EXPLORING JEWISH FOOD AND CULTURE with GIL MARKS
Archive for January, 2011
IT’S COLD OUT THERE (TEA WEATHER)
0848 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
It’s been a cold, snowy winter in NYC and Monday was particularly bitter. My moustache froze when I was walking around outside in the morning. And this came after a weekend when there was no electricity or heat in my apartment from about 8:00 pm Friday night till after noon. I could hear the ice falling in my refrigerator as it defrosted during the night as the apartment grew incongruously colder. This, of course, meant, I couldn’t access any food inside without fear of letting additional cold out. Though, come to think of it, it probably was cold enough outside the fridge to keep most perishables. The ice cream probably got the worst of it, turning icy like popsicles. When my landlord finally returned the building to the 21st century, the cholent in my crockpot had passed the point of no return. It was actually colder inside my apartment than if I was moving outside, so I headed for a walk in Central Park until the super finally changed the fuse. By the time that I returned, the lights and heat were finally returned.
As soon as Shabbat was over, I headed to the kitchen for something hot. And I’ve been enjoying my hot foods for the past few days. Fortunately, I had plenty of tea in the pantry.
TEA
Tea (Camwllia sinensis), from the Amoy dialect tay, is made from the dried leaves of an evergreen shrub native to China. Originally, tea leaves were simply chewed. It was only around the year 1,000 C.E. that someone in China first steeped tea leaves in boiling water. The result quickly caught on and tea making spread throughout the Orient, often prepared and served in a ritualistic and poetic manner. Although Marco Polo mentioned seeing tea in China, it was only introduced to the West at the beginning of the 17th century when Portuguese and Dutch traders brought some back from the Orient.
The Dutch brought tea from the Fujian province where it was called te, hence that word became popular in England and much of Western and Central Europe. On the other hand, Portuguese tea came from Canton in the north where it was known as cha (pronounced chai), the word adopted in Japan and much of Eastern Europe. Tea became particularly popular in Central Asia, Russia, India, Persia, England and Morocco. Russians and Arabs prefer drinking tea from glasses; Asians and the British favor pottery cups.
The flavor of tea depends on the variety, growing conditions and processing. There are four basic types of tea: White, green, black, and oolong.
- White tea (actually pale gray in color) comes from buds picked before they open, then allowed to wither and dry. This yields the mildest tea, pale yellow in color.
- Green tea (pale green in color) is made from leaves that are dried immediately after picking, rolled (releasing aromatic liquids), then steamed to prevent fermentation. It is more astringent than other types with herbal overtones.
- Black tea, the world’s most popular type, is withered, then lightly crushed to expose its enzymes to the air, thereby producing fermentation (as the leaves dry, they turn black). It has a mild, slightly smoky flavor. Earl Gray refers to black tea flavored with oil of bergamot.
- Oolong (the name comes from Taiwan’s former name, Formosa Oolong) or brown tea leaves are half-fermented (the process is stopped at the halfway point) before drying, resulting in a distinctive peach-like flavor.
Tea descriptions are usually named after the variety and size of leaves or region of origin. Today, most teas are made from blends of tea leaves. Tisane (substitute teas such as herb teas) are made from various leaves and herbs. Souchong is a large-leaf variety from China. Lapsang souchong is black souchong that is smoke-dried, producing a tar flavor. Orange pekoe is a large-leaf variety, usually from India and Sri Lanka, containing a large proportion of tips. Assam is India’s largest tea-growing region producing robust teas than stand up to the addition of milk. Darjeeling is a tea growing region of Northern India, producing light and fruity teas. Sencha Fuku Jya is a Japanese green tea generally served in most Chinese restaurants. The Japanese prefer Banch, while reserving the prized Gyokuro for special occasions.
Large leaf teas require a longer brewing time, thus small leaf teas are generally used in tea bags.
Brewed Tea
(Per serving)
Use a glazed china or earthenware teapot which retain the heat without imparting off flavors. Herb teas (also called tisane) are brewed similarly to tea. One of the most popular of these herbs teas is made from the leaves of camomile. Robust teas are commonly accompanied with milk, lemon, and honey or sugar. Delicate or distinctly-flavored teas are best enjoyed plain. For Iced Tea, let tea cool, then refrigerate.
1 cup (240 ml) freshly drawn cold water
1 teaspoon (5 ml) tea or 1 tea bag
1. Bring the cold water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, preheat the teapot by rinsing it with hot water (this keeps the tea from cooling too quickly). Drain the teapot.
