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Hamentaschen

rivka — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:48:04 +0000

from the archive, just in time for the holiday.

Among the many traditions associated with the quickly-approaching Jewish holiday of Purim, perhaps the most widely-kept one is the consuming of copious amounts of ~~alcohol~~ hamentaschen. Are you surprised that it’s my favorite holiday in the calendar?

Fashioned after Haman’s pocket, hamentaschen are cookies filled with anything from poppyseed to raspberry jam to Nutella, and folded up to resemble a triangle. They’re not too sweet, flavored with vanilla and lemon zest, and perfectly crunchy outside while soft within. Everyone has a favorite filling, and mine — poppyseed — is, unfortunately, hated by many folks. I appeased the masses this year by making a large batch of raspberry-chocolate filled ones. I’ll save the poppyseed for myself. I also scored a tub of halvah (sweet sesame paste), so that should make for some interesting cookies as well.

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A Unique Holiday Gift Guide

rivka — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:36:07 +0000

Well, friends, I’m back at it. After a few terrible attempts at this in past years (no, I’m not providing links), this time I’ve got what I hope will be a unique take on holiday gifts for the important folks in your lives. Yes, these gifts are great for food lovers — but they’re the types of things others might appreciate as well.

I’ve tried to cover all the bases. From unique Etsy finds, to quirky items from standard stores like Amazon, to exotic spices, to must-own cookbooks, I hope there’s something here for everyone. All pictures are clickable; want it? Click it.

Take a look past the jump.

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Thanksgiving, Chez Nous

rivka — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:23:36 +0000

That’s right: we’re finally hosting Thanksgiving dinner. I’ll be making dinner for 8 or 9, from soup to nuts. We’re talking appetizers, soup, Turkey, all the sides, sauces, and fix-ins, and of course, pies galore. According to her family tradition, D gets a whole pumpkin pie designated for her. Not one to flout these family customs, I’ll be following suit. One pumpkin pie for D, a couple more for the rest of us. Oh, and pecan, cranberry apple, and maybe something else, too. We’ll see.

For now, here’s my menu. It’s pretty traditional, with some nips and tucks to suit our style (low-key) and our needs (no dairy). Some of you out there must be Tday veterans; I’d love your feedback — what am I missing?

I’ll add recipes and tips as I start the actual cooking, which probably won’t happen until this weekend. Stay tuned, and please, pretty please: if you’re also making Thanksgiving, share your menus in the comments!

Thanksgiving Menu

note: some of these recipes are NDP standbys. Several come from the wonderful community of cooks on Food52, and I imagine these are just a few of the Tday-friendly recipes on that site. I’ll add links as I settle on recipes for the other dishes, so again — stay tuned.
Aperitif: Sour Cherry Liqueur
Oven-Roasted Olives
Pickles, Pickles, Pickles
Tomato Soup with chive coulis OR curried carrot soup (haven’t decided yet)
Turkey with citrus and thyme, probably adapting this recipe
Stuffed squash with quinoa, pears, and cranberries
Green beans with horseradish-mustard vinaigrette
Brussels sprouts
Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s challah stuffing (vegetarian)
Forgotten sweet potatoes with maple syrup, adapting this recipe
Cranberry sauce or chutney (if you have a great recipe, send it over!)
Onion confit
Butternut butter
Gingerbread
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Tartlets
Apple Cranberry Pie, or adapted from this recipe
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Taking the Plunge

rivka — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:07:54 +0000

Wonderful readers: many of you have been reading since the very beginning, over three years ago, when I took the plunge into this public space. You’re great, and perhaps a little crazy, for keeping on reading all this time. Sometimes I ramble, other times I disappear unexpectedly, and yet, you stick around to see what comes next. You’re great like that; thank you.

Today’s a day for thanks of another sort. Today I’ve got a ring on my finger, a wonderful wife, and a weekend full of amazing memories to carry me. D and I are the luckiest people on earth.

Yesterday was an absolutely, positively magical day. If you live in DC, you know that the weather yesterday was as perfect as DC gets. Not a cloud in the sky. Our friends are the most spirited, funny, loving bunch, and we continue to feel about as blessed as two ladies can get. Now, we’re married, and we are simply filled to the brim with joy and blessing.

I guess it just proves some risks are worth taking.

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photo by my amazingly talented friend Gaby Schoenfeld.

