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Joyful
Celebrations
This year, Lag B’Omer and
Mother’s Day fall on the same date, May 12. For many of us,
Lag B’Omer is our wedding anniversary, the only day between
Passover and Shavuot when marriages are permitted . On that
day, according to the Talmud, the plague that had spread
through Rabbi Akiba’s students in the first century C.E.
finally abated. As for Mother’s Day, although historians
claim that the holiday emerged from ancient festivals
dedicated to mother goddesses, in today’s world, the
observance is not even a century old. It was Anna M. Jarvis
(1864-1948), in loving memory of her mother, who is credited
with bringing the celebration of Mother’s Day to the United
States.
How to start this special
day? Why not indulge and pamper Mom or your significant other
with breakfast served at bedside. Set the scene. Pull up a
little table (it’s difficult to balance a tray while sitting
up in bed), tuck a flower and silverware in the folds of a
linen napkin, then bring on the goodies. No need for heavy,
complicated dishes. A basket filled with crusty artisan breads
and warm muffins, two tart and tangy spreads, and a mug of
frothy, fragrant latte will show loving appreciation of
mother, an anniversary...or both.
Don’t panic. I’m not
suggesting that you get a supply of yeast and flour, heat up
the oven and bake your own breads. Bakeries and many
supermarkets now offer a wide tempting variety of artisan
breads. Besides long golden baguettes like those sold on the
streets of Paris and crunchy grain loaves, recipes gathered
from Italian mountain villages, you might find crusty loaves
dotted with olives and sun-dried tomatoes, muffins sweetened
with dark chocolate and spiked with citrus, or savory Asiago
scented with thyme - just a few artisan offerings you can buy.
Though more expensive than
automated bread production, artisan breads are enjoying a
resurgence in popularity that goes hand in hand with organic
and natural foods. These breads emphasize quality of
ingredients, slow fermentation, hand shaping and baking in
small batches. Peasant breads from the old country are being
baked by dedicated crafts people. They, like David Braverman
and Esther McManus of Le Bus bakeries in Philadelphia, have
traveled all over the world to learn traditional mixing and
baking methods.
What about kosher artisan
breads? Rabbi Yisroel Bendelstein from the Orthodox Union in
New York notes that under the OU kosher certification all
breads must be pareve. Bread is a main staple and it is
against Jewish dietary law to certify bread as dairy or meat.
Since bread is eaten with both meat and dairy meals, there’s
the possibility that if bread were dairy it might be eaten
with a meat meal. All the ingredients, equipment and utensils
used in bread making must meet the kosher pareve criteria so
that if an ingredient such as olives or nuts are used, they
must be certified kosher and pareve. Kosher as well as
non-kosher consumers are attracted to new, novel flavors. In
response, Laromme, a European influenced company, creates
in-store kosher bakeries in a designated space within a
supermarket. The breads are shaped and baked in small batches,
at regular intervals, so that shoppers may buy fresh baked
products at any hour. Supermarket chains such as Albertsons in
Florida, offer a full line of kosher pareve specialty breads.
For a rustic style, breakfast
basket, start off with artisan breads from your local bakery.
Then you’ll have plenty time to make an egg and broccoli
rabe bruschetta on country white bread, (served on a separate
warm plate). Piquant fig and olive tapenade and sweet, tart
apricot-currant jam may be made ahead and refrigerated. Spoon
into pretty little dishes to slather over thick slices of
toasted walnut bread. It’s no trouble to whip up a batch of
muffins. The dry ingredients for Bittersweet Chocolate Muffins
and Asiago Cheese and Thyme muffins may be mixed the night
before. No need to refrigerate. Next morning, add liquids,
pour into muffin pans and bake to serve hot from the oven. If
you have any left, split and toast for next morning’s
breakfast or cool completely before freezing.
For latte without a machine:
Heat 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup in the
microwave. Pour into a blender and blend until frothy, 25 - 30
seconds. Pour over 1/2 cup strong hot coffee, insert a
cinnamon stick and set alongside the brimming breakfast
basket. A delicious eye opener to begin a celebration day.