2. For each 1 cup (240 ml) of tea, place 1 teaspoon (5 ml) tea or 1 tea bag in the teapot. As soon as the water reaches a boil, bring the teapot to the kettle and pour the water over the tea. Put the lid on the pot and let steep 3 to 5 minutes (3 for small leaf-tea; 4 to 5 for large leaf-tea). Stir to evenly distribute, then strain. (When tea is allowed to brew too long, the leaves release an excess of tannin, resulting in a bitter flavor.) For those who wish to avoid straining, use a tea ball or tea bag.
3. Serve the tea immediately as letting it stand too long produces a large amount of tannin and, thereby, a bitter taste. If desired, serve with lemon wedges, sugar and/or milk.
CHAI
Chai is an ancient Indian drink consisting of brewed black tea brewed, then sweetened with sugar and mellowed with milk. When using a strong tea like Darjeeling, Assam, and Ceylon, use about 2 teaspoons (10 ml) for every 3 cups (700 ml) of liquid (water and milk). For weaker black teas such as Orange Pekoe use up to 3 teaspoons. Indians prefer their black tea rather sweet and generally serve chai presweetened. Green teas are served with and without sugar. When the black tea is brewed with various spice combinations it is called garam masala chai. Most versions contain cinnamon. Other common spiced include cardamom, cloves, fennel, ginger, nutmeg, and peppercorns. It can be served hot or cold.
Garam Masala Chai (Indian Spiced Tea)
(About 1 quart/1 liter)
7 cups (1.7 liters) water
3 Darjeeling tea bags or 4 tablespoons (60 ml) loose black tea
4 thin slices fresh ginger
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
1 cup (240 ml) milk
6 tablespoons (90 ml) honey or granulated sugar
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the tea, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and bay leaves and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until the milk begins to froth (about 1 additional minute). Stir in the honey. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 3 minutes. (The tea will be somewhat orange in color. If the tea is left in for too long, it becomes bitter.) Strain. Serve hot or chilled.
Naa-Naa (Moroccan Mint Tea)
(About 1 quart/1 liter)
Moroccans learned of tea from the British and loved it to such an extent that mint-flavored tea became the national drink. In the north of the country, the tea is mild and highly sweetened. As one travels south, the tea get stronger and less sugar is used. For iced mint tea, chill and pour over ice cubes.
2 cups (480 ml) fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon (15 ml) tea
1 quart (1 liter) boiling water
2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 ml) honey or sugar (optional)
In a teapot, place the mint, tea, and, if desired, honey or sugar to taste. Add the water and let steep 5 to 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve.
For those who don’t want tea, here’s my hot cocoa recipe:
Hot Cocoa
(4 servings)
4 to 6 tablespoons (60 to 90 ml) cocoa powder, preferably alkalized (Dutch-processed)
1/3 to ½ cup (80 to 120 ml) granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
½ cup (120 ml) water
3¾ cups (900 ml) milk (or 3½ cups (840 ml) low-fat milk and ¼ cup (60 ml) half-and-half)
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
Whipped cream or marshmallows (optional)
1. In a 2-quart (2-liter) saucepan, combine the cocoa, sugar, and salt. Add the water and stir over medium heat until the cocoa dissolves and the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the milk, reduce the heat to medium-low, and bring to a simmer. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. If desired, top with whipped cream or marshmallows.
VARIATIONS:
Richer Cocoa: Omit the water. Reduce the milk to 3 cups. Add ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream.
Orange Cocoa: Add three 2- by 1-inch strips orange zest and, if desired, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) instant coffee powder and 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg. Discard the orange peel before serving.
A HOLIDAY FOR TREES
0857 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
The Mishna relates, “There are four new years. On the first of Nisan is the new year for kings and for festivals. On the first of Elul is the new year for the tithe of cattle. Rabbi Eleazar and Rabbi Simeon said: The first of Tishrei. On the first of Tishrei is the new year for years, for shemitah, for jubilee years, for saplings, and for {tithe of} vegetables. On the first of Shevat is Rosh Hashanah l’Ilan (“new year for the tree”) according to the ruling of Beit Shammai; Beit Hillel says on the fifteenth.” Tu b’Shevat is not a festival like Rosh Hashanah in Tishrei, but rather a biblically significant day.
