When the weather warms up, it’s only natural that most of us want to relax and feel like we’re on vacation, whether we are out of town or at home. This is the time to shake loose from usual cooking routines and take it easy. For entertaining, there is no need to follow a rigid

Potato salads are one of the most popular items on summertime picnic tables. Supermarkets sell them by the bucket but if you are nutrition conscious, you might find that the store-bought varieties often have too much sugar, vinegar, salt or fat. With homemade potato salad, you have control over the taste and you can make

During the years I lived in France, I realized that Shavuot is a perfect time to enjoy such luscious French dishes as cheese soufflés, quiches with creamy fillings and sweet cheese tarts for dessert. Alsace and southern France are regions in which Jews have lived for centuries. These areas are also known for their tasty

I wonder what there is about celebrating a national independence day that makes us all want to cook outside! In Israel, grilled and barbecued meats and poultry are as popular for Yom Ha’atzmaut as they are for American Fourth of July menus. It must be that the pleasure of cooking outdoors, enjoying the warmth of

During Passover many of us tend to focus on the Seder dinner but it’s good to plan for the holiday’s other festive meals as well. There are Shabbat dinners, brunches and more casual occasions to get together with friends and relatives. After the copious Seder meals, which often include one or more substantial main courses

During our years in France, my husband and I had the opportunity to explore French Jewish cuisine and to attend Parisian Passover Seders. Most of the Jews in France are either of North African or Ashkenazi origin, and the taste of both groups was apparent in our holiday fare. Although tradition dictates much of the

During my years at elementary school at the Hebrew Academy of Washington, DC, I learned that the holiday of Purim commemorates the heroism of Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. She courageously saved the Jewish community from extermination plotted by the king’s wicked advisor Haman, who makes Jaffar in Disney’s movie “Aladdin”

After cooking and eating, my favorite pastime is gardening. Since celebrating Tu Bishvat, the Festival of Trees, combines all three, it’s one of my favorite holidays. Some years ago my brother, Tzvi Kahn, told me how much his daughter Renana enjoyed celebrating Tu Bishvat at her school in Jerusalem with a Tu B’Shevat “seder”. This

A few years ago I started thinking about Hanukkah in May. I was at a Greek festival, and I tasted a pastry that struck me as the perfect Hanukkah treat. At the festive outdoor celebration, I saw a long line of people. Instead of watching the lively dancers in their colorful costumes, they focused their

A winter squash display is a fitting decoration for the Thanksgiving table. But the squashes’ highest calling must be to become centerpieces of the menu, sharing the spotlight with the turkey. What better way to give them a place of honor than to bake the holiday stuffing inside them? Besides, they can be a fine