A Slice of the Pie: My thoughts on Waitress

In 2008, I got Sara Bareille's CD Little Voice and couldn't get enough of it (this was the CD with the hit "Love Song".)

A while back, I saw the movie Waitress, starring Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion. I enjoyed it a lot and kept thinking of the little song Jenna would sing throughout the movie.

What do these two statements have in common? Well, in 2016, Waitress became a Broadway musical, with the music and lyrics written by Sara Bareilles, who even played Jenna on stage for a while.

And this past weekend, I finally got to see it during its tour at The National Theatre in Washington, DC.

This is what the curtain looks like before the show and during intermission. Makes you hungry for pie, right? (They actually were selling jars of it in the lobby, but we didn't get any.)

In the beginning, the curtain opens up to what is supposed to be the kitchen of Joe's Diner, where Jenna is baking her pies with the interesting names. Then the stage quickly reverts to the diner and it looks amazing. The backdrop sets the scene, making us feel like the diner is in the middle of a country road. I was completely impressed with the sets for this production, between the diner, Jenna's house, and the doctor's office. It all had a realistic feel. The orchestra was on stage for most of the show and they interacted with the cast, as well as dressed to fit the mood of the scene. 

From Broadway.com

The music was great. I could easily tell that Sara Bareilles had written it, as the songs carried her flair throughout. Some of the songs that stood out for me were "Opening Up," "What Baking Can Do," "When He Sees Me," "You Will Still Be Mine," "Never Ever Getting Rid of Me," "Bad Idea," "I Didn't Plan It," "She Used to Be Mine," and "Everything Changes." I didn't know that many of the songs going in, and I wouldn't say I was singing them coming out, but I am excited to listen to the soundtrack more, as it will take me back to the experience of watching it. Perhaps even more songs will stand out to me by then. The original soundtrack features the voices of Keala Settle (Lettie in The Greatest Showman) as Becky and Kimiko Glenn (Soso in Orange is the New Black) as Dawn. 

I didn't recognize anyone from the touring cast, but I thought they were a terrific ensemble. I enjoyed watching them together and not knowing them to begin with kept them in character more than if I were thinking of them as someone famous. (Like when I saw Adam Pascal as Shakespeare in Something Rotten.) Desi Oakley was fantastic as Jenna. She really owned that part and had an incredible singing voice. At first, I was annoyed with her speaking voice. It was this low southern accent. However, I remembered that Keri Russell did that with her voice in the movie (perhaps more subtly) and it endeared me to Desi after I got used to it. Lenne Klingaman and Charity Angel Dawson were perfect in their roles of Dawn and Becky, respectively. They had great stage presence and brought a lot of humor to the show. As Earl, Nick Bailey actually reminded me of Adam Pascal. Or at least his voice did. I liked him more in the role than I liked Jeremy Sisto in the movie. Jeremy Morse was hilarious as Ogie. He reminded me of a very young version of Leslie Jordan. I saw that he originated the role on Broadway. Finally, Maiesha McQueen was really funny as Nurse Norma. 

It's been such a long time since I've seen the movie that I forgot Becky and Dawn even had their own story lines. Unless they were embellished for the stage production. I really need to watch the movie again. Just seeing the trailer again made me realize how similar the lines were. The one about coffee definitely stood out. 

Overall, it was truly an enjoyable production. I got teary-eyed at the beginning and full-on cried at the end. I also laughed throughout, although not as much as I did for Something Rotten. The humor was more subtle. If you're able to see it in DC, it's here through Sunday and available on Today Tix. Otherwise, I hope you get to see it in a town near you, or on Broadway. It's definitely a treat. I'd suggest not bringing young children, as there are some inappropriate bits! I didn't even want to bring my Broadway loving 12 year-old to this one, and I'm glad for it. 

Here is a glimpse of the show, featuring Sara Bareilles on Broadway:

I love the Playbill for this show. It captures the essence so well:

Saw it with my husband, who enjoyed it too

Met up with one of my close friends
(and theater buddies) there

One Short Day in [the] New York City

A while back, I had heard about Kids' Night On Broadway, but I thought it would be too much of a hassle to take my kids to NYC. This past winter I changed my mind. My older son and daughter had been talking about wanting to see Wicked, so I decided to make it happen. I also got a ticket for my younger son, as I didn't want to leave him out. He was reluctant to see it at first, but then he still went along with us, as I promised him a visit to the National Museum of Mathematics (MO Math) before the show.

The morning of the trip, we took a Vamoose bus to NYC. It was a relatively smooth ride, but the sockets didn't work to charge our phones and other devices. That was rather annoying. After we arrived, we checked into our hotel (Hampton Times Square South) and then had a quick lunch and we were off to MO Math. I wasn't really sure what to expect when we got there. I had researched it online, but it was even more incredible in person. Everything was hands-on and interactive. The kids couldn't get enough of the place. Some highlights were the basketball machine, the painting screen, the floor that had different electronic puzzles, and the 15 game. I had a very hard time getting them to leave when it was time to head back to the hotel to change for dinner and the show.

Painting screen

Floor with electronic puzzles

A very frustrating challenge, but my son liked it.

After we had some time to rest and get ready, we met up with one of my friends at Mr. Broadway. I haven't seen this friend since 1990, but it was like no time had been lost. We had reconnected via Facebook a few years ago and it was really nice to meet up in person again!