Throughout life there are many occasions that people mark and remember — births and deaths, taxes and fiscal periods, school terms and government sessions, planting and harvesting. In the land of Israel, there are additional ritual matters. According to the Bible, no produce grown in the land of Israel may be eaten until certain biblically prescribed gifts are separated from it. Therefore, following the harvesting of any crop, a farmer first had to remove terumah (also called terumah gedolah) to be given to any kohain (priest). The Bible does not prescribe a definite amount, but the rabbis directed, “If a man is liberal it is one-fortieth, for the average man it is one-fiftieth, and for the parsimonious, one-sixtieth.” After the separation of the terumah, an additional series of agricultural gifts called ma’aserot (“tithes”) then had to be discharged. Ma’aser rishon (“the first tenth”), consisting of 1/10th of the remaining crops, was presented to any member of the tribe of Levi, the Levi then gave 10% of that amount (called terumat ma’aser) to a kohain. Ma’aser sheni (“the second tenth”), consisting of 1/10th of the remaining produce, but only in the first, second, fourth, and fifth years of the shemitah cycle, was transported by the farmer “to be eaten before the Lord” (i.e. in Jerusalem). The third type of tithing, ma’aser ani (“the tenth of the poor”), only given in the third and sixth years, consisted of 1/10th of the remaining harvest, which was given to the local needy, rather than brought to the Temple. During the shemitah year, there is no planting nor harvesting and, therefore, no tithing.
A person cannot fulfill the payment of the tithe of one year from the produce of a different year. Thus the 15th of Shevat serves as the cut off point for the inclusion of tree fruit subject to gift requirements in a specific time frame. If a fruit started to form on the tree before the fifteenth of Shevat, it is included with all the fruit of the previous year for purposes of determining its gift status, while any fruit developing after this demarcation date is included in the arriving year.
Why is Rosh Hashanah l’Ilan in the month of Shevat? After all, the new year for vegetables is in Tishrei. In Israel by early February, the majority of the year’s rain has fallen — Tu b’Shevat is three months after the traditional date for the commencement of rain on the 17th of Cheshvan and two and a half months until the end of the rainy season at the end of Nissan. At this time, the weather begins to slightly warm, the sap begins to flow, and the branches begin to show the initial signs of budding. Therefore, it is fitting that the fruit that forms after this point is assigned as gifts for the upcoming time period. It is possible that the dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai arose because the latter lived in the coastal plain and Sharon Valley where the flowers bloom earlier than in the hill country of Israel where the disciples of Hillel resided. Nonetheless, Jewish practice as usual followed that of Beit Hillel and the new year for trees subsequently was observed on chamisha asar (the 15th) Shevat. Around the late fifteenth century, numerically equivalent Hebrew letters were substituted for chamisha asar in order make the name more concise and easier to say. However, since the letters representing fifteen (yud plus heh) spell out God’s name, the Hebrew letter tet representing the number nine and the letter vav signifying six were used together, pronounced tu. The result is the catchy name Tu b’Shevat.
Since the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the majority of Jews from the land of Israel, tithing is binding only rabbinically. Jews who do not live in Israel may not be able to share even in this aspect, but Tu b’Shevat still holds much meaning. For trees play a prominent role in the Bible (the tree of life in the Garden of Eden, etc.) as well as in our daily lives and ecology (providing oxygen, food, and shelter). Indeed, the wording of the Mishna, Rosh Hashanah l’Ilan (the singular “new year for the tree,” not “the trees”), can be interpreted as referring to the Aitz Chaim (“tree of Life”), a metaphor for the Torah. In addition, the Bible states, “for man is a tree of the field” and later commentators explained that the commandments are the fruit of the tree. Thus Tu b’Shevat provides fertile ground for contemporary religious experiences.
In Israel by early February, the majority of the year’s rain has fallen — Rosh Hashanah l’Ilan is three months after the traditional date for the commencement of rain on the 17th of Cheshvan and two and a half months until the end of the rainy season at the end of Nissan. At this time, the sap begins to flow and the branches begin to show the initial signs of budding. It is possible that the dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai arose because the latter lived in the coastal plain and Sharon Valley where the flowers bloom earlier than in the hill country of Israel where the disciples of Hillel resided. Nonetheless, Jewish practice as usual follows that of Beit Hillel and the New Year for trees subsequently was observed on the 15th of Shevat. Around the 15th century, numerically equivalent Hebrew letters were substituted for chamisha asar, which resulted in the catchy name Tu b’Shevat.
