Jewish Food
EXPLORING JEWISH FOOD AND CULTURE with GIL MARKS
GOAT MILK
030 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
GOAT MILK
Goats, any of eight species of the genus Capra, were originally nomadic residents of cliffs and arid climates throughout much of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Hence the Psalm, “The high mountains are for the yalim and rocks are a refuge for the hyraxes.” Among the species of extant wild goats is the biblical Nubian ibex called yael, from the root “to ascend,” still found in Ein Gedi. Goats were among the earliest domesticated animals, probably first occurring in the highlands of western Iran, becoming an important part of human life before sheep and cattle came into the picture. The generic Hebrew term for a goat is eiz (eizzim plural and the name of the species), derived from the root “strength,” utilized for both female and male goats. A kid is a goat under the age of one year. Most of the various breeds of domesticated goats are descended from the Near Eastern bezoar goat (Capra aegagrus), probably the biblical akko, except for the Angora (source of mohair) and Kashmir (source of cashmere), descended from the markhor (Capra falconeri). The predominant breed in the ancient Middle East was the Syrian Mountain Goat or Mamber (Capra hircus mambrica), which sports longer hair than most other domesticated breeds. Its predominantly black hair is occasionally streaked, speckled, and spotted with white and brown. Today, there are more than 80,000 Mamber goats in Israel as well as crossbreeds of Mambers with Saanen goats imported from Europe, the latter producing a higher milk yield, primarily in Bedouin flocks in the Negev looked after as in the days of the Patriarchs.
Goats and sheep are close relatives and share many characteristics, although goats have 60 chromosomes and sheep 54. As a result, goats have a shorter tail and coarse, straight hair. In addition, the goat’s hollow horns arch backward and outward, while sheep horns twist spirally. Since humans first domesticated them, both goats and sheep have been raised for their wool, milk, skins, and flesh, but the sheep’s principal asset has been its wool, while the goat’s has been its milk.
Goat meat tends to be very lean and, as a result, frequently less tender than other red meats. The meat of kids, usually slaughtered between 3 to 6 months, is more tender, delicate, and not as strongly-flavored as lamb. Older goat meat is darker and less tender, but more intensely flavored than a kid. The lack of fat requires certain cooking techniques to prevent the meat from becoming tough and chewy: tender cuts, such as the ribs, legs, and portions of the shoulder, are best cooked with dry heat, such as roasting and broiling, while less tender portions, such as the shanks, neck, and parts of the chuck, should be cooked slowly with moisture.
Unlike basically docile cows, the rambunctious goats tend to buck and kick at times, however, their smaller size makes them easier to manage than a cow. Unlike sheep, the goat’s teats are large and long, making hand milking easier. Goats have to be milked morning and night or they will stop producing, which occurs after ten months in conjunction with the new breeding season. Following a gestation period of 150 days, goats typically give birth, usually to twins, shortly before Passover. Goats, with a lifespan of ten to fifteen years, begin breeding at about eight months, usually in October and December. The kids are usually weaned at 60 to 75 days, around Shavuot, as they gradually adapt to grazing. Thus within a span of only a year, most nannys begin producing milk.
A good producing goat will yield 1,800 pounds of milk a year, averaging a gallon a day, depending on the individual and breed; more than triple that of sheep, but only a fifth of that of a cow. However, the goat’s productive milking life averages 8 to 10 years contrasted with only 4 to 6 years for a cow. In addition, goats eat less (one to two pounds daily) and require less area than other milk animals for each gallon of milk. Despite a common misconception that goats will eat anything, they are actually finicky, favoring the tips of shrubs (especially capers, whose English name is derived from the Latin word for goats) and tree leaves and bark, but, unlike cattle and sheep which are grazers, can survive on scrub and sparse vegetation. Goats are sociable and very inquisitive, using their prehensile upper lip and tongue to investigate anything unfamiliar. As a result of their varied eating habits and their small dung that dries quickly, goats are less prone to parasites and disease than other types of livestock. Because goats do not frighten easily, unlike timid sheep and cattle, some people believe that their milk does not contain various chemicals produced by panic.
The sobriquet for the land of Israel, “a land flowing with milk and honey,” is found fifteen times in the Pentateuch. In the Bible, the word milk, unless otherwise differentiated, specifically refers to goat milk, as cow’s milk was a rarity in the ancient Middle East. Cattle were more important for use as draught animals and, except for a short period after giving birth, were very seldom milked. It is specifically goat milk that the bible mentions in the thrice repeated proscription of boiling a kid in its mother’s milk, the source for much of the Jewish dietary laws.
Milk, chalav in Hebrew and haleeb in Arabic, the word being a construct of chalev (fat), is the fluid secreted by the mammary glands, modified sweat glands, of female mammals for the nourishment of their young. It is a natural emulsion consisting of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, salts, and water, the amounts varying among different species. Fatty acids keep the fat globules suspended in the water. Goat milk lacks the carotenoid pigments characteristic of bovine milk and, as a result, goat milk is stark white in color as is goat cream, cheese, and butter. Cow’s milk, on the other hand, yields butter and cheeses of varying shades of yellow. Per cup (8 fluid ounces), goat milk contains about 10 grams of fat (about 4.25%), 8.7 grams of protein, and 10.9 grams of lactose (4.27%). Cow milk contains 7.9 grams of fat (about 3.25%; hence whole milk is labeled as “3% milk”), 7.9 grams of protein, and 11 grams of lactose (4.90%), while the richer sheep milk contains about 17 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein, and 13 grams of lactose. Human milk contains about 11.2 grams of fat, 5% of protein, and 15 to 18 grams lactose (6.98%); human milk is much lower in protein and higher in sugar and fat than either cow or goat milk.