After dinner, we made our way over to the Gershwin Theater. The streets were so busy and crowded, but well-lit thanks to all the electronic signs around Times Square. We just barely got to the theater on time and had maybe five minutes before the show started to find our seats. This was my third time seeing Wicked, but the first for my kids. However, it felt like the first time for me, since I last saw it in 2005. I didn't know any of the actors, but they all did an amazing job. Amanda Jane Cooper reminded me a lot of Kristin Chenoweth. We saw a standby for Elphaba (Mariand Torres), but she gave an emotional and powerful performance. The guy who played Fiyero (Ashley Parker Angel) was cute, but had too much of a boy band appeal to him (which is ironic since I first saw Joey McIntyre in the role). By the last quarter of act two, I was crying non-stop. I also never gave much thought to how politically relevant it is in this day and age. When I last saw it, that wouldn't have crossed my mind as much as it does now.

After the show, Mariand addressed all the kids there and told them how she first saw Wicked as a kid and her best friend told her she'd be on that stage someday. It was very inspiring for my older son, who wants to be on Broadway when he's an adult. My younger son gave the show a chance, which is all I could hope for. He even laughed a lot during some parts and actually got into the story. (He had a lot of questions!) My daughter loved it and was singing "Defying Gravity" afterward.

Younger son's pre-show face

After we made our way out of the theater, we waited with a small group to meet the cast. We got to meet Amanda, Mariand, Kristen Martin (Nessarose) and Isabel Keating (Madame Morrible). Everyone was so nice to the kids. My younger son wanted nothing to do with meeting the cast and was being impatient, but my older son was living it up. The actresses adored him and Mariand commented on how nicely he was dressed. My daughter was a bit shy about meeting everyone, but did get in one picture.

Kristen Martin

Isabel Keating

Amanda Jane Cooper

Mariand Torres

The hotel stay was fine. The room was about as tight as our room on the cruise last year, but the beds were comfortable and they had hot cocoa in the dining area, so that was a perk for the kids.

The next morning, I woke up a bit early and watched This is Us before we had to get ready. Then we all got ourselves together and went out for breakfast next to the bus stop. We met up with two of my close friends there (L.R. and A.S.). It was nice to catch up with them and they got along really well with each other. 

L.R. on the left, A.S. on the right

With the birthday girl (even though L.R.'s birthday was that week too)

After breakfast, we caught the bus back home (this time the sockets worked) and someone fell asleep for part of the trip. (I will admit I got in a tiny nap too.)

Yes, she's wearing a Greatest Showman shirt.

Overall, it was a great trip and one I'll be thinking back upon and smiling. If I decide to do this again, I'd probably find a show all three kids could agree on and also would see if my husband wanted to be a part of things. I would definitely recommend doing Kids Night On Broadway (kids see shows for free, so tickets end up being half-price) and just making the time to go out there for a day or so. And while you're there, go to MO Math. :)

Hey, it's okay!

I haven't done one of these in a while and decided to share a list. Hopefully it will also help me get back in the swing of things with blogging on here. (Aside from just posts about pop culture. I realize I haven't gotten personal in a while.)

www.airingmylaundry.com

Hey, it's okay...

*To have spent the evening of Valentine's Day meeting one of my favorite authors....Kristin Hannah

*To have no interest in the Winter Olympics.

*To have no idea what musicals my younger son does or does not want to see.

*To enter the Domino Sugar baking challenge.

First challenge: Red velvet cupcakes

*To be sad that season three of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is done until the fall.

*To be excited for the return of Younger this summer.

*To read the book written by Jane from Jane the Virgin. The cover is a bit smutty looking, but it got me some street cred at work!

*To feel sympathy toward a stalker/serial killer from Caroline Kepnes' novels. Santino Fontana makes Joe Goldberg sound like the good guy, even when he's bad.

*To be annoyed that some of my favorite celebrities will be in my neck of the woods when I am not available to see them.

*To have enjoyed Something Rotten. It was hilarious!

*To refuse to watch the director's cut of Little Shop of Horrors. I caught a glimpse of one of the scenes a while back, and was traumatized. Happy ending for me only. Seymour and Audrey belong together somewhere that's green!

*To be annoyed that my phone has a bunch of cracks in it and that it costs more than the phone is worth to get it repaired. #FirstWorldProblems

*To like my husband's banana bread even though I won't so much as touch a banana.

*To cry whenever the quiet nun sings really well in Sister Act.

*That the actress who plays Beverly Goldberg replied to my tweet!

*To have Greatest Showman-itis. My friend describes it as: "A maddening, yet wonderful syndrome whereby whenever one wakes up, a song from The Greatest Showman is invariably coarsing through one’s brain. Symptoms include refrains of “Never enough, never never” and the “oh oh oh oh oh” chant from the movie’s opening that cannot be removed at any time!

Sing along time! :)




*That my "baby" is turning seven soon and I'm letting her have a sleepover party with her friends to celebrate. (May my sanity stay intact by the time it is over...)

*To not have seen any of the Best Picture Oscar nominations. (I did see some of the best animated nominees...Coco had better win!) Not like I'll watch the Oscars anyway, unless the station is generous with live streaming.

*To have gone to a painting event in my neighborhood. No "sipping" was involved, but we did get pizza!

And on a more serious note, it's okay....