In agricultural-based ancient Israel, this was an especially meaningful occasion, accompanied with singing and dancing. Tu b’Shevat was only marginally celebrated among Ashkenazim, probably because it fell in the dead of winter in northern climates. The Magen Avraham (c. 1671) noted, “The custom in Ashkenaz is to increase the consumption of different types of fruits on this day.” On the other hand, Sephardim, due to the warm climate and early growing season in their locales, have long manifested a deep devotion for the day, which they call Las Frutus (“The Fruit”), expressed in a large number of customs and even a vacation from school for the children. On the day of Tu b’Shevat, Sephardic families customarily visit relatives, where they are offered a veritable feast, appropriately containing an abundance of fruits and nuts. The children are encouraged to not only partake of the spread, but to take bolsas de frutas (“bags of fruit”) home with them. Beginning in the late 1900s with the establishment of agricultural settlements in Israel as well as the need to plant trees to rebuild the land, this holiday took on new significance throughout the Jewish world.
The community of kabbalists who made their home in 16th century Safed maintained a profound regard for this minor holiday and developed a new liturgy and rituals for it. An expanded version of these prayers was collected in an 18th century work appropriately called Peri Etz Hadar (“Fruit of the Goodly Tree”, the biblical name for citron), and describing the Tu b’Shevat “Seder” (ceremonial meal) practices of the kabbalists. This ceremony, based on the Passover Seder, contains such rituals as drinking four cups of wine — each wine a different type — and sampling at least 12 fruits and nuts; others increase the number to 15, corresponding to the numerical value of Tu. Iraqi Jews further expanded on the concept, increasing the number to a minimum of 100 fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables.
In the Tu b’Shevat Seder, the first cup of wine is white — symbolizing the snows of winter — followed by fruits that have an inedible covering, including nuts, citrus fruits, pineapples, and pomegranates. The second cup is golden/yellow — symbolizing the sap beginning to flow in the trees — and accompanied by fruits that have edible coverings but also contain large pits, including apricots, carob, cherries, dates, peaches, plums, and olives. The third cup is pink — symbolizing the blossoms that are just sprouting on the branches — and followed by completely edible fruit or those with very small seeds, including apples, berries, figs, grapes, quinces, and pears. The fourth and final cup is a deep red — symbolizing the fertility of the land. Appropriate psalms and Biblical verses referring to fruit and vegetables are recited during the course of the Seder.
Since Tu b’Shevat is a minor holiday, few specific dishes evolved for its celebration, but rather the practice emerged of serving fare containing fruit. There is a widespread custom to eat the Shevah Minim (“Seven Species,” the five fruits and two grains for which the Land of Israel is praised), either in the order in which they are mentioned in the biblical verse — wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates — or in order of importance in ancient Israel – wheat, barley, olives or olive oil, dates, grapes or wine, figs, and pomegranates. In addition, many people eat other fruits mentioned in the Bible or associated with Israel, most notably bokser (carob), apples, pears, quinces, walnuts, and pistachios. Since almond trees are traditionally the first to bloom as well as biblically significant, their nuts also have special meaning on Tu b’Shevat. Some families serve jam or candy made from etrogim used during the festival of Sukkot.
Popular Tu b’Shevat dishes include: Hungarian wine soup (borleves), Moroccan orange salad (salata latsheen), Middle Eastern bulgur-stuffed cabbage (malfoof mahshee), Bukharan vegetable and fruit stew (dimlama), Bukharan baked rice and fruit (savo), Persian sweet rice (shirin polo), Ashkenazic barley with mushrooms (gersht un shveml), Persian carrot omelets (havij edjeh), Middle Eastern wheat berry pudding (ashure), and German fried dumplings with fruit (schnitzelkloese). Dried fruit strudels and kugels are a popular Ashkenazic treat. Turkish Jews enjoy prehito/moostrahana, a dish of sweetened cracked wheat, or kofyas, a dish of sweetened wheat berries, called assurei or koliva by the Greeks. Syrians serve fruit and nut pastries such as ma’amoul (nut pastries) and ras ib adjweh (date pastries).
The weekly Torah portion read on the Sabbath preceding Tu b’Shevat, Beshallach, relates the story of the splitting of the sea and the disastrous consequences that befell the Egyptians who were drowned while pursuing the Jews. In commemoration of this event, many communities serve dishes with sauces, symbolizing the sea, or other symbolic foods. Italian Jews prepare a dish of pasta in meat sauce called ruota di faraone (Pharaoh’s wheel). Alsatians serve small dumplings in chicken soup. Due to its proximity to Tu b’Shevat, many dishes served on this Sabbath contain fruit.
Tu b’Shevat offers an annual opportunity to contemplate the biblical and rabbinic insights on the relationship between humans and trees. Every fruit is a potential tree. Every fruit we eat should remind of us Creation and Eden and the land of Israel and how we all too easily squander our potential.
