Matzoh For Maira....A Passover Story

Passover is my favorite Jewish holiday and even last year, in the throes of illness, I somehow managed to host a pseudo-seder.  I can't even remember most of what I served but I somehow remember that David Lebovitz's chicken figured into the menu.  In any case, this year, now that I am feeling mostly well, I felt inclined to host not only one seder but two. I had my work cut out.

 I tried to be organized about it and began my cooking on Friday, with the stock for my gefilte fish.  On Saturday I prepared the gefilte fish, horseradish and soup.  By Sunday I knew, tedium would be settling in.  At least that day would be dessert.  Chocolate-Chunk Macaroons and Chocolate-Caramel Matzoh - for no Passover would be complete without it.

At some point over the weekend, my "goyisha"(thank grandma for that term) friend Tracy posted on Facebook, seeking a good Passover dessert to bring to a Seder.  I told her of my cooking agenda and invited her to join me for a Chocolate-Caramel Matzoh tutorial.  And so it was that she appeared at my house early Sunday morning.  During our kitchen chit-chat,as preparations were underway, it somehow emerged that Tracy would be Sedering with none other than Maira Kalman.

Some people girls have all the luck, don't they?!... Still and all, even though I couldn't Seder with Maira myself,  I was especially tickled by this news.   I so fondly recall my days teaching English at the Lycee and introducing her books to my students.   I read "Ooh La-La Max in Love" so many times I  practically knew it by heart...And if you love whimsical books or Paris or both, please read it too, along with the rest of her wonderful works.

But wait, back to my Chocolate-covered Matzoh. Knowing that Maira would be sampling it made the preparation that much more fun.  Tracy and I each prepared a batch of it and had a grand old time doing so.  Having a friend in the kitchen was a treat after several days of solo cooking.  And so I mentioned that I would be preparing Chocolate-Chunk Macaroons that evening...figuring that Tracy could be two treats to Maira's Seder and I would have a partner in more cooking!

By the time evening came, I had just about had enough of cooking.  When Tracy called to ask if I would be up for baking the macaroons, I was just about ready to take to my bed.  Instead I told her to stop by and see if she couldn't just perk me up enough to get it done.  When she got here, I had already gone up to bed but tried to muster a second wind.  And lo and behold, we whipped up two batches of macaroons in record time.

My cooking student was so pleased with the results of her first Chocolate Matzoh experience that she went on to prepare THREE more batches of the stuff to bring to Maira's Seder. Behold the spectacular results...

I couldn't have asked for a better student AND apparently her efforts were much appreciated and mine were rewarded.  The first night of Passover, Tracy  sent along this lovely photo of Maira and the matzoh.  What more could I ask for!!

Happy Passover to all...


p.s. I recommend Guittard chocolate morsels, the ones in the pink bag if you can find them!

On Our Way To Long Beach Island: 2009

The drive down to Long Beach Island with our friends L., T. and kids is always an adventure. There was the usual stop at Emery's, the organic blueberry farm but there was also something new. Weeks before, they had discovered a chocolate factory, promising chocolate-dipped fresh fruits. I certainly couldn't resist a stop there, at David Bradley, Chocolatier.

There we ogled all manner of American type chocolates of the butter cream/butter crunch ilk. Samples of chocolate-covered popcorn and fruits were in abundance.

The chocolate-covered blueberries were something to try and the kids got a kick out of tasting whatever was offered. Stuffed with sweets, we piled back into the car and continued on our way.

Our first dinner at the shore was on the deck of my dad's new house, replete with a gorgeous view of the ocean. We had a feast of seafood from M&M's and Ship Bottom Shellfish. The table was laden with lobsters, mussels, clams, chowder, clam strips and more.

Izzy needed to eat everything and discovered a new favorite, king crab legs. As he slurped those down, along with clams, mussels and more, his friend S. looked on in amazement. She couldn't believe that he would eat any of the stuff. I think all she ate was a few french fries and a clam strip or two.

Stay-tuned for more shore food and adventures...

Local Chocolates: The Good, The Bad And....

