This is my first post on my first blog. I am excited to start this new blog and hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride as I show you my home that I love.
Most of this website will be about my food adventures, but I will also share the beauty of my country.
Israel is a country of contrasts. We have the mountains and forests in the North, the Mediterranean Sea on the West coast, the Dead Sea in the East, the Negev desert and the Red Sea in the South.
We are the third largest flower exporter in the world and grow some of the best produce in the world.
I will show you how I cook with the wonderful bounty we have here.
Tonight is the evening of Purim and I just returned from the reading of the story of Esther. I am making hamantaschen, which are three-cornered biscuits filled with a variety of fillings. The standards are apricot, prune and poppyseed fillings. But, I like to experiment with other fillings. My usual fillings are apricot lekvar and date-walnut filling. This year I am adding my take on mincemeat and cranberry-orange filling.
My hamantaschen recipe is from Claudia Roden’s, The Jewish Book of Food. I like this dough because it is more of a flaky pastry than the crunchy cookie ones you find in the bakery. These are more delicate.
I also like the fact that this recipe only contains 2 tablespoons of sugar. I do not add any added sugar to my fillings. I think they are sweet enough.
Hamantaschen
Dough
1 3/4 cup (250g) flour
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 or 3 drops of vanilla extract
5oz (150g) unsalted butter or margarine, cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk
2-3 tsp milk or water, if necessary
Egg wash (1 egg + a tsp of water)
Mix the flour, salt sugar and vanilla extract. Add the butter or margarine and mix in with your fingers to resemble cornmeal. Mix in the egg yolk and form the dough into a ball. Try not to overwork the dough. Cover with plastic film and put in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into four parts, roll one part at a time to about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick. Cut circles with a 3-inch (7-1/2 cm) round cookie or American biscuit cutter.
Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of the dough and pinch three sides together to form a triangle. Make sure that you pinch the ends well. Place them on a cookie sheet, preferably with a silpat liner and brush the dough with the egg wash.
Bake at 375 F (190C) for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool on the tray for about 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Apricot Lekvar
200g (2 cups) dried california or mediterranean apricots (I prefer the sour apricots)
1/2 cup orange juice or water
Cook over low heat until very tender and most of the liquid has reduced. Cool and process in the food processor until smooth.
Cranberry-Orange Filling
2 (200g) cups dried cranberries
1 cup (100g) golden raisins
1 medium orange, seeded and cut into quarters
1/2 cup water
Process the orange quarters in food processor until finely chopped.
In a saucepan, add all of the ingredients, including the chopped orange and cook on a low flame until the cranberries and raisins are tender. Cool and process to a chunky paste.
Date-Walnut Filling
250g date filling (you can find this a Middle Eastern store) or chopped dates that have been cooked over a low flame with water to form a paste.
200g walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove
Warm water
Place the date filling, walnuts, cinnamon and clove in the food processor and add 2 tablespoons of warm water. Mix until smooth. You can add more water, if necessary. The filling should be thick.
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i like it! very informative and i liked the work in progress photos. will have to try that recipe, they look yummy!!
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Dear Michelle,
Great photos and recipes; keepers to make next year. I’ve forwarded your page to several friends and family with our Purim greetings. You may want to list your blog or whatever in the 2007 Windmueller Window which is being edited by Sarah Grausz. You can find her in the Directory of http://www.windmuellerfamily.com.
Mazel Tov on your blog.
Love,
Inge and Harold
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Hey, Michelle,
Not only is this a great way to stay in touch, to show your talents, to share what bips your bippy, but it also shows how vibrant life in Israel really is, and the bounty that has been created in this tiny land over the past nearly 60 years. I think many don’t know this, and your blog will help understand.
I really liked it. Keep it up!!
Love,
Gil and Dionne
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Your pictures definitely capture my memories of the epicurean essence of Israel.
The pictures also look good enough to eat. My only disappointment is that the technology isn’t there yet to “beam me” some pastry. But someday…
Good luck with your new blog,
Allen
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Congrats Michelle!
What a great idea for a blog. And, hey! I want to taste-test those hamentashen.
Yours,
Carol
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Congratulations,Michelle!
Your blog brings back fond memories of the time we spent together in Israel last October…the pictures reflect the amazing diversity and abundance that this small country offers..
Your Hamantaschen look good enough to eat off the page…good luck with your blog!
Curly Carol’s Mom
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mich, what a lovely blog and so pleasing to the imagination and eyes!!!
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Michelle,
Those hamentaschen were the best I’ve ever had. Just sweet enough, and those varied fillings were inspired. Thank you for bringing some to our Purim gathering – they were perfect. The recipe has gone into my collection.
Keep on bloggin’…I’m enjoying! Can you show us something about Hod HaSharon?
Miriam
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Thanks everyone for the nice comments. I hope you will check the site out often.
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Fabulous blog, Michelle! Your photos and recipes have my mouth watering. Congratulations, and long may you continue!
Best wishes,
Matilda in Australia
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Welcome to the foodblogger’s world! Your blog looks interesting and nice. I will check your site regularly…
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Hi Michelle
I just found your blog (via Flickr).
This looks so good…and easy enough (for somebody like me) to make. I love the apricot fillings but the dates/walnut mix makes me swoon!
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I love, love, love your blog. Thanks so much for sharing. I’ve already bookmarked several recipes, and hope to make two cakes for Pesach from your website.
Keep it up!
(found your blog thru the KCC)
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Thank you PinkDevora! What is KCC?
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