*To be dismayed over how adults are handling the Florida situation. I'm pleased to see all the teenagers who have been taking action after a traumatizing day. As the late Whitney Houston said: "I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way." Even so, it is horrible that kids and teenagers should have to go through any of this. That they should have to worry about standing up for their LIVES! I thought Columbine was a one-off, but things have become progressively worse since then. As a parent, this sickens me even more. It should sicken everyone, but some people blame and attack the victims. Thoughts and prayers aren't helping anyone anymore! (Not that they did to begin with.)

Hey, It's Okay Tuesday

One of my favorite blogs, Airing My Laundry, does a post every week that was inspired by a section of Glamour magazine. She invites her followers to do their own posts like this. I enjoy doing this a every so often, so I thought it's time for another list. Since I don't do this weekly, my list will be long.

It's okay...

*To have enjoyed the new Star Wars movie more than I was expecting to. I liked it better than the first six (even though the prequels aren't much competition). It's also okay to have a girl crush on Rey.

*To really, really, really want to see Hamilton, even though I know the chances of that are as slim as a unicorn coming to my house.

*If Parenthood decides to make a comeback... 

*To STILL be counting down to my birthday. Only 6 months or so.... (And if anyone wants to get me tickets to see Hamilton, I will NOT complain. ;)

*To have no interest in this Making a Murderer show. I don't care if it's the most talked-about thing ever.

*To have certain hang-ups when it comes to stuff that gets posted on Facebook. Thanks to everyone who understands why I have such hang-ups, and I apologize to those whom it offends. (Ex. My warning that I will remove comments or posts that include my kids' first names.)

*To want to use a new de-cluttering method. Recently heard about a 40 bags in 40 days program. There's also that book everyone is talking about. I did some work in the storage room of my basement, but still have a looooong way to go!

*To use a new tactic in trying to find an old friend. I guess I'll wait and see if it works....

*To sort-of want to see Lifetime's version of My Sweet Audrina, even though I'm sure they'll butcher it. What's a past V.C. Andrews fan to do?!?

*To get all hot and flustered (and even mustard won't help) over the remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. As I've said before, no one is meant to play Dr. Frank N. Furter other than Tim Curry. And I am not talking about stage shows here (as I've seen some fabulous Franks).

*To have no motivation to watch TV at the moment...at least until tomorrow. Season two of Younger!!!

*To sing along rather enthusiastically to the Rent soundtrack in my car. I will admit I even "moo."

*To not care that it's the final season of American Idol. I gave up on it years ago. The season after Adam Lambert was on was just lacking and Simon leaving after that was the final straw. I really only watched two seasons in full but kept up with it in previous years. Here are some past thoughts on the show.

*That my favorite memory of David Bowie is when he played the Goblin King in Labyrinth.



*To make challah French toast for dinner last week. I don't cook all that often, but when I do, I try to make it something everyone will enjoy. My daughter even said she loved it and she's not so easy to please.

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 14: Food and Creativity

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Today is the last day of the retreat. I plan on sharing some thoughts about the experience soon.

Today's topic:
What happens when you improvise in the kitchen (and in life)? Where do you keep your creativity on a leash, and when does it get to run wild and free? Tell us about a memory where food and creativity are linked forever.

I must admit that I'm not creative when it comes to food. I'm happy to make something that comes out the way I want it to, taste and texture-wise. I can't decorate cakes or make cookies look like my kids' favorite cartoon characters. I openly admire (and envy) people who have the time, energy, and skill to be creative with their food.

Having said that, there was a time I had to improvise and it worked out really well.

On Rosh Hashanah in 2010, we were hosting people for lunch on the first day. That morning, I realized the only thing we had for our salad was lettuce. We observe Yom Tov similar to Shabbat, so I couldn't go to the store and purchase vegetables. I was panicking for a bit, but then I went into the pantry and noticed that we had cans of baby corn and water chestnuts, as well as some snack cups of Mandarin oranges. I had a salad dressing recipe from this really good Asian slaw, so I put that together for this new Asian style salad. I also found a can of La Choy chow mein noodles and added that into the mix.

The salad turned out really good, and it has since become my go-to salad for Shabbat and holidays. It's so easy to make and everyone likes it. My in-laws request it every time they come in for Shabbat and can't seem to get enough of it.

This is about as creative as I get when it comes to food. Even though my husband helps with it a lot, he still credits me for everything.

Winter Joy Retreat--Day 13: Food and Pleasure

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Today's topic:
Tell us about a moment in the past when food meant pleasure. Food that looked, smelled and tasted so seductive that you can’t forget about it to this day. Where does this memory take you? What feelings does it bring back?

I always love to eat, especially food that I don't always get to experience. The pleasure for me comes from how delicious something tastes and how enjoyable it is for me to eat, no matter what else is going on in my life. I can't choose just one, nor can I articulate what memories they bring back, so I'm writing this in a similar style to my comfort foods post.

First of all, there's peppermint. I love the taste of peppermint and always associate it with this time of year. I could eat peppermint year round, but only certain items come out during or close to December.

*Candy Cane Joe-Joe's from Trader Joe's. If I get to the store before they sell out, I stock up on them. They're different from a mint Oreo. The little flecks of peppermint inside the cream filling just burst with flavor from each and every bite. During our first Christmas Eve in our new home out here (not that we celebrate, but we still have the next day off from work), we had some friends over and we just sat around eating Candy Cane Joe-Joe's and drinking hot cocoa. Then we played Jewish Apples to Apples and had so much fun laughing from it.

