Food, Family, Friends and Fellowship

We want to hear about how our community members of similar and very different culinary, cultural and all other traditions use the universal need to nourish and hydrate ourselves as an additional way to make good memories and enjoy each others company through food and beverage.

The Site CoC, TOS; and the Four B's Will be enforced.

Be Respectful.

Be Positive.

Be On-Point.

Or Be Gone!

We look forward to a lot of mature and pleasant sharing and knowledge.

Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.

Enoch.

My ex-wife would roast a fantastically tender delicious double brisket producing slices that were easily cut with the side of a fork on holidays when our families and close friends would join us, and depending on which holiday, specialties such as latkes during Chanukah, triangle cookies (Haman's hat) during Purim, etc.

Presently in China, with a wife who is a fantastic cook, there are specialties that are served during specific festivals and holidays, such as Moon cakes at Mid-Autumn Festival, dumplings at New Year, "donza" (described by me elsewhere) during Dragon Boat Festival, all of which are great dishes to enjoy with extended family. 

Dear Friend Buzz: Thanks for sharing both of these great full traditions with us.

We are grateful.

This is precisely the kind of contribution I was hoping for here. 

Peace and Abundant Blessings to You and Yours Always.

Enoch.

Dear Brother in Spirit and Mentor Enoch,

My poor Mother could never manage to bake a proper Turkey for Thanksgiving. No matter how she prepared it, or cooked it, it never would get fully cooked. So from the time I was 11 years old I baked our Thanksgiving turkey for our holiday dinner. I found that baking it over night on a low heat and getting up on and off during the night to baste the turkey, produced a very well baked turkey that was juicy and tender. I learned how to cook the turkey from my Paternal Great Grandmother, who was unable to do so herself. I became the official turkey baker in our family all my life. But, now there is only my Granddaughter left of my family, and she lives a good ways from me. So I don't have anyone to bake a turkey for anymore. But, now and then I will think about it and remember the great times we had while devouring a great turkey on Thanksgiving day.

But, I have several other dishes I like to cook from various cuisines. And I like experiment with creating different types of dishes as well. Lots of fun and good eating. (grin)

Dear Sister and Close Friend Raven Wing: Thanksgiving Day Turkey with home made stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, roasted chestnuts, fall garden salad (vinegar and oil dressing), fresh pressed apple cider.

To top it all off, Horrah for the punkin pie!

Great memories.

Generations of family, now at our age mostly walked on sitting around a holiday table.

Plenty of emotional connection through conversation and savories to eat and drink.

"Those were the days my friend. We thought they would never end".

Peace, Abundant Blessings and Cherished Memories of Past, with More to Come in Future for Us All.

To Each of Us, All In Our Own Time.   

Enoch.  

"Those were the days my friend. We thought they would never end"

Indeed my dear Friend. I don't fully understand why I was the one left standing, but, there must be a reason and I will only follow along.

Speaking of pumpkin pies.....that was also one of my specialties. No one in my family liked ginger, so when I first started to make my own pumpkin pies I always started from scratch. Both of my Grandmothers had always put ginger in their pumpkin pies and I had never liked them, but, I ate a small slice just to please them, as I did not want in any way to hurt their feelings. But, not for my pies. 

I omitted the ginger and added nutmeg instead, along with cinnamon and cloves. It became a family staple at Thanksgiving. So along with being the official Turkey baker, I was also the official pumpkin pie baker. I never liked cranberry sauce, but, the rest of the family did, so I also made fresh cranberry sauce each year for the others. And cornbread stuffing was a must. It was a recipe that had been handed down for many, many Grandmothers, and Thanksgiving was not complete without it. 

Indeed........I do miss all the wonderful family gatherings, and sometimes that would be the only time of the year when we would all be able to be together at once. Those days are only memories now, but, I am truly Blessed that I still have them. (smile)

Dear Friend Raven Wing: As ever, I am with you on every good point you raise.

We were brought up to always graciously receive any hospitality offered, even if we did not care for it.

It was thought more important to be polite and show respect than to always get one's own selfish way.

That said, the best spices for Pumpkin Pie are those used in mulled cider.

They are a staple taste of fall.

Ground nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and a nip of some fresh pressed fall fruit juice does the trick.

I was the middle child.

We always thought my older brother would be the first to walk on.

Our younger sister left us some years back.

All we can do is the best we can do with what time we are given.

Actually, that is quite a lot.

Corn bread and chestnut stuffings were the order of the day.

Delicious from yesterday until tomorrow. 

Mrs. E. and I just got back from a drive west of us.

