first
I have been making this particular recipe for over 35 years, since my daughter Shira was in pre-school and Rosa, one of the Moms, shared it with me. I used to make challah fairly regularly when the kids were growing up, but then Norm started making it, and I pretty much stopped, other than for […]
Today I unexpectedly found a chocolate biscotti. The cookie had somehow fallen into a bowl perched on the edge of my kitchen counter where I discovered it poking out from the jars of vitamins. I had baked several batches of cookies on a Sunday just a few weeks ago in preparation for the out-of-town guests coming in for my youngest son’s wedding. Now two weeks later this single biscotti and a few cases of leftover wine in the living room are the only traces left of more than a year of planning .
The wedding reflected the taste and personalities of the bride and groom. Not only was it fun but it was unique as well. The venue, Big Daddy’s Antiques, is a warehouse filled with, of course, antiques. I loved being surrounded by things that had history and found it comforting and familiar. It wasn’t bright and shiny, but worn and warm like our family chuppah that’s been in use for several generations.
It was the “wedding weekend ” they had hoped for. Aufruf, Shabbat dinner, pre-wedding drinks at a brewery, the main event, brunch for out-of-town guests, and two evenings of Sheva Brachot. For six days many of us moved in unison, from Beverlywood to the Arts District to Culver City, Ladera Heights, and Westwood. We had food from Ta-eem Grill, Joan’s On Third, Tarte Catering and Got Kosher, as well as various dishes and home-baked goods that were prepared by friends and family. It was a weekend of feasting and celebration, sharing the joy we all felt for Anna and Micah. We laughed and cried, but now it’s time to settle back into our routines. Then again, maybe I can linger with the memories for a few more minutes over that last biscotti.
Double Chocolate Biscotti Adapted from David Lebovitz
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Paste
1 cup pareve chocolate chips
For Top
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients. In a large bowl beat eggs with sugar and vanilla paste. Stir in the dry ingredients, add the chocolate chips, and blend. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half and roll into two logs. Transfer the logs onto a baking sheet, and gently flatten the top. Brush beaten egg wash over logs and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes or till almost firm. Let cool for about 15 minutes, slice with serrated knife and place cut side down on cookie sheet. Bake another 10-15 minutes. Should feel dry and firm.
My parents arrived in the United States in 1952 after having spent five years living in Paris, France. Even at a very young age, I remember my mother’s reaction to being called “greener,” refugee, Survivor, Eastern European. Somehow I knew that every label was painful, stripping her of her dignity. I am sure she just […]
Moshe Blatman was my cousin’s brother-in-law, and on my first trip to Israel I was told to make sure to visit him, that he was like family. He and his wife Frieda lived in an apartment in Tel Aviv, and owned a small cosmetics shop on Rehov Shenken, (in the 70s it was not as […]
Shabbat dinner always felt different from the rest of the week. The differences were small, my mother bentched licht covering her head with whatever was nearby, sometimes even grabbing a dish-towel, the table was covered with an embroidered cloth, challah replaced rye bread, roast chicken was served, and my father said Kiddush. On Saturdays life […]
As 2012 comes to an end, I want to thank all of you who have continued to give me support and encouragement over the past year. Some of you send me private e-mails, some of you post comments on the blog, some “like” me on Facebook, and some of you subscribe but never say a […]
It’s been my experience that when my expectations are high, it can sometimes lead to disappointment. How often have you been seduced by that decadent pastry in the display case only to discover that it was tasteless, or had dinner in a restaurant with a great reputation and left wondering why. Thankfully, there is also […]
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