Faith Kramer, at The Blogs

Sep 21, 2024, 1:29 PM

Celebrate the New Year With Baked Apples in Date, Honey and Bourbon Sauce

I think one constant across the Jewish world in celebrating Rosh Hashanah is our wish for a sweet New Year. Serving or eating sweet foods at holiday meals is one way to express this wish, and one of the...

Aug 16, 2024, 7:22 PM

Say It With African Spiced Chicken Sauté and Roses This Jewish Valentine’s Day

One of the Jewish calendar’s lesser-known celebrations is Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av. While it is a minor holiday, it is considered one of the year’s most joyous and has come to be regarded as the Jewish day...

Aug 13, 2024, 7:01 PM

Showpiece for Summer Shabbat: Grilled Cauliflower with Tamarind Tomato Sauce

With the arrival of warmer weather, I move my Shabbat dinner cooking outdoors and feature more grilled foods, including this Grilled Cauliflower with Tamarind Tomato Sauce. It makes a colorful, golden centerpiece for a late summer cookout or a...

Aug 7, 2024, 10:31 PM

Stuffed Peppers for the Nine Days Leading Up To Tishah B’Av

For many observant Jews, the “Nine Days” of mourning leading up to the fast day of Tishah B’Av involves the avoidance of eating red meat and poultry. Jews customarily eat vegetarian meals as a way to mark the solemnity...

Apr 11, 2024, 7:38 AM

Mouth-Watering Matzah Crunch Dessert for Passover

If there is one universally loved Passover dessert, it’s Matzah Crunch, with its layers of crispy matzah, sweet caramel and rich chocolate. Since its introduction by Marcy Goldman in 1985, the recipe has gone viral and has spun off lots...

Mar 21, 2024, 6:29 AM

Jammy Poppyseed Kugel – a Perfect Dessert for Purim

Jammy Poppyseed Kugel photo courtesy of the author.

My Jammy Poppyseed Kugel is a dairy noodle casserole that is perfect for a Purim lunch or dessert. Like the Purim story, it has hidden layers. As explained on Aish.com: Purim’s miracles were intentionally hidden. …The name of God is nowhere to...

Feb 2, 2024, 12:39 AM

Double the Adar, Double the Luck: Roast Salmon with Citrus Honey Sauce

In Jewish astrology, a fish is the sign for mazel (luck), prosperity and innocence. It is also the symbol for the month of Adar, which the Talmud calls the most joyous of months. This year, we get an extra dose...

Dec 2, 2023, 12:55 PM

Falafel for Hanukkah

I’ve always wondered why it isn’t a tradition to eat falafel on Hanukkah. After all, it is fried in oil, has a long history of being eaten by Jews in the Middle East, Near East and North Africa and...

Nov 18, 2023, 1:36 PM

Thanksgiving Thoughts and Leftovers for Shabbat

For me, Thanksgiving, though it is a secular holiday, has Jewish overtones -- and not just because I look forward to turning my leftovers of turkey-and-all-the-trimmings into Friday night dinner for Shabbat. While the American history that the holiday commemorates...

Sep 21, 2023, 11:58 PM

Delicious Turkish Coconut Pudding to Break the Fast

Over the years I have had pretty much every type of Yom Kippur break-the-fast meal you can imagine--from roast beef to scrambled eggs. My conclusion: Choose a menu that is easy to make in advance and quick to get...

About Me

Faith Kramer, a former president and current board member of the Hadassah Oakland Ruach Chapter, is a member of the Hadassah Writers' Circle. The California-based food writer is the author of “52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen.” (The Collective Book Studio). She writes a twice-a-month recipe column for the J, Northern California’s Jewish News Source. See more about her cookbook, other writing, and recipes at faithkramer.com. She can be reached at faith@faithkramer.com

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