*Peppermint Bark: The combination of white and milk chocolate, along with pieces of candy cane, just melt in my mouth. My husband calls it "crack." It takes me back to this time when my mom was working with a really nice woman who used to give her homemade peppermint bark to bring to my sister and myself. Then we all went to her house one time and made it together. It was a lot of fun. I just wish I remembered how she did it. The kind pictured here is from Costco and it's excellent!

*Dutch Baby: The first time I went to *Walker Brothers' Pancake House was when I was a freshman in high school. I got the smaller version of a German pancake, called the Dutch Baby. It was puffy on top and flat on the bottom. It came with some lemons and a small bowl of powdered sugar. The lemons and powdered sugar combined on the pancake in such a way to make it even more flavorful and robust. It immediately became my pancake of choice any time I went to Walker Brothers after that. I remember going there after a performance of a high school play I was in later that year. My cousins from my mom's side (a different set than the ones we celebrated Thanksgiving with) were there too. They had some boys a few years younger than me and one of them started singing "Dutch, Dutch, Baby" to the tune of "Ice, Ice, Baby." Someone thankfully posted a recipe online. I may have to try it out sometime!

*Onion straws: When my best friend was living in Texas, I went down to visit her over spring break during my freshman year of college. She had to work on the night I arrived, but her mom and aunt took me to *Cheddar's. It was there that I tried onion straws for the first time. They were incredible. Thinly sliced onions dipped in a breading and fried. I couldn't get enough of them! Before the trip was over, I went back there, this time with my best friend. Later on, some franchises of Cheddar's opened up in Illinois. Only some of them served onion straws though. Thankfully, the one closest to my home, which was still a good 45 minutes away, served them. Eventually, I introduced this amazing appetizer to my husband, who enjoyed them as much as I did.

*Lou Malnati's deep dish pizza: From the light, buttery crust to the thick and gooey cheese, the taste of *Lou's pizza never fails to remind me of Chicago. It's definitely something I miss a lot and the Kosher restaurant out here doesn't even come close to making a comparable deep dish pizza.

*Conversation stopping pie: After I got married, I took private classes from a local Chabad Rebbetzin about going to the mikvah and family purity. She was so nice and we got along really well. Sometimes she would have my husband and me over for Shabbat dinner. The first time we were there, she brought out this delicious dessert. It was pareve ice cream, almond butter, and chocolate chips all frozen together in a graham cracker pie crust. She gave me the recipe and it was so easy to replicate. I used peanut butter instead of almond butter and it tasted like a frozen Reese's peanut butter cup! Anyone who has ever had this pie has loved it and I've even made it for people who were having a rough day or celebrating a special occasion.

*S'mores pie: I've mentioned this pie a few times already because it's just THAT good. I use crushed graham crackers and mix them into a dough and then split it up. I then add marshmallow fluff to the bottom crust and top it with semi-sweet chocolate, mini-marshmallows, and the remainder of the dough. The final touch is chocolate chips on top. This pie is best when eaten hot because of how the marshmallows and chocolate melt together. Who needs a campfire? Here is the recipe, if you want to try it for yourself.

*Cheesecake from the *Cheesecake Factory: The first time I went to the Cheesecake Factory was in 2001 with a guy I became friends with after we had dated for a short time the previous year. The food was impressive. I was so full that I took a slice of cheesecake home to try later. (I ordered the vanilla bean cheesecake.) When I got home that evening, I was ready to try it. From the first forkful, I realized that I had never had such amazing cheesecake before. It was light and soft. The blend of vanilla and cheese worked so well together. I was simply blown away! Since then, I've tried other flavors upon my many visits to the restaurant. (Side note: Their oat bread is a real treat, as well.) Tiramisu is another flavor I loved. A few years ago, my friend gave me a cheesecake recipe to try for Shavuot and it comes really close to how great the Cheesecake Factory makes theirs.

When it comes to food and pleasure, it's hard to choose just one item to talk about. This is only a small sample of the many foods from which I derive pleasure.

*At the time I did not keep Kosher.

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 12: Food and Friendship

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

I am finally caught up again!

Today's topic:
For today’s writing time, delve into a memory of food that is forever infused with the goodness and salvation of a deep friendship.

This topic was very easy for me. Even when I saw the word "friendship" on the list, I knew I'd write about this.

A few years ago, my best friend came to visit me for a long weekend. She had been making pies for quite some time and decided to teach me how to do it. We went to the store together to get all the necessary ingredients. That Sunday night, we set about making apple pies together. It was quite a process. We first had to peel and cut all the apples. Since we were each making a pie, we had to double the recipe. Then she showed me how to make the dough. I had purchased a pastry cutter at Bed, Bath, and Beyond just for this occasion. There was more involved than just mixing ingredients together. We had to use a balance of dough and cold water, along with making sure everything was blended with the pastry cutter. She had quite a rhythm down when she was mixing her own dough. Then she helped me with mine when I wasn't getting the results that she had. I remember that she was chewing peach gum while we were mixing the dough (and while I don't like the smell of peach, I let it slide this time).

