Pesto Fest

I was thrilled to participate in a pesto making session last Friday for my daughter’s school. Sabina, an avid gardener and fellow mom, has slowly but surely been teaching the school children how to plant, grow and then eat various fruits and vegetables. Her influence is immeasurable, as she humbly works behind the scenes to broaden our children’s knowledge about food and where it comes from, as well as their palates.

One of her projects, the “Pesto Fest”, has become an annual highlight for my fifth grade daughter, along with many other kids at school. At this event, Sabina harvests the garden basil and garlic that she planted with the school children and then makes massive amounts of pesto. She later prepares a pesto pasta snack at the school for some 500 kids to sample. It’s a huge undertaking that remarkably, she usually does alone -- until this year when she invited me to help.

So, the other day, with my Vitamix in tow, I eagerly joined Sabina. She welcomed me on a bench outside her kitchen, and I joined her in the task of separating the basil leaves from the stems. As we worked together, we talked about her garden, her admirable green lifestyle and her unassuming volunteer endeavors at school. In fact, in just fifteen minutes I learned more about Sabina than I had ever known before.

When we had enough basil to make a few batches, I went inside her kitchen to wash the leaves and sauté the garlic. As she continued working on the basil, I put my Vitamix to work and cranked out several containers of pesto. Used to a food processor to do her blending, I think Sabina didn’t quite expect to get so much and we were running a bit low on containers. Sabina offered to run to the store. I couldn’t stop smiling when I noticed her put on a bike helmet and peddle away -- a small step that makes the world a healthier place and keeps her in shape at the same time.

I was astonished how fast she returned. In fact she got back quicker than she would have by car. And as we finished the last of our 16 pints of pesto, she remarked about how impressed she was at our efficiency. The Vitamix blender is now on her Christmas wish list and I am pretty sure I’ll be recruited again, maybe to make some kale crisps or soup.

Sabina made me think about a lot that afternoon. How nice it is to slow down and get to know someone you may otherwise not get to know and to peddle instead of drive. Sabina is an inspiration in more ways than one and I am really happy to have been part of “Pesto Fest.” I wish the children could have been there to see the process.

From the Farmers' Market: Fixed on Figs (BaristaKids)

From the Farmers' Market: Fixed on Figs (BaristaKids)

Fig Frenzy

My friend Debbie and I are crazy for figs – we eat them whole, slice them with cheese or make various delicious meals with them. Since we each had three pounds of figs, this past Thursday we decided to make some jam together. Carving out some time got a bit challenging, but we settled on an hour together in my small kitchen, in between her work as a teacher and my writing and running the family.

Since time was limited, organization and preparedness would be the keys to our success. The jars were staying hot in my dishwasher when Debbie walked in with her figs and sugar. There wasn’t a whole lot of talking while we worked since we were so short on time. Except for a discussion on whether or not to use pectin with the lemon juice and zest, chit chat gave way to efficiency. Every inch of my countertops and stove were covered with bowls and pots as we worked together. Our speed demon pace, together with the boiling water for the jars and jam filling, heated my kitchen fast.

I ladled the last of my jars as the clock struck an hour and I had to run out. Unfortunately, Debbie ran out of jars and needed to carry her scalding jam home with her to finish up later.

Fig Jam
Makes 14 small jars

3 pounds figs, cleaned and stems removed
2 cups sugar
1 package liquid pectin
Zest from a lemon
Juice from a lemon

In a large bowl, cover the figs with boiling water. Let the bowl sit for about ten minutes until tender. Roughly chop the figs. In a medium pot, cook the figs and sugar over a medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to bubble. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, stirring quite often. Add the lemon juice, pectin and zest and cook for a few more minutes. Ladle into the hot jars and screw on the lids (not too tight). Process the jars in a boiling pot of water for approximately 10 minutes and then place in a cool place overnight.

A Week of Food Traditions

So many traditions revolve around food, shopping for ingredients, cooking and of course, eating. Sure, I have my non-food traditions, like watching the giant balloons being blown up for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. But even that usually ends with a Vietnamese feast from one of our favorite take out spots. This past week, there were many delicious food moments, which I happily can call tradition.

For the third year in a row, Jackie and I made apple cake together for our respective Rosh Hashana dinners. And while our cakes baked, the kids played and even stirred up their own batch of chocolate chip cookies. Even though we part ways for dinner, our time together preparing our food becomes a special part of our holiday. And then, the doorbell rang with another nice surprise from a friend -- a box of homemade Rugelach, not the first gift of food from this thoughtful friend, and another welcome tradition.

The next night, I spent an hour in the kitchen with my kids preparing a festive meal. My daughter made mashed potatoes, my 5 year old sautéed cauliflower and all three got to mold matzah balls for soup. They were having so much molding and plopping the balls into the chicken stock that I am certain we’ve started a family ritual.

It’s incredible to me how many meaningful aspects of my life originate from food. Look at the significance in one small week! And, to think we have 52 weeks in a year to pack in tradition.

Cabbage and Carrots

Cabbage and carrots.

That's what I was presented with one day last week after driving my kids to and from activities all morning. I hadn't had a chance to eat lunch and was pretty much starving by the time I arrived home. In fact, on my return ride, I was concocting what I may be able to create for a family lunch with the slim pickings in my fridge. I was ready to pick up a tray of sandwiches or order in a pizza. So, it was a delight to be greeted with a sit down lunch of cabbage and carrots, brilliantly plated in the shape of a colorful sun.

You see, my daughter, who knew we'd be in a quandary for lunch, decided to take it upon herself (with the assistance of her grandmother) to make a beautiful meal. She wasn't restricted by the lack of choice, instead, the few vegetables in the bin sparked her delicious menu.

As I devoured the perfectly sautéed cabbage, I learned how my mom stood by my daughter's side, exchanging sweet words of encouragement, while using each other as a sounding board for their preparation. My mother was my daughter’s sous chef, chopping cabbage and cleaning up as they created together.

Although my daughter is often with me in the kitchen, this experience was very different for her. She identified a need and took charge, becoming an independent cook that day. She applied what she had observed and learned into her own style. At only ten, without even knowing it, my daughter had a cooking awakening. It was a true pleasure for me to see my child assert her independence and recognize the value of camaraderie in the kitchen.

And upon listening to us swoon after each delicious bite, she also experienced the satisfaction of knowing that those for whom you cooked really enjoyed the meal. That's quite a lot for a ten year old.