Goat and cow milk have nearly identical levels of protein, but their composition is somewhat different, resulting in distinctions in the characteristics of the curd and digestibility by humans. In addition, the fat globules are smaller in goat milk than those in bovine milk, thus items made from the former are extremely smooth and creamy and goat’s milk cheese has small, soft curds that are more easily digested by humans than those from cows. The high amounts and types of fatty acids –- particularly capric, caprylic, and caproic acids — 15% of total fat in goat milk, while only 5% in cow milk. Since goat milk contains more fatty acids and a higher proportion of short-chain fatty acids than bovine milk, while lacking any agglutinin, it is naturally homogenous as well as easier for humans to digest — in about twenty minutes as compared to at least two hours for cow’s milk. Goat milk is not normally more strongly flavored than cow milk, although the fatty acids account for the distinctive flavor of goat milk products, which vary slightly according to the animal’s feed, health, interval after birth, and even time of day; any strong odor in the milk may be the result of improper handling, illness, poor ventilation in the goat’s habitat, or a breeding male, which possesses a distinctive odor, being too close. The upshot is that goat milk products — in biblical times most milk was consumed in a fermented form, including soft cheese, clarified butter, and yogurt — are more digestible than those from cows. Hence the Talmud reflected a belief that goat milk was better for people than that of other animals. Indeed, modern physicians have utilized capric, caprylic, and caproic acids, because of their unique metabolic and energy giving properties, in treating various digestive, intestinal, coronary, and gallstone disorders.
The ancient Israelites viewed milk as something of a necessity of life, but still something special and as a sign of abundance as well as the fertility of Canaan and the many other references to a “land flowing with milk and honey.” Considering the goat’s importance in ancient Israel, it is hardly surprising to find it utilized in various Jewish rituals. Goat hair was employed to make the curtains for the Sanctuary. Goats constitute one of the animals suitable to be an offering in the Temple, sometimes optional — the paschal offering and sin-offering of an individual — and sometimes mandatory. Noting the utilization of goats for the various public sin-offerings, Maimonides (Guide to the Perplexed) explained that this was to compensate for the actions of the sons of Jacob for the selling of Joseph and dipping his cloak into the blood of a goat; the perpetual reminder of this misdeed evidencing the long lasting effects and repercussions of a transgression and, thereby, hopefully averting potential wrongdoings.
Goats, indispensable in biblical times and the predominant form of meat and milk, by the Talmudic period were viewed in Israel with more ambiguity. The Mishnah states, “Sheep and goats are not to be raised in the land of Israel but may be raised in Syria and the (uncultivated) wilderness of Israel.” Although there was an opinion that a goat was permitted if it were tied up, most of the Israeli rabbis forbade goats even under that circumstance. This negative attitude probably arose in the wake of the massive ecological devastation wreaked by the Roman army in the wake of the first rebellion (67 to 70 CE), which left large swaths of the land of Israel a wasteland, sparking hostility toward flocks that further threatened agriculture. The Babylonian rabbis never developed the aversion to goats and sheep of their Israeli counterparts.
In any case, the predominant milk, cheese, and meat consumed in the Middle East during the Talmudic period through the early twentieth century were still from goats. Many Ashkenazic households owned a goat to maintain a regular supply of milk to the family, hence the common reoccurrence in artist’s Marc Chagall’s depiction of Jewish life in eastern Europe. Today, goat remains the principal source of meat in much of north Africa and parts of the Middle East, but is a rarity in America, Europe, and Israel.
The Jewish Food List. 200 Jewish Foods to Eat While Living!
137 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
How many have you tried?
(Check out Encyclopedia of Jewish Food for information and insights.)
Do you have other suggestions?