When we finally got our dough into the pie pan, it was then time to add the apples and some other ingredients. Then came the hard part...putting the other half of the dough on top. My best friend knew what she was doing and her pie looked gorgeous even before it went into the oven. Mine looked okay, but not a masterpiece by any means!

My best friend's pie is on the left

Afterward, we put the pies in the oven to bake and worked on getting the kids to bed while we were waiting.

The end product was worth the wait! Hers definitely looked prettier than mine, but they tasted the same, so that's what matters.

We had a lot of fun baking together and plan to do it again when she visits soon. It was a fun bonding experience. The pie tasted delicious and got me started on enjoying apple pie. I never really liked it when I was growing up.

Delicious!

Around Thanksgiving time, I decided to try it out again, although mine didn't turn out as lovely as it did the previous time. Still, my brother-in-law said it tasted like it came from a bakery, so there's that!

The pie I made on my own

With my best friend on another one of her visits
(Two years after the pie baking experience)

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 11: Food and Tradition

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Due to Hanukkah and a busy week, I'm still behind, so please bear with me. Thanks!

Friday's topic:
What family traditions have fallen away or transformed into something new over the years? What foods evoke the rituals of your past? Tell us.

When I was a kid, and all through my teen and college years (and probably beyond), we had Thanksgiving dinner with my mom's first cousin and her family. Usually, my maternal grandma and her brother would be there, as well. We'd have it at our house every year. The only time we didn't was when my mom's cousin hosted the year my mom had back surgery. When we were little, my cousins, sister, and I would sit at the kid's table. Eventually we got to join the adults at their table. My third cousins on my mom's side are somewhat close in age. I'm a year younger than one of them and several years older than the other. We all got along really well, and still do!

Every year, there would be turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and most other traditional Thanksgiving foods. I don't remember what desserts would be available since I didn't like pumpkin pie at the time. Maybe my mom got me cherry pie or a cake? I'm surprised that dessert is such a blur for me!

I remember one year my sister took a video of everyone together. Our beagle, Buddy, was part of the festivities, as well. He even sat in my chair and licked my finished plate while my mom's cousin looked on with shock and disgust. (I think there was a different year when he grabbed a turkey leg off the table and my dad chased him around the house, and then the same thing happened on The Simpsons while we were watching together after dinner.) In any case, it was funny to watch!

On Christmas, we would go to my mom's cousin's house for a similar feast. While we didn't celebrate, they did.

This tradition changed when we moved away. I'm sure my family still celebrates one or the other with my mom's cousin, but not always both. Our first Thanksgiving out east was spent at my mother-in-law's apartment in Manhattan. We went to see the Macy's parade (as much as we could see of it) and then relaxed back at the apartment. There was a pool on the top level, so we even got to swim for a while. I had made pumpkin soup and brought it with for all of us to enjoy. My mother-in-law made a small turkey and some side dishes. And then there was pumpkin pie. Since it was the only dessert available, I decided to try it. Lo and behold....I enjoyed it! The following year, we hosted Thanksgiving dinner in our house for the first time. My in-laws and my husband's uncle came over for the meal.

The second time we hosted Thanksgiving dinner was in our new home in Maryland. My in-laws came down from New York and it was just the six of us (including my two sons). Then they spent Shabbos weekend with us. From there on, we've hosted Thanksgiving here every year. The only break in tradition was when my in-laws couldn't make it out here one year because one of them was sick. We hosted some friends who lived nearby and didn't have family visiting either. That was in 2012, I believe. The following year, it was Thanksgivukkah, which was the one and only time Thanksgiving and Hanukkah collided. It was also the first time my brother-in-law and his family joined us for dinner. Since then, they've been coming over for Thanksgiving every year.

I have a feeling that Thanksgiving traditions will ebb and flow, but I enjoy that we host it and I have a great relationship with my in-laws. I also have the fond memories of childhood Thanksgivings to look back upon, so that I can re-create the feeling for my kids.

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 10: Food and Time

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Due to Hanukkah and a busy week, I'm still behind, so please bear with me. Thanks!

Thursday's topic:
What is your relationship with food from the perspective of your relationship with time? Are you someone who eats slowly or fast? Tell us about a moment when you took time to savor every bite, whether it was a slice of orange you were eating or an exquisite dish served at a dinner party.

I tend to eat fast all the time. I've been known to make myself choke because of how fast I eat. I think this came from adulthood as part of work life and parenthood. With work, you only get a certain amount of time to eat. When things are hectic, I feel the need to speed it up a bit or cut meals short. I usually eat on my own and read at the same time, so I'm only on my clock. When I go out to eat with a friend, I am less rushed, as I usually plan for an hour instead of my usual 30 minutes.

When my kids were babies, there were times we'd go out to eat and they'd only last so long at a restaurant before having a meltdown. Or we'd be at home and I'd need to feed them or hold them and couldn't really focus on having a leisurely meal. Even now, the nights are short. After putting together dinner, I need to focus on getting the kids ready for bed. We sit around the table for a bit, but it usually feels rushed.

The one time a week I slow down to eat is on Shabbat. The nights (especially in the winter) are stretched out before us. There's nowhere we have to be and the kids aren't on a bedtime schedule. If we host people for lunch or go to someone else's home, it's also longer and more drawn out, each part of the meal having its time to be enjoyed.