TU B’SHEVAT RECIPES
Israeli Wine and Fruit Soup
(6 to 8 servings)
If you prefer whole fruit, add the oranges to cooled soup.
4 cups dry red or rose wine (or 2½ cups fruity dry white or rose wine and 1½ cups dry red wine)
2 pints fresh or 40 ounces frozen raspberries or cherries
44 ounces canned mandarin oranges
1½ cups orange juice or water
½ cup lemon juice
6 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon (optional)
Bring all ingredients to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.
VARIATION:
To Thicken Soup with Cornstarch: Omit tapioca. Dissolve 2 tablespoons cornstarch in ½ cup water; stir into boiling soup; and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until clear.
Moroccan Orange Salad (Salata Latsheen)
(6 to 8 servings)
5 medium (3 cups/720 ml) navel oranges or tangerines, peeled and segmented
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced (1½ cups/360 ml)
1 head romaine or butter lettuce or 1 bunch spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
About 5 cups greens, such as 2 bunches watercress, 2 bunches radicchio, or 6 ounces (170 grams) baby arugula, torn into bite-size pieces
Dressing:
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) honey or sugar or ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated orange zest
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh or ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried rosemary, basil, cilantro, mint, or thyme or ½ to 1 teaspoon (2.5 to 5 ml) ground cumin
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh mint or cilantro (optional)
Divide the lettuce and watercress between serving plates or place on large platter. Toss together the oranges and onions and place on greens. Combine all the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad.
VARIATIONS:
Add 2 peeled and sliced avocados, 2 cups sliced cooked beets, 1½ cups chopped pitted dates, 1 sliced large bulb fennel, 1 pound julienned peeled jicama, or 20 to 24 pitted and sliced black olives.
Apple Latkes
(About 18 3-inch pancakes)
1 cup (240 ml) all-purpose flour or matza meal
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg or cloves
About 1¼ teaspoons (5.25 ml) salt
4 shredded (1½ pounds/700 grams) medium apples
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ cup (120 ml) apple cider, milk, or water
2 to 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (120 ml) raisins (optional)
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts (optional)
Vegetable oil or schmaltz for frying
1. Combine the matza meal or flour, sugar, spices, and salt. Toss the apples with lemon juice. Add the cider, and eggs. Stir the apple mixture into the flour mixture. If desired, add the raisins and/or nuts.
2. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add 1/8 inch oil and heat to 360 degrees. (The surface of the oil will shimmer.)
3. Drop the batter by tablespoonfuls or 1/3 cupfuls into oil and flatten with the back of a spoon. Fry, turning, until golden on both sides (3 to 5 minutes a side).
4. Drain on paper towels. (To reheat, place cooled or frozen latkes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 375-degree oven until crisp, 5 minutes per side for cooled; 8 minutes per side for frozen.)
Couscous with Dried Fruits and Nuts (Couscous Hiloo)
(6 to 8 servings)
1 pound (2 2/3 cups) instant couscous (not Israeli style)
4 cups boiling water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup (½ stick) butter or margarine, melted
¾ cup (3.5 ounces) raisins
¾ cup (5 ounces) chopped pitted dates
¾ cup (3.5 ounces) chopped dried apricots
¾ cup (3.75 ounces) chopped blanched almonds
¾ cup (3 ounces) chopped walnuts or 1/3 cup pine nuts
about 2 cups almond milk or hot milk
additional ground cinnamon for garnish
1. Pour boiling water over couscous. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the sugar and cinnamon into the butter. Pour over the couscous, tossing to coat. Stir in the raisins, dates, apricots, almonds, and pine nuts. Gradually add enough of the almond milk to moisten the couscous.
3. Mound the couscous on a large platter and sprinkle with the additional cinnamon.
Italian “Pharaoh’s Wheel” (Ruota di Faraone) M
(6 to 8 servings)
The long baking time is ideal for serving the dish hot and fresh for Friday night dinner.
1 recipe (1 pound) egg noodle dough (see Lukshen) or 1 pound) medium egg noodles
6 quarts water
2 cups pasta meat sauce
½ cup chopped beef sausage
3 tablespoons bone marrow or schmaltz
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thinly as possible. Let stand until the dough begins to feel dry but is still supple, about 10 minutes. Drying time varies according to thickness of the dough and climactic conditions.
2. Lightly dust the dough sheets with flour. Starting from a short side, roll up jelly roll-style and cut into 1/8-inch (thin) to 1/6-inch wide strips. Unroll the dough strips and let stand until dry, at least 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature.
