sure that everything is ready on time, from the dresses to the chair coverings, is sometimes enough to put any military to shame. Despite this, there is a beginning – the engagement – and an end – when the final thank you notes are sent out and the photo albums are assembled.

But as two of my friends prepare to walk down the aisle a week apart from one another (with many more to come, both engaged and borderline engaged), I feel that I should say something about the institution of marriage. And yes, food will come into play.

When Ari and I were under the chuppah, we had finished taking two marriage classes and felt that we knew what we were in for. We had a lot of the talks we needed to have. And then the rabbi who married us told us that no matter what class we took, we could never really be fully prepared for what was in store for us.

Of course, this rabbi was wise, so he was right. Neither Ari nor I could anticipate the next three and a half years, filled with bouts of unemployment and insane money struggles. As someone once told me, “Couples have divorced for less than what you guys have gone through.”

Let’s face it: Marriage is one of the toughest things of all. You have to take the baggage you have collected over the years and combine it with the baggage your spouse brings in, making it all work. Preferences of who does what in the household, from cooking to doing laundry, have to be hammered out. Roles have to be taken. And sometimes, communication breaks down. At one point, Ari said to me, “We don’t speak the same language,” it hurt me. But then I told this to a brilliant woman by the name of Netta. And she said it in that matter-of-fact way she did with so many things: “Of course you don’t. He speaks man. You speak woman.”

I often think of my grandparents and wonder how they did it. Papu and Nony were married for 66 years, and somehow were loving and having sex into their 80s (I found the proof in the Viagra packages hidden behind the bar). How did they spend 66 years together, the majority of which was in poverty, without wanting to absolutely tear each other apart? How does love survive all those years together?

In addition to that, in a generation where a good portion of my friends watched their parents either split up or grow to hate each other, how do we even find the strength to commit to someone? How do we find the courage to stand under the chuppah, knowing we’re going to be waking up every day to this person? Marriage is supposed to be the answer, but it often leaves us with plenty of questions.

They are questions that my friends Jenna and Nelli probably aren’t as concerned about as they are walking down the aisle. They are ridiculously in love with Sean and Uri, respectively. They will be beautiful brides on their respective wedding days, as will my friends Lisa, Christina and Naz (by the way, their grooms are David, Paul and Boaz – didn’t want to shaft the gents on this one). We forget that the wedding, no matter how grand it is, is only for one day. It is beautiful and pristine and possibly perfect. Marriage is a wild ride, filled with twists and turns, and sometimes a little bit of nausea. But it is one that I hope all these brides and grooms with approach with dedication and love.

And for the record, I do the cooking while Ari does the laundry. Therefore, it’s only right that we do a wedding-themed recipe item. This dedicated to the two beautiful brides – Jenna Pinkham and Nelli Greenspan. Jenna, it’s actually inspired by your husband-to-be, who made me a delicious kosher paella for us in your old place. May you make this in your home for your husbands (or may they make it for you). Mazel tov!

KOSHER PAELLA

1 pound boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon oregano

¾-1 pound spicy sausage, sliced into ½ inch pieces on a diagonal

2 tablespoons olive oil

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 tomatoes, diced

2 cups short-grain rice, preferably Aborrio

4-6 cups of chicken consommé

Large pinch of saffron

1 medium jar of hearts of palm, sliced

1 medium jar marinated artichoke hearts

½ cup frozen peas

1 red bell pepper, sliced

Salt and pepper

Rub the chicken with the paprika, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit for at least ½ hour. Use this time to chop.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet – the bigger the better. Brown the sausage and chicken and set aside. Add remaining olive oil and sauté the garlic and onion. Add the tomatoes and allow to get soft.

Add the rice and toss for several minutes to toss in the oil. Add the consommé and saffron and allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked. Add the hearts of palm, artichoke hearts and peas. Top with red bell pepper. Cover with foil and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Anti-Semitism and the It Girl


When I grow up, I want to be Natalie Portman.

She has been an icon in the Jewish community for years – beautiful, smart, talented and doesn’t get caught drunk in public. She’s a self-proclaimed vegetarian, so she’s as good as kosher in the public eye. She just won an Academy Award and is bringing another member of the Jewish people into the world. But today, I salute her in what has been a flurry of anti-Semitism.

As violence erupts in the Middle East, we as Jews wonder what is going to happen to our beloved Israel. We hear dictators talking about how Israel is to blame for something or another, whether it’s for the uprisings or for the reason why people want the current leadership out. We’re not sure what’s going to happen next.

And outside of the Middle East, we have people like John Galliano, who has been leading the house of Christian Dior, mouthing off about how horrible Jews are and how much he loves Adolf Hitler. The fashion industry, despite having many prominent Jews in it, such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, still has issues with the Tribe. Rumors have swirled over the years about how some fashion houses won’t hire you if you are Jewish, among other rumors.

Natalie, our beloved Jewish girl, could have kept her head down. She may be the newest face of Dior, but she’s an actress. She could have not gotten involved, or even defended Galliano, as many people in the fashion industry are. But Natalie stood tall. Here was her statement:

I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano’s comments that surfaced today. In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful.