In my day-plus as a married lady, I’ve learned that part of the game is heeding your wife’s requests. I won’t be posting pictures of D. That said, I hope you enjoy the photos I do post, which hopefully will give a taste of how beautiful the day was.

(For all you curious folks out there, I promise more pictures once we have them.)

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New Year’s Resolutions

rivka — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:42:33 +0000

This past weekend, I an invigorating, inspiring Sunday in Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Kitchen. In five hours’ time, we blanched, shocked, peeled, and squished tomatoes for canned crushed tomatoes. We roasted the heck out of tomatoes, carrots, garlic, and onion for roasted tomato-vegetable soup. We charred, peeled, and chopped peppers for roasted poblano salsa. We chatted all things food over salad greens, fig vinegar, pistachio oil, cheese and baguette, and brownies, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the pressure-canner. We dunked big jars of tomato mush into a boiling water bath, then listened to the music of “ping! pop!” as the lids snapped into place. We perused cookbooks and canning guides, gushed over Dorie Greenspan’s lemon cream tart and Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s own tamari almonds. We got giddy about dishes we love, laughed about Food52 cooks we stalk, and commiserated about recipes that had unexpectedly let us down. I left feeling a renewed sense of kitchen productivity, and — more importantly for you, dear readers — a renewed drive to share what I’d learned, share the things I’ve been thinking about.

It starts here, today.

I’ve always had a list of kitchen aspirations: dishes I’d like to learn to make, techniques I’d like to master, skills I’d like to acquire. For too long, that list has been relegated to the back bit of my brain. No longer. This is the year to learn those skills, conquer those fears, make those delicious things.

Today, I’m launching a new feature: Kitchen Resolutions. You’ll see it on the left side bar. It’s a short-but-growing list of things I’d like to accomplish this year. Yes, it’s a bit random — everything from “sharpen knives” to “confit a duck” and more — but that’s the idea. They’re here, and they’re public — now I’ve gotta do’em.

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A Menu for the Jewish New Year

rivka — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:22:57 +0000

For serious, how has a year passed already? Eek.

The Jewish New Year is upon us. What’s a girl to make for a holiday this big and momentous? Answer: a whole lotta food. But at the request of quite a few lovely readers, this year, I’m getting more specific. I’ll be posting my Rosh Hashana menu from soup to cake, and — per your requests — I’ll share my recipe for apple cake. In my humble opinion, it’s a perfect recipe, with cinnamon-laced apples and the all-important crust. Let’s get to it, shall we?

First things first: my work schedule is such that I’ll have one day – one half day, if we’re being precise — to cook. With this in mind, my wonderful stepmother-in-law-to-be, Terri, is bringing a bunch of the staples with her from Detroit. Among the things coming on the plane are soup, 3 chickens, and 2 briskets. Clearly the lady is used to cooking for a crowd, and thank god for that.

Have no fear: just because she’s doing brisket doesn’t mean I’m not armed with a recipe for ya. It’s hard to believe I haven’t shared this brisket recipe yet, because it is my absolute favorite, and I rarely make brisket any other way.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here’s the whole menu:

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Foodbuzz 24×24: A Sushi and Sake-Tasting Adventure

rivka — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:13:47 +0000

Much of the Japanese food in DC is eaten in one of two ways: out of plastic trays delivered to your dorm room or office, or at the bar at one of two high-end establishments, eye to eye with the chef, and at great expense. The Sushi Taro of yore, which struck the precise midpoint between these two extremes, has been replaced by a third expensive (and excellent) restaurant.

Taro and its ilk are reserved for special occasions (say, engagements), and the other places are wholly unremarkable. So what’s a gal to do when she wants interesting Japanese food that doesn’t break the bank? Where are the mid-range, high-quality, lively-atmosphered Japanese restaurants? As it happens, they’re across town.

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While We Were Out…

rivka — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:57:34 +0000

NDP was out of pocket this weekend. After a few very long weeks at work and some serious head-down time, we packed out bags and headed for the lake with some of our all-time favorite people. The goal of the weekend? Simple. Relax.

And relax we did. PJs and yoga pants were worn, and slippers, too. Beds were warmed, eyes were closed, sleep was had. Movies were watched. Games were played (Taboo and Settlers of Catan, our two favorites).

And of course, stomachs were very, very full.

We’re back now, and recharged for the week to come.

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Pushing $1000: Bakesale for Haiti!

rivka — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:57:03 +0000

Hi Everyone!