3. In an 8-quart pot, bring the water to a rapid boil. Just before adding the pasta, add 1 tablespoon salt to the water. Add the noodles and stir with a fork to separate the pasta. Return to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large baking dish.
5. Combine the noodles, meat sauce, beef sausage, and marrow. Place in the prepared dish. Bake until golden, about 1¼ hours.
***** And here are some recent articles about Encyclopedia of Jewish Food:
Jerusalem Post interview with Gil Marks:
http://www.jpost.com/home/article.aspx?id=203477
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interview with Gil Marks:
http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/113239569.html
Behind the Union Symbol on Encyclopedia of Jewish Food:
http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/dev/symbol-dev/winter_2011
Gil Marks on Jewish Radio Network Jan 5 at 8 pm:
http://kosherscene.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/this-weeks-upcoming-internet-radio-show/
Jewish Forward on Encyclopedia of Jewish Food:
http://www.forward.com/articles/134296/
The Kosher Scene on Encyclopedia of Jewish Food:
LA Weekly Best 2010 Food Reference Books:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2010/12/best_2010_cookbooks_reference.php
BORSCHT BELT
0863 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
I was speaking with my uncle Morton this week and toward the end of our conversation, he mentioned wanting to try his mother’s borscht. My uncle recollected that my grandmother was not a particularly good cook. Then again, her family came from Lithuania, which had a dearth of fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs, and was never known for producing great chefs. In addition, my great grandmother was the type that did not allow anyone else in her kitchen, so my grandmother was forced to learn cooking by trial-and-error. (My mother learned from this bad example and always gave my siblings and me full access to her kitchen and never made a fuss when we made the inevitable mess.)
My uncle described my grandmother’s hamburgers – made by frying in half an inch of Crisco until charred on both sides. Somehow his heart burn cleared up after leaving home for college. My grandfather’s heartburn, however, never departed. He did have a family remedy – baking soda in water with lemon juice.
My grandfather was hardly fond of my grandmother’s cooking either. My mother told me that after her mother had finished cooking for the family, her father would take over the kitchen and prepare the dishes he had grown up with back in Ukraine – rustic fare like stuffed miltz and lungen (lung stew). At the time, my mother and her siblings refused to eat these alien dishes. Now they wished they had been more adventurous or at least recorded my grandfather’s recipes. It is sad when culinary traditions are forgotten, which is one of the reasons that I compiled Encyclopedia of Jewish Food.
Anyway, my grandmother made a traditional meat borscht that was served hot as a main course. My uncle had read about borscht in my Encyclopedia of Jewish Food and wanted some clarification on the non-meat sweet-and-sour version.
During the early medieval period, eastern Europeans began making a chunky soup from a wild whitish root related to carrots, called brsh in Old Slavonic and cow parsnip in English. Possibly originating in Lithuania, the soup spread throughout the Slavic regions of Europe to become, along with shchi (cabbage soup), the predominant dishes, each area giving the name its local slightly different pronunciation, called borshch in Russia and Ukraine, bors, in Romania, and barszcz in Poland. in the mid-sixteenth century, the modern-day beet root -— fat, red (but paler than modern varieties), inexpensive, and easily grown –- was developed in central Europe, and eastern Europeans soon began adding beet roots, which eventually supplanted the cow parsnip entirely while retaining the meat and other root vegetables as well as its venerable name, borshch.
Beet root soup (boreke borsht) first appeared in Jewish sources, pronounced borscht or borsht in Yiddish, toward the end of the 1500s in eastern Europe, corresponding to its initial usage in the region, becoming particularly noted during the following century. Ukraine was the center of Jewish borscht culture and southeastern Poland nearly as passionate. However, the further west and north one traveled, the lesser the amount and frequency of borscht consumed. Germans tended to sneer at the red soup as well as most eastern fare.
Jews imitated the Slavic practice of adding meat and bones to borscht, yielding a hearty, sustaining dish. However, in order to enjoy the soup with sour cream, another practice Jews absorbed from the Slavic culture, they also developed a rather simple vegetarian version. This rendering, typically containing only beets and the longstanding Jewish favorite, onion, produces a translucent bright red liquid, turning pink when blended with sour cream.