I had heard tell that Hoboken boasts a few decent chocolate shops but I'd never gotten around to testing them out. After one awful experience at a Jersey City chocolatier, I wasn't in any great hurry. Besides lately I have managed to sate my chocolate cravings with Mast Brothers artisanal small batch chocolates, handcrafted in nearby Williamsburg, Brooklyn. If they are good enough for Per Se or Blue Hill, they most certainly are good enough for me.

But back to Hoboken..My husband moved his office there recently and so when it came time for him to find a birthday present for me, he researched the Hoboken chocolate scene. He even went into a few shops to sample the goods. He was not all impressed with the first spot so went off in search of better. The patrons at his second stop raved about the chocolates and though hesitant, he purchased two boxes (less than he had intended so as not to show up empty handed).

He arrived bearing two, unmarked boxes of chocolates, wrapped with ribbon. I was hopeful and curious. Why was there no sticker or store name imprinted on the boxes?

After dinner, Izzy and I unwrapped the boxes together, one full of turtles and another full of some round, heavy truffle-type candy. I didn't want to appear ungrateful, but neither box appealed. It was then that A. admitted that perhaps he hadn't chosen so wisely but decided to chance it anyway. We tasted from each box, Izzy and I laughing at the awful flavor, which he happily chomped on, nonetheless.

Meanwhile when I need a chocolate fix, I'll stick to Mast Brothers and the small stash of bars I just so happened to have purchased today, on an excursion with my friend S. If anyone would like a sample of the Hoboken delights, just let me know!

Chocolate is ALWAYS Appreciated: Alma of Portland

My friend S. recently returned from a lengthy visit to Portland, Oregon, where she and her family will be moving shortly. She returned with tales of wonderful foods and bakeries, and also bearing a gift of chocolate. I already sampled a few of the bon-bons, before photographing this box of Alma Chocolates . I could not resist the lavender/caramel or the chevre/black pepper.

So terribly sad that S. will be moving away. My only consolation is that she is moving to a land of great eats and perhaps we will get to visit in the not so distant future!

Out Of This World: Izzy's Sixth Birthday Party

And so it was, that six years ago today, my little Izzy "hatched", or so I told him this morning. To which he replied. "I am not a bird." Indeed he isn't but the fact remains that hatching does seem gentler than what actually happened, now doesn't it?

However he got here, Izzy's birthday is always cause for great celebration and this year we celebrated according to Izzy's wishes and he finally had the space party of his dreams.

I tried to keep it small but even so, it took hours of preparation for our two and a half hours of fun. I had a great time doing it, thanks to some creative help from the internet.

First, since Izzy wanted to dress-up for the party, I found Maggie Blue Designs at Etsy , who made us matching alien costumes in the wink of an eye. With our outfits ready, I was on to more important matters, such as the activities to occupy our bouncy guests.

The first activity would be a "moon rock" hunt in the backyard. Our "moon rocks" were actually rock-shaped soy crayons that I found at Stubby Pencil Studio, an incredible on-line studio with all manner of eco-friendly art supplies and adorable toys. (Kate has a wealth of party ideas and can make up wonderful goody bags if need be.)

When the kids arrived, they each received a small cotton muslin bag in which to collect their rocks, which I had foil-wrapped and hidden around the backyard. When they all had found five rocks, they gathered to trade so they all received a mix of colors.

Next it was on to alien design. After a bit of free play, the children gathered to draw aliens with glitter pens and water color pencils.

Then time for a space-food tasting. Astronaut strawberries and astronaut apples versus the real thing. Surprising that some kids preferred the dehydrated stuff and others simply refused to taste it at all.

The next activity was my hands down favorite... Martian-mallow decorating. I made homemade marshmallows and placed them on long lollipop sticks. The children had pretzel sticks, cocoa nibs and some organic gummy stars to use for decorations. They invented all manner of creatures.



It is plain to see they were quite absorbed in the process...


This was followed by some real food..alien eyeball sandwiches, chips and salsa etc. More playtime, then cake.

The cake.

I was instructed to make it chocolate with a raspberry filling. Which cake to make? That was the question which I pondered for a long while. It was supposed to be a meteorite with all manner of designs; stars, spaceships etc. In the end, I kept it simple (aside from the fact that I baked it in a bowl) and I decorated it with one silver spaceship. I surrounded it with some mini-vanilla cupcakes. I think it was just right, details will come. This is cake you should become acquainted with.