Just thought you’d all like to know that the bakesale for Haiti last weekend was a smashing success. In about two hours of selling, we managed to raise $950 for Doctors Without Borders!

Check out Joe and Luke’s fantastic write-up of the sale here at their blog, The Passion Fruits: http://thepassionfruits.com/?p=1808

Stay tuned for more recipes…

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Bakesale for Haiti!

rivka — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:33:14 +0000

One more shout-out for Sunday’s bakesale! A bunch of DC-based bloggers are hosting a bakesale to benefit Doctors Without Borders’ Haiti relief efforts. We’ll be baking up all sorts of goodies: I’ll be on hand with a pile of chewy toffee blondies, the best bakesale product ever. Others will have cupcakes, whoopie pies, and all sorts of other treats. We’ll be at Zorba’s Cafe, on Connecticut Avenue just north of the Dupont Farmers’ Market.” The bakesale will start at 9am and end around 11am.

Can’t wait to see everyone there!

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Thanksgiving Menu Planning

rivka — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:10:24 +0000

This year, I’ll be out in Michigan for a turkey-filled T-Day with D’s family. However, longtime readers of this site know that I grew up in a vegetarian household, and as such, am accustomed to a turkey-less (but no less festive) holiday. Before you scrunch your face into a frown and get all judgmental, let me sing my annual chorus of “it’s the sides that really count!” I’m a side-dish gal. I invest my gastronomic pennies in the yams and the stuffing, the mushrooms and onions and pretty red-orange hued fall salad; for me, the sides are the main event, the turkey playing a supporting role (if that). Also, given that I’ve never actually made a Thanksgiving turkey, you’ll have to look elsewhere for that recipe. However, I think it’s fair to say I have a proven track record of producing great vegetarian Thanksgiving menus, and that will hold true this year as well, Detroit excursion notwithstanding.

Here are some of my favorite Thanksgiving-friendly vegetarian mains and sides from the NDP archives:

Wheatberry Salad with Cranberries and Mint
Broccoli with Capers and Olives
Broccoli with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Braised Pearl Onions
Braised Sweet and Sour Cabbage
Polenta with Tomatoes, Shallots and Goat Cheese: a nice alternative to cornbread. Tomatoes and shallots lend a savory kick, and goat cheese gives that finishing tang.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts: a simple preparation of one of my favorite fall vegetables.
Squash stuffed with quinoa, pears, and cranberries: it’s hard to imagine a vegetarian main dish that’s more Thanksgiving-appropriate. This has the wow-factor I’m always looking for.

If that list isn’t quite enough, I’ve also compiled a bunch of great ideas from across the web that I thought you might like:

Washingtonian featured a great piece this week on vegetarian recipes for Thanksgiving. The list includes a mouthwatering broccoli dish, among others, from Rasika chef Vikram Sunderam.
NYT has pulled together a very nifty guide on Thanksgiving cooking, which includes this year’s compilation of sides (many of which are vegetarian and delicious-looking) as well as some all-star posts from previous years.
Heidi Swanson, over at 101 Cookbooks, has compiled two very useful lists: one of vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes, and the other of Vegan recipes for T-day. As usual, Heidi is an endless source of ideas. Definitely check out her compilations.
Chow weighs in with a list of its top 10 vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes.
And finally, the recipe pictured at the top of this post: an awesome stuffed pumpkin number, filled to the brim with a rich bread pudding-like stuffing and baked until fall-apart tender. Don’t miss this.

Hopefully you’ll find these resources useful. And if all else fails, remember — Thanksgiving is about more than perfect turkey and delectable sides. It’s about relishing fall before winter sets in, enjoying family and all the drama involved in these get-togethers, playing board games until when you blink you see Monopoly money, and soaking up a rare four day weekend. The food is only part of the game — don’t sweat it.

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays!

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No Better Reason to Celebrate

rivka — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:05:33 +0000

I’ve never been an early adopter. I came to this food blogging thing way after it had taken off; by the time I got a dSLR camera, food photography had already become a professional sport. And while other folks share whole chunks of their life online, the virtual snapshot I’ve created on this here blog is vague at best — taken in dim light, say, without a flash. And a low battery. I’m not one for full exposure, and D’s even less keen on it.

Well, today I take the plunge.

D and I have been together for almost five years. We met in college, spent a year together in Israel, and have made a pretty awesome life for ourselves in DC.

