Imagine: Open the terrace doors of your hotel balcony and the Mediterranean lights your room; a gentle breeze glides in, along with the smell and sounds of the sea. That’s exactly where I found myself at the end of a weeklong business trip in Italy. As Marketing Director for OU Kosher, I had the privilege

For the past 25 years I’ve been coming to San Francisco every year to attend the Winter Fancy Food show. I admit, getting out of the New York winter every January is certainly a bonus, but attending this growing event is much more than a foodie’s dream, it’s a reunion of the important players in

When my children were young, whenever I brought out the Nutella from the kitchen cabinet they called it a “Nutella Fun Day.” We’d find a different use for Nutella each time: on pancakes, in sandwiches, frosting on cakes or a baking ingredient. Part of the fun was finding another way we could enjoy Nutella spread.

Food! For some people, food is just fuel to keep their bodies going. They may have several foods that they like and eat on a regular basis, and that’s okay as long as they are reasonably healthy. Other people, like me, consider food to be more than just fuel. To me, food is like art

My mother a”h used to fry everything. Potatoes, meatballs, chicken, veal—you name it! If it could be batter dipped, even better! Even today, when I smell fried foods my mouth begins to water. As an adult who is somewhat health conscious, I generally do not eat fried foods. Don’t get me wrong: fried foods are

Leo “Zeidi” Bleier, father of the author. Growing up, my father always used to tell me that I had to learn to take care of myself. If I was ever in trouble, he explained, no one would help me. His attitude wasn’t a surprise: my late father survived Dachau. Known to all as Zeidi Leo,

I’m a coffee fanatic! Okay, I admit it! According to Wikipedia, a fanatic is a belief or a behavior involving uncritical zeal, or to quote Winston Churchill, “a fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” Well, that certainly describes me – I certainly have uncritical zeal over my cup

I think I’ve died and gone to “Snack Cake” heaven. My daughter Shani, who loves to bake, recently came up with the ideal snack cake recipe she found online. A cupcake topped with a donut! Yes, I know, topping a baked good with a fried one is indeed self indulgent, but who could resist this

Please don’t tell anyone, but I’m a chocoholic. My father (of blessed memory) used to bribe me with chocolate to get me to go to bed, clean my room, do my homework or finish my food. Chocolate was and still is this magical cherished product that makes me happy. They say that some people are

I’ve always been a slave to trends. In the 1970’s as I was growing up, I was fascinated by the latest trends in fashion, hairstyles, makeup, and music. I was a young child when hippies and flower power were all the rage, but I grew up loving fashion and always wanted the latest handbag, makeup