I’m not sure if a PR rep wrote this, but it is incredible that she did so. By the way, this is not the first time that Natalie has expressed her pride of being an MOT. While she was studying at Harvard, as anti-Israel attacks were raging on the campus, she wrote an Op-Ed for the Crimson newspaper, stating her support of Israel.

It is so special and rare when we have someone like Natalie, who is so eloquent and strong in her convictions. Yes, she’s beautiful, but lots of actresses are, and that’s why they make the big bucks. But Natalie goes beyond that.

She is smart and can speak in a coherent sentence. She’s fun, but never delinquent in her behaviors (I’m looking at you, Christina Augilera and Charlie Sheen). She’s comfortable in her own skin and absolutely real, right down to her push for raunchy romantic comedies for women. Yet she has great humility and respect to those who came before her and who help her.

Let’s face it: She’s the coolest girl at the lunch table, and everyone seems to relish her presence – Aaron Sorkin, my spirit animal when it comes to writing, was doing interviews for my favorite film of the year when he remembered having Natalie invite him over for dinner and going over the gossip of what was going down at Harvard as Facebook launched. He was in awe of her. As are we all.

So in honor of Natalie, who eats no meat, we are going vegan today for our recipe. Natalie, if you are reading this, there is plenty more where this is coming from.


ZUCCHINI BASIL SOUP

1 tbsp oil (canola or olive)

2 lbs. zucchini

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh basil

4 cups vegan chicken consommé or vegetable stock

½ cup soy creamer

Warm the oil in a soup pot. Add the chopped onions and garlic. Saute until transparent. Slice the zucchini and add. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the four cups of consommé or vegetable stock and cup of basil. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender. Turn off the heat and add the soy creamer. This soup can be served hot or chilled for a couple of hours in the chill chest and served cold.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

YBK Oscar Edition


As a self-proclaimed entertainment industry brat, I get into the Oscars every year almost out of habit. With a father who knows so many people who are coming up and collecting awards, let alone running the whole telecast, I get a kick out of betting on the award show, following the politics of the little gold guy and seeing the outcomes.

Typically, I am not personally invested. I’m playing odds. But this year, I definitely am.

Aside from my hobbies as Queen of the Kitchen, I am a film connoisseur. I have been passionate about film since I was 16 years old and watched “Citizen Kane” for the first time. It was the subject of my very first term paper. I will watch “The Godfather” whenever I see it on television and I dissect movies with my father, and although he and I have different tastes (he’s a “Forest Gump” dad and I am a “Pulp Fiction” gal), he taught me to be a very astute observer of films.

I have seen many great films and many best picture winners. Then came “The Social Network.”

I never thought this film would be good. How could a Facebook movie be good? Although Aaron Sorkin was involved, I had my doubts. But then again, Aaron Sorkin has done the impossible, including make Annette Benning likable. As the reviews began pouring in, I knew I had to see this film.

I went with Ari and my friend Jeffrey to see it one Saturday night. I sat mesmerized for two hours. And then, when the credits began to run, my jaw was dropped and I said, “Holy s**t.” I had just watched something very special.

It was beautifully made, down to the details in the scenery and the acting. But it caught something in me. It was a film of our generation, the first to capture us. It captures all the things we are and all the things we aren’t. I knew from that moment, and at BJ’s afterwards with the three of us talking, that this film would be dissected for years to come.

“Social Network” had a lot to say about many things: About being young in this time, about friendship and how we socialize. It said things about how we have been women (and how we should know better). But I think it says a hell of a lot about being Jewish in modern times. Mark Zuckerberg is a Jewish young man, and part of being young and Jewish reflects in the film, right down to the “Asian-Jewish algorithm” and AEPi sequences, which is portrayed as being clearly uncool.

Then you have the WASPy Winklevi who are considered to be the cream of Harvard’s crop. The finals clubs, which seem to be impenetrable. The only way, in the film, to shake off the uncoolness of this faith is to become one of the herd and joining up with the Harvard elite. However, doing so clearly comes with a price. You forget who you are and where you came from. You try to get it back, but sometimes it just won’t come.

It’s just one of those questions that came up while I was watching an excellent film. Who are we? Where do we come from, and how do we represent ourselves to the world? Do we shy away from who we are in order to blend in with the herd or let ourselves stand out and shine for everything that we are, including our faith?

That is the wonderful thing about great movies – they give us insight into the human experience, into our own experience. If it’s good, it’s merely a way to pass time. If it’s great, it goes into the soul and becomes a part of everything that you are. It’s why my love story with them has lasted over all these years.

No matter what happens at tonight’s Oscars, I feel that “Social Network” will be with us for many years to come, dissected in film schools as why the story works, why the script is one of the best to come in a long time, and how every little detail of the film works to enhance what we are looking at, from the techno score to the art direction in the background. It will say a lot to us as we’re moving forward, particularly the young Jews who view the film afterwards.

In honor of my favorite film of the year, I am posting a recipe that Renee, my brother-in-law’s wife, gave to me this weekend. My nephews and niece supposedly love these Kale Chips, and I bet that you will too. Plus, they’re good for snacking on when you’re watching the Oscars tonight and placing your bets.

