Friendsgiving might just be one of my favorite traditions of the year. We’ve gathered for the past few years with a few of our closest friends – together our three families have ten children ranging in age from 3-12 way outnumbering the adults. I was a little hesitant to host everyone this year as its…
Category: Gatherings
This New Year – Remembering we are all refugees
Welcome the stranger. Protect the refugee. Our family like so many others has survived because of these words and because of the work of an organization called HIAS that has assisted refugees globally for over a century. This holiday season, as we prepare to celebrate the Jewish New Year and reflect on all that we…
A Tale of Two Briskets
I made my first brisket 20 years ago when I hosted my first Rosh Hashanah dinner as a graduate student in Boston. My mom had kept a recipe card in her recipe box titled, “Mom’s Brisket.” Pictured below, it reads: Season with salt + pepper (Lawry seasoning), 1 can whole cranberries, liptons dried onion soup,…
Three Cheers for Ice Cream, Candy and Jen Vellano
I’ve been busy working on some exciting new ventures which I’m looking forward to sharing in 2022. One of them is a new collective of local women entrepreneurs, business owners, founders, philanthropists and investors gathering to support each other, share resources, and mentor the next generation. For now we’re calling the group Westchester Women Making…
Pan-fried cod with scallion-ginger sauce and coconut braised cabbage
In addition to my CSA pick up this week I received another delivery from Sitka Salmon Shares which is similar to a farm share but delivers fish straight from Alaskan fisherman to our doorstep every month. Like the farm share, it can be a challenge to find ways to use up so much of one…
When gatherings take on new meaning
One of the last formal writing assignments I worked on as the pandemic set in last March was reviewing the cookbook Open Kitchen by Susan Spungen. The cookbook was designed for entertaining a crowd and my copy was filled with sticky notes of recipes I planned to cook for my next dinner party. I had…
First of many recipes to get you through self-isolation – Starting with Oven Roasted Chickpeas
One week into social isolation and I am starting to hear from friends who are reaching their cooking fatigue after trying to balance work from home, wrangling children, attempts at home schooling and the added stress of providing three home cooked meals a day. I’ve been trying to make the most of this time by…
A Super Bowl spread without the guilt
For many, the end of January signifies relief as we’ve made it through a month dedicated to resolutions, self improvement, goal setting, or quitting one vice or another. Hopefully our efforts have spurred new habits and genuine commitment to an overall healthier lifestyle. Yet just as soon as January passes, February comes along and throws…
Time to reclaim breakfast – no recipes required
Breakfast is one of those meals that can easily be overlooked. For many people it’s just about convenience, grabbing handfuls of cereal or a yogurt as you’re rushing yourself or kids out the door. Even even worse it can become picking at office treats, regretting you didn’t take the time earlier in the morning to…
What’s Cooking this Hanukkah
For the past several years we have hosted an annual Hanukkah party/gift exchange. This is one of those holidays that is meant for grazing, we’re starting out early on a Sunday afternoon which just calls for a casual spread, the centerpiece being a big appetizing board (see inspiration below). I’m also brining brisket back on…
Bedford Balabusta 