When eastern European Jews immigrated to America beginning in the 1880s, they brought both their meat and vegetarian versions of borscht with them. Thus Lizzie Kander in the original The Settlement Cookbook (1901), a work primarily aimed for eastern European immigrants, included both a “Beet Soup Russian Style (Fleischik),” consisting of beets, brisket, onions, sugar, and sour salt, and a “Beet Soup Russian Style (Milchik),” made with beets, citric acid, sugar, and either sour cream or milk thickened with egg yolks. Sour salt (citric acid) was widely used by northern Europeans in sweet-and-sour dishes, including meatballs and stuffed cabbage, as fresh lemons were frequently unavailable and the flavor of sour salt does not fade during a long cooking time. Within decades of The Settlement Cookbook, Jewish companies, notably Rokeach and Gold’s, became producing borscht in jars. As the Jewish simple sweet-and-sour borscht appeared on American grocery shelves, it became associated with the name. And since Jewish immigrants initially popularized this soup in America, it took on the Yiddish terminology, borscht, rather than the Russian or other Slavic variations of the name.
My grandmother, just before serving, added beaten eggs to her meat borscht to thicken and lighten it, similar to schav (sorrel soup). My uncle reported that she always managed to curdle the eggs. I explained that the eggs need to be tempered first by introducing some of the hot soup into the eggs, then stirring it into the pot. Voila, no curdling.
I don’t remember my grandmother’s borscht. Here is my recipe:
Eastern European Beet Soup with Meat (Fleishidik Borscht)
(6 to 8 servings)
2 pounds beef brisket, flanken, or stewing meat, cubed
2 beef marrow bones
10 cups water
2 pounds (8 medium) beets, peeled and diced
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste or ¼ cup tomato puree
3 to 6 tablespoons cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or fresh lemon juice
1 to 3 tablespoons granulated or brown sugar
About 2 teaspoons table salt or 4 teaspoons kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
12 ounces (4 large) carrots, peeled and sliced or coarsely grated (optional)
1 cup shredded turnips or rutabagas (optional)
2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)
6 to 8 (24 to 28 ounces) medium boiling potatoes, cooked
1. In a large, heavy pot, place the meat, bones, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, skimming the foam from the surface occasionally, for 1 hour.
2. Add the beets, onions, and garlic, cover, and simmer for an additional 1 hour.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and, if using, carrots and/or turnips. Simmer until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes.
4. If using, gradually whisk about 2 cups of the hot soup into the eggs, then whisk the eggs into the soup pot to blend. Serve hot with boiled potatoes.
VARIATIONS
For a more intensive beet flavor: Wrap the beets in aluminum foil, place in a baking pan, and roast in a 375 degree-oven until knife tender, about 1 hour for small beets and 1½ to 2 hours for larger ones. Let cool slightly, then peel, chop, and add to the cooked soup and simmer until heated through.
Cabbage Borscht: Add 1 pound (6 cups) shredded cabbage with the beets.
Garlic Borscht (Knoble Borscht): Add ¼ cup barley with the meat. About 15 minutes before serving, add 2 cloves garlic.
Rosl Borscht: Substitute 3 cups rosl beets for the plain beets; reduce the water to 4½ cups; and add 3½ cup rosl beet juice. Since rosl is sour, you will need less or no vinegar.
SPELT BREAD
0871 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
Recently, I’ve been experimenting with various grains in place of common wheat in breads. I’ve made rye bread many times over the years, but always with some wheat flour in the dough. A couple of weeks ago, I baked a 100% rye bread, which turned out rather flat and very dense and with a nutty, fruity flavor. It was perfect with lox. I have some einkorn flour in the refrigerator awaiting use in the near future. Meanwhile, I’ve been enjoying spelt bread the past few weeks.
Spelt (triticum spelta L.) — dinkel in German and Yiddish; farro grande in Italian; kusmin in Modern Hebrew — is a hexaploid species of wheat (it has 42 chromosomes), like common wheat. Spelt is a hybrid of emmer (a tetraploid wheat with 28 chromosomes) and a wild goat grass (Aegilops tauschii), possibly occurring north of the Caucasus or in Crimea. The kernels are slightly longer and more pointed than those of wheat, somewhat resembling barley in appearance. Spelt is a hulled grain (spelze in German and farro in Italian), meaning the husk remains attached to the kernel during threshing and requires much pounding and effort to extract the grain. (Common wheat and durum wheat are free-threshing grains in which the hulls easily slip off.) Spelt is also relatively low yielding. However, spelt grows well in poor soil and without the need for pesticides, since, as with most hulled grains, it naturally resists fungus and insects.