KALE CHIPS

1 bunch kale

1 tablespoon olive oil or Olive Oil mister

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Black pepper to taste

Preheat at 350. Tear kale leaves from stem. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Drizzle or mist with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

Bake for 10 minutes or until they are browned on the edges. Serve immediately.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Food Revolution


This morning I was listening to the radio when I heard Jamie Oliver. For those of you who don’t know who he is, he is an English chef who has been the host of many cooking shows, including “The Naked Chef.” His biggest project is Jamie Oliver’s food revolution, where he is trying to get Americans to eat healthy and have more nutrition in their food, which has become “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.”

The second season is taking place in my backyard – that is, if you consider Los Angeles to be the huge backyard of Long Beach. However, considering that this is the area where I have grown up in and find myself loyal to, my interest in what he is doing is piqued.

I don’t know if Jamie will truly grasp the essence of what food is like here in the greater Los Angeles area, let alone our culture. We are technically in a car culture, where we drive to work, drive home, drive pretty much anywhere and spend a ton of time in the car waiting. Remember that famous song, “Nobody Walks in L.A.?” It’s the honest truth. Nobody, unless they’re considered “poor,” is running to catch a bus.

Our food reflects that style. If you go into the poorer parts of LA, there are a ton of fast food joints for mothers who have been working two jobs to feed their families and don’t have time to cook. Although vegetarianism and being vegan is more accepted, there are still plenty of people who don’t understand that you can have a meal without meat. There is balancing what is good with what is fast, because when I had my frustrating hour-long commute to LA every day, the first thing I had to do when I got home was rush into the kitchen to cook. That is not the way to live.

I think Jamie has got some great ideas, but sometimes there is our reality to deal with. The cost of food is getting high. There are several markets that have been great with keeping prices low for healthy goods – thank you Sprouts and Fresh and Easy – but there are plenty like Whole Foods where you feel like you can’t even purchase a single grape without giving away two week’s worth of pay. We want good flavors, but there’s the time factor.

It reminds me of a graph that my father showed me, a vector of cheap, fast and correct. “You can only have two,” he said. It may have been a business graph, but it applies to many things, particularly when it comes to food. According to that graph, we can’t have it all.

I prefer to think positive and think that anything is possible, but with the current structure of the world, I think my dad’s graph plays a significant role. We want to have it all, but sometimes we just can’t. There are too many factors at play, so when it boils down to it, we may only get to pick and choose what we can have.

I know that Jamie doesn’t see the world this way. I know he is putting forth initiatives all across the city to try to help, to when he tried to work with LAUSD (who I think need this the most, but the bureaucrats shot him down almost immediately – G-d forbid they see the mess in the district). Jamie has good goals and we should all try to eat healthier. But with the new culture of the working poor rising in the greater Los Angeles area, it may not come to pass. We would have to make a significant lifestyle change to the way we live here in Los Angeles in order for it to work. We would have to toss the car culture and somehow get fast food joints to reform completely. However, there’s a reason why they call it the “greater Los Angeles area” – everything is so spread out. There is no way around this one, unless somehow we had to rebuild everything in this area from the ground up.

This is not to say that I frown upon eating well. We should all try to incorporate more vegetables and fruits in our diets. We need to eat whole grains and lean meats and avoid processed food. We just need to be realistic, and this is my message to Jamie Oliver: I understand this revolution, but there are other things we have to think about, like using the time that we have wisely and the money factor. Please understand where we are coming from when we try our best to eat healthy but empty our pockets and we seem to have nothing left, not to mention we get into the kitchen after a long day of working and commuting and find that all we really want to do is relax. Have pity on the working poor.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

What's for Dinner? Day 2

Tonight's dinner it had to be fast, as Ari was heading off to class. The result was fish tacos done quick and dirty:


Health Factor: 5. There are some good things in there -- cabbage that I marinated slightly in rice vinegar, cilantro, onion and of course fish is healthy. But the fish is breaded (I cooked it from a box) and the sauce has a mayo base. I'm not going to lie -- this was not a meal done for health reasons.

Delicious Factor: 6.5. It was tasty and I did like having fish tacos. But let's face it: Mexican food isn't my forte, and this didn't have the best ingredients to work with. But it was satisfying, and Ari did like having it before he went to class. It's not something I make that often, and I am perfectly okay with having it once in a blue moon.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

What's For Dinner? Day 1

So in addition to our video developments (I'm shooting a part of the next one tomorrow), I am also launching a 365 photo project for my food. It's called "What's For Dinner?"

Here's how it works: I am taking a picture of whatever that I am having for dinner that night. It doesn't matter if I'm making it or if I'm at a restaurant. That way it's twofold: I can show you what I make and the places that I love to eat at the most. I will also rate my dishes based on healthiness and deliciousness.

So here is Day 1:



Sweet and savory za'atar chicken, curried roasted garlic and cauliflower mash and spinach salad with hummus dressing.