Since moving here together, our kitchen collection has probably tripled in size. I’m constantly buying just one more colorful plate or artfully decorated utensil. I don’t even try to resist the pull of exotic spices and salts, and we recently indulged my many powdered purchases by building an awesome under-cabinet magnetic spice rack.

I insist on making the house smell like sauteed onions and roasted garlic just about as often as possible, and D abides the smell in the early morning and the late evening way more often than she’d like. I keep this blog, which demands that I cook new, exciting, sometimes altogether strange recipes, on a regular basis. I’m sure she’d rather just eat pasta and sauce, but she always encourages me to further develop this site and add bells and whistles, and is my #1 supporter when I go off to “industry events” to try to meet other folks as crazy as I am.

In short, D rocks my world. But all that’s just prologue: this past weekend, in a fashion that couldn’t have been more “us” — think back of our neighborhood, amid heaps of fall foliage, on an uncharacteristically beautiful November afternoon…we got engaged!

Readers, I couldn’t be happier. I’m literally sitting up here on cloud 9. Care to join? It’s nice and cushy.

As if the engagement itself wasn’t adequate cause for thrill, we spent that first night at the newly-renovated Sushi Taro, and indulged in a 10-course kaiseki tasting dinner. This being a food blog, surely you’d like to hear about what we ate.

Normally, when we plunk down lots of cash to eat luxuriously, we do so at Mediterranean or Italian restaurants. We’re suckers for those big, bold flavors. Taro offered pleasure of a different sort entirely. Taro’s interior is quiet and clean, even austere. Its waitresses speak in hushed voices and glide across the room, seemingly without ever taking a step. It’s an airier space than it once was, the tables each on their own little islands. We sat next to a window in the front hallway, with a nice view of both the street below and the back room of the restaurant, which envelops an awesomely large yet oddly light chandelier made of white lantern paper.

Many of the tables around us had ordered kaiseki tastings, and that’s part of the fun: looking to your left, you’ll see a couple dipping wide brushes into bowls of brown sauce and giddily painting pristine slices of fish; you wonder what that sauce is, whether you’ll be painting fish a couple courses down the road. Look ahead, and you can enjoy a young woman’s surprise as she bites into that braised tuna you just polished off and discovers, as you did moments earlier, that it’s not piping hot as she’d expected, but thoroughly chilled. The meal is a game, and everyone’s at a different stage. Stealing glances at nearby tables lets you relive the excitement of earlier courses and anticipate surprises to come.

After the tuna, whose soy marinade aids its likeness to beef, further delights await. Take the soup course, which we’d assumed would be a bowl of dashi. Make no assumptions here; our adorable waitress perched at our table with two small teapots. Each was covered by a lid and a teacup; we removed the teacup, lifted the lid, squeezed a slice of key lime into the pot, replaced the lid, and began doling ourselves petite portions of that lovely, simple broth. When all the liquid was gone, we opened our teapots once again, and reached in using chopsticks to capture the maitake mushrooms and slices of fish that had flavored our soup. That course was so simple, and so perfect.

Just when we thought we were winding down, our waitress approached again, this time with an open menu in hand. “The 9th course is sushi by request. You may ask the chef for any 3 pieces you like.” At this point, we were both on the brink of stuffed. Notwithstanding, I reached for some inner strength and requested, among other things, a piece of toro. It’s not every day that I get to try the fatty underbelly of the bluefin tuna, and I wanted to sieze the opportunity when it presented itself. The marbling on the pink sliver of fish was truly marvelous, as was its silky, smooth texture. To paraphrase Frank Bruni, biting into that piece of toro made my cheeks flush.

And you know what else made my cheeks flush? Sitting on a stoop, on a beautiful fall day, surrounded by pretty red and yellow leaves, with the person I’ll be spending life with. There simply is no better reason to celebrate.

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Sugar High Friday: Toasted Edition, the Roundup!

rivka — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:15:39 +0000

It always takes me a while to get over the end of summer’s abundance; I spend a good part of September missing peak tomatoes and fretting about corn’s impending end. But once October comes around, I’m fully ready for fall, which brings pleasure of a different sort.

Once I’ve left summer behind, I’m ready for the reds, oranges, and deep golden yellows of the leaves in Rock Creek Park. I’m ready to put on one of those big, chunky sweaters, a pair of my favorite jeans, and my steadfastly loyal black riding boots, and take a walk through the park. I love the crunch of those leaves beneath my feet. the crisp chill of the air that sneaks between my scarf and the neck of my sweater, the smell of my favorite lip balm that makes its annual debut this time of year. It’s fall, people.