Following my Chaplaincy, and Mrs. E's work with single Mom's wee dined out.

They made a pumpkin spiced bread served with their own home churned butter.

We had that with our soup course. 

Mrs. E. did the fresh salad with fruits and nuts.

I went for the three fins and scales fish Penne Pasta Piccata.

For dessert they had an amazing New Orleans Bananas Foster.

We are skipping dinner tonight (at least until we can fit into our clothing again).

Winks. 

Enoch.

Your meal sounds very delicious. I don't eat out much, I'm not a picky eater, but, I prefer my own home cooking so that I can have things like I like them, not how the cook wants to make them. (grin)

When I do eat something out, it is usually something that I can fix at home, or don't want to. And there are few things like that. But, your menu sounds like one that I would really enjoy. 

Since I live alone I don't have anyone to please but myself, so that makes it very easy in choosing what to eat and preparation. Wild rice is one of my all time favorites, so I eat a lot of them. Even cold.  (smile)

We prefer to eat at home too.

In our 70's, keeping kosher, mostly into a plant based diet, and with some health dietary restrictions it gets complex dining out. 

Plus all the good reasons you mentioned to stay home.

The thing of it is that we are often out of the house serving various groups or persons needs.

That and meeting friends outside of our area for dinner.

Our good friend Spikegary Mrs. E. and I are seen at various bistros frequently, for example.

We live five counties from one another.

When out, we do the best we can with what we have.

That is all there is.

Smiles.

E.

There are always cases where eating out is a must, or can't be avoided, as you mentioned. I often get invited out by Friends for lunch or dinner and it is hard to turn them down. Some of us work together on various projects, and sometimes just for fun. Also, as you say, there are times when you are out that circumstances require that you have to find a place to eat out. Those times can't be helped. 

The times I think of the most when remembering the times my family would all be at the same place at the same time was every Sunday at my grandparent's home about 20 miles out in the country.  Right after church, where my grandfather led the singing and my grandmother played the piano, all the children including the grandchildren, which I was one, would head over to their home when all my aunts and grandmother would be preparing an afternoon meal for everyone on a wood stove. 

They had electricity, but no running water.  They heated with fireplaces and cooled off with fans, the kind you held in your hand and swished back and forth.  I don't every remember one in any of the windows, although the house was located in the center of some really big oak trees which kept it out of direct sunlight.  No grass, just white sand, the kind you could get stuck in a New York minute.

There would be chicken, ham, okra, peas, butter beans, squash, biscuits, corn bread, ice tea, chicken pastry and pies.  Let's just say there was more than enough to eat for everyone and the long covered porch that ran almost the entire length of the house usually had the men sitting out there relaxing after the meal. 

The grandchildren would be running all over the place, playing and having fun.  I had two cousins about the same age as I was and we'd usually take off exploring the woods.  You had to be careful, because there were plenty of snakes in those woods.  Heck there were plenty of snakes that weren't in the woods, water moccasins, rattlesnakes and chicken snakes.  The two and a half story house was located at the end of a long straight rut road, so we weren't exactly out by the highway and the river wasn't very far behind the house.  As a child this was my life.

A hand pump out on the porch just like the one right outside the church where a lot of us gathered as soon as church let out.  As I think back on it, Mama Sixpick was a busy lady.  She had to cook up most of that food before church.  It was a couple of roosters every week that fed all of us every Sunday afternoon, compliments of Mama Sixpick, my Daddy's mother.

Here is something.  This is my daddy's sister, my daddy's brother-n-law, my third cousin and a lady who went to the same Methodist church.  My cousin is very talented and latter, well, only a few years ago it seems, they had a little group from the church and would go around to other churches and sing.  My cousin, one of the four here, has a recording studio out behind his house and recorded them.  Here is a sample of some of the stuff they sang.  

I have lived in Charlotte for many years now and don't get down home like I use to.  Both my grandparents have gone on along with both my parents. 

Dear Brother in Spirit and Friend Sixpick: The more we are different, the more the same are we.

We have more that connects than separates us.

For five generations of the family Enoch at least three generations of family sit about the Sabbath Table. 

From an hour before sundown Friday, until and hour after sunset Saturday there are the usual meals, plus an extra one for the Sabbath.

There is the lighting of candles, washing of hands, cutting of egg twist Sabbath bread loaf, sipping of sacramental wine (grape juice for the kiddies).

All the while recitation of blessings to G-d, husbands blessing their wives, parents blessing their children, pre and post meal blessings to all in the household, immediate and extended family, and all created in the human family. 

