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2 MIN READ

So Sweet You Can Eat it with a Spoon

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This past summer weekend in June I took a trip down with my mother and my girls Micah and Sacha to visit Little Syria in Deal, New Jersey. I was looking forward to getting out of the city and visiting my mother’s aunt Evelyn, who so reminds me of my Grandmother Fritzie (her oldest sibling). I was also looking forward to the Syrian food because it always tastes better to me when I eat it there. I don’t know if it’s because Evelyn is such a great cook, or that she reminds me so much of my grandmother, or that it’s just better because someone else has prepared it for me. All that I know is that it’s comforting and tastes like the past.

Early on Sunday morning, before all the family started arriving in droves, I cornered my aunt Evelyn and asked if I could quickly interview her about her memories of Passover while growing up in Brooklyn. After the talk she showed me her closet and pulled out a few special dishes and platters that she had stowed away. The most special thing that she showed me was this beautifully ornate silver bowl that had little hooks running all around to hold tiny silver forks with mother of pearl handles. This bowl was from her husband’s mother who most likely brought it from Syria on her way back to Egypt, and was meant to contain a special Sephardic confection known as a “spoon sweet.”. These jams, Evelyn explained to me, were often served during the week of Passover for guests when they came over for a short visit. While there could be a number of various flavors, in Syria they were often made of grated coconut, rosewater, and blanched almonds, or apricot, orange blossom water, and pistachios. The way that it was served was with the inner glass bowl filled with the jam, the tiny forks or spoons in a tray next to the bowl (or in this case hanging on small hooks running around the bowl), an empty glass next to the bowl for each fork to be placed with used, and lastly a clean glass of water for the guest to drink after his spoonful to wash it all down. What I love about this sweet is that it has a ritual all of its own. The bowl. The fork. The empty glass. The glass full of refreshing water. Each with its definitive role, making each sweet spoonful an experience not to be missed.

Tags
apricots
coconut jam
confection
helou
orange blossom water
Sephardic
spoon sweet
Syrian

jenniferabadi

A beautiful day for the annual Greek Jewish festiv A beautiful day for the annual Greek Jewish festival on the Lower East Side, organized by Kehila Kedosha Janina synagogue. Nice to see Sarah Aroeste and Susan Barocas at the Savor table and nosh on sesame candies. I even got to sign a few copies of my cookbooks « A Fistful of Lentils » and « Too Good To Passover » at the cookbook table!

Find out more and order the whole package of music, recipes and videos at savorexperience.com. 

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #savorexperience #ladino #sephardic
Join me and other women chefs from around the worl Join me and other women chefs from around the world for the “Savor: A Sephardic Music & Food Experience” virtual release party on SUNDAY, APRIL 23.

This is a multisensory way to learn about and experience Sephardic culture and history. Ten songs about food on the latest album by singer Sarah Aroeste are paired with recipes and cooking videos by women chefs from around the world including me. I'm so proud to be part of Savor! 

Find out more and pre-order the whole package of music, recipes and videos at savorexperience.com. 

REGISTER FOR FREE! 
at bit.ly/SavorRelease.

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #savorexperience #ladino #sephardic
Just because Passover is over doesn’t mean that Just because Passover is over doesn’t mean that we have stopped celebrating! In North African Jewish communities special breads are prepared to mark the end of the 8-day bread “fast” during a festival called Mimouna. 

Here is an example of a Libyan yeast bread with olive oil and fennel seeds called La Mimuna (like the name of the holiday itself). The hard boiled egg in the center represents fertility, the cycle of life, and new beginnings. The breads are reminiscent of special braided breads prepared for Easter by neighboring Christian communities. 
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #mimouna #libyanfood #breads #eggs #fertility #mufleta
What we all look forward to: matzah brei for break What we all look forward to: matzah brei for breakfast! Need to buy more eggs…
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matzahbrei #matza #matzah #kosherforpassover
The best crafts are ones you can eat later.
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover
Open-faced Hillel sandwich. . . “Too Good To Pa Open-faced Hillel sandwich. 
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover #hillelsandwich
Passover 5783 has arrived. . “Too Good To Passo Passover 5783 has arrived.
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #matzah #sedertable
Matzah farfola? Kosher for Passover granola. “ Matzah farfola? Kosher for Passover granola. 

“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover
Macaroons made ahead and frozen for Passover! Fr Macaroons made ahead and frozen for Passover! 

From “Too Good To Passover” cookbook:

Syrian pistachio macaroons with orange blossom water (page 396)

Italian almond-pignoli macaroons (page 616)

Books available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #macaroons #amaretticookies #pignoli #almonds #pistachios #italianpastries
Vicki still has her great-grandmother Vida’s ori Vicki still has her great-grandmother Vida’s original burmelos pan from Monastir (today the city of Bitola) in the Republic of Macedonia. Her great-grandmother was Greek from Salonika (now Thessaloniki) but moved to Monastir to marry Vicki’s great-grandfather and join the Ladino-speaking Sephardic community. At the time the city was a part of the Ottoman Empire.

For a Passover burmuelos/bimuelos/bumuelos recipe check out my cookbook “Too Good To Passover” and look for the Greek, Turkish, and Bulgarian chapters!

Link in bio to my new website for upcoming Passover prep lessons and to purchase my cookbook.

“Too Good To Passover” is available on Amazon in the U.S. Canada, Europe, and Japan.
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#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #sephardiccommunity #turkishfood #monastir #macedonia #bitola #ottomanempire #bunuelos #greekfood
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Jennifer Abadi | So Sweet You Can Eat it with a Spoon