When the air is as crisp as the leaves, I often find myself standing over the stove, watching walnuts toast and inhaling that intoxicating smell, and occasionally sneaking my hands out of my sweater sleeves for a quick toasting of their own over the hot pan.

Fall is the perfect time for all things toasted. Toasting can intensify the flavors of nuts and spices, caramelize the natural sugars in fruits and even some vegetables (like onions), and bring out rich, nutty undertones that might otherwise remain dormant in the food we eat.

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Sugar High Friday…Toasted!

rivka — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:37:19 +0000

Now that NDP is a whopping two years old, I think it’s time she and I finally hosted a blogging event. I’ve been a sporadic participant in these sorts of things, mostly because between keeping up with my day job, getting bloggable food on the table, and taking decent pictures of said food, I can’t find much time to keep up with the various blogging events out there. But one of my resolutions for this third year of blogging is to dip my foot into new networks of eaters, cooks, and bloggers. I’d like to be more in touch with folks who do what I do on this site. So here’s my first attempt: I’m hosting October’s Sugar High Friday.

Sugar High Friday (SHF) is a blogging event to satisfy the mother of all sweet-tooths (sweet teeth?). SHF was created by Jennifer Hamilton, i.e. The Domestic Goddess, and every month, SHF participants cook, photograph, and submit desserts on a theme. Past themes include desserts from your childhood, sweets containing alcohol, chilled desserts, and last month’s edition, “locavore treats.”

For the October 2009 edition of SHF, we’ll be making desserts in which something (or everything) is toasted. Toasted almonds and toasted coconut come to mind, but it doesn’t stop there: toasted spices can really perk up an ordinary recipe, toasted oats in fruit crisp add a lovely nutty flavor…I could go on. I’ve got something pretty unique planned for my entry, and I know you’ll all submit some really interesting things as well. (Ahem, I mean you!)

Speaking of submissions, here are the guidelines for submitting an entry:

Cook and photograph something toasty!
If you have a blog, post about your toasted dessert. (If you don’t have a blog, see below.
Email me at Rivka [at] Not Derby Pie [dot] com with “SHF-toasted” as the subject. Please include:
- your name
- the name of your blog
- a link to the post about your submission
- the name of your submission
- any other info about why you made what you made
- a thumbnail image of your creation. It should be no wider than 100 pixels, in jpg format, and should be named the same as your blog. For example, my image would be named notderbypie.jpg.
If you do not have a blog, please post your recipe, and a link to a photo if you’d like, in the comments section either here or in the round-up post.
Submissions must be in by midnight (EDT) on Monday, October 26th, or they will not be included in the round-up!

I’ll post the roundup on Friday of that week, so please do check back here to see everyone’s delicious creations!

Looking for inspiration? Check out these recipes, all of which rely on toasted ingredients:

As always, thanks to Jennifer, the Domestic Goddess, who created the whole Sugar High Friday concept back in 2004. Now get cookin’!

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Moroccan Chicken with Olives

rivka — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:22:58 +0000

Today was seriously busy — fortunately for me, D’s stepmom Terri came in a couple days early to help cook, finish up grocery shopping, and see to it that the house was clean. That last bit she takes more seriously than you can imagine; when D and I moved into our apt, in a 100-year old building, the stove was caked with some hard-core black stains that I assumed were there to stay. I tried a couple of times to get them out but made no headway whatsoever, so I just got used to them. Terri doesn’t give up so easily; she’s got a big back of tricks up her sleeve when it comes to cleaning things, and I could swear she also pulled some sort of voodoo hex thing while I wasn’t looking, because folks, my stove is crystal clean. If you only knew the sort of filth I’ve been cooking with — it’s the sort that builds up over many many years — I can’t believe it’s actually all gone. amazing!

Meanwhile, on the cooking front, today I made (among other things) a delicious chicken recipe that I’ve just gotta share with you all. It’s a braised chicken dish with Moroccan flair. It starts with lots of onion that’s been cooked to the point of soft, caramelized translucence; punchy green olives are then added along with preserved lemon, which is both uber-tart and floral from the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in which it’s preserved. I was on the phone while I was cooking this dish, and after sampling a bit of the sauce, I added a splash of apple cider on a whim to cut all the salt, which worked very nicely. It’s not in the recipe on which this is based, but it adds depth and balance so I’d recommend adding it. If you’re looking for a chicken dish, I can assure you — this is the one.

