I did say I would be sharing other experiences here, and it happens to be a holiday today. Not a major holiday, but a Jewish holiday. It's Purim, which I can only describe as being like a Jewish Halloween. You dress up in costume, give and get treats, and generally make merry. This is all supposed to happen at Temple.
When I was a kid, my dad offered to take me to Purim services at our synagogue. I remember dressing up like a cat, with ears and whiskers and a tail. I also remember getting to the temple, opening the door to the sanctuary, and then immediately starting to cry. I don't remember why, but I must have been freaked out by something. Needless to say, we left. The next time I went to temple on Purim was more than 25 years later. It was ok. No tears this time. Still, I haven't been back since. So this gives you a sense of just how observant I am.
The one tradition I do observe is the FOOD!
Maybe if I paid more attention to the religion and not the tradition I would be able to fit in my old jeans. But I digress....
Jewish cooking is how I express myself at holiday time. So while I may not be shoved into double Spanx and pantyhose sitting in temple, I am observing in my own way. With hamantaschen.
Hamantaschen are triangle-shaped cookies with filling. Traditionally prune, poppy, apricot, or raspberry. Poppy is for old people. Prune is second in line for the old people. G loves the prune ones though. I like the apricot and raspberry, but over the years I have experimented with peanut butter and jelly, Nutella, and cherry. If Ina had a recipe for Hamentaschen I would certainly try it, but until then I use Joan Nathan's dough and my own filling.
This year, a friend of mine sent me a link to a website that had 32 recipes for "alternative" Hamantaschen. Here is the link:
As soon as I saw the first one, I was hooked. Caramel Apple Hamantaschen? Oy vey, everybody!
I went to the store and picked up my supplies, including the must have prune filling....
And then made the dulce de leche.
Before....
And after.....
Pretty cool, huh?
I enlisted the troops for the rest of the cookie making. Partly because it's a Sunday, a holiday, and a nice opportunity to spend time together. The other part is because I suck at rolling out dough and cutting shapes. Seriously. I hate doing that.
So, we got the kiddo to roll some dough (note the flour all over his shirt)...
And G cut out the circles. After that it was on! I was the filler, shaper, and baker. I've been making them for years, so I have the system down. I used prune, apricot, and the caramel apple filling. Here is the finished product:
So while we may not have gone to celebrate Purim at synagogue, we have recognized the holiday by making Hamentaschen. And we will eat them celebrating the other important holiday today....The Oscars! We're multi-cultural like that. Tomorrow, back to Auntie Ina and her Perfect Roast Chicken!
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