Happy Channukah

On 12/17/06 10:34 PM, in article y_edncht5a-nkRvYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@centurytel.net, "explorer" wrote: SNIP!!!

SPEW!

Kosher hot dogs I hope! I like the Best Foods ones the best, but can't find them any more!

Boiling hot vinegar!

And a pinch of salt helps!

Here's my disaster (and it wasn't so bad, I'm a lucky cook): As a young bride studying German, I asked my German teacher over to dinner with my husband and me. I was making duck with red cabbage and chestnuts. I didn't read the part about simmering the cabbage for x hours, adding the chestnuts for y more hours, then adding the duck. It was really delicious but we didn't eat till almost midnight.

Alison

Absolutely. I don't eat them often - have a thing about nitrates - but only eat kosher ones when I do. Hebrew National - what we had in the house. We also get the Best ones, and some local brand. The best are the from the deli not packaged. Yum. Way too fattening.

Ellice

Pat in Illinois said

ellice told you why *most* people use baking soda. I usually don't but this time, I thought I'd emulate *most* people... never again!

I know that many people add seltzer to matzoh balls to make them fluffy, but I've never heard of it in latkes.

Lucille

One would think you might have known that some old fashioned, very orthodox people really won't eat or drink anything in a house that they know doesn't keep kosher. My grandmother absolutely would not take even a glass of water in my mother's house. And a paper plate wouldn't do because it might have spent time in her cabinet and she was sure that there were other things in that cabinet that weren't kosher. The rare time that she would come to our house she would bring a bottle of Pepsi with her and drink directly from that bottle.

She was kind of a fanatic, but that was her way and no one dared to tell her she was wrong. She tried her very best to get me to understand and observe kashrut rules and was very disappointed in me because I simply wouldn't do it.

Lucille

"Lucille" ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

I would have to say, nothing changes. Christmas traditions vary wildly, especially where food is concerned. I practically cook two meals on Christmas Day. We like white mashed spuds they (Canadian married ins) like sweet spuds, we like Thyme and Parsley dressing, they like Summer Savoury. We like plain boiled ham, they like baked glazed ham ( I alternate yearly for that ) but whichever way it is, I like parsley sauce with mine. I like brussels, so do mine, some don't but I do three or four veggies, so nobody is out of luck.

We like traditional plum pudding all aflame with brandy butter and rum sauce, they like English trifle.

Above all, there are crackers and it is mandatory that paper hats MUST be worn and the jokes read lol

So "traditional" can mean very different things to different people and I would suggest no one person is wrong, it all depends, if it didn't, I sure as hell would not have all that cooking to do.

I think what you said about "traditional" meaning different things to different people is especially true.

Many years ago, I gave everyone a choice of one vegetable to have for Christmas dinner -- so now we have those same four veggies every year. That's "our" tradition.

Plus, the kids always get to open ONE gift on Christmas Eve. My mother started that when we were children, because she'd always get us pajamas to wear that night, so we'd all look "cute" for the Christmas morn movies my dad took. Of course, we also weren't allowed in the living room til Daddy was all set up and ready. I never knew you could walk in to see what Santa had brought without floodlights blinding you! Remember, this was 50+ years ago, when you need all that light for film.

"Jere Williams" ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

I remember it well - we used to do just that to our kids, they range from 45-50. I had all the films transferred to videotape, guess we should put them on DVDs now.

And to think, they were blinded too lol

There is a kosher, no nitrates dog at some (health food) store - I think Trader Joes, but I could be wrong. Had them over the summer - not bad.

Cheryl

I'm so sorry Anne! It is a tricky thing - isn't it. I think that's why the SIL's mom did the club soda thing - though I can't say I'm always finding that predictable.

My friend is making them tonight - so we'll see how hers go. I'm doing them on Wednesday....and we'll likely end up with the baking soda comparison.

ellice

I haven't known anyone personally that fanatic . As long as they coould see the separate package, etc - and the bottled water/soda it was fine.

On my paternal grandfather's side his family kept kosher. My mom would keep separate plates, disposable foil cooking trays for the broiler, etc for when great-grandpa was coming for dinner. He got fish, and whatever - I was a little girl then. But, evidently - one day - when he was quite old he reached for the roast beef platter, and my mom stopped him saying that "no, papa - that's not for you - your fish is coming" at which point he grabbed that platter and said "it's okay - I moved the sin to you". So, suddenly for the last year or so of his life he stopped keeping kosher.

I used to travel for work with someone from a group in Detroit that kept kosher - he was always packing tins of tuna in his bag, etc. When we'd meet in NY - that meant he was thrilled because we'd go to dinner at some nice Kosher restaurant.

We've had several close family friends who keep kosher, have homes with the double sink set up, one friend has 2 dishwashers. But, I've never had anyone refuse a bottled water, or soda. It's just asking what will work for them when they're at your house - how their interpretations of kashreit works. One of our friends has the most gorgeous sets of dishes - as she and her husband are the only ones from his side that maintain, so even though he's not as Orthodox as she - they've inherited all of his mother's, aunts, etc fine china - as it would be a shame to waste it.

ellice

My father transferred lots of family movies to video -- I have some of me, taking my first steps -- that would have been over 60 years ago!

It will also clean out the sinuses of anyone in the room!!!

I don't add that to my matzoh balls. The only people I've seen do it with the latkes are the SIL, her mom, and I've tried it - but I have mixed feelings about the results.

ellice

"Jere Williams" ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

We have one of my younger daughter picking her nose - lol how she hates that one !