Cake eaten, there was time for our last activity, "Pass the Asteroid", in which I played "space" music and the kids passed a foil-wrapped packaged around. When the music stopped, the one holding the package got to unwrap a layer and find a space book. The package got passed around until all the guests had received a book. This is definitely a keeper, taken from my friend H. and her British birthday traditions.

And so it was. When all was over, Izzy kept thanking me for all of the various components of the party. We then sat down to open gifts and muse over the goings-on of the day.

All tuckered out, there was no proper birthday dinner for Izzy, just some pierogi and bed, where he is probably conjuring up next year's birthday plan.

Sprungli Chocolates: A Taste Of Switzerland

One of the few benefits to having a traveling husband (aside from the obvious fact that he remains gainfully employed), is that he often finds himself in chocolate-centric locales, like France and Switzerland. I have never requested any treats from Switzerland, having never been there, it never occurred to me.

But then my friend L. told me that her husband had recently returned from a trip to Switzerland bearing a few boxes of first-rate chocolates. It just so happened that A. was there at the time so I not-so-subtly made mention of the best chocolate shops in Zurich, hoping that at least one was in close proximity to his hotel.

When A. returned from his travels, Izzy and I were both tickled pink to receive this lovely blue tin of Sprungli Chocolates. We shared the box until Izzy decided he wanted his faithful Birnn again. No problem at all, more for me! And here's dreaming that these will be the first in a long future of other lovely boxes of Swiss chocolates coming this way.

A Box Of Chocolates Of His Own: Random Assortment or Custom- Selected?

Izzy didn't just want a box of hand-selected chocolates, which is what I usually bring home. Oh no, he instructed me to purchase the gift-box assortment. At first I was befuddled by his choice, imagining that like myself, he would want to know exactly what he was getting. As I waited my turn at the chocolate shop, I realized that his request made sense.

When shopping at Birnn Chooclates it has been my habit to select my chocolates from the display case. That way my box will contain only my preferred flavors, which usually means marble toffee, butter crunch, raspberry jellies, coconut kays and peppermint patties. As Izzy developed his own taste, I allowed him to do the same.

When he requested the gift-box assortment, I was suddenly reminded of my childhood chocolate consumption. My family would receive chocolate gift boxes periodically and I looked forward to trying to sampling the mysteries inside. Would it be creamy raspberry (my favorite) or chewy caramel? Oozy Cherry or something with nuts? I longed to just take one bite of each, putting back by least favorites and savoring the others.

And so I watch, each night as Izzy takes out his box for his one chocolate. He carefully ponders his selection, allowing me to eat the ones he doesn't like (only the turtles). I may just have to join him and get my own gift box one of these days.

A Chocolate Playdate

My friend Y., newly returned from a trip to Germany, called to inform me of all of the goodies she brought back. She was clearly itching to share some with us so I told her she could come by after Izzy came home from school.

When I went to pick-up Izzy from school, I worried that he might be disappointed because his friend playdate had been canceled. As a consolation, I told him that Y. would be coming over for a "chocolate tasting". He took it quite well. In fact he was pleased. "She will be my playdate." For that matter, she would be mine as well.

She arrived bearing a box of fancy chocolates and some homemade cookies her mother had made. The chocolates were from Pierre Marcolini , a Belgian chocolatier. We selected a few different chocolates and she cut them into small pieces so we could try different flavors. There wasn't a dud in the bunch. From thyme-orange to raspberry, they were a real treat.

I served crepes (post coming soon) and tea and we were all entertained. Izzy even got his playdate to help him build an airplane. We look forward to future playdates with my friend Y.

And of course we may just have to try the chocolate playdate with one of his friends.

Trouble At The Chocolate Factory...

Means no raspberry jellies for grandpa.

I have long told of my grandfather's insatiable sweet tooth. It had gotten so that he was requesting four pound boxes of raspberry jellies at a time. We never did buy quite that much at once (at least I didn't) but he certainly had his fair share.

Then about a month or two ago, his appetite diminished, not only for chocolates but for other foods. The two pound box of raspberry jellies sat forlornly on his counter, and each time I checked only a few candies had disappeared. I couldn't fathom why he wasn't eating them but eventually surmised it was related to his general lack of appetite.