It was in Bronze and Iron Age (750-15 BCE) Europe where spelt found its greatest popularity, becoming the predominant wheat species of Germany and Switzerland. The word spelta, believed to be of Saxon origin, was first recorded in 301 CE in an edict of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, the Romans possibly introduced to the grain after expanding the empire northward. Romans, however, preferred common wheat, which they spread through their domains. Ashkenazim mistakenly confused spelt with both the Talmudic shiphon (probably einkorn) and the Biblical kussemet (probably emmer or a generic term for hulled wheat, of which emmer was then the most prominent), as one of the Five Species of grain forbidden on Passover and also requiring the removal of challah. (As a member of the wheat family, spelt is still forbidden on Passover and requires challah removal.) Rashi (Pesachim 35a) translated kusmin into Old French as espelte, which is usually translated as spelt, but may actually mean hulled wheats in general, similar to the German Spelzen and Italian farro. Spelt was not grown in biblical or Talmudic Israel or Egypt and there is no archeological evidence for this grain anywhere in the ancient Near East or Egypt.
In the late medieval period, as new species of naked wheat became prevalent in central Europe, spelt consequently lost its attractiveness. Nevertheless, spelt remained the predominant grain in southern German until the nineteenth century. Still, it retains a degree of popularity in parts of southern Germany and southwestern Poland. Today, spelt’s primary form is husked and kiln-dried, the resulting grains called gruenkern (literally “green kernels”). Harvesting green grains, such as barley for the biblical Omer offering, is an ancient practice devised to collect a small part of a springtime crop while still immature, thereby salvaging at least that portion, in case a heavy storm would potentially damage or rot the entire yield.
Primarily produced in parts of southern Germany and southwestern Poland, gruenkern is rare in America, but found in some specialty food stores. Germans use the greenish-tan kernels in soups, stews, puddings, gruels, breads (mixed with wheat flour), and fritters. Today, many German families, instead of shalet (cholent), slow simmer gruenkernsuppe overnight to commence Sabbath lunch. The first edition of The Settlement Cook Book (1901), the author from a German-Jewish heritage, included a recipe for “Green Kern Soup,” directing “2 qts. soup stock or poultry soup, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon celery, diced, 2 cups green kern, 1 cup Croutons, 2 cups boiling water, 1 teaspoon salt. Wash green kern in cold water, then cook in boiling salted water 2 hours or until tender, add the celery. As water evaporates add soup stock, page 66. If you are making fresh soup take the “top soup” and keep adding it strained to the green kern, until the desired consistency. Season to taste. Serve hot with Croutons, page 81. If you prefer, dry the green kern on back of stove, grind fine and cook until tender in the soup. Just before serving pour on one or two egg yolks well beaten and serve hot with Croutons.”
Spelt is also used in central Europe to make ale, noodles, pancakes, and bread. Spelt contains a lower amount of omega gliadins (proteins) that engender gluten than common wheat and, therefore, can sometimes be tolerated by those with wheat allergies to common wheat, which has been bred to contain a massive amount of gluten. For some, but not all of those who face problems with common wheat (not those with celiac disease), spelt is fine. Otherwise, the fat and amino acid content of common wheat and spelt are similar.
As to my spelt bread, the results were very good. Spelt bread is a bit more crumbly and not quite as high rising as common wheat loaves as well as a light brown hue. But it is still rather fluffy inside, has a crusty exterior, and with a somewhat nutty taste. In many ways, spelt flour can be used similarly to common wheat. However, spelt dough, since its gluten is more fragile and soluble, requires less kneading than common wheat, only 4 to 5 minutes by hand (wheat bread is typically 10 minutes of kneading). Also use less water than in wheat dough (which will weaken the gluten), meaning a firmer dough. However, the dough should not be too dry, or the bread will turn out too dense. I understand that bread machines, which I won’t use anyway, overstress the gluten and produce inferior spelt loaves.
In case you feel like experimenting, here’s my recipe for spelt bread (Dinkelbrot):
Spelt Bread
(1 medium loaf about 24 ounces)
2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees (40 to 46 C) for dry yeast
1½ tablespoons honey
1½ tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
About 3¼ cups spelt flour (13 ounces/365 grams)
1. To make the dough: Dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup water. Stir in 1 teaspoon honey and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining water, oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Gradually add enough remaining flour until the mixture holds together.
2. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes. (Less than wheat flour.) Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
3. Punch down the dough, knead briefly, divide in half, and form into a ball. Place, seam side down, on a parchment paper-lined or greased large baking sheet or in a greased 8-inch round baking pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise until nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
4. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C).
5. With a sharp knife, slit an X in the top. Bake until the bread is golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a rack.