Meanwhile, I don’t think I’ll have a chance to post between now and the start of the holiday, so…

To all those celebrating Rosh Hashana, may you all have a sweet New Year, filled with joy, laughter, and wonderful eating. I feel lucky to have you all in my ‘life,’ and I hope that you’ll continue to read, enjoy, and cook from NDP!

Also, though it’s been a busy little month here, I don’t want to overlook the fact that this weekend marks my 2-YEAR BLOGIVERSARY! That’s right: exactly 2 years ago, I had the quirky little brainchild to hatch Not Derby Pie. I worried at the time that I’d be too bored to keep a blog, not talented enough to cook and photograph my way through it, and not lucky enough to draw readers; fortunately, I’ve made it thusfar! You’re the best readers (and commiserators!) I could ask for, and I feel exceptionally lucky to have you all hangin’ out around here. So cheers to all, happy birthday to NDP, and here’s to many more years together!

Moroccan Chicken with Olives

8 wedges or slices preserved lemon*, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup apple cider
1 4 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
1/2 cup green olives

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boil. Sprinkle chicken with salt (if not kosher or brined) and pepper; add to skillet. Add preserved lemon and olives. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Add apple cider to skillet. Increase heat to high; boil uncovered to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper. Add chicken back into sauce, and serve together. I guarantee people will lick their plates clean.

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Getaway Sour Cherry Pie

rivka — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:17:14 +0000

The dog days of August are no time to hang out in DC. That’s why D and I spent the first week of the month with her parents in Douglas, MI, a beach town on the eastern side of Lake Michigan, where every day is 75 and sunny and there’s a constant breeze rippling through the air. If I didn’t have east coast blood in my veins, I’d have been so swept away by the perfect Michigan summer weather that I might have packed up my things and moved.

Our cottage in Douglas was downright luxurious. The beds were plush, the couches were comfy, and there was a beautiful patio out back that was perfect for a lazy afternoon of reading, eating, and gazing aimlessly into the sky.

There was a grill, too — a brand new grill that the owner generously bought after we inquired. Needless to say, kabobs and grilled chicken were in order.

Our days effortlessly took on a routine. In the morning, we moseyed onto the patio for some coffee and our first glimpse of sun. K and I alternated on breakfast duty — I cooked a batch of blueberry buttermilk pancakes one morning, she made buttery biscuits the next. Some mornings, we stayed on the lighter side and spooned out some yogurt and berries. D and I lazed around until breakfast was ready, then took clean-up duty once our stomachs were full.

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Vegetarian Passover Main Dishes

rivka — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:06:52 +0000

See the notes before each recipe for ways to make recipe non-dairy.

One week from today, Jews will celebrate the holiday of Passover, in which we tell the story of our enslavement in Egypt, our eventual exodus from slavery, and our future wandering in the desert and entering of the land of Israel. As tradition has it, the Jews left Egypt in the wee hours of the morning, and thus did not have a chance to let their daily bread dough rise before baking it. As a result, during the whole holiday of Passover, we are not supposed to eat any leavened product of any kind. Once flour and water come in contact, they must be cooked and ready to eat no more than 18 minutes later. That’s where matzah comes into play: it’s “bread” that is made and baked in record speed, and it’s a staple during the course of the holiday (even if it’s totally flavorless and not so kind on the stomach).

Faced with a prohibition on eating any bread, cake, muffins, and other good carbs, many folks make Passover into a meatfest. Not in this house, though: I grew up in a pescetarian household, and Passover was no exception. As you might imagine, this made good Passover cooking a challenge. If you can’t use any flour in what you cook — including non-wheat flour — what do you make as a main dish?

In the past couple weeks, I’ve gotten more than a few questions from people who are vegetarians or are hosting vegetarians over Passover and are at a loss for what to serve. While I won’t say that I don’t miss flour on Passover — because I do, and I get very, very excited for my annual pizza trip after the holiday ends — I will say that there are a lot of great ideas for Passover-friendly vegetarian mains, things that are truly delicious and will take the edge off Passover prohibition.
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Housekeeping

rivka — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:29 +0000

Hi readers!