1. Agristada (Sephardic Egg-Lemon Sauce)
2. Ajlouk (Tunisian Vegetable Relish)
3. Ajvar (Balkan Roasted Pepper and Eggplant Relish)
4. Almodrote (Sephardic Eggplant and Cheese Casserole)
5. Aloo Makalla (Calcutta Fried Whole Potatoes)
6. Ambah (Pickled Unripe Mango)
7. Aranygaluska (Hungarian “Golden Dumpling” Cinnamon Coffee Cake)
8. Aufschnitz (German Cold Cuts)
9. Baba Ghanouj (Middle Eastern Mashed Eggplant Salad)
10. Babka (Chocolate or Cinnamon)
11. Bachsh (Bukharan Green Rice)
12. Bagels and Lox
13. Baklava
14. Bialy
15. Blintz
16. Borekas (Pastry Turnover)
17. Borscht
18. Boyo (Sephardic Cheese Pastries)
19. Brik (Tunisian Potato-filled Pastry)
20. Brinza/Bryndza (Creamy Feta Cheese)
21. Brisket
22. Budino (Italian Pudding)
23. Bulema (Sephardic Cheese Coil)
24. Burag (Iraqi Filled Phyllo Square)
25. Cabbage, Stuffed
26. Caponata
27. Carrot Cake
28. Challah (Egg or Water)
29. Charoset (Apple, Date, or Others)
30. Cheesecake
31. Chelou (Persian Crusty Rice)
32. Chicken Soup
33. Cholent or Hamin (Sabbath Stew)
34. Choucroute Garnie
35. Chrain (Horseradish)
36. Chremslach (Ashkenazic Matzah Pancakes)
37. Corned Beef
38. Couscous (and/or Israeli Couscous, which is different)
39. Delkel (Hungarian Buns)
40. Dimlama (Bukharan Vegetable and Fruit Stew)
41. Dobostorte (Seven Layer Cake)
42. Dolma (Middle Eastern Stuffed Vegetables)
43. Edjeh (Middle Eastern Omelets)
44. Egg Cream
45. Falafel
46. Faludeh (Persian Rice Noodle Sorbet)
47. Farfel
48. Fatoot (Yemenite Meat Soup with Bread)
49. Fesenjan (Persian Chicken with Pomegranates and Walnuts)
50. Fidellos (Sephardic Noodles)
51. Flanken
52. Fricassee
53. Fritada (Sephardic Egg Casserole)
54. Ful Medames (Egyptian Slow-Simmered Fava Beans)
55. Gefilte Fish
56. Gevina Levana (Israeli White Cheese)
57. Ghondi (Iraqi Dumplings)
58. Gogel Mogel (Ashkenazic Raw Egg Drink)
59. Grape Leaves, Stuffed
60. Gribenes (Ashkenazic Cracklings)
61. Gruenkern (German Green Wheat)
62. Gundi (Persian Dumplings)
63. Hadgi Badah (Iraqi Cardamom-Almond Cookies)
64. Halavah (Sesame, Semolina, or Indian Carrot)
65. Hamantasch
66. Haminados (Sephardic Roasted Eggs)
67. Harira (Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Soup)
68. Harisa (Middle Eastern Sabbath Porridge)
69. Helzel (Ashkenazic Stuffed Necks)
70. Herring (Pickled or otherwise)
71. Hilbeh (Yemenite Fenugreek Relish)
72. H’raimi (Libyan Spicy Fish)
73. Hummus
74. Injera (Ethiopian Flat Bread)
75. Jachnun (Yemenite Flaky Rolls)
76. Kaak (Middle Eastern Pastry Rings)
77. Kadayif (Middle Eastern Shredded Wheat Pastry)
78. Kakosh (Hungarian Chocolate Roll)
79. Karnatzlach (Romanian Beef Patties)
80. Kasha Varnishkes (Ashkenazic Buckwheat Groats with Noodles)
81. Kebab (Middle Eastern Ground Meat Patties)
82. Kefte (Sephardic Patties)
83. Khachapuri (Georgian Filled Bread)
84. Khboz (Moroccan Anise Bread)
85. Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
86. Khoresh (Persian Stews)
87. Kibbeh (Middle Eastern Fried Filled Torpedoes)
88. Kichel (Ashkenazic Egg Cookies)
89. Kimochdun (Afghanistan Fruit-and-Nut Flatbread)
90. Kindli (Central European Filled Yeast Pastries)
91. Kishke (Ashkenazic Stuffed Derma)
92. Knedliky (Czech Dumplings)
93. Knish
94. Kolach (Czech Filled Yeast Cakes)
95. Kreplach (Eastern European Filled Pasta)
96. Krupnik (Polish Barley Soup)
97. Kubaneh (Yemenite Sabbath Bread)
98. Kubbeh (Iraqi and Kurdish Filled Dumplings)
99. Kuchen (Ashkenazic Cakes)
100. Kugel (Ashkenazic Baked Puddings, including Noodle, Potato, and Rice)
101. Kugelhopf (Alsatian Yeast Cake)
102. Kuku (Persian Omelet)
103. Labaneh/Labni (Middle Eastern Yogurt Cheese)
104. Lablabi (Tunisian Chickpea Soup)
105. Laffa (Iraqi Flat Bread)
106. Lagman (Bukharan Lamb, Vegetable, and Noodle Soup)
107. Lahmajin (Syrian Open-Faced Meat Pies)
108. Lahuh (Yemenite Pancake Bread)
109. Latke (Ashkenazic Pancake, notably potato)
110. Lavash (Caucasian Flat Bread)
111. Leben
112. Lekach (Ashkenazic Honey Cake)
113. Lekvar (Ashkenazic Fruit Butter)
114. Ma’amoul (Middle Eastern Filled Cookies)
115. Macaroon
116. Mafrum (Libyan Eggplant “Sandwiches”)
117. Mahmoosa (Calcutta Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes)
118. Makosh (Hungarian Poppy Seed Roll)
119. Malabi (Israeli Cornstarch Pudding)
120. Malai (Romanian Corn Bread)
121. Malida (Bombay Sweet Rice Flakes)
122. Mamaliga (Romanian Cornmeal Mush)
123. Mandelbrot (Ashkenazic Almond Bread)
124. Mandlen (Ashkenazic Soup Nuts)
125. Manti (Bukharan Steamed Filled Pasta)
126. Marmorkuchen (German Spice Marble Cake)
127. Matbucha (Moroccan Cooked Tomato and Pepper Salad)
128. Matza
129. Matza Balls
130. Matza Brie (or Matza Kugel, Matza Pizza, etc.)
131. Melawah (Yemenite Flaky Bread)
132. Melokhia (Egyptian Green Soup)
133. Me’orav Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Mixed Grill)
134. Mina (Sephardic Pie)
135. M’kuli (Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives)
136. Mufleta (Moroccan Yeast Pancakes)
137. Muhammara (Syrian Red Bell Pepper Relish)
138. Mujaddara (Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils)
139. Palacsinta (Hungarian Crepes)
140. Paprikás (Hungarian Paprika Stew)
141. Pastida (Double-Crust Pie)
142. Pastelle (Sephardic Miniature Pie)
143. Pastilla (Moroccan “Pigeon” Pie)
144. Pastrami
145. Patsas (Greek Foot Soup)
146. Pepitada (Greek Melon Seed ‘Milk’)
147. Peshkado Frito (Sephardic Pan-Fried Fish Fillets)
148. Pickles (Full and Half Sours)
149. Pirogen (Polish Potato-Filled Pasta)
150. Pita
151. Pkhali (Georgian Vegetable Pâté)
152. Pletzl (Ashkenazic Flat Bread)
153. Plov (Bukharan Rice Pilaf)