Time is more of an issue in relation to food when the days are shorter before Shabbat starts and we have to rush to make sure all the food is ready before we have to cease cooking. This also holds true for certain religious holidays...especially since there are two nights and two days (sometimes three if Shabbat is right before or after the holidays) to prepare food for. It gets really hectic in the final hours before the holidays start and I find myself ready to pull my hair out. My husband is the one doing most of the cooking, and yet I'm the one who feels overwhelmed. Go figure! One year, our meat oven broke right before Pesach. My husband had to Kasher the dairy oven so we could use that for meat instead. So hectic! However, when Shabbat or the holiday starts and the candles are lit, I can breathe a sigh of relief and just enjoy the food that has been put before me.

As far as savoring...the first time my husband tried making this Italian meatball recipe, it was so incredible that I wanted to make the taste last for as long as I could. I even swore because it was that amazing. (I don't usually swear about food!) Don't worry...the kids weren't around when I did it. My husband still loves that his meatballs made me swear.

The meatballs that made me swear out loud!

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 9: Food and Courage

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Due to Hanukkah and a busy week, I'm still behind, so please bear with me. Thanks!

Wednesday's topic:
What early messages did you imbibe about bodies? Where have you been courageous that you may take for granted? What is the story that would not even occur to you to tell? Tell us about a time when food and courage came together, like old friends so glad to see each other.

I can't really say I have any food issues, other than being a picky eater and having some weird hang-ups about how some things should be eaten. I've always loved to eat though. I never had an eating disorder or anything along those lines. Yes, it was encouraged to be thin, but my body is what it is and as long as I'm taking care of myself, I'm not too concerned.

When I think of courage and food coming together, I think of my move to New Jersey in 2007. It was a big move, halfway across the country after living in Illinois almost my entire life. I didn't really know anyone there, nor had I established any friendships. At the time, it was my husband, our 18 month-old son, our cat, and myself. (Guess who drove the cat in their car the entire trip? You're looking at her!) It was definitely hard to say goodbye to everyone and everything in Illinois, but we managed to pack up our home into two sedans and a moving truck (which we had some issues with after reaching our destination) and that was that.

I remember that we left in the middle of the night and it was snowing. In April. It was hard to see the road in front of me in the dark. Like flying through hyperspace! When the sun finally came up and we got into Indiana, we stopped for a hot breakfast. Pancakes! They gave me some energy for the next leg of the trip. Then we met up with my husband's aunt and uncle in Cleveland for lunch. I can't even remember what I ate though. Maybe a salad? Afterward, we drove on more until we reached Pennsylvania. We went to this Mexican restaurant in a little village out there. At the time, I was still eating non-Kosher chicken, so I got fajitas. Then, after getting lost several times, we found our hotel and caught up on sleep. The hotel had a breakfast buffet, which was pretty elaborate. Cereals, hot food, etc.

The rest of the drive to New Jersey wasn't too long, and we got there early in the afternoon. After we dropped off some stuff and checked out the house, we drove into the downtown area by our Northern NJ home. There was a Kosher dairy restaurant with a pareve bakery where we ended up for lunch. I had a grilled cheese, as I needed the comfort food! Afterward, we purchased a cake for the home where we'd be having our first Shabbat dinner in our new community. It had been raining out that day and was gloomy and overcast. I felt like it was an omen for what was ahead.

The house was a piece of work. Think of The Money Pit and you'll have a good idea of what it was like. We were renting it temporarily until we could find a house we'd want to settle down in. We did some unpacking in the afternoon and then my mother-in-law came out to see us and took us to a Kosher meat restaurant in a different downtown area. I had a hamburger there. It was good, but also tasted of the trepidation that came with living in a new place with a new set of social rules.

That Saturday, our house (since it was not yet furnished) was being used for a Bar Mitzvah kiddush lunch. This was something arranged before we were moving there and the parents were thankful that we didn't throw off their plans. They even gave us an air mattress for our first few nights there. They also let us have a lot of the leftovers from the luncheon. (Mostly deli meat, from what I remember.) If anything, it was a good way to meet a lot of the community at once! At one point, I was talking with a close friend of the Bar Mitzvah boy's mother. She was visiting from Texas and was very kind and easy to chat with. She made me feel somewhat better about embarking on this new chapter in my life.

Living in a new town and getting adjusted was not as easy as I had hoped. I made some friends, but I also felt like the rest of the community was doing their best to make us feel like outsiders. The president of our Shul was a perpetrator in this effort. It's a long story for another time, but it involves the money pit owned by the Shul. Also, I had a hard time finding a job. It took me 10 months to finally secure some work for myself. Thankfully, I liked the job a lot. We also rented a different house by then, with a nice and reasonable landlord this time. And some friends from the community moved next door to us. I even had my second child that spring. However, we still weren't happy in our community and looked at other Shuls and communities nearby in hopes of finding a better fit. (One of the hosts we stayed with made these delicious peanut butter balls and gave me the recipe. I made those and froze a bunch and they worked as a comfort food in some ways.) We didn't have much luck with this endeavor.

Then my husband's job took us to the DC area that November for a conference he had to attend. My sons and I walked all over the Capitol and I loved it so much that I felt we needed to move there. We visited a community the following February and were sold just on how friendly and welcoming everyone was. I also got a chocolate chip biscotti recipe that I made from time to time after that visit. We came back again that Spring to confirm our decision and then bought a house a few weeks later. While we were still in NJ, getting ready to say goodbye to everyone there, we were invited to a Bat Mitzvah party for the daughter of the family who hosted the Bar Mitzvah luncheon when we first moved in. The same friend from Texas was at this party, so I felt like I had come full circle seeing her again on my way out of the community. She and I hung out together the whole time at the party and she was still as sweet as I remembered. I remember eating steak at this party, as well as some fancy desserts.

