Of all the many, many, many holidays on the Jewish calendar, Purim is the antic cousin, the silly sibling, the crazy aunt. It celebrates the victory of the brave Jewish Queen Esther over the evil Persian Haman, who had decreed death to all the Jews in the land. Esther outwitted the nefarious advisor by reporting… Continue reading Hamantaschen
Fast on the heels of St. Patrick’s Day comes the lesser known St. Joseph’s Day or The Feast of St. Joseph, a day to honor San Giuseppe, the Patron Saint of Workers. Many Italian-Americans, especially Sicilians, celebrate St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and Jesus’ stepfather, for saving their island from famine in the… Continue reading Fave e Cicoria
Some holidays are culturally specific, while others have utterly transcended their roots, and St. Patrick’s Day is clearly one of the latter. Ireland has about six and a half million people, including both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, a number dwarfed by the population of New York City alone. Yet through some alchemy… Continue reading Irish Soda Bread, Shepherd’s Pie and Guinness Gingerbread
Doll’s Day is a lovely Japanese tradition that resembles a highly symbolic version of afternoon tea. In what began as a tradition in the imperial court, beautiful dolls representing members of the imperial family as well as musicians, courtiers and samurai are displayed in a careful order on tiered shelves lined with red fabric. Girls… Continue reading Matcha Cupcakes with Cherry Blossom Frosting
Sometimes the beauty of a holiday is its traditions, but sometimes it’s the way it leads you down unexpected culinary paths. March 1st has been, for hundreds of years, the most important Welsh holiday. Marking the day its patron saint died in 569–yes, wrap your heads around that date, America, you young whippersnapper–St. David’s Day… Continue reading Leek Fritters
Andalusia is the seductive, southernmost region of Spain, home of bullfighting and flamenco dancing, where Muslims, Jews and Christians have left their mark through the centuries in the culture, architecture, and of course, the food. This is the Spain of your dreams, where travelers go to discover whitewashed towns, freshly caught seafood, spicy chorizo, sherry… Continue reading Ajo Blanco
One surprise when we started thinking about this blog was discovering how many, many special days are dedicated to food on the American calendar. Whether grilled cheese or oysters is your jam, rest assured there’s a “National Day” devoted to your favorite treat. Did you miss National Margarita Day? Make a calendar note for next year. We could fill… Continue reading Creamy Clam Chowder with Corn and Bacon
Does anyone need an excuse to eat dumplings, ever? We will happily travel some distance for an excellent dumpling, whether to the incredible xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, at The Bao on St. Mark’s Place or to one of the dim sum palaces in Sunset Park. But if you don’t want to schlep yourself… Continue reading Pork Pot-Stickers and Shrimp & Cilantro Dumplings
One of the pleasures of writing and cooking for this blog has been discovering the common threads between familiar holidays and those we’d never heard of before. Our next culinary celebration is a perfect example: La Chandeleur, or Pancake Day, in France. La Fȇte de la Chandeleur is another post-Christmas holiday, falling exactly 40 days after… Continue reading Sweet and Savory Crèpes
Aussie Meat Pie, Mushy Peas & Pavlova As the first blizzard of the year approaches, are you thinking with longing of the 4th of July? Do you wish you could transport yourself to the midsummer glories of barbecues, lazy beach days and hot summer nights? We have just the thing: Australia Day, the biggest national celebration… Continue reading Aussie Meat Pie, Mushy Peas and Pavlova
Festive Food Project 