In anticipation of the Chosen Food exhibit coming to the JMM next year, I write about food…
Twenty-five years ago, this May, my mother’s friends hosted a “Double Up Ilene’s Kosher Kitchen” themed bridal shower for me. The gift I received from my fiancé’s grandmother, Chana Cohen, was a mixmaster – the kitchen appliance intended for mixing, beating, folding and whipping ingredients.
Bubbie Chana, as I knew her, has since passed away but I still think of her whenever I use the mixmaster. The entire family remembers her a lot, especially when we get together for Shabbat dinner and any other holiday or extended family meal. When last we were together for a Shabbat dinner, which was around two months ago, we discussed how great it would be to have a Shabbat dinner and use all of Bubbie Channah’s recipes. Last Friday that dinner took place. Our hosts were Chana’s son and daughter-in-law.
First course was meatball fricassee. These are meatballs that simmer on the stove for a very long time in a mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, sugar, carrots, tomato puree, etc., etc., etc. These were accompanied by a mixed salad including lettuce, radishes, carrots, peppers, cucumber, tomato and green onions, topped with “Bubbie’s” dressing – a light vinaigrette.
The main course was chicken with a sweet sauce (again, including ketchup), moussaka, noodle kugel, and broccoli.
We all admitted that the broccoli was a substitute for what most likely would have been cooked frozen vegetables – no one could remember exactly what kind would have been served. I grew up eating sweet kugel, both parve and dairy. The first time I ever ate a non-sweet kugel was at a Cohen Shabbat dinner, more than twenty-five years ago. This kugel was a traditional Cohen kugel.
We almost forgot to serve the Jello! A Cohen family accompaniment to the main entrée was always jello with fruit – tonight it was peaches. I grew up eating Jello as a dessert, not so at the Cohen dinner table.
We finished with dessert and tea. Two offerings were mainstays. First came chocolate chip cookies. These cookies were always served with tea, as they were so hard that they needed to be dunked a la biscotti.
Next came a yellow cake with chocolate icing. I had the honor of making the cake, hence the need for the mixmaster. Bubbie’s secret recipe: Duncan Hines yellow cake mix! I must admit that this is the first time in years that I’ve followed the exact instructions on the box (I usually make the low fat version). I must also admit that it tasted EXACTLY as I remembered!
By the end of the meal we all agreed that the noodle kugel was spot on, just like we’d remembered. Everything else tasted delicious, and close to the original, if just a tad different. It’s always wonderful to get together for a meal with the extended family. The aromas, tastes and sights brought back many wonderful memories of many loved ones who sadly, are no longer with us. It was a tribute to all of them, especially Bubbie Chana, to enjoy the dinner together.