Health Rating: 8. The chicken was delish, and I used a smoked olive oil to add flavor. The cauliflower mash was also tasty, and in order to make it creamy, I added Earth Balance butter. Instead of a dressing with a ton of oil, I added two tablespoons of hummus as a dressing to our salad. However, olive oil isn't exactly fat free and I added a couple of tablespoons of coconut milk to the mash to make it creamy. Next time, I will use soy milk.

Deliciousness: 9.5. The chicken had great flavor, and I will definitely make the cauliflower mash again, particularly if we host a Shabbat dinner. The only complaint is the salad didn't stand up to the first two components.

Time to Wine


Believe it or not, wine in the kosher world is a very tricky subject, not to mention one with a nasty reputation with vino lovers. When people often think kosher wine, they think of the syrupy disgusting brands that have permeated the market for years that have more of the flavor of grape Dimetapp than a great bottle of Bordeaux.

I am a great wine taster (which I learned from my friend Adam), so I know the difference, and I know a lot about wine making from hanging out with people who actually make the stuff. However, for the untrained eye, you would wonder what makes a bottle of wine kosher or unkosher. After all, it’s grapes and casks, for the most part. But it’s who handles the wines that make it different.

Since wine is often used and blessed in many a religious ceremony, the wine that is considered kosher is highly scrutinized. Sabbath-observant Jews have to be involved in the entire process of the wine-making, from the picking of the grapes to fermentation and bottling. Part of the reason why this was done was to make sure that it would remain pure for ritual usage. This also applies to other products that are made from grapes, such as grape juice and balsamic vinegar.

Unless you are very strictly kosher, you probably do not adhere to this ruling. I know many friends who drink non-kosher wine for regular use, but will not bless on anything but the kosher stuff. This was probably partially done due to the fact that we don’t want to feel like we’re drinking cough syrup.

Lucky for us, kosher wine making is no longer limited to the super-sweet stuff. It has taken years for it to become pretty good. I have had some wonderful wines, and one of the best wines that I have ever tasted has been, in fact, a kosher wine (one that’s $80 a bottle, but it’s still really delish). I know quite a few winemakers, and I even got married at a kosher winery. Problem is that although we have come far, we’ve still got a ways to go.

Over the past six years, we have watched as the wine world changed. Wine has become something that common people can embrace for not a lot of coin. Wines from all over the world came pouring in, from Australia to Argentina. Europe and California have no longer cornered the market. In certain cases, the kosher market is responding beautifully, particularly the wine making that has come out of Israel; in other cases, we are desperately in need of improvement, partially in the price of wine.

If you walk into a wine store or Trader Joe’s, you will probably be able to purchase a great bottle of wine that has been rated high for less than $10. Even if it isn’t rated, you can still find great bottles. I am still raving about a $6 bottle of Pinot Noir that my friend Cindy got for me. I am not sure if kosher wine will be able to compete at the same level, providing great wine for great prices. There are a lot of personnel involved in making kosher wine, so it may end up costing more simply because of the labor involved. But if we can, it would be worth it in the long run.

I know this is not an issue for many people who keep kosher and there will always be a demand, but it would be nice if we really began to play with the big boys. Kosher wine has already shown potential to be great, and now it’s time we need to be great for everyone.

So in honor of the wine, I have decided to post a delicious meat recipe that would go perfectly with a red wine.

HERB CRUSTED POT ROAST

1 3 lb. Chuck Roast

1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons mustard

1/4 cup herbes de provance

2 tablespoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat the over to 325 degrees.

Place the chuck roast in a baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, herbes de provance, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil slowly and toss bread crumb mixture to coat. Coat the roast with the bread crumb mixture.

Cook the roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Use a thermometer to check the roast’s doneness – I like mine medium rare, so I always go for 145 degrees. If you like well-done, go for 160.

QUICK TIP: The key to a great roast is to pick the right cut of meat. It should have a certain amount of fat to it in order to keep it delicious and juicy.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

The Vegan Craze

I gave a salute to my veggies and vegans the other week, telling you guys how much I love you and how much I feel your struggle to eat. But it seems like all of a sudden it has become a fad.

My friends and NewKosher are printing a vegan Jewish cookbook (note: I contributed recipes to their book). Sabrina is going vegan with her boyfriend, Chaim. My friend Jennifer is taking a two-week challenge after being inspired by Oprah. A lot of Jews, in lieu of going kosher, are going vegan. And to top it off, one of the more popular diet movements right now is a 21-day vegan “cleanse.”

I love my vegan friends and their restaurants, but I am concerned about this pendulum swinging when it comes to diets. I remember back in 2004 when the biggest craze was low-carb. It was nothing but meat, and an apple was bad. A lot of people lost weight, but made themselves sick doing it, myself included (so bad that I can no longer have any sugar substitutes excluding stevia). I have seen crazy cleanses over the years and all the crazy things that people do to lose weight.

Going vegan can be very good for you, as you will be getting a ton of vegetables in your diet – something a lot of people in the country lack in their eating habits. However, eliminating anything from a balanced diet, such as meat, is very tricky. Many of my friends are vegan, but know how to do it properly so they won’t have that deficiency of protein in their diets. They eat beans, tofu and other soy products in order to get it. They make it into a healthy lifestyle. Besides, many of my friends have pointed out to me that they have watched quite a few of their vegan friends load up on desserts, thus negating the health benefits of the lifestyle.