I probably got off on a tangent, but I wanted to share about some of the food and experiences that went along with a time in my life where I had to display courage. Courage of facing the unknown. Courage to admit that I wasn't happy where I was living. Courage to make another huge move to another new community....the one that I now call home.

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 8: Food and Longing

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Due to Hanukkah and a busy week (so far), I'm still behind, so please bear with me. Thanks!

Tuesday's Topic:
What are you longing for right now? What are you hungry for in your life? When you look back, can you identify a time when your food choices were really not about filling your body or keeping it going but about what you longed for deep inside? Tell us about a time when food was about longing.

This topic made me think a lot about the kinds of longing I do. And it brought me to an interesting place that still is food related.

Confession: I am a recipe hoarder. I have tons of recipe books in my kitchen cabinet, including one that has a collection of recipes from when I was growing up, as well as some my grandma passed down to me. It got so huge that I had to get another binder just for the desserts section! There is also a pile of recipe magazines in the cabinet. I used to have a Family Circle subscription just for the recipes. Then I fell behind on clipping them and just gave up on those. However, I have a folder in my Gmail account just for recipes I've collected online and have yet to print.

What does this have to do with longing, you ask? Well, with all the recipes I have either in print or online, I have yet to cook a majority of them. I usually go for the same (and safe) ones that I know will come out how I want. I miss cooking. My husband is a really good cook, so he does a majority of the cooking. And life gets so hectic that I don't have the time or patience to cook more than the simplest and foolproof of recipes in my collection. I look at these recipes for delicious food items and say to myself "I would love to make that." Then I see how complicated it sounds and bury it in my collection, in hopes to come back to it later. I will admit that I'm not as an amazing of a cook as my husband, but I do enjoy producing something that people will enjoy and even compliment me on. It makes me feel really good to hear that someone liked my challah, or my blueberry cake, or my pumpkin pie. I used to make this s'mores pie that was out of this world and basked in the praise of everyone who loved it. It wasn't personally my recipe, but I think it's more the cook's doing than the recipe itself. Lately, I've been outsourcing some of my simple, but tried-and-true cooking tasks to my older son, who wants to be on Master Chef Junior one of these days. I used to make these really good peanut butter balls, but they take a lot of work and my sons can't eat them anyway, due to allergies. So I've tabled the desire to make them again.

My pumpkin pie, recipe courtesy of Quick and Kosher

Having said all this, I long to step out of my cooking comfort zone. I long to find the time, patience, and energy to cook the delicious recipes I find as an extra gift in the magazines and books I read (such as in Too Many Cooks by Dana Bate, Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis, or Stir by Jessica Fechtor). I long for the motivation to cook something new; something that people will love. I recently came across recipes for cherry thumbprint cookies and butterscotch bars. Both sound really good, but I once again haven't gotten myself to purchase the ingredients and put forth the effort. The most I can bring myself to cook is challah every once in a while (I make big batches) or something simple for Shabbat. I keep making goals for myself to cook more from scratch, and end up resorting to using mixes because it's easier and less time-consuming...and my son can make them without as much supervision.

The recipe collection in my home and e-mail account all reflect my longing to cook something new and different. To make the time for myself and get up the motivation to do so. To go to the store and buy ingredients I might not have normally purchased before. To have a new favorite dish for when I host Shabbat meals.

My best friend is coming to visit in a few weeks and wants to make a pie together again. Let's hope she can kick my butt into gear!

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 7-Food and Adventure

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Due to Hanukkah and a busy week (so far), I'm still behind, so please bear with me. Thanks!

Monday's Topic:
What experience have you had where food and adventure went hand in hand? Maybe this meant going to faraway lands, or perhaps no further than a friend’s house or a restaurant. Maybe it was less about what you ate and more about the context in which you ate. Today, write about what comes to mind when you put “food” and “adventure” in the same memory.

When I was given the "adventure" prompt, I immediately thought of my trip to Israel from Birthright in early 2002. It was my first (and so far, only) time going to Israel. It was also the last trip before my life changed in a huge (and amazing) way.

Since I was there 14 years ago, I can't really tell you how food smelled or tasted. There were so many different meals and dining experiences wrapped up into a 10 day trip. I will share a few food-related thoughts and memories though.

*Most of the hotels we stayed at would serve these little cakes for breakfast. They were very soft and flavorful. It was hard not to grab a bunch of them! I usually would pair my cake with a cup of chocolate pudding.

*On our second night there, we went to a Druze village and had a meal in one of the homes. I remember someone taking a picture of me while I was eating and then sharing it on the Birthright website. Next thing I knew, I had a message from my mom saying "You look happy, except when eating pita." It wasn't that I was not happy. It was that I was caught by the camera mid-chew. The food at the Druze village was actually good, if I could even remember what I ate. I think rice was served.

*When we got to Tel Aviv, we were on our own for lunch. I went into this fast food place with a few friends and got chicken shwarma in a pita. It was delicious, from what I remember.