There are savories of every type, course by course during meals.

Soups, fish, main course entrees, desserts to sweeten the Sabbath.

During each meal, every one who can speak gets a turn to relate the best thing that happened to them that week.

What they hope to be the best thing that will happen to them next week.  

How they plan to make the week better for someone other than themselves.

All during every meal there are blessings, Sabbath songs and hymns, recitations of Scripture, its commentaries, and other important thoughts and prayers.

"As the Jewish People keep the Sabbath, so it keeps the Jewish People".

One of the Ten Commandments is, Zocher et ha Shabbat, le Kodsho".

"Remember the Sabbath, to keep it Holy".

For us both, each on our special day each week, as we Sanctify it, so it brings out our better nature.

Bonds us together as family, generation by generation.

Connects us to our past, roots us in present to withstand the gale force winds of weekly challenges.

Anchors us strongly to face and master our futures. 

Every generation is a link in our golden chain of traditions.

Each link must lengthen and strengthen that chain.

Here is to our mutual ties that bind.

Peace and Abundant Blessings to You and Yours Always.  

Enoch.

So sweet.

Thank you Pat.  You want to hear my flea story?  Probably not, but stop reading right here....

Well, one Sunday afternoon down at my grandparents house when all of us children were playing out in the yard.  You have to get picture of the yard.  There was no grass, only big trees.  The dirt in that part of the country is very similar to the sand close to the Atlantic ocean, no dirt, not red or black, not mud, but just rotten white sand.  There was a pump on the porch.  The porch ran almost the entire length of the house on the front and was covered with chair where the grownups could relax after indulging in all the food. 

Well, we were playing and decided to play hide and seek, so everyone looked for a place to hide.  I chose Reddy's dog house.  Poor old Reddy had died a few days before.  It was a big dog house and I stooped down and went inside.  It smelled like an old wet dog, but that didn't matter to me back then.  All of a sudden I started itching like crazy.  I came out of that dog house as fast as I could.  It was summer and I had shorts on.  I looked at my legs and they were covered with fleas.  I could feel them all over me, including my shorts and started running toward the house removing clothes along the way.  By the time I got close to the porch I was down to my underwear.  My granddaddy said, Sixpick don't take all your clothes off right out here. 

I guess he didn't know what I was dealing with, but I was about to remove my underwear about that time, but fortunately I didn't. I stood out in the yard while they washed me and poured buckets of water on me to help remove those fleas.  They were eating me up.  They were hungry and hadn't tortured poor old Reddy in a couple of days, so I was their first meal.  It seemed like I had a million fleas all over me.  Let me tell you, when you're covered with fleas and they've not eaten in a couple of days, it's something you don't want to experience again.

Ugh, !

When I caught my wife cheating on me many years ago, I grabbed my stuff and moved out.  A few weeks later she abandoned the place and left town with her boyfriend.  The lease was in my name, and the landlord was a friend of mine, so I went in to clean the place up.  It was infested with fleas like I have never witnessed before.  My white socks turned black within a minute of being inside.  The exterminator said he's never seen anything quite as bad as that.  It was insane.

Dear Friend Hal: Sounds nasty.

Sorry for what you went through.

Glad you came out well on the other side.

Now, as then your friends, me among them will always root for, and be there to support you.

Peace and Abundant Insect Free Blessings.

Enoch.

Dear Friend Pat Wilson: Ugh indeed!

E.

I know it's not kosher, but my grandmother's wilted lettuce salad.  Green leaf lettuce from her garden, with a bacon grease and vinegar dressing.  I haven't had it in years, because while I can grow the lettuce, I can't seem to master the dressing.  I just fried up some bacon, and have a lot of lettuce from the garden that I need to use before it goes bad.  Maybe I'll give it another try today.

We'd often gather at grandma's on Sundays.  No official plans were ever made, and nobody ever called ahead, but more Sundays than not, we'd get in the car after church and head that way.  Grandpa was a cat lover, and had the meanest cat ever alive, so we'd push our luck to see how long she'd let us pet her before she bloodied us.  That was her thing - she was beautiful, and she'd rub up against you, wanting an ear scratch, but only for about 2.5 seconds, and then she'd flay you.  We'd play with the various dogs they had over the years - a collie named Theo, a golden retriever named Brandy, and a few mutts.  Grandpa would pull us around their small farm in a trailer behind his tractor.  Depending on the season, we helped pick peas and beans, or helped bring in apples that the adults picked while on ladders.