I am concerned. My vegan friends made the commitment to go all the way with their veganism, whether it was for moral reasons, religious reasons or whatnot. I don’t want veganism to become a “let’s jump on the bandwagon” thing, only to be shunned months down the line and turned away from. It shouldn’t be a fad. It’s better than that.

I decided to talk to my friend Elana about this. She is more pescetarian than anything, and we decided to talk about veganism as fad. She told me about some of her friends who have been vegan for years, and how there is something “different about them.”

“They look younger,” she said as she told me the story of how she met her friend, an acupuncturist. “I wanted to strangle because she looked about 19. She was 35.”

As we continued to discuss it, she explained that every body was different. There are some bodies that need meat in order to survive; they can’t process vegan properly. There are some who can’t process meat; they need to eat vegan. Every person is different, and that should factor into our diets. The problem is processed foods, which is something that we need to avoid. But anything to get us in the right direction of being healthy is the most important thing to do.

No matter what your choice is, don’t eat because it’s a fad. We should enjoy food, but remember that it is the fuel to our fires. We need to eat to survive. My personal solution is keep the healthy stuff, with everything else in moderation. We shouldn’t deprive ourselves; rather, learn to enjoy. Do that whether your vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian or a carnivore. Find the pleasure in food.

With that, I give you one of my favorite vegan soups. My mom originally made this with milk, but I decided to switch it up to soy creamer. It’s a great soup, and a cup of this soup is a full serving of vegetables.

ZUCCHINI BASIL SOUP

1 tbsp oil (canola or olive)

2 lbs. zucchini

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh basil

4 cups vegan chicken consommé or vegetable stock

½ cup soy creamer

Warm the oil in a soup pot. Add the chopped onions and garlic. Saute until transparent. Slice the zucchini and add. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the four cups of consommé or vegetable stock and cup of basil. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender. Turn off the heat and add the soy creamer. This soup can be served hot or chilled for a couple of hours in the chill chest and served cold.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Surprise!

After much procrastinating, I have finally done it: Made a video!

Our YouTube Channel is YoungBrokeKosher, and features this first video. Enjoy it!



In the meantime, here is the recipe for Mediterranean Ceviche, which is featured the video:

Mediterranean Ceviche

2 lbs. firm fish, cubed (see Quick Tip)

1 cup lime juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup pineapple juice, divided use

2 tablespoons salt, divided use

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 orange pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced small

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/4 cup olive oil

Place cubed fish in a bowl. Pour lime juice, lemon juice and 1/2 cup pineapple juice over the fish with 1 tablespoon salt. Put in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. The acid in the juice will “cook” the fish.

Drain the fish and add peppers, onion and dill. In a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup pineapple juice, garlic powder and 1 tablespoon salt. Whisk in olive oil to combine. Serve cold.

QUICK TIP 1: You can use any firm fish for this. Although some places use tilapia, I like a nicer fish for this. When I originally made this recipe, I used red snapper and halibut, and it had great flavor. I have also made ceviche using tuna, but feel free to experiment and find what you like.

QUICK TIP 2: If you’re not a huge fan of peppers, I’m sure that tomatoes would be wonderful in this recipe instead. Other common ingredients in ceviche include avocado and jalepenos.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Fighting the Power: The Problem with Jewish Non-Profits

Recently, I was out with my friend Merav. We were driving in her car to a place I don’t really recall right now, but we were discussing my monetary situation. At the time, it was incredibly desperate, as Ari didn’t have a job yet (not to say we’re out of the woods yet. Money’s still tight).

As we discussed this, she almost immediately brought up an organization that often solicits donations and the upcoming event they were doing.

“We keep giving that money, and where does the money go?” she asked. “Shouldn’t it go to members of our community that are suffering? We know you are having problems, and what are they doing to help you and Ari?”

It is a question that I have heard brought up hundreds of times, and often it is thought about for five seconds and dismissed even quicker. There are Jewish non-profits all over the United States that donate to Israel and developing countries throughout the world. They help other non-profits for other causes, such as cancer cures and blood donation. Others claim they are changing the world by allowing innovators to come together, but the truth of the matter is that they’re only making themselves feel more important. When it comes to helping those who need it in the community, it is something that is often mumbled and then moved away from.

Non-profits, in the Jewish world, have the most power. Synagogues are considered non-profits, and the majority of powerful organizations in our world are also non-profits. They receive tons of money every year. However, do we really know where our money is going when we donate $5, $50 or $500 to our local Jewish non-profit? Does it go to help a family in need or help pad the salary of someone who already makes a bunch of money? Are we helping those who need it locally or are we sending the money far away? And is the money going directly to those in need or are people skimming off of the top? These are all questions that deserve to be answered.

