My story is one you’ve probably heard before. Young Jewish woman is pre-med in college, ends up in law school after a chemistry accident. After a few years of glamorous environmental law, she was off to Geneva and finds herself at the UN listening to terrorists discuss human rights. How to top that? Pastry school in Paris was the obvious choice. A catering business in Geneva, taught a few cooking classes in French and then came back and started a cooking school in the D.C. area. Oh yeah, had four kids at some point. Now I travel the country teaching kosher cooking and baking and proving that Kosher food can be beautiful, elegant and delicious. Along the way, I set out to start a kosher baking revolution. Join me.
 |
Berries |
|
It has certainly been a busy spring/summer for me. The book launch in August means I am spending way too much time on the computer and less time with a rolling pin and saucepan. I know it is hot outside, but all I really want to do all day is bake. One of the highlights of berry season for me has been a jam making session with one of my most loyal students, Donna Eisenstadt, who taught me her fabulous strawberry jam recipe. The next day I baked DAIRY homemade scones and whipped fresh cream and I was in heaven. It was a great way to celebrate the last day of school for the kids. Speaking of berries, check out my blog posting on Berry Bars.
I just taught two classes to a group of women eager to learn classic French desserts. We did mini fruit tarts, éclairs, napoleons, chocolate layer cake, fondant covered cakes and a chocolate mousse meringue layer cake. One of my students said, “While I may never devote a day to making mini eclairs, I think I could do it if I wanted to! You are a terrific teacher, and de-mystified some of the procedures that I was curious and fearful about.“ All of those dairy-free recipes, except for the napoleon, will be in The Kosher Baker, out the first week of August.
It is BBQ season and I am always willing to take the heat. The one recipe my boys kept asking me for before they went off to camp is my Barbeque Beef. I use top rib cut, what I grew up calling “flanken.” Anyone remember that? It is a relatively inexpensive cut of kosher meat and it is cooked a really long time and becomes very soft. I make it all year round, but in the summer, the meat gets seared on the grill before it is baked.
I am off to eat my way through several European cities and Israel. I am jogging several times a week to prepare. Stay cool.
Paula