My mom's potato salad.  Nothing special, as far as I can tell, but no deli seems to sell quite the same thing.  I've made it before, and it turns out fine, but I'm the only one around our house who eats it, so I seldom bother.  Mom's cornbread.  I follow her recipe, but it doesn't taste the same, probably because her recipe is a guesstimate.  She makes them both for every holiday other than Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Dear Friend Sandy: Family recipes that don't taste the same from generation to generation. Animal ire. Over the river and through the woods to grandparents house we go.

Where to start? Where to start?    

Our parents generation rarely measured using the sophisticated culinary tools today widely available. Phrases like, "a pinch", "a piece", "a bit" and "a little, not too much" were as precise as it got. Tastes varied, and matter then and now. 

Another factor is shifting sands ingredients.

It had more to do with what was in the fridge and needed using than a set order of instruction.

Foods were more natural too in those days. Less uniform. Not as processed. There was no genetic engineering for consistency and other reasons. 

Even uncooked, tomatoes for example has more flavor than today. Less shelf life. Less eye appeal. A party on the palette nevertheless. 

Our daughter had a pet pooch, Max.

Max was a combo pit bull, German Shepard and Star Wars Storm Trooper. She bought him as a single young woman living alone in a city.

When they came to visit, at Max's bed time I would put on a CD of mixed soft classical pieces and scratch his under belly. He would nod off to the lilting soothing strains.

Mrs. E. used to call Max "Pooch". 

The tune that got him off to dream land was a composition by Verde. 

The one before it was by Pucchini.

Max was almost asleep.

His eyes had closed.

A visitor to our home said to me, "so Max likes Verde"?

Max jumped up and barked so loud I was afraid the guest would have a stroke!

I went back to petting the dog and saying, "It's O.K. It's O.K. Max, It's Pucchini. It's Pucchini Pooch". 

The canine relaxed and went back to sleep.

Never cared for his favorite theme mislabeled as a work by Verde.

In the days of our grandparents being around to visit, land line phones had rotary dials.

No one used them to call grandparents.

They were always home.

Ever happy to see us.

Food was always prepared from scratch.

There were always old world smells and tunes from the old country on the radio ethnic stations or Victrola.

As the kitchen was a bee hive of activity for the ladies, the cellar workshop and its tools drew the men to the bench.

Projects Galore was not the name of an exotic dancer.

It was a list of things that needed "fixin". 

You escorted me back to fond memories of great times with your lettuce salad and home made dressing story.

What is more kosher than happy childhood recollections?  

Thank you Sandy.

We are grateful.

Where did I put that awl? 

Mrs. E. is trying to locate than half handful of Cumin?

Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.

Enoch.        

I know it's not kosher, but my grandmother's wilted lettuce salad.

Yes indeed!! That was one of my Mother's specialties. I have never been able to make it to taste as good as she did. I think it was also a guesstimate of what she put in it, and I could never recreate it. My Father loved it, and she made it for nearly all of our suppers. My Brother didn't like it, but, like my Father, I loved it. 

When I learned to make potato salad at home I had to make two kinds, as my Father did not like mustard , but, the rest of us liked it with the mustard best.  I don't like sweet pickles, so I made my potato salad with chopped dill pickles instead. Everyone in my family liked it better that way. 

Cooking is an endless game of trial and error, and I rarely use recipes, as most of my cooking was learned from my Mother, Grandmothers, or just experimenting. And I find it mot interesting to learn from others the way they cook their own foods so I can learn new ways of cooking as well. (smile)

I'd eat that wilted lettuce until my tongue got sore, and eat some more.  Grandma only made it in summer, when her garden was producing.

As far as potato salad, nobody in our family but me like mayonnaise, so Mom uses Miracle Whip and mustard, and sorry   sweet pickle relish.  Most delis seem to use dill, and I hate dill, even in tiny amounts.

so Mom uses Miracle Whip

I prefer Miracle Whip as well. My Mother only liked 'real' mayonnaise' as she called it, because she said Miracle Whip tasted sweet. But, my Father and I liked Miracle Whip. So when I made potato salad for him I would use Miracle Whip and no mustard. I would add mustard to mine on the side, as I preferred mustard with it. I learned to cater to the different tastes in the family which was kind of challenging at times. 

Most eateries I have ever been to use regular mayonnaise, as Miracle Whip can sometimes over power other flavors, depending on what it is. I don't like Miracle Whip on my hamburgers, so I leave it off of those. But, for me, regular mayonnaise tastes too eggy, or spoiled, even when it is good. And I don't like the smell of it either. 

I can eat either.  I prefer mayo on sandwiches, and MW in salads.