Just a couple of quick items:

As you can see from the picture above, the lovely Jan should be receiving my Menu For Hope Big Ole’ Box of Sweets today, lucky lady that she is. Jan, hope you enjoy — and to the rest of you, hopefully you won something in MFH as well. I didn’t — just the chance to bake for a reader — but maybe next year!
I finally got my tush off the couch to create an archives page. This info is all available straight from the home page, in one of the sidebars, but now archives have their very own home. The link to the archives page is in that little navigation strip above my header, and you’ll see once you click on it that you can browse recipes by month and by category. Hope this feature is useful!
I’ve officially drunk the Kool-Aid, and am posting (very irregularly) on twitter. If you’ve got a strange inclination to know when I’m eating leftovers at my desk or dreaming of hot chocolate, check out my sidebar widget, where you can follow my tweets to your heart’s content.
Lastly, one of my new years resolutions this time around was to add new kinds of content to NDP. Nothing will replace the recipes, but I’m hoping to spruce up the site with posts on other topics. To that end, I would love your feedback on ways I can improve this site. You hear me out there? Yes, you! Please don’t be shy — NDP is only as good or useful as its readers deem it, and your feedback will really help me sort through new ideas and pick the agenda items that’ll be most useful, interesting, funny, tasty, etc. Do you want restaurant reviews (or gripes about waiters’ and diners’ missteps, of which I have many)? How about tips on getting sought-after reservations? Thoughts on eating locally, organically, sustainably, affordably? Ideas for using leftovers creatively? Advice on scoring the free appetizer that you really deserve when the chef accidentally slips some ham in your farmer’s salad? You name it, I’ll do it. I’m realizing that I have a bit of knowledge and a whole lot of opinion about many of these things, and I’d love it if you could help steer me in the best direction! If you’re too shy to de-lurk and comment, just send me an email: Rivka(at)NotDerbyPie(dot)Com. Would love to hear from each and every one of you.
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Menu for Hope V

rivka — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:09:20 +0000

Among the many perks of being a food blogger is the opportunity to really make a difference. The formidable Pim of Chez Pim has developed a fantastic annual fundraising campaign that raises money for the UN World Food Programme. Here’s what Pim has to say about Menu for Hope:

Menu for Hope is an annual fundraising campaign hosted by me and a revolving group of food bloggers around the world. Five years ago, the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia inspired me to find a way to help, and the very first Menu for Hope was born. The campaign has since become a yearly affair, raising funds to support worthy causes worldwide. In 2007, Menu for Hope raised nearly $100K to help the UN World Food Programme feed the hungry.

Each December, food bloggers from all over the world join the campaign by offering a delectable array of food-related prizes for the Menu for Hope raffle. Anyone – and that means you too – can buy raffle tickets to bid on these prizes. For every $10 donated, you earn one virtual raffle ticket to bid on a prize of your choice. At the end of the two-week campaign, the raffle tickets are drawn and the results announced on Chez Pim.

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Winter Salad with Pears and Manchego, My Catering Debut

rivka — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:56:59 +0000

Catering? Moi? Uh, NO. Not exactly. I’m flighty, forgetful, and a host of other wonderful things that don’t mix with catering. And yet, today, my mom and I cooked and served brunch to a party of 8 at their home. The brunch was an item that my mom had offered in a silent auction at work; I’m a sucker for all things food-related, so when mom enlisted my help, I happily agreed.

Can I tell you how utterly shocked I am that brunch today went PERFECTLY? I mean, without a hitch. Not a single issue. Nothing forgotten, undercooked, overcooked, gross-tasting; everything plated on time, ready to go, delicious. I’m in awe of my beginner’s luck. In awe, I tell you.

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Soupergirl

rivka — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:57:21 +0000

I’m taking time out from my regularly-scheduled programming to tell you about an awesome new business being launched in the DC area: it’s called Soupergirl, and (if you couldn’t guess) it’s a soup business! A friend of mine, Sara Polon, not to be at all confused with Sarah Palin (who will NOT be our next VP, thank you very much!!) launched Soupergirl this Thursday, and starting ever-so-soon, you can get fresh, delicious soups delivered to a location nearby!

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Shana Tova!

rivka — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:18:26 +0000

To all those celebrating the Jewish New Year (and to all of you, regardless of whether or not this happens to be the start of a New Year for you)…

May this be a year of happiness,

a year in which we take time out to enjoy the small pleasures,

a year in which we do not hesitate to try many new things,

a year in which we find new ways to love our families, friends, and significant others,

a year in which we use our strength to help those more in need than we,

and of course, a year in which we eat wonderful, wonderful food.

