Vesak or Vesākha is a Buddhist holiday commonly referred to as “Buddha’s Birthday,” although it actually celebrates not only the birth of Gautama Buddha but also his enlightenment and his death. Even if you know nothing about Buddhism, you’re probably familiar with the word “nirvana,” which is the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice. When it’s… Continue reading Vietnamese Summer Rolls
Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, is considered the true “birthday” of the Christian Church. On this day, Christians believe that the Holy Ghost entered the bodies of Jesus’s apostles and caused them to “speak in tongues.” This event marked the first time (in Christian history) that man communicated directly with God, and to this day,… Continue reading Seafood Pot Au Feu, Aïoli and Massa Sovada
Americans may think of Cinco de Mayo as the Mexican version of July 4th or St. Paddy’s Day–it has similar patriotic overtones and party-hearty connotations. In fact, it’s got a far more complicated history than most of us take in, especially after a couple of the margaritas or cervezas often poured liberally to mark the day. First… Continue reading Carnitas Tacos, Cinco Salad, Mexican Chocolate Meringues and Spiced Pepitas
For Orthodox Christians, the biggest holiday of the year, hands-down, is Easter. Orthodox Easter is a highly religious holiday, befitting the solemnity of the miracle it commemorates. No bunnies, no baskets of candy, no pastels: it’s an all-hands-on-deck, church-going, late-night affair. Luckily there’s delicious food to keep everyone going. The Saturday night of Easter weekend is… Continue reading Keftedakia, Tzatziki, Avgolemono Soup, Spanakopita and Walnut Cake
Sometimes a holiday introduces you to new tastes or inspires you to be adventurous in the kitchen. And sometimes, a holiday gives you the perfect excuse to make a dish you already love. Such is the case with St. Mark’s Day, which commemorates the patron saint of Venice. In Venice, tradition holds that on this… Continue reading Risi e Bisi
This holiday is one of the big ones, not only in the Jewish calendar, but as an inspiration behind the Festive Food Project. Even though neither of us was raised Jewish, the mere mention of Passover always had us clamoring for a seder invite or at the very least, sharing a big pot of matzah… Continue reading Matzah-ball Soup, Sweet and Sour Brisket and Matzah Toffee
Songkran is a Thai New Year holiday that sounds like so much fun, we wanted in. As a kind of symbolic spring-cleaning, Songkran’s first day is celebrated by the ritual pouring of water on statues of Buddha, but in many places this has evolved into a kind of massive, crazy water fight: young people spray… Continue reading Pad See Ew, Yam Pla Muk & Kaeng Pet Kai
Besides the two heavy-hitters of Easter and Passover, spring holidays are pretty thin on the ground. Yet spring is the season when we feel real joy at the milder weather and accompanying return of our outdoor lives. It feels appropriate, therefore, to commemorate baseball’s opening week with a recipe inspired by National Caramel Popcorn Day: surely the return of America’s pastime deserves its own celebration? This… Continue reading Spicy Caramel Popcorn
Among American holidays, César Chavez Day is a new kid on the block. Chavez was a Mexican-American farm worker, labor leader and community organizer who co-founded, along with Dolores Huerta, the National Farm Workers Association, now known as the United Farm Workers of America (UFW). President Obama first proclaimed a federal commemorative holiday in his… Continue reading Chicken Enchiladas
Arguably the most sacred of all the Christian holidays, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. The calculation of when to commemorate this miracle is complicated: Easter is the first Sunday following the full moon after the spring equinox (got it?) making it a moveable feast that can fall anytime between March 22 and April 25.… Continue reading Pizza Rustica
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