Bacon grease and butter are two important keys to happiness.😋 

Bacon grease is something I don't cook with often.  Wilted lettuce salad, when I try it.  And I fry my cornbread batter in it before I bake it, to make it crispy.  But that's about it.

You can pry my butter from my cold, dead, cholesterol-laden fingers.

Dear Friend Greg TX: Proponents of the Ketogenic diet support that.

Thanks for the visit and contribution.

Please joins us here often.

You are always most welcome. 

Peace and Abundant Blessings.

Enoch.

Dear Friend Sandy: During the summers of my youth, we never used Coppertone to avoid sunburn.

When at the beach we would smear Crisco vegetable shortening all over ourselves.

When we started to crackle, it was time to seek shade.

Smiles.

Enoch.

Some of my friends did the same.

Most of us, me included, used baby oil.

Either way, we got pretty crispy.  But baby oil smelled better.

But alas, I just burned and peeled and only tanned a little bit.  Just like now.

You should try it on a baked potato.

Dear Friend Sandy: If Popeye and Olive Oyl got pregnant, would they name the child Baby Oyl?

Just curious.

Auck, Auck, Acuk.

Enoch.

Bacon grease

I know what you mean.  We use to save the bacon grease and put a little on other things to kind of season it.  Love those triglycerides even if they are bad for you.  I rarely eat bacon these days and then soak up all the grease if I do.

we would smear Crisco vegetable shortening all over ourselves.

When I was little I put some lard on a toy I had.  Can't remember exactly what the toy was, but it had moving parts and I was going to lubricate it.  Well, I laid it down on the ground while I was doing something else and as you probably already know, it wouldn't work when I came back.  It was filled with ants.  I believe you could put lard on the top of a flag pole and if you climbed the pole in a few hours there would be ants up there.

Agreed.

Egregious.

Smiles.

We use to save the bacon grease and put a little on other things to kind of season it.

My Paternal Grandmother used to save bacon grease in a jar in the fridge. My Grandfather liked to have two strips of bacon every morning with his one egg and toast. My Grandmother saved the grease each morning and used it to flavor other things like fresh cooked green beans, and used it to make fried okra. Other types of grease she would take out and pour it in the worm beds, as well as all the coffee grounds and crushed egg shells. She also used the bacon grease in other things which I can't think of at the moment, but, in spite of eating all that much bacon grease over most of their life, the lived well into their late 90's. and were rarely ever sick. 

I love bacon, but, I temper my bacon treats as I don't want to get burned out on it. For me it is a treat, and I like keeping it that way. (grin)

Dear Sister and Friend Raven Wing: Moderation and sustainability.

Love them both.

Way to go.

Enoch.

We had rotary phones, too.

Grandma and Grandpa were "Mawmaw and Pawpaw".

And yeah, they were always home.  Unless they were taking a passel of grandkids to the Dairy Queen (destroyed by WV's floods) for a hot dog and ice cream cone.

Dear Friend Sandy: Our grand parents were Bubba and Zaideh.

Yiddish for grandmother and grandfather.

Bubbah is not pronounced in Yiddish Bab bah. It is pronounced Boo bah.

For our children and for our grandchildren we now use the Hebrew Saftah veh Sabbah (grandmother and grandfather).

One of ours still calls the Enochobile the Sabbobile.

Another refers to our home as the Chateua Saftah.

Smiles.

Enoch.  

My favorite cake to make was Pineapple Upside Down cake, which I always made for Christmas supper to go with my Father's Virginia baked ham. We also had candied yams and green bean casserole. My Father and I loved cooking together as we gave each other ideas along the way. However, with his work schedule on the PD we didn't get a chance to do that too often. But, Christmas was always there for us. (grin)  

My mom used to make that a lot, too, for her family gatherings.  Her side of the family has very few chocolate lovers.  My dad's side of the family is full of them.

I take after my dad 

I like chocolate as well, but, only dark chocolate. The milk chocolate is too sweet for me. I keep dark chocolate around the house all the time, as when my sweet tooth hits I want to eat some. But, I am hypoglycemic, and when my blood sugar gets too low I have to eat something really sweet ASAP, so I also have Pectin candies all over the house as well. However, the Pectin candy is way too sweet for general eating, so dark chocolate is my savior. (grin)

Dear Sister Raven Wing: At Passover Mrs. E. makes a flour less matzoh cake. 

She soaks the unleavened bread in sweet cherry wine over night.

Tropical dried fruits, unsalted dry roasted mixed nuts are added to the cherry wine absorbed Matzoh.

Baked and chilled.