The good news is that lately, his appetite has returned so when we visited last week there were only two raspberry jellies left in the box. He gave one to Izzy and had the other one himself. And then I was sent, illico presto, to the chocolate factory to buy more. I suggested a two pound box and was told to get four. I was so happy with the return of grandpa's appetite that I figured this would be the occasion to indulge.

I went off to Birnn Chocolates, only to find that they only had three quarters of a pound of raspberry jellies left. Not only that, they weren't sure when they would be making the next batch. It was hard to come up with soft chocolates as replacements. There are many fine choices but grandpa is a finicky chocolate eater. Would he like the hazelnut pralines or the peppermint patties?
I had them prepare a pound of assorted chocolates to find out which ones delight.

D. and S., the sweet ladies who work at Birnn, explained that there was an issue with one of the ingredients in the jellies. They were awaiting a new supply which was not forthcoming. D. then went on to explain the fate of another candy favorite, the raspberry cream. They only make those periodically as there is not enough of a demand. Apparently they are very difficult to make, using D.'s prized recipe. I asked her to contact me next time they make a batch as grandpa is fond of those too. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Izzy and I could take a peek at the next production?

Celebrate With Victory Cake

Yesterday I was so happy I baked a cake. A victory cake.

I took one of my favorite cakes, a chocolate-banana cake and infused it with additional richness. I added 1 cup of dried coconut flakes and exchanged 3/4 cup of mini-chips for 1 cup of white chocolate chips! I gave half to Izzy's teachers and saved the rest for us. Izzy couldn't wait to get home and have some for his after school snack.

Day After The Election Exchange
Me: Did you speak with any of your friends about the election?

Izzy: Yes. I spoke to A.

Me: What did you say?

Izzy: It was a private discussion.

Me: Oh, did she vote for Obama?

Izzy: Yes, all of my friends voted for Obama. A. and J. and J. and I. etc..

Me: Did anyone vote for McCain?

Izzy: I don't know because they're not my friends. I am only friends with people who voted for Obama.

Indeed!

Hot Chocolate Season Has Begun

To inaugurate it, I tried a new chocolate from Zabar's, just like I did last winter. This time it was a Sicilian chocolate from Casa Don Puglisi, which I found in an eco-friendly brown wrapper. I actually thought it was an eating chocolate at first but when I sampled its granular texture, I realized it was more well-suited to making hot chocolate.

One square melted in about a cup of warm milk, made for a nice brew. Izzy and I enjoyed it thoroughly, though I can't be sure which one is tastier. It has been so long since last year's experiment, I think it is high time we had a hot chocolate tasting.

Goat Cheese In A Brownie? A Tangy Surprise

Last week Farmer Rich surprised me with a windfall of spreadable goat cheese, something akin to cream cheese but with a goaty tang. We smeared some on bread, made a few sandwiches and then in my new attempts to eliminate waste, realized that I'd better come up with some way to utilize the rest of it before it started growing fur.

Goat cheese and chocolate pair quite well together, especially in David Lebovitz's Cheesecake Brownies Recipe. I simply substituted goat cheese for the cream cheese. Nobody could put their finger on the "secret ingredient" and most thought it was citrus. When I told them it was goat cheese they all commented upon the tanginess. The goat cheese seems to temper the sweetness of the brownies.

Although Izzy enjoyed his, these may appeal more to grown-ups. A friend's child, while eating one, politely whispered to his mama, "I don't like the top part but the bottom is yummy." She kindly licked off the goat cheese and returned the rest to him.

How Much Chocolate Is Too Much?

My grandfather's penchant for sweets seems to increase with age. He has had a sweet tooth his entire life but lately it has been getting way out of hand. He seems to keep the local chocolate shop in business with his weekly orders and the last time I visited him he requested four pounds of raspberry jellies.

When he first started buying chocolates from Birnn, he bought one pound. This quickly increased to two which seemed to last more than a week. Now he goes through at least two pounds a week if it is on hand and has been known to go through four.

While visiting him a few weeks ago, he asked me to pick up four pounds for him and I refused. I figured if he had less he would eat less. Does anybody really need four pounds of chocolate a week?

Yet when I tell this story most listeners have the same reaction: He is 99 and doing well..Let him eat what he wants.

What do you think?