Jewish non-profits have the power to help those who need it the most, and how do they repay the people who give them money? In some cases, they are incredibly mismanaged, some to the point where the non-profit fails and takes advantage of their employees. There are others that hire incompetent people who have proved themselves incapable of serving the community in other positions, but are the “friend of friends” and get the job instead of people that can make a difference. I swear, the only people who are worse at changing their habits and replacing the older people than the Jewish non-profit world is Congress.

This is not to say there aren’t great people working at Jewish non-profits. Some happen to be my friends and are amazing at what they do. This is also not to say that there aren’t wonderful Jewish non-profits that are doing great work. Jewish Family Services has been a wonderful source of low-income therapy for people who need it but can’t afford the cost. I was active in Hillel most of my college life, and they need donations in order to keep offering programming (and to keep some of my good friends employed). But when I hear about organizations asking for money or receiving thousands of dollars without any evidence of output… well, it makes me kind of mad. After experiencing difficulties firsthand and seeing how organizations responded, it’s worth getting mad over.

So what do I ask for from Jewish non-profits to regain my trust? The answer is simple – transparency. Every corporation that’s for profit has to post how much money it made or lost in quarterly reports. This is not required by non-profits, but I think it is vital for the public trust. Either way, annual reports should not be hidden in the corners of a website, but rather posted right there on the main page. If there’s anything fishy going on at a non-profit, the Jewish press should be responsible and let people know, not allowing things to be swept under the rug. And as my friend Eden has said, we need more MBAs working with non-profits. We need people who understand that in order to run a non-profit effectively, you need to have the best people working for you and be able to manage properly. They need to have common business sense in addition to being compassionate and able to run a non-profit.

Eden is currently doing that – getting her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in order to specialize in running Jewish non-profits. I already know that she is going to be an amazing leader for this community. I honor her as a person who is ready to make a difference. As for the non-profits out there, you have been put on notice. Know that there is someone out there who is keeping an eye on you, like here at Young, Broke and Kosher. It’s time for you to take care of your own.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Welcoming Committee

On Friday night at the Sephardic Temple in Los Angeles, I sat next to a man named Joe. Although he lives here in the United States now, he came with his wife to the United States almost 60 years ago from a displaced persons’ camp in Greece, which were set up after World War II.

“Two days later, we were at your grandparents’ house for dinner,” he said. “Your mother was just a little girl.”

He was not the only person I had heard this story from. I couldn’t tell you how many members of that older generation told me a similar story of how they arrived in this country and within days ended up at my grandparents’ table. It was a very special phenomenon, particularly considering who they were.

Joe and Regina Amira were not wealthy people. On the contrary, they were poor, with my Papu (Joe) having to work three jobs to get by. They never owned a home and never really had a lot of space. But they opened their hearts and their apartment to whomever needed a place to eat.

This tradition continued in weird random ways. I remember once that my grandmother was having a bed delivered to the guest room of their apartment in Beverly Hills, and she treated the movers to a home-cooked meal. It felt like there never needed to be a direct occasion for being invited to a meal at the Amira house; you just were, and my grandmother was always there with some form of food. The door seemed to be open to anyone, whether it was my grandmother’s upstairs neighbor or her grandchildren through the years.

So many years have gone by since my grandmother even was able to cook. I’m a married woman and my grandparents are long gone, only available to me in photographs and long periods of thought where I concentrate on their voices, pulling them up like repressed memories. I miss them more than I can say, particularly now; I’m sure that Nony would be able to tell me how I would be able to survive a recession like this and Papu would be sitting in his chair, thrilled that he could engage someone like Ari in talks of politics, which is something he loved very much.

I yearn for my welcoming committee, the people who brought us into their home and wrapped their arms around us so tightly. I long for that sacred kitchen where I was able to say anything to my grandmother with no judgment involved. There is so much loss, and a space in my heart that will always be empty without them.

And yet through them comes a few miracles.

The other night, Ari and I opened our doors to our friends who live close by, making a dinner for them and sharing in each other’s company. We laughed and shared our New Year’s resolutions together. I noticed the wildly random group of people there: immigrants making new families in the United States, couples coming together in love and devotion, best friends sharing their lives and the ultimate strengthening of friendships.

At one point, I made a toast to our friendship, and my beloved friend Nelli began to talk about Ari and I and how we open our home and share our lives. Strangely, though, I had heard these words before. They were about Joe and Reggie, the words that were spoken through the years about them. I even decided to show everyone their picture and tell their story. They would always be alive through me.

As though this wasn’t enough to bring them back, then came another way. The Saturday night following that dinner, my mother hosted a dinner for her oldest brother, Victor, at her house. The whole family was there, including a new addition: my cousin Amy’s boyfriend, Mikey. As the evening passed and we finished our dinner, my sister brought up the suggestion to play some home movies. With that, Ari, Amy, Mikey, my sister and I marched into the living room to replay the memories that my cousins Benny and Sarah had collected for us.

I watched as the whole family gathered in the room and were greeted by family members here and no longer here, remembered and forgotten. We watched as my grandmother laughed and my great aunt goofed around. We watched my cousin Jack film the three cousins together, watching as how our personalities never really changed (including the part about me bouncing around).