High cocoa dark chocolate is melted, along with various fruit juices, zests and creams. 

These are poured over the squares of baked Matzoh.

They disappear in minutes.

Talk about a magic act gone viral.

Smiles.

E.

Ohhh wow! That sounds sooo delicious. Makes my tongue want to slap my brains out! I have never had anything like that, but, I would truly love to try it some day. I love learning about new things like that, even if I have never tasted it, it stirs my curiosity and creative interests. 

My compliments to Mrs. E. 

Dear Friend and Sister Raven Wing: Compliments sent, received and warmly reciprocated.

Coming up soon at the Long House in Ganandagan where the Iroquois Confederacy was established there are nature trail hikes, history tour walks; crafts, music, and culinary classes for by and about the Nations of the Confederacy.

Of course, three sisters stew is everyone's favorite.

Another is Farmers Cheese (cottage cheese with the water pressed out) in fused with local nuts and fruits. Shaped.

Flash sauteed in locally grow spices, oils and citrus juices.

Chilled, cut into squares, then skewered with tooth picks. 

Concord, Cayuga, and Niagara grape juices are boiled into a reduction sauce.

Chilled.

Then ladled over the cheese fruit and nut squares.

Generally served with hot or iced Sassafras Tea.

All SLO movement Native American fare.

SLO = Seasonal, Local and Organic.      

Most of what we know of how to use nature to feed ourselves in upstate NY we learned from local Native American nations.

They ave been here a very long time.  

They know how to grow, raise, prepare and use it sustainably.

Enoch.

Dear Friend Beast of the East: It is.

Passover foods are among my annual favorites.

About the only reason I don't have my own private zip code is that I am athletically active.

The best way to achieve world peace is to feed all the armies of the world fresh made grandmothers specialty foods with no portion control.

That way all combatants would be too huge to fight.

What are your favorites?

We want to learn from you.

We are delighted you honor us with your attendance and participation here. 

Warmly welcome.

Enoch.

Now my mouth is watering.

I tried my grandmother's wilted lettuce today because of this thread.  Close.  Not quite there, but close.

we learned from local Native American nations.

Indeed. When we lived in Pawhuska OK, which was in the heart of Indian Territory, and in the heart of Osage, Cherokee, Pawnee and Ponca Reservations. My most prominent contact with the local Native Americans was with the Cherokee when I was 8 y/o. I visited the Reservation where I was adopted by the Grandmother and Grandfather as a member of their Tribe. In addition to the many dishes I learned from my own Grandmothers, who were full blood Cherokee, I learned a great many things about cooking, growing vegetables and herbs, scrapping hides and purification. It is also where I was bestowed my Cherokee name by the Grandfather. And my Tribal name by the Grandmother. During the time I spent with them on the Reservation I learned many things about how to live from the land alone, and the healing herbs and treatments for everyday ailments, as Mother Earth can provide for us if we know how to do so. It was an experience that has stayed with me all my life. I am truly Blessed to have had that time in my life to live and learn more of the ways of my people. 

I hate to break it to you but it never will taste like your grandmas ever. Grandma always has one ingredient she uses that she keeps secret and you can't purchase anywhere anyway. You will get close  but never 100% . But do take heart.! Your grandkids will say the same about your special foods. 

Dear Sister Raven Wing: How proud are we of what you do.

Great work.

Enoch.

Thank you Dear Friend and Mentor Enoch. 

Your very kind words are truly inspiring. (smile)

I see it already in my son.  There are some foods that only my mother makes to suit him.  And some foods that only I make to suit him.

Either that, or he's flattering us to get us to cook foods he's perfectly capable of cooking for himself 

Dear Friend Arxpdx: Point excellently presently.

Also well taken.

Thanks for this sterling observation.

Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.

Enoch.

Dear Friend Sandy: I like your theory.

Smiles.

Enoch.

It's too late to be thinking about eating.  I need to be thinking about sleeping.

Me too.

Week starts again in a few hours.

Rest Well.

E.

Dear Sister Raven Wing: Our B'nai Brith Lodge (Zerubavel) has a program to assist first responders be with their families on their holidays, where the laws allow.

Some of us have the credentials necessary to fill in for them after being deputized.

In other cases, non credential work can be done by volunteers.

Where the public safety can be guaranteed, people who serve should be free to be with family at special times.

Enoch.

I have not seen anything like that around here, and I am sure there was nothing like that available when my Father was a police officer many years ago. Sometimes he would not have to work until the late shift, so we could have supper together before he had to leave for work. But, as they were short motorcycle officers those times were rare, as some of the offices would have cover for others to be home for the holiday, and then trade off taking their turn to be off on the next holiday.  