*There was also a dairy restaurant in Tel Aviv called Yotvata. They had amazing gelato (my first time trying this form of ice cream). The best was their tiramisu flavor. We ate at Yotvata for dinner before boarding the plane back to the US. We didn't get to choose our gelato that time, so we only got vanilla, but it was still good.

*My friend "Will" was in Israel while I was there, so we got to have lunch together in the Old City a couple of times. The first time, I got pizza, but I was so overwhelmed by the sights and sounds (along with the beggar cats), that I can't even remember how it tasted. The second time, Will made me try falafel. It was okay, as I'm not a big fan of chickpeas unless they're in hummus. I tried it again a couple times while back home, but it still has yet to impress me. However, I have photographic proof of myself eating falafel in Israel.

*There are Kosher McDonald's and Burger King all over the place, but since I wasn't keeping Kosher at the time and could get the same food at home anyway, I didn't bother. I usually got pizza during our lunches out.

*I remember the chicken being good wherever we had dinner, whether it was at a hotel or on a Kibbutz. I also remember going to this little buffet restaurant for one of the lunches. They had mostly meat dishes and those were good too.

Sorry my descriptions of food are so vague. I could tell you about the smells I associate with Israel, such as the dead sea or Ahava lotion (which comes from dead sea salts and has a very distinct scent). I could even share some songs that I always associate with that trip. However, I hope this will give you some idea of what kind of eating I did on my adventure!

Winter Joy Retreat-Day 6: Food and Laughter

I'm participating in an online writer's retreat, thanks to Nina Badzin's blog. The topic is "Edible Memories," so all the posts will be about food. I will try to post every day to keep up, but there are some I might come back to later, depending on my schedule and when inspiration strikes.

Due to Hanukkah and a busy week (so far), I'm still behind, so please bear with me. Thanks!

Sunday's Topic:
Let’s hear about your food and laughter moments -- the tears-streaming-funny ones, the line-between-laughing-and-crying ones, the circumstances that linked your experience of a certain food to laughter forever.

There have been so many moments where I equate food with laughter. I'd like to share a few of them here.

*Pieces of E.T.: Once when I was visiting a close friend at her childhood home, we made pasta and put chopped up garlic into it. Her dad saw the garlic and asked what it was, so she said "pieces of E.T.." This is still really funny to me and I can't put chopped garlic into pasta anymore without thinking of that.

*Weird mint frosting cake: With this same friend, I once made a cake that came out all messy in the end. It tasted fine but looked dreadful. We decided to frost it anyway and used mint extract in the frosting. I can still picture and taste that cake now and this was back when we were 15.

*Messy kids: I have this one friend who is clearly not a parent yet because kids getting food all over their faces and hands grosses him out. He says that when he has kids, he'll make them eat outside and then hose them off. So I enjoy taking pictures of my kids when they are super messy and then tagging him when I post them on Facebook. I'm hoping that one of these days, they'll just cover their faces and hands in chocolate and then hug him. (At least my youngest could get away with that,)

My friend is lucky he wasn't there this time...

*Tandoori chicken: My husband used to make this really good chicken dish using a package of Indian spices. He called it Tandoori, but I don't remember exactly what it was. Just that it was delicious. In any case, there are two funny stories that go along with it.

1. We served this at a Shabbat meal where my husband was telling everyone about this incident that occurred during our first Pesach in New Jersey. It involved a man bringing a stolen shopping cart with a stolen statue to the host's home as a gift for inviting him to their meal. The hosts, in this situation, were the Rabbi and Rebbetzin of our community (at that time...they left shortly after we did.) This one couple we had over really liked the chicken, so we made it for them again when they had their baby later that year. They sent us a thank you note mentioning how the chicken reminded them of the story about the shopping cart and the statue. Then they had some new neighbors of theirs ask us to tell the story when we hosted them at a different meal.

2. My younger son was eating the chicken for dinner, but the sauce was too messy for him. So he announced to us: "I don't like the sauce, so I'm going to lick it off." 


*Name mix-ups: There have been a few funny and memorable instances involving not understanding a certain name used for a food item.

1. When I was about nine years old, we went to this Japanese restaurant where everyone sits on pillows on the floor. The waitress came up to me at one point and said "Morty?" I had no idea what she was talking about and thought it was some food item she wanted me to try. Then she finally showed me the teapot and I was like "oh...more tea!" My family thought that was hilarious.

2. When I was in college, one of my friends came back from the salad bar and said "What's the difference between regular Italian dressing and local Italian dressing?" It took me a moment, but then I realized that local was really lo cal, but the words were written too close together. After that, I'd always ask if she got the "local Italian dressing."

3. When my husband and I went to a wedding, one of the servers had these weird looking appetizers on a tray. When I asked what it was, he said "chicka-nut-a-choke." I had to ask him to repeat it a few times before realizing he meant "chicken artichoke." I still don't know what that appetizer even entailed as it didn't look like anything resembling chicken or artichokes. My husband and I would go around saying "chicka-nut-a-choke" a lot after that.

*Braiding challah: A while back, I had a friend over to braid challah with me. She wanted to do a complex braid, and we looked online for instructions. The instructions were telling us to make it like a person and consider the strands either arms or legs. The whole process was so confusing and we ended up just laughing the whole time we were trying to braid. Then my friend had the idea to label each strand so she could figure out which to fold over each time. It worked though!