154. Pogácsa (Hungarian Scone)
155. Potatonik (Polish Potato Kugel Bread)
156. P’tcha (Ashkenazic Calf’s Foot Gelatin)
157. Pumpernickel
158. Rahat Lokum (Turkish Delight)
159. Raricha (Moroccan Unbaked Flourless Coconut Cookies)
160. Regel (Yemenite Foot Soup)
161. Rosl (Ashkenazic Fermented Beets)
162. Rugelach (Ashkenazic Cookie Crescents)
163. Rye Bread
164. Sabich (Iraqi Eggplant Sandwich)
165. Sachlav (Orchid root Beverage)
166. Salade Russe (Russian Cooked Vegetable Salad)
167. Salami (Italian Goose, but Beef is acceptable)
168. Sambusak (Middle Eastern Turnovers)
169. Samsa (Bukharan Fried Turnovers)
170. Satsivi (Georgian Poached Poultry in Walnut Sauce)
171. Schav (Eastern European Sorrel Soup)
172. Schmaltz
173. Schnecken (German Cinnamon Rolls)
174. Schnitzel
175. S’chug (Yemenite Chili Paste)
176. Shakshuka (Israeli Tomato Stew with Eggs)
177. Shawarma (Middle Eastern Roast Lamb)
178. Shlishkes (Hungarian Potato Dumplings)
179. Sponge Cake
180. Strudel
181. Sufganiyah (Israeli Jelly Doughnuts)
182. Sutlach (Middle Eastern Rice Flour Pudding)
183. Tabbouleh (Lebanese Parsley and Bulgur Salad)
184. Tabyett (Iraqi Chicken and Rice)
185. Tagine (Moroccan Stew)
186. Taramasalata (Greek Fish Roe Dip)
187. Tarator (Turkish Yogurt and Cucumber Salad)
188. Teiglach (Ashkenazic Honey Dough Balls)
189. Tishpishti (Middle Eastern Semolina Cake)
190. Topfenknodel (Austrian Cheese Dumpling)
191. Travados (Middle Eastern Pastry Horns)
192. Turshi (Middle Eastern Pickles)
193. Tzimmes (Ashkenazic Sweetened Stewed Root Vegetables)
194. Wot (Ethiopian Stew)
195. Za’atar (Middle Eastern Hyssop)
196. Zaban (Moroccan Nougat)
197. Zalabiya (Middle Eastern Funnel Cake)
198. Zemel/Zeml (Central European Split Rolls)
199. Zimtkuchen (Alsatian Cinnamon Cookies)
200. Zwetschgenkuchen (German Plum Tart)
MY LATEST HEALTH UPDATE
068 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
It has been a rough couple of months. I began taking Tarceva on Tuesday December 20, once a day, and I have been experiencing some of the common side effects, including fatigue, upset stomach, skin sensitivity, and a rash. I understand that the rash is a sign that the drug is actually working, so I can’t complain too much. I have checked with a variety of top lung doctors, including Sloan Kettering and Dana Farber, and they are all in consensus that my present course, taking Tarceva for as long as it is effective, is the preferable one for my condition. Every person reacts differently. This is not a curative therapy, however. Many people eventually develop resistance to this drug. Hopefully by that time there will be alternatives to Tarceva.
On March 7, the doctors did a ct scan to check my lung in detail to compare with a previous ct scans of 11/17/2011 and 11/22/2011. The results revealed some shrinkage:
“Chest: The previously identified 16 x 15 mm lobulated, speculated mass in the posterior subapical right upper lobe has decreased in size, now measuring approximately 8 x 9 mm (image 21) at its most prominent point. Additionally, the superior portion of this lobulated mass, which previously measured approximately 19 x 7 mm, has also decreased in size and now measures approximately 14 x 7 mm. The previously described subpleural/pleural nodules prominent in the right major and minor fissures have also regressed significantly, and now appear as subtle faint lines. The previously noted 2 mm subpleural nodule in the peripheral right middle lobe has also regressed to a small linear area, which now likely represents an area of scarring.
There is a small, residual right pleural effusion. There is also a small calcified granuloma in the peripheral right lower lobe. The previously described 11 x 11 mm right extrapleural nodule seen at the level of T4/T5, lateral to the neural foramen, is again identified not significantly changed from the prior study. The other multiple, small nodule in the extrapleural fat are less apparent and linear, and likely represent small vascular structures.
Impression: Interval decrease in size of the lobulated, spiculated posterior subapical right upper lobe mass from approximately 16 x 15 mm to 8 x 9 mm.
Interval regression of right subpleural and pleural fissural nodules.
Small right pleural effusion
No significant change in 11 x 11 mm nodule in the right extrapleural fat. As described previously, this may represent metastatic disease versus a neural sheath tumor/schwannoma.”
Hopefully, the next ct scan will reveal further shrinkage.
Meanwhile, I have been rather busy with speaking engagements and working on my next book. I will be heading for Israel on March 20 for a month, then it’s on to Limmud Philadelphia at the end of April and a rather busy speaking schedule in May and June. And, of course, more Tarceva.
Again, I would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers on my behalf.
Gil
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JEWISH FOOD in SAVEUR’s 100 NEW CLASSICS
0141 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
EJF in SAVEUR 100
In the little more than a year since the publication of Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, my book was received an array of acknowledgments and honors. A new one, and one of which I am particularly proud, is EJF’s inclusion in Saveur Magazine’s 100, The New Classics. Check out page 22 of the Jan/Feb 2012 issue. The citation ends, “Whatever topic we’re researching, whether it relates to Jewish food or not, we always find what we’re looking for inside.” Which was precisely my intent. Thanks Saveur.