My eyes welled up as I heard my grandmother’s voice, which seemed so far away from me, and Amy and I embraced each other, staring at the television screen, trying to absorb every second of our grandparents like a sponge. As Mikey enjoyed getting insight into our family (and his girlfriend’s funny four-year-old nature), I felt like we had remembered who had brought us together. As we looked at the screen, we watched as they spoke to us from across time, welcoming us back into the warmth of their love – all while leaving room for the newest additions to the clan.

So in honor of their love and devotion, I offer up a recipe for squash frittada. This is Amy’s favorite, and I hope she sees this and enjoys this.

SQUASH FRITTADA

Pam

3 lbs. zucchini

1 large onion, diced

3 tablespoons butter or oil

3 of eggs

1-2 tablespoons chicken consomme powder

1 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra

About 2 cups matzo meal, divided use

5-6 matzah pieces

Preheat oven 350. Spray baking sheet with Pam and layer with enough matzo meal to coat the bottom of the pan. Toast the matzo meal in the oven until it's golden brown.

Meanwhile, saute the onion in butter until translucent. Allow to cool. Grate the zucchini into a large bowl. Add the onion, eggs, consomme powder, parmesan cheese and 1 1/2 cups matzo meal. Mix thoroughly.

Wet the matzah slightly and layer into the baking sheet evenly. Pour the zucchini mixture on top. Sprinkle matzo meal and parmesan cheese on top. Score the mixture before baking in order to allow easy cutting afterwards. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Serve, or can be frozen for later use.

Quick Tip: If you want a tangier flavor, my mother likes using half sharp cheddar cheese and half parmesan.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Halal vs. Kosher



Recently, I talked about the connections between Islam and the Jewish people, and how building bridges inspires me in the kitchen. Yet here is another question about the distances between Jews and Muslims, and once again, it deals with food.

Almost five and a half years ago, when I was an intern in Washington, D.C., I was working on keeping kosher so far away from home. There weren’t a lot of people on my trip who were kosher. However, there were quite a few Muslims, and they often asked me where I was getting meat – they were halal, but they also could eat kosher meat.

It was around this time that I started to research Halal and find out about it. I then wondered to myself, Can I eat Halal meat?

It’s a question that my friends at PunkTorah have recently brought up (the video is up above), and it’s one that’s worth discussing even further in depth. Although I am pretty confident that many Orthodox Jews would say that you absolutely can’t eat halal meat, I find it a question worth bringing up.

After some special research, it turns out that halal and kashrut processes aren’t that different. The slaughtering ritual is very similar; shechita and dhabiha require the same attention to being humane during the course of slaughter. Also, there must be attention to the fact that the animal must be completely drained of blood before consumption, despite the different methods of doing so -- Jews use salt, Muslims often use vinegar. Many of the animals that are deemed halal are also kosher, although there are exceptions such as camel. Then again, when was the last time you saw that camel was for sale as meat in the United States?

There are differences, of course. For example, shellfish fall under Halal, whereas Jews cannot eat them. Also, with Halal, there is no separation between milk and meat, there are no separate dishes and Halal allows for the entire animal to be eaten (kashrut requires that certain veins, fats and sinews are removed, and typically the back half of the animal is not used unless being butchered by a very experienced Sephardic butcher in Israel). Interestingly enough, that summer in D.C., I was told that kosher meat was more restrictive than Halal.

Interestingly enough, the Qur’an dealt with this in Surah 5:5. It says there that, “The food of the people of the scripture is lawful for you.” Often, this interpretation is led to be “the People of the Book,” namely Jews and Christians. Conversely, it also encourages people who aren’t Muslim to accept halal as a valid form of food.

For someone like me, who got into being kosher almost as a form of being nice to animals, this brings up some interesting questions. After all, I have been going up to LA, dragging along my little cooler and loading up on super-expensive kosher meat and bringing it back to my freezer. If I chose that I could eat Halal meat, all I would have to do is go to the little Persian market in Anaheim and bring it home. Locally, I could have all the lamb I wanted to eat at a price much less that I am paying in LA. The thought of that just makes me drool.

I’m sure there is going to be a divide on this issue between the Orthodox and Conservative communities, that age-old battle between tradition, modernity and everything in between. But I think it’s something we should talk about with our Muslim friends. We should see what they think too, and engage in some friendly debate. Could we reach a middle ground on this? Could we find a way to eat together? I think we can – after all, food is a lot less divisive than suicide bombers and settlements.

In the meantime, I made a salad last night that I think both Muslims and Jews can get behind – that unless, some Jews will think the name of the salad is unkosher.

“CHEESEBURGER” SALAD

2-3 cups baby spinach or chopped romaine lettuce

¼ fresh chopped cilantro

1 red pepper, diced

1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced

3 green onions, sliced

1 can olives, drained and sliced

10 marinated artichoke hearts

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 package soy crumbles

½ cup tzatziki (see quick tip 1)

Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl. Heat soy crumbles in the microwave for three minutes or in a large saucepan.

Pour the soy crumbles on top of the salad and top with cheese. Use the tzatziki as a dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

QUICK TIP 1: I have a great guy at my local farmer’s market who makes what could be the most awesome tzatziki, so I used it for this recipe. However, if you don’t have a tzatziki monger, try this recipe from Ina Garten at the Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tzatziki-recipe/index.html.

