Hello there my friend! With our Lag B'Omer barbecues still cooling, it's now time to look ahead to the next festival in the Jewish calendar - Shavuot. It's just a couple of weeks away, so I guess it's about time to start thinking and planning, maybe, just a little bit. Included below are some of my family's favourite Shavuot recipes, that come back year after year (to avoid a riot). These tend to form the backbone of my Shavuot menus, accompanied by a variety of different things that change...
8 days ago • 2 min read
Hello there my friend! What a week we have ahead of us! Monday is the early May Bank Holiday, and Tuesday is Lag B'Omer - the 33rd day of the Omer, the seven week period between Pesach and Shavuot. Although we typically avoid parties, music, and other celebrations during the Omer, Lag B'Omer provides a welcome break. One traditional activity on this day is lighting bonfires, so foods cooked over fire, or on a barbecue, have become a popular custom. Falling as it does in late Spring/early...
15 days ago • 3 min read
Hello there my friend, I hope you're having a great week. Yesterday was not only Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel's Independence Day - but also Earth Day, an annual day of awareness and action around respecting and protecting the planet we live all on. I'm always struck by how often the things that are good for us as individuals are also what's best for our shared planet. For instance, eating fresh seasonal locally grown food is more nutritious, and can also protect ecosystems and reduce the amount of...
22 days ago • 2 min read
Hello my friend! How's things? I hope you had a wonderful Pesach, and are now getting settled back into 'the old routine' again. We have finally eaten the last of the Pesach leftovers (except half a jar of jam...), school term has started, and we are regaining our rhythm after an eventful few weeks. So, it's time to look ahead to what's coming next... Next Wednesday, 22 April, is Israel's 78th Birthday! Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel's independence day - marks 78 years since the re-establishment of...
29 days ago • 2 min read
Hello again my friend! With just a few days to go until Pesach, this week I want to focus on the things that people really seem to struggle with. Those seem to be breakfasts, and finding things for Pesach that children will willingly eat. My response to both of these things is really the same, and that is, do whatever works! There are no 'rules' around what is an acceptable breakfast food and what isn't, or even that you MUST eat breakfast at all. So if you find something that works for you...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hello there my friend! Apologies for no newsletters for the last couple of weeks. You may remember that I was unwell at the start of the year, and apparently, I'm not as recovered as I thought I was 😞. So this time I'm taking it even easier... if that's possible with just a couple of weeks till Pesach 😲 Fortunately, I have my guide to a stress-free Pesach to remind me that this holiday doesn't have to be overwhelming! If you need a reminder about what's important and what's just 'nice to...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hello there my friend, The joyful festival of Purim starts on Monday evening. One of the special mitzvot of Purim is giving mishloach manot - gifts of food and drink - to friends and family. Each person should give one or more gifts containing at least two ready-to-consume items. This means that there's plenty of scope around what to include and how many gifts to give. Giving mishloach manot is probably my favourite Purim activity! Each year I choose a theme and create gift bags with an...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hello my friend, I hope all is well with you 🥰. In a week and a half it will be Purim! So it's time to start thinking about delicious festive foods, mishloach manot gifts, and all the joy and celebration that this holiday brings. Firstly, if you're wondering what Purim's all about, I've written a guide to the festival that covers the history, traditions, food and customs involved. You can read it here. (Spoiler alert - it's not all hamantaschen!) Secondly, if you're already planning your...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello again my friend, Are you ready for a busy week? If you've school-age kids or grandchildren you're probably bracing yourself for the half term break. But either way, it's also Valentines Day AND Pancake Day this week. I'm tired just thinking about it. While Valentines and Pancake Day are not traditional Jewish festivities, they're now sufficiently widely celebrated that it almost seems rude not to join in. Besides, taking the opportunity to tell people that you love them, and then to eat...
3 months ago • 2 min read