HEALTH UPDATE
0148 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
On Tuesday December 6, I was informed that I have Stage IV lung cancer. The tumors are adenocarcinoma non-small cell. The gene test came back EGFR-positive. (A type not caused by smoking.) Consequently, instead of intravenous chemo, I take a pill once a day, the drug Erlotinib (Tarceva). It has much less serious side effects than intravenous chemo.
I plan to continue working as much as possible. (I already have a host of speaking engagements lined up for February, March, and May.) I also plan to remain as active as possible. (I have walked at least 2 miles a day since leaving the hospital.) And I intend to spend Passover in Israel again.
I want to thank those of you who sent their well-wishes and prayers. It means a lot to me. I need to thank my friends Sheilah Kaufman, Miriam Rubin, Shelley Frier List, and others for all their efforts on my behalf. In particular, I would like to thank the office of my congressman Jerrold Nadler, and especially Ellen Wallach, for helping me with a complication with insurance and an uncaring and unresponsive bureaucracy. Their assistance and reassurance was most welcomed at this problematic time, and restored my faith in government.
Gil Marks
GAM ZO L’TOVA – Important Announcement
0164 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
You may have noticed that I have been absent from my blog recently and have not been returning phone calls or emails. Well, I’ve been in the hospital for part of that time. On Wednesday November, 16, I went to the emergency room, where they drained more than 2 liters of fluid from my right lung and I was admitted to the hospital. The following night, they drained another 2 liters. Afterwards, they did a cat scan and found a growth on the lung. The result of testing the fluid came back malignant – an adenocarcinoma. And I never smoked. They then did further cat scans, mri, and nuclear bone scan on my abdomen and head to determine if the cancer was localized or spread. I was released a week later, in time to be home for Thanksgiving. They had to wait for some test results to determine the exact protocol. I will be beginning chemotherapy soon. I plan to continue working during this period.
Gil
UNIQUE LUCK
0198 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
As many of you might know, I have unique luck. Not bad, but unique. After all, how many people end up writing cookbooks for their career. (Three of which have been nominated for the James Beard Award.) And not many people are honored by inclusion in the Forward 50. (That was certainly unexpected, considering my unorthodox career choice.) Strange things always happen to me.
This past week exemplifies my luck. I flew back to the US from Israel last Thursday. The flight itself was rather uneventful, although two young Israeli women seated behind me made an extended ruckus when one of their seats would not go back far enough and they insisted on sitting together elsewhere on a rather packed flight. I think they were scheming to get an upgrade to business class, but that machination failed. After several hours of loud complaining, the stewardess talked the guy in front of me with the inner seat next to him empty to trade with them. The fun actually started on the ground. At the initial passport check, where only four booths were open for the entire jet. One young lady stood in front, directing people to various lines. I was ordered to line 40. Right in front of me was the most Islamic couple possible. He was wearing a white pajama-like outfit and she was entirely covered in the black abaya/chador along with black face covering and gloves. Of course, they were with the passport control agent for more than a half hour. And we waited and waited. Initially, the directing lady requested that we stay in our line, even as it stalled. Then the woman behind me from out of nowhere asked, “Are you Gil Marks?” She then informed me that she had attended one of my cooking demos a few years ago and had many of my books. Then the couple behind her said, “You’re Gil Marks, we have some of your books too.” They were unaware of the new Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, so I took the opportunity to push the book. Hopefully, I made a sale. This was just too good. To be recognized by strangers in line at JFK airport was unusual and great for stroking my ego. I no longer minded the delay. Then the passport agent left his station along with the Islamic couple and their two young kids. The directing lady now advised us we could move to the back of one of the remaining three lines and if the passport agent returned, we could resume our place in the line 40. Many more minutes passed before the passport agent returned, and he quickly advised us that the woman had pink eye and was taken to the office and it was best to stay in our line while he disinfected. But we eventually made it through and I was even treated to a reasonably-talented Michael Jackson impersonator on the A train ride.
That was not the end of my travels and travails. I was scheduled to fly out early Sunday morning from Newark Airport to Denver for a speaking engagement at the JCC book fair. I decided it would be easier to spend the weekend at my cousins, the Zimms, in Teaneck, then get a quick ride to Newark Sunday morning. However there was nearly a foot of October snow on Saturday, which knocked out all of the power shortly before noon, and it remained out. This meant also that I couldn’t access the Internet or much else. Of course, my Sunday morning flight was canceled and, after much haggling (thank goodness for cell phones) and being put on hold, I found a single seat (a middle one) on the 8 pm flight. That flight, though, was delayed and left around 10 pm. But I finally made it and had a wonderful (and sold out) presentation in Denver. And got to spend time with my cousin Roger, wife Robbie, and kids Dan and Amy, and my cousin Karen.
Finally, Sunday I returned to my apartment on the UWS, hoping to overcome my jetlag and rest up before Kosherfest. (Much of northern New Jersey still had no power by then) The flight from Denver was less than pleasant, with an extremely wide man in the middle seat next to me, who by the laws of physics, commandeered part of my space. And a young woman with two young children directly behind me who all talked very loudly throughout the entire flight (I really hate Go Fish at this point and I did not need one of the kids sporadically asking if the plane was going to crash – and, no, she couldn’t see the Statue of Liberty from Newark terminal) and enjoyed kicking my seat. I did, however, spend the time constructively by writing this blog. (Thank goodness for laptops.) But I’m home and my ego is still stroked by being recognized in the airport. And life certainly cannot be described as boring or predictable when you have unique luck.