It was so very nice when my Father retired from the PD and we could have our evening meals together far more often.

It is very kind and generous of those who will stand in for the Emergency Responders to have their holiday off to be with their family. Their good deeds will be long remembered, and the Creator will not forget them either.

Dear Sister Raven Wing: Our lodge has a high percentage of members who are combat veterans, retired law enforcement, fire, and other first responders. 

Many had and some, like me still have proper registrations, licenses, permits, and certifications to perform these types of functions, if need be.

It is a merger of necessary qualifications and the desire to help out others have their times with family.

We know what we have. How much ti means to us.

How we look forward to time with those closest to us. 

We wish no less for those who serve and protect. 

E.

Pineapple Upside Down cake

Ah, I love those.  I can taste it now.  Wonder what's in the refrigerator.  Think I'll take a look.

Geeezzzzz!!!!!

Here ya go....fresh out of the oven. 

Dear Friend and Brother Sixpick: Looks like my checking account.

LOL.

E.

Now that does look delicious!

E.

The cake was for a pot luck at the club house here. There were some who chose to get their dessert before their meal so as not to get left out after eating their meal. (grin) 

Each ring of pineapple is a helping of the cake, so it really does go fairly far in servings. The cake is French Vanilla flavoring which really compliments the pineapple and other toppings. The recipe has been handed down from many Grandmothers. 

I love this time of year. 1st off I am a male and I do 90% of the cooking, that's just because I'm better at it and we both agree.

We have just come out of the Morel mushroom season and straight into fresh asparagus season. Next will be zucchini and summer squash,

Mixing that with the local fresh fish, Salmon and Whitefish and tossing in a little venison here and there I eat well.

Dear Friend KD Michigan: There seems a major yum.

The fresh natural bounty of the lakes, rivers, fields, vines, trees, bushes etc.

We, like you have a short yet intense growing season.

Here is to the good earth.

Thanks for your post.

Please come here often.

We are the better off for your contributions.

Peace and Abundant Blessings.

Enoch.

I am at least a day late and a dollar short here. Trying to read along and there is some really good good stuff described.

1. I'll start with a favorite "single guy dish", which has turned into more than that over time.

At a time in my life I had the most tasty yellow Spanish rice on a usual basis. One day I decided to give making it a try. Of course, by this time it was easy to by Iberian or Goya brand yellow Spanish rice. To turn it into a single meal instead of a side dish I came up with a quick and cheap solution.

Locally, I for $3 I can get a pre cooked pack of seasoned chicken fajita bits. Then for around $1.40 - $1.60 I can get a pack of Iberian or Goya yellow Spanish rice.

In the microwave (yep, I'm cheating}, I prepare the rice to within 5 minutes of prescribed time. Then add the chicken and add 2 additional minutes to total cooking time. Unless I am strict with myself, I will down the entire dish a once.

Using self discipline, it will serve two.

The combination is scalable according to number of guests.

2. BBQ. Except for an overnight wine marinade I will make my bbq sauce according to what is in the fridge. Aside from trying to keep the sweetness low, as except for  chocolate I don't care for sugary food, I like experimenting. Also, I will make a portion for me and anyone else who enjoys good hot spicy falvours.

3, Most formal, Borsh. Yes, spelled borsh, because that is how my "girls" in my avatar spell it. BTW, YES girls. Try calling them women and you better duck. In the culture in which they grew up, "Women" are much older and convalescing. They are "girls", there Moms are "girls" and their Grandmothers are "girls". That is that and don't cross the line.

The typical western image of borsh needs to be flushed from the mind. I can not find a good image of what I picture as borsh. Everything I find looks more like how my European Grandparents made it.

I will post a picture here, but really, it looks like a "Mickey Ds" version. My master chefs had to return to their home country for a little bit but I should be in to touch with them before they go to bed tonight. I will get some good pictures and recipes of what I learned to now call borsh.

Fore now is the Mickey Dsversion:

natashaskitchen

P.S. More than a few times dill pickles turned into dinner. "Betcha can't eat just 1".

Dear Friend Dave: I grew up on, among other things Borscht, Shav and String Bean Soup.

In winter a boiled potato was added along with sour cream to hot Borscht.

In summer, served cold the Borscht had that dollop of Sour Cream.

Russians are big on sour cream, and pickling things.

I am of Bello-Russian descent on my Father's Side (Kiev).

Shav is a Russian sour grass soup. Served cold in summer, with the ubiquitous ladle of sour cream, fresh garden veggies just harvested are washed, diced and added for crunch and color.

