Sharing Our Stories Through Food: Nanny’s Sugar Cookies

My great-grandmother lived in Missouri, she was a true southern woman. Church on Sundays, a strong southern drawl and the ONLY ONE allowed in the kitchen. However, whenever we would go to visit, she would sneak me and my brother into the kitchen with her, not letting anyone else in. She would tie an apron around us and hand us supplies to put on the table to get baking.

Sharing Our Stories Through Food: Passover Brownies

This is my mother in laws- Cindy Wolfe’s- Recipe

I double this for each 9×13 pan and literally make at least 8 pans of this every year.  It’s the first cooking I do before Pesach every year is make a ton and fill the freezer.  This is a staple and my husband laughs at the idea of me making something different.  They are the best.

Sharing our stories through food: Deviled Eggs

Every thanksgiving, we used to have our family come over and we all cooked together. My uncle was in charge of the deviled eggs. One day, out of all 3 kids, he chose me to help. I was close to 7 years old at the time and he had me add in the ingredients, help mix, and pipe the eggs, which was a mess then but I have gotten much better at it…

Sharing Our Stories Through Food: Nany Frieda’s Mandelbread

My great grandmother, Nany Frieda, always had freshly baked cookies when we came to visit her in Miami. Chocolatey mandelbread and delicate rolls of chocolate rugaleach topped with colorful sprinkles greeted us every time. Sometimes my brother and sisters and I were lucky and Nany Frieda would let us help her bake.

Sharing Our Stories Through Food: Hungarian Fushiert

The first thing I learned how to make in my mother’s Hungarian Jewish kitchen was Fushiert – also spelled “fasírt.” It’s a staple in our household, and something that brings me great pleasure in sharing with as many people as I can. In fact, it was one of the first things I made for my now-husband and I’m pretty sure these small meatballs are the reason he proposed.

Sharing our stories through food: Papa Barry’s Working Lunch

Papa Barry’s Working Lunch Deli Style Turkey Pastrami on Marble Rye with a Shirley Temple
In memory of my Papa Barry (Baruch ben Helen), may his neshama have an aliyah.

You may have tried these recipes before but I promise you the combination of these two recipes takes deli dining to a whole new level when you want to make lunch a little fancier! 

Sharing Our Stories Through Food: Challah

As a young child, I was unaware that I was Jewish.  I was introduced to Judaism in 5th grade and was completely enamored.  Since my family  was entirely unaffiliated and knew nothing about Judaic observance, I was completely thrilled to find out that the family challah recipe was passed down to my aunt.  She then shared the “secret” recipe. 

Sharing Our Stories Through Food: Grandma Jean’s Apple Cake

Submitted by Susan Kramer

Everyone has a favorite apple cake recipe, right? My favorite is my Grandma Jean’s. It’s my favorite because it’s yummy, but also because I have the recipe in her handwriting. 

Grandma Jean loved to cook in the tiny kitchen in her one bedroom apartment. The baked goods that were prepared there were prepared with love.