CAN’T KVETCH ABOUT GUVETCH
0207 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
I needed a quick, but tasty vegetable dish for Simchat Torah, so I turned to an old favorite, guvetch. (Technically, it was a yahni, but most Romanians subsume all of the various vegetable stews under guvetch.) Although many versions call for eggplant, we had none in the house and actually didn’t miss it. I threw together some red peppers, carrots, green squash, kohlrabi, tomatoes, and onions, sprinkled in a little salt and dash of olive oil, simmered it atop the stove until the carrots were tender (about 30 minutes), then stuck the pot on the platta (large heating plate) until dinner. Little fuss or muss. The results were sweet and delicious. My mother kept asking me what spices I added, but besides the salt none. The cooking caramelized the sugar in the vegetables, while the juice from the vegetables melds, producing a succulent dish.
Types of earthenware pots typified Near Eastern cooking throughout much of the Biblical and Talmudic periods when these vessels were arranged over horseshoe-shaped clay stands with the kindling underneath lit through the opening. The Turks adopted various clay utensils, slow cooking pieces of meat and vegetables, either over a fire or in a pit oven, becoming a preferred approach of Ottoman cuisine. As new produce arrived in the Near East, such as eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers, Turkish cooks readily included them into these stews. During centuries of occupation of the Balkans, the Turks introduced their slow-cooked vegetable stews as well as many of the ingredients common to them to that region, including the rustic baked djuvec, named after the thick-based, thin straight-sided earthenware vessel, appearing similar to a flower pot, in which it was cooked and frequently served. In Romania and Bulgaria, the dish was pronounced guvetch, also variously spelled ghiveci, ghivetch, guvec, and yuvetch, and quickly became a staple, ranking among the most popular of foods. Similar ragouts are common throughout the former Ottoman Empire and adjacent areas, including the Sephardic khandrajo (“rags” in Ladino), the Greek briami, and the Provencal ratatouille (derived from touiller, from the Latin tudiculare, meaning “to stir” or “crush”). Nonetheless, ratatouille arrived in that region relatively late in history, first recorded in the early twentieth century, while eggplant stews were already mentioned in Turkey in the fourteenth century.
When baked uncovered in the oven, the stew is a guvetch, while a covered baked stew is technically a kapama, from the Turkish kapamak (to cover). A yahni or yachni, similarly named after a Persian earthenware vessel in which it was originally cooked, entails covering the pot and stewing over a fire. A little water is added to uncovered stews, while no water is used when cooked covered. In eastern Turkey, Armenia, and parts of Greece, a synonym for guvetch is known as a turlu, from the Turkish for “mixture,” although some cooks contend that turlu should never contain eggplant, while others insist it should have pieces of mutton. Sephardim in Turkey typically cooked turlu in an oya, the Ladino for olla, a Spanish squat, rounded, wide-mouth earthenware pot.
As with most plebeian dishes, there is no definitive recipe. However, to be authentic, guvetch must contain a selection of vegetables and be slow cooked, the contents varying based upon personal preference, habit, and availability. A guvetch can be made with a few or more than twenty vegetables. Frequently, leftover vegetables and soup went into a guvetch. Most vegetable stews are actually better when made in large quantities and frequently when reheated the next day, the flavors having an opportunity to meld and mellow. Middle Eastern vegetable stews tend to be cooked until all the ingredients are very soft; any sign of crispness is a sign of a bad cook. Stews containing summer vegetables — eggplants, green beans, okra, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini — are a guvetch yaz (summer stew). Guvetch de riz is cooked with rice. Those predominantly made with winter squash and various root vegetables — carrots, celeriac, potatoes, and turnips — are called guvetch kis. Other commonly added items include cabbage, leeks, lima beans, mushrooms, potatoes, and even sour grapes. Jewish versions tend to be vegetarian. Although an earthenware pot enhances and contributes to the flavor of the stew, it can be cooked in any oven-proof vessel or simmered in a pot. The flavors develop and meld during the long baking period. Seasonings in these stews are generally rather mild, the essential flavor derived from the combination of vegetables and the cooking process, not any specific content. Characteristic of Romanian cookery, there must be garlic and plenty of it, sometimes both minced and whole. Turks generally add a little lemon juice. Romanians brought guvetch to Israel where it is now commonly sold in containers in most supermarkets. But it is so easy to make at home, and tasty, and a great way to use those vegetables in the refrigerator, that I don’t know why more non-Romanians don’t do it.
Romanian Vegetable Stew (Guvetch) P
(6 to 8 servings as a side dish)
2 cups (14 ounces) peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped plum tomatoes
4 medium onions, sliced
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound green beans, trimmed, or 1 pound okra, trimmed
4 small green or yellow squash or any combination, cut into chunks
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and sliced
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
4 to 8 whole cloves garlic
1 to 2 large carrots, sliced (optional)
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets (optional)
About 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste
½ cup vegetable stock or water
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients. Cover and simmer over a low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes. Or bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid evaporates, about 1½ hours. Serve warm, at room temperature, or slightly chilled.
VARIATIONS
Romanian Baked Vegetable Stew (Kapama): Omit the water. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in a 350-degree oven until tender, about 1½ hours. Or use the water, and sprinkle the bottom layer of tomatoes with ¾ cup long-grain rice.
Greek Vegetable Stew (Yachni de Verduras): Reduce the garlic to 1 to 2 minced cloves and the water to ¼ cup. Add 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried oregano. In Step 5, stir together all the ingredients, cover, and simmer over very low heat until tender, about 40 minutes.