Recipes
 Egg
and Broccoli Rabe Bruschetta (pareve)
(adapted from a recipe in The Metropolitan Bakery Cookbook by
James Barrett and Wendy Smith Born, Rodale Press)
serves 2
2 slices (1/2-inch thick)
country bread
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 clove garlic
1 small bunch broccoli rabe, thick stems removed
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon margarine
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 375F. or
preheat broiler. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet. Brush
with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Toast. Rub each slice with the cut
side of a garlic clove. Set aside.
Bring a 1 1/2 quart pot of
water to a boil. Add a large pinch of salt. Cook broccoli rabe
1 minute in the boiling water. Drain and plunge into a bowl of
ice water. Drain, dry and chop coarsely. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over
medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and minced garlic. Cook
quickly so garlic does not discolor. Stir in the broccoli rabe,
pinch kosher salt and a small pinch of pepper. Cook 4 minutes
or until tender. Stir in the lemon juice. Divide broccoli rabe
between the prepared toasts.
Heat a non-stick skillet over
medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the remaining oil and the
margarine. Crack the eggs into the skillet. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or to desired
doneness. Place an egg on top of each bruschetta. Drizzle with
remaining olive oil. Serve immediately or warm.
Approx. nutrients per
serving: calories – 350 protein- 11g carbohydrates – 15g
fat – 28g cholesterol –
213mg sodium – 536mg
Fig
and Olive Tapenade (pareve)
makes about 1 1/2 cups
6 dried black figs, stemmed
and diced
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 teaspoon dijon style mustard
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and cut in 3-4 pieces
1 cup oil-cured, pitted black olives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
Place the figs, brandy and
water in a small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat.
Cook 10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Cool
slightly.
Place in the food processor
with the capers, mustard, anchovy fillet, olives and olive
oil. Process to form a slightly chunky paste. Add the lemon
juice and olive oil. Process until smooth. Season with pepper.
Serve at room temperature.
Note. May be made the night
before and refrigerated.
approx. nutrients per
tablespoon: calories – 42 protein – 0g carbohydrates –
3g
fat – 3g cholesterol –
0mg sodium – 53mg
Apricot
and Currant Jam (pareve)
makes about 2 1/4 cups
1 pound dried apricots
1/2 seedless orange, unpeeled and cut up
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup dried currants
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Soak apricots for 1 hour in
enough cold water to cover.
Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups
of the liquid. Pour the liquid into the blender jar or food
processor. Add the orange and apricots. Process to chop
coarsely. Transfer to a medium heavy saucepan. Stir in the
sugar, currants and lemon juice. Bring to simmer over medium
heat. Continue cooking for 1 hour or until thickened. Pour
into jars and refrigerate.
approx. nutrients per
tablespoon: calories – 73 protein – 1g carbohydrates –
18g
fat – 0g cholesterol –
0mg sodium – 1mg
 Bittersweet
Chocolate Muffins (dairy)
makes 12
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup hot chocolate powder, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/8 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a
12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour. In
a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons
hot chocolate powder and the baking powder. Set aside. In a
separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk, margarine and orange
extract. Add the flour mixture, stirring just until flour is
moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in the chocolate. .
Divide mixture evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle with
remaining hot chocolate powder. Bake in preheated oven 25
minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove to a wire rack.
Serve warm.
approx. nutrients per muffin:
calories - 212 protein – 4g carbohydrates – 31g
fat – 9g cholesterol –
21mg sodium – 188mg
Asiago
and Thyme Muffins (dairy)
makes 12
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup shredded Asiago cheese*
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 cup margarine or unsalted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
*or shredded parmesan and romano
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a
12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour. In
a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cheese, thyme
and lemon pepper seasoning. Cut in the margarine or butter
until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center.
Add the egg and buttermilk. Stir just until dry ingredients
are moistened. Divide mixture evenly between the muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan
before transferring to wire tray. Serve warm.
approx. nutrients per muffin.
Calories – 168 protein – 4g carbohydrates – 17g
fat – 9g cholesterol –
21mg sodium - 246mg
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