String Bean soup is a Hungarian delicacy. 

My Mother's grandparents came to the U.S. from Austro-Hungary.

It is a sour cream base with onions, shallots, fresh string or snap beans and such other veggies are in season and look appealing.

One last one.

When Mes. E. and I were students in Jerusalem and courting one another, we used to frequent a cafe in Zion Square Jerusalem with her first name (no relation).

The pride of their menu was fresh made onion soup.

Over the brown broth with lots of onions and spiced toasted French bread bits was melted ooie gooie cheese.

The cheese was a lid on the soup cup or bowl.

It was served bubbly on top, and steamy just right underneath.

Year around, you can never go wrong with fresh home made hot or cold soup.

For Saffroned (yellow Spanish Rice) as a bed try Ternera a la Extremenyah (Veal medallions in wine sauce). 

Sautee tender medallions of veal in a dry oak barrel aged vino tinto (Red) with onions, mushrooms, capers, cherry or grape tomatoes slices, marinated artichoke and/or palm hearts.

Serve over a bed of Saffroned rice with the dry red oak barrel ages vinto tino (any Granahsa and/or Malaga grape red will do).  

Also use a bed of Saffroend rice over which to ladle Paella a la Valenciana con pescadores frescos. (Paella Valenciana style featuring fresh caught fins and scales fish, meat varieties, fresh crunchy veggies and a stew sauce that is tomato based and piquant in flavor). 

Beats being asked by someone in a paper hat, "Do you want fries with that"?

Enoch heading out to breakfast with friends at 9:10 AM.    

Beats being asked by someone in a paper hat, "Do you want fries with that"?

Oh yes, those recipes beat that.

My chefs are originally from the south of Ukraine where the Dnieper runs into the Black Sea. Their lives reflect that region.

Baked pelengas and boiled stuffed pelmeni are favorites. Though to be honest I like the pelmeni fried golden in butter after boiling.

Gelatin is fantastic. I don't think I can describe it as there are so many variables.

Dear Friend Dave: Sounds good to me.

Keep us posted on more good things to come.

Gratefully, Enoch Munching a Blini

Gratefully, Enoch Munching a Blini

Oh wow, they redefined pancakes for me.

However, I taught them one of my western hemisphere style favorites, freshly caught freshwater fish and potato pancakes. Funny thing is they taste better when the fish and mashed potatoes are left over from the night before.

...maybe a little old bay sprinkled too...

Okay, Julia is showering bed now and I will try to post some of the pics she gave me.

These are all with beets. I don't know if folks can tell the difference, but I can smell the difference just from the pics.

gotovim-doma.ru

Another veggie style, but add beef or chicken and MORE Potatoes to both recipes...maybe I'm a little spoiled...

Dear Friend Dave: Nos Drova, Tovarich.

Enoch, Doing a Bublitchke.

Dear Friend Dave: During Hanukah we have Latkes (Potato Pancakes). 

Great toppings are apple sauce with ground cinnamon, or sour cream.

During Shavuoth we have Blintzes (Blini with cottage cheese and fresh fruit fillings).

Am sure the Bay water is part of the taste and experience.

Smiles.

Enoch.

All I have to add is, ''Indian Tacos and or Fry Bread''...

Dear Brother, Friend and Treasured Writing Partner Kavika: Two staples at Jay's Diner.

They are usually stapled to the bulletin cork board as you enter the lobby.

Regards from Chef Boiling Water Goldstein.

The Toasted Winnebagel you ordered last February will be ready soon.

They are almost done growing the wheat.

Enoch, Egging My Blue Plate Special. 

Okay, between you and Raven Wing, I need recipes. I have 2 good chefs who I think can do them justice.

All I have to add is, ''Indian Tacos and or Fry Bread''.

Is there anything that doesn't go with Fry Bread?      

Dear Sister Raven Wing: Nothing at all!

Fry bread is the universal healer.

Enoch.

Fry bread is the universal healer

Indeed! It continues to heal my taste buds every day. When I don't eat Fry Bread my taste buds go into reversion. Once eating Fry Bread has resumed, my taste buds return to their normal state. Thus, they are once again healed. 

Enoch, I understand you and Mrs E lived in Jerusalem for a while. Did you ever have brown eggs in pita with chopped onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and local made spicy sauce? BTW, I have found Crystal Hot Sauce tastes exactly like it. 

Dear Friend Dave: We did indeed.

Tasty fare, that (Chaveetah).

Agreed on the Crystal Sauce.

Enoch.