SERENDIPITY
0214 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
I like to plan out each holiday and Sabbath meal well in advance. Of course, nothing runs that smoothly. Many of the dishes I prepared this Sukkot at my parents’ home in Israel were standards, such as brisket, stuffed cabbage, scalloped potatoes, and yellow rice, which have staying power, but I can also make extra portions to freeze for meals further down the line on Sukkot and for when holiday guests stop by. Other dishes, however, were a matter of what produce was available in the house and what struck my fancy.
My mother had some interesting vegetables in her refrigerator, including some young Russian red kale, and I decided to fix them as a stir-fry. In the mixture I also sliced some carrots, bell peppers, a kohlrabi, a few green squash, onions, and scallions. I had a sweet-and-sour sauce with a touch of chilies, so I stirred in a little. The result was quite refreshing and tasty. And it held up well on the platta until Friday night dinner.
When my mother’s chicken soup ended up locked in a neighbor’s freezer and they forgot to share the key before leaving for the weekend, I found four leeks and 2 small fennel bulbs, which I simmered with a diced potato for extra texture, then threw in a splash of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. I served it hot with soft matza balls intended for the chicken soup. The result was delicious, if I do say so myself, sort of like a vegetarian chicken soup.
To be sure, I crumbled up tofu into my noodle kugel (one batch made three kugels covering three meals). But I frequently substitute tofu for cheese in a noodle kugel, then throw in some chopped apples and apricots. So this was no spur of the moment impulse.
Some of the world’s best foods were created by accident. Chocolate chip cookies are now big business in the United States, but its origins is rather humble, the result of a fortuitous accident. Ruth Graves Wakefield (1903-1977) spent several years as a dietitian after graduating the Framingham State Normal School in the Department of Household Arts. Then in 1930, Ruth and her husband Kenneth purchased a toll house (built in 1709) in Whitman, Massachusetts, halfway between Boston and New Bedford. The couple opened a lodge, naming it the Toll House Inn. Soon thereafter (I don’t think it’s too early to start considering a centennial memorial for this major culinary birth), Ruth was whipping up a batch of “Butter Drop Do” cookies.
Amelia Simmons in American Cookery (Hartford: 1796), the first cookbook written by an American, included the original colonial recipe for making this dish. “Butter drop do. Rub one quarter of a pound butter, one pound sugar, sprinkled with mace, into one pound and a quarter flour, add four eggs, one glass rose water, bake as No. 1 [i.e. ‘shape it to your fancy, bake 15 minutes’].”
At the last minute, after already preparing the dough, Wakefield decided to make the cookies chocolate. However, she did not have any baking chocolate on hand. In desperation, she added chopped pieces of semisweet chocolate expecting that they would melt and mix with the dough. Much to her amazement and the delight of subsequent generations, the chocolate pieces remained intact. The result was what she initially called “chocolate crispies” and what is now the most popular of all cookies. Wakefield did not even like her discovery that much, but her employees did and continued to make them. Of such lucky mishaps are great ideas often born — as was a new form of chocolate, scored bars meant to be broken for this increasingly popular cookie.
After Nestle’s began marketing her chocolate chip recipe to the public, Wakefield published her original recipe in a book Toll House Tried and True Recipes (New York: M, Barrows & Company, 1936).
Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies
Cream 1 cup butter, add ¾ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup granulated sugar and 2 eggs beaten whole. Dissolve 1 tsp. soda in 1 tsp. hot water, and mix alternately with 2¼ cups flour sifted with 1 tsp. salt. Lastly add 1 cup chopped nuts and 2 bars (7-oz.) Nestles yellow label chocolate, semi-sweet, which has been cut in pieces the size of a pea. Flavor with 1 tsp vanilla and drip half teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in 375 degrees F. Oven. Makes 100 cookies.”
Note that the recipe is not yet called “chocolate chip” and it calls for cutting up chocolate bars, as the book was printed before the advent of chocolate chips. In 1939 Nestle purchased the Toll House name and began producing small chocolate morsels that we now call chips as well as creating its standard name. In 1985 a fire laid waste to the Toll House Inn, but its most famous product lives on.
To be sure, none of my serendipitous holiday dishes in any way approach a chocolate chip cookie in impact or durability. Still, I generally take a little more satisfaction with my accidental holiday dishes than the standard fare, as they are a matter of artistic license and most will never be seen again. Oh, and this year I did make a double batch of chocolate chip mandelbrot, for which I can thank Ruth Wakefield.
BLOGGERS BONANZA (My Evening with Israeli Food Bloggers)
0222 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
I occasionally discover new food bloggers when I get quoted and the Google alert appears. Some bloggers (obviously my favorites and I’m always appreciative) quote me on a regular basis, while others much less so. In any case, we all share a passion for food, which comes through in our work. Rarely, do I get a chance to actually meet people from the blogosphere in person and never before have I met with a large assemblage of them. But this past week, a group of twelve Israeli food bloggers and I had dinner and discussions at the Eucalyptus Restaurant in Jerusalem, all arranged by Shira Kallus Zwebner (i.e. kosherfoodie on Twitter).
More on the dinner and participants in a moment, but first let me regale you with tales of my harrowing adventures going and coming. I took a bus into the city, then hailed a cab on the street, who would not admit that he did not know where the restaurant’s new location was, but instead dropped me near the Montifiore Restaurant adjacent to the windmill. I wandered for a while and to make matters worse, I stopped to ask three different police officers for directions, and each pointed me in the wrong direction, until I ended up back at the windmill. Fortunately, I had a cell phone (thank you Israel for another great invention) and Shira’s cell number. I finally returned to the Montifiore Restaurant, where a waiter kindly called a cab, who actually did know where he was going and dropped me off in the right place. So I arrived nearly half an hour late, which was not a conspicuous way to begin an evening, as I am not the type that likes to be fashionably late.
