Celebrating Modern Jewish Living Through Food, Tradition, and Family


A smooth, creamy, classic that will remind you of days gone by.
The Backstory: One of the recipes that my cousin Rhonda shared with me is her famous, to-die-for rice pudding. I don’t know of one person that doesn’t like th[…]-READ-MORE>

Almond-crusted pound cake gives plain old pound cake a crunchy, nutty makeover in this easy, delicious recipe.
The Backstory: I have always loved vanilla cakes, good homemade gold cakes, and pound cakes in particular for the s[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: I vividly remember my mother preparing Borscht. But instead of serving this as a soup, she served it to my dad in a glass. My mom did not make this from scratch. She usually had a cold bottle of store-brought b[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: When you really want to shake things up at the holidays, these matzoh balls are just the thing to do it. Three deliciously flavored–and easy to make varieties–spinach, turmeric, and tomato–are simply gorgeous to[…]-READ-MORE>

Our Rosh Hashanah honey cake is sweet and moist with a touch of whiskey for incredible depth of flavor. This is the perfect ending to your holiday meal.
The Backstory: Sponge cake usually surpasses honey cake in popularity as […]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: My daughter, Jodi, prefers this Honey Mustard Sauce to plain mustard. I can understand why. The sweetness and the spices of the mustard add so much flavor to many dishes. You get that ying and yang of sweet […]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: From the first moment I set foot in Paris in the winter of 1997, I loved it the way everyone who falls in love with the City of Love (and Light) falls in love. Deeply, madly, insanely. More of the Backstory after t[…]-READ-MORE>

Fresh carrot cake is a healthier version of the classic dessert that’s every bit as scrumptious but gentler on your waistline.
The Backstory: Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? My Fresh Carrot Cake is a healthy ta[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: Growing up in a predominately Jewish neighborhood there were many things that were considered normal, to me. One of them was to never eat any kind of tuna fish out side of our home. Being the type of kid I was,[…]-READ-MORE>

On Simchat Torah, Jews rejoice in the Torah and celebrate by dancing with the sacred scrolls. This holiday marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings and the beginning of the next cycle. Simchat Torah begins[…]-READ-MORE>

Buttery pastry and sweet and nutty filling make these Hungarian pastry crescents melt in your mouth.
The Backstory: These delicious little cookies are very similar to rugelach but their texture is a little more dense. Also, un[…]-READ-MORE>

Braised short ribs are tender, savory, hearty, and the meat just falls off the bone. A perfect Shabbat or holiday meal.
The Backstory: Braised short ribs sound much more complicated to cook than they really are and truth be to[…]-READ-MORE>