Shana Tova, Bria, U’Metuka: a happy, healthy, and sweet new year!

(Also, between my recent foot surgery and the upcoming holidays, I actually missed the first anniversary of NDP!! I can promise a celebratory post after all these holidays pass and my foot heals…but for now, happy blogiversary to NDP!)

Ima’s Challah
link to recipe
On Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, we have a custom of making the challot round, to symbolize the cycle of the year that renews on this day. Braid each loaf extra long, then, starting at one end, wrap the braid around itself, lifting the braid slightly on top of itself as you go. Tuck the end under, brush with eggwash, and bake as normal.

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Meal of the Century: Minibar

rivka — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 23:11:02 +0000

If I had my way, I’d have many more dinners like Thursday night’s feast at Minibar; that said, it’s safe to assume that food that memorable won’t pass my lips again for quite a long time. I know it’s not my usual tune to do restaurant reviews, but Thursday night was truly revolutionary, and I’d be remiss not to share it with my readers, who surely appreciate the value of a spectacular meal.

Two friends, E and J, recently celebrated their birthdays; E impressively convinced J and four other rational people to shell out an arm and a few legs to eat what rarely consisted in things we’d call “food.” Main ingredients in many of the dishes included liquid nitrogen; agar agar; sodium alginate; calcium chloride; and other lip-smacking ingredients. Odd chemicals notwithstanding, each course was both tasty and fun to eat. In fact, fun was pretty much the theme of Thursday night’s feast. Minibar is a restaurant that doesn’t take itself too seriously; there’s a fair amount of silliness involved when you’re eating things that make you exhale smoke.
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Sugar High Friday, baby!

rivka — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 13:31:00 +0000

Hey folks! Just a plug to check out Zorra’s roundup of the Sugar High Friday entries — mine’s all the way at the bottom; it’s the saffrom rice pudding and it’s delicious! All the entries look mouthwatering — so go check’em out!

Have a great weekend!

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Pay it Forward

rivka — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:04:00 +0000

Believe it or not, there are a gazillion blogging events out there. From Daring Bakers, to “waiter, there’s something in my…” to “heart of the matter” to … gosh, they never end!

That said, I’ve found the event to end all events: Pay It Forward!

Here’s how it works: I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, which is my promise! I also promise that it will be (at least partially) edible, and most definitely tasty. The only thing you have to do in return is “pay it forward” by making the same promise on your blog. Make sure you leave me an email address so that I can get your handmade surprise to you!Now that that’s done, please do yourself a favor and buy the scrumptious chocolates from Ghirardelli pictured above.. The bottom layer is chocolate, the top layer is white chocolate studded with peppermint bark….OH MY GOD they’re amazing! All kudos to Meryl and Benjy for making these a part of my life.

Ok, enough from me.

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T-Day at my house: vegetarians, stay tuned

rivka — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:40:00 +0000

I’m always surprised that people are such haters when it comes to veggie Thansgiving meals. “What? You don’t have turkey? How dare!” say their astonished faces. Well, now you know: I don’t care about turkey. It’s dry almost every time I have it, and frankly, I’d rather a spring chicken any day. Plus, when you have two kinds of cornbread, two stuffings, four things that could easily qualify as mains, four or five cranberry sauces and chutneys and relishes, plus pecan pie, apple cranberry pie and pumpkin pie for dessert, turkey becomes an afterthought.

Anyway. I’m writing to all the vegetarians lurking in cyberspace who read my blog. Yes, you: stay tuned, because I’m going to my parents’ house on Sunday to help mom cook, and I’ll be taking the usual array of photos, notes and tastes….and, of course, sharing recipes. So keep reading, and I promise some fantastic T-day suggestions soon!

Also, a note to you carnivores who are hosting T-day yourself: veggies need to be looked after. If you don’t think carefully, you’ll end up with “bacon in the brussels sprouts, gravy on the mashed potatoes, dressing stuffed into the bird and chicken stock in everything else” (from Melissa Clark in NYT; I couldn’t have said it better myself.) So do make sure that you have some completely vegetarian dishes at your table. For any and all suggestions…you know where to find me.

***picture above is pumpkin and delicata squash ravioli with brie. The recipe was nothing to write home about, but like I said — more to follow.

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