Leaving also proved to be an adventure. I received a ride to my bus stop from Yael from Modiin, who was as unfamiliar with driving in the narrow streets of Jerusalem as I. As we tried to leave the parking lot, we discovered that the narrow dead-end street was illegally parked on both sides by drivers heading to the nearby Kotel. Yet cars were still attempting to move in both directions. Several small cars managed to squeak by in the other direction, but then facing us was a large Chrysler van and there was no way either of us could pass. Yael tried backing up a little, but behind us was a line of cars also trying to get out. Finally, the three or more cars heading in the opposite direction in front of us realized that it was they who had to move and retreated, including the massive van. We inched ahead passing the cars illegally parked on both sides and finally made it out, without giving or receiving a scratch. I got to the Tunnel Junction around midnight, well after the last bus to Alon Shvut had passed. Fortunately, the second car that drove by was a young guy heading to Alon Shvut, so I made it home by 12:30. Whew!
Anyway, back to the main event. It was a very diverse group of people from as far away as Beer Sheva and Tel Aviv: religious and non-religious, former Americans and native Israelis, those who are great cooks and others who remain less than adept in the kitchen. What we all shared was a love for food and, in particular, for Jewish food.
Here are my new friends, in no particular order other than their position around the table:
Shira Kallus Zwebner
Katherine Martinelli www.katherinemartinelli.com
Liz Steinberg cafeliz Israeli food blog food.lizsteinberg.com
Ariella Darsa Amshalem www.aricooks.wordpress.com
Michelle Kemp-Nordell and her husband David www.baronesstapuzina.com
Miriam Kresh www.israelikitchen.com
Sarah Melamed foodbridge www.sarahmelamed.com
Yael Ruder @ Hope It Will Rain www.yaelruder.blogspot.com
Hannah Katsman www.cookingmanager.com
Mirjam Weiss www.miriyummy.wordpress.com
(If I omitted anyone, please forgive me and let me know.)
For those of you unfamiliar with Eucalyptus Restaurant and its dynamic owner Moshe Basson, he is from an Iraqi family, and his parents opened a bakery in the village of Beit Safafa. Local Arab women (older housewives are always the best source to learn the foods and culinary traditions of any community) would come to use the bakery oven, as in Iraq, and he was exposed to both their dishes as well as the wild edible plants they used in them. Moshe is particularly passionate about indigenous plants and foods of the Levant. He even won the International Couscous Competition in Italy in 1999.
I have dined at Basson’s restaurants before, so I knew what to expect. He loves wild native plants and herbs, especially za’atar, sumac, Israeli sage, and hubeza, which star and sparkle in his dishes. Among his signature dishes are stuffed figs in tamarind sauce (recipe follows); a tasting of three soups, red lentil, Jerusalem artichoke, and his mother’s tomato soup (it was my favorite of the trio); charred eggplant in tahina and pomegranate sauce; kofta (veal meatballs); stuffed hubeza or grape leaves; and, of course, couscous with vegetable and chickpeas (the latter, when made with 7 symbolic elements is actually a traditional Moroccan Rosh Hashanah dish). The highlight of Basson’s meals is the makluba (a local upside down rice and chicken casserole originally derived from the Persian polo, also the source of the Western pilaf). Moshe prodded me to dress in apron and funny hat to unveil the evening’s makluba, and there are now pictures out there to prove it.
Besides those disturbing photos now out there on the internet, the evening’s only problem was that it was far too short. I do hope to be able to spend more time in the future with the group. All too frequently when I get started talking about food, people’s eyes start to glaze over, so it’s always refreshing to be around others who share my interest. And it’s always nice to hear how appreciated and used the Encyclopedia of Jewish Food and Olive Trees and Honey have become. I don’t become tired of hearing people admit how they use my books as a resource.
If I could encourage others to do anything, it would be to preserve copies of recipes of traditional family foods. All too frequently and tragically, these dishes don’t pass from one generation to the next. So get your grandmothers, aunts, and mother and wrangle these details from them while you can, even if it means catching their “pinch of this” or “handful of that” in a cup and measuring it. Then after securing these treasures, pass them around to your family and post them on the internet. These recipes are a part of Jewish history and should rightfully be preserved for all to enjoy and learn. They are a taste, literally and figuratively, of our past and hopefully future as well.
Moshe Basson’s Stuffed Figs
(12 servings)
12 fresh or dried figs
Filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 chicken breast (about 1 pound), coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seed
salt to taste
Sauce:
½ cup strained tamarind paste or ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
salt to taste
1. To make the filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil, add the onion, and sauté until soft and light golden, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and half the quantity of each spice. Stir until the chicken loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Do not wash the pan.
2. To make the sauce: Into the same skillet, put the tamarind paste, water, sugar, remaining spices, and salt. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and stir until it is smooth, velvety. Set aside.
3. To prepare the figs: If using fresh figs, make an incision into the upper third of the fig, making sure you do not cut through so that the fig can be reassembled after stuffing. With a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the fig flesh. Add half of it to the sauce and half to the chicken mixture. If using dried figs, use your fingers to create a cavity in the center of the fig.
4. To assemble: Stuff the cavity of the figs with the chicken mixture. Put the stuffed figs into the prepared sauce in the skillet, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds.
VARIATIONS:
For a vegetarian version, substitute a combination of button and oyster mushrooms for the chicken.
A more elaborate version is made with stuffed onions and stuffed small eggplants.