QUICK TIP 2: If you don’t like red pepper, feel free to substitute it with tomatoes, if that’s your thing. Personally, I don’t like the texture of tomatoes and I find red peppers to be a nice and crisp substitution.

Monday, January 3, 2011

MAWAGE IS WOT BWINGS US TOGETHA TODAY


Okay, from the headline, I am sure that you are going to think that this post will be a little nuts (unless you haven’t watched “The Princess Bride” – and if you haven’t, please go watch it and come back to this blog later). However, this is all about a subject that people often think about, particularly in the Jewish community: mawage… I mean, marriage, not to mention relationships.

We have come to that point in time where the people around me are looking for their partners, finding their partners or actually walking down the aisle. There is a range of diversity to these couples, from those who compliment each other perfectly and are ridiculously in love to those who are together, but you’re not exactly sure why they are. There are plenty of shades of gray in between too, as every couple is different and comes together – not to mention stays together – due to different reasons or circumstances.

No matter what, when it comes to dating and relationships, I feel that I am a source of pretty solid advice. Although this may be a food blog, I realize that it’s important you have someone to share your food with. So today, I am going to share some of my worldly wisdom regarding the institute of love:

1) For those who are dating or wanting to date, you will be getting nowhere if you don’t first take care of yourself. You’ve got to love you before someone else will. Likewise, please resolve as many of your personal issues before you get involved with someone. Even though we all bring baggage into relationships, travelling lighter is always preferred.

2) Reina’s first rule of dating: No mommy/daddy issues. If you are dating someone who has serious issues with his parent of the opposite gender, it is a huge red flag. It will translate in how that person treats you over the course of your relationship. For example, if a guy is a serious mama’s boy, he will always give her preferential treatment over his girl. If he has been battling with his mother, it may pass on some misogynistic tendencies. Best solution? Find a partner who treats their parents with respect, but not reverence.

3) Have standards about who you want to date, as you deserve to date someone who is not a psychopath or has the dreaded mommy issues. However, too many standards equals unhappiness in the dating world. Prince/Princess Charming is dead. No one is perfect, or will match up identical to you. I met a singles’ columnist once who told a story about she was dating this guy, but he liked baseball and she didn’t, so it would never work. As far as I know, she is still single.

4) Be upfront about your dating expectations. I have a friend who is not ready to have a committed relationship, and tells girls who he dates that he is dating to have fun. The girl gets to decide, since he’s been so honest, whether or not she wants to pursue things. I give him props, because that leads to the next rule…

5) Be honest with each other. Don’t lie about your profession, your background, etc., because if you’re looking for a relationship, it leads to certain doom. That said, you don’t have to tell each other everything, but you should be straightforward. Don’t play games with people.

6) Please do not be in a relationship for the sake of being in a relationship. It just builds resentment.

7) Don’t just date someone because they look good or they have a ton of money. As the current economy could tell you, money disappears. Looks fade. There needs to be something substantial underneath all that to back it up.

8) When it comes to picking a partner, ladies, find a man who is more into you than you are into him. Originally, I thought this was not good advice. But I can tell you for a fact that when a guy is more into you, it makes things a lot easier in the course of a relationship – less risk of cheating, more romance, more balance. I believe in gender equality, but love does not operate on such technicalities.

9) You cannot change the person that you are dating or in a relationship with. This is not Pygmalion, folks. They are who they are. If you don’t like it, then do yourself (and that person) a favor and move on.

10) Good communication. That is all that needs to be said for this one.

11) Fighting properly sometimes means knowing when to fight over things. Some things are just not worth the tension in the relationship. I’ve heard couples fight about the dumbest things you can possibly think of. Sometimes, you’ve got to put away your pride and think about what’s going to hurt more. There are exceptions to this rule, such as talking about finances, kids, etc.

12) If you are looking to marry the person you are with, it’s time to have “the talk.” You need to lay out your expectations about how your relationship is going to be, like when it’s time to have kids, where you want to live, how you want to handle your finances, school, religion, dreams, sex etc. I have known couples to walk down the aisle and haven’t had these conversations, and it’s a huge mistake – one that you might pay for dearly in the end.

13) Immediately after getting engaged, please go find a premarital course to take. Invest not only in your wedding day, but in all the days of your life together.

14) Last, but certainly not least, find time at least once a week to do some form of date night. This being Young, Broke and Kosher, it doesn't have to be expensive. Make sandwiches and have a picnic in the park (once the weather gets better), go enjoy a cup of coffee with some conversation or go get a bite to eat from a restaurant. Just because you're married doesn't mean you stop courting your beloved. It means court more!

Take this advice and do with it what you will. But I have been around the block a couple of times and can tell you for a fact that I know what I am talking about. There's no recipe for the day, but may I suggest an ingredient you should start cooking with, and that's GARLIC. The rabbis actually encourage Jews to eat garlic, particularly on a Friday night, as it's supposed to be an aphrodisiac. So please experiment and try garlic in your dishes if you don't use it already!

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