Pickled for Passvoer

Pickling Spices, Salmon, and Onions, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

It's not just celebrants at the Seder who get pickled for Passover.  Every year we make pickled salmon, just as Marc's family has done for generations.  This is a close-up of how it looks right before we pour the pickling brine on it.  After 7-10 days, it's ready for eating!

Deliverance Then And Now

Seder Table, Jaffa, Israel

This was our Seder table right before the start of Passover in 5764.  Inside the pages of our Haggadah is a prayer for the release of Soviet Jews.  That year, there was irony as we said the prayer.

Sitting at the table was a couple from the former Soviet Union and their son who was born in Israel hours after his parents' arrival.  As we celebrated our Exodus from Egypt centuries ago, we also celebrated this family's recent deliverance.

We'll Have What She's Having

Catering Sign, New York City, New York, USA

This is the catering and party sign in the famous Katz's Delicatessen.  Open since 1888, Katz's has served generations.  Marc's family has been eating there for decades.  His parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and perhaps even his great-great grandparents ate there.  Katz's is also the site of the famous scene in When Harry Met Sally where Estelle Reiner says "I'll have what she's having".  Meg Ryan's order was too complicated for us, so we stuck to hot pastrami on rye.

La Vegas

Beer, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

This ice cold Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc hit the spot during a break from touring the Las Vegas Strip.  It seemed appropriate to have a French beer as we were dining in Cosmopolitan's Comme Ça restaurant with a view of Paris up the strip.

Readying for the Next Wave

Du-par's Restaurant, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Since 1955, the Du-pars Restaurant has been serving up fresh meals (including breakfast 24 hours a day) to visitors and locals in Las Vegas.  Located in the the historic Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, this was a rare quiet moment in Du-pars on a cold, wet, and windy February night.

Du-pars originated in Los Angeles and has been in business since 1938.  We look forward to our next visit in Vegas or LA.  Real food in a 1930's style diner is a real treat.

crafted for us

Diver Sea Scallops and Caesar Salad, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

We realized a culinary dream by dining at Tom Colicchio's craftsteak restaurant at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  From the diver sea scallops and Caesar salad (shown) to the heirloom cauliflower, hen of the woods mushrooms, rolls, and of course the steaks, our meal showed us why Colicchio is at the top of Top Chef.

The portions were very generous and much more than two regular-sized people could eat.  If possible, a couple should share a nice steak and a bunch of appetizers.  We didn't even have room for dessert.

PS: The waiter said his puppy was going to enjoy our leftovers!

Fresh Produce By The Way

The Produce Patch, Buford, Georgia, USA

Along many byways in the US are quaint produce stores selling local fruits, vegetables, jams, baked goods, and more.  We always love stopping in and seeing what we can find to snack on and/or take home for later.

Perfectly Imperfect

Tomatoes, Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver, Canada

With irregular shapes and scuff marks, these beautiful tomatoes would never make it to a big chain grocery store.  Nonetheless, these are likely more tasty and healthy than those "perfect" tomatoes could ever hope to be.

No Floundering

Flounder, Mashed Potatoes, and Capers, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

We certainly didn't flounder eating this meal.  It was delicious!  Would you believe this was at Max Lagers, a brew pub?

Super Bowl of Cheese Doodles

Cheese Doodles, Mt Airy, Georgia, USA

Tonight the Denver Broncos will play the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.  Whether you're a hard core fan or mildly interested, if you're watching the football game tonight you're likely surrounded by super-sized bowls of chips, nachos, pretzel, and perhaps even cheese doodles.  Going along with the carbohydrate fest are likely piles of chicken wings and troughs of salsas and dips.

Alcoholic Glow

Fu Manbrew, Smyrna, Georgia, USA

Despite the Goose Island glass (from Chicago), we were drinking Fu Manbrew, an Atlanta beer.  The name was funny and the profile sounded easy to drink, so we ordered it.  It didn't disappoint.

To get this photo, we put the glass in front of a tealight.

Selling a Good Name

Borden Dairy Truck, Decatur, Georgia, USA

Elsie the Cow is familiar to almost anyone in America born before 1990.  She was the mascot and "spokesperson" for the dairy division of Borden, Inc.  Borden was founded in 1857, but ceased to exist in the 1990's.  Nonetheless, Elsie and the Borden brand name live on by licensing agreements to other companies.

Better My Biscuit

Sweet Potato Biscuits, Mentone, Alabama, USA

We enjoyed these delicious sweet potato biscuits at the Wildflower Cafe.  We can't wait to go back for more!

Start Your Day Right

French Toast, Springdale, Utah, USA

When you're on vacation, there is nothing so good as a filling breakfast to start your day.  A nutritious, well balanced breakfast is also important.  This delicious French Toast breakfast at Wildcat Willies included a starch (toast), protein (whipped cream), and fruit.  What could be healthier?

Desperately Seeking Seafood?

Seafood Restaurant, Panama City, Florida, USA

Whenever we go to the Florida Panhandle, we have a craving for hushpuppies and deep fried fish and seafood.  This simple, unpretentious, down home place sure did deliver the goods.  We found Hunt's Oyster Bar by accident, but a lot of other folks seem to know about it too.  Check it out the next time you're in Panama City.

Christmas Dinner

Egg Rolls, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Many Jews around the USA will be enjoying Chinese food on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  While their Christian friends are eating ham, they'll be enjoying egg drop soup, egg rolls, and sweet and sour chicken at their local Chinese restaurants.

A Trifle of an Orange

Trifoliate Orange, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

This is a trifoliate orange, also known as a Chinese bitter orange and a hardy orange.  It is a relative of citrus, but is grown on a thorny shrub instead of a large tree.

To take this photo, we put the fruit on a white table and placed the iPhone 4 just inches away.

Essential Oil

Chanukah Sufganyot, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Besides lighting the Chanukah Menorah, cooking in oil is essential during Chanukah.  For kids and adults alike, these delicious Sufganyot (doughnuts) are fun to make and eat!

While olive oil is preferred for Chanukah cooking, vegetable oil is better for cooking sweets like Sufganyot.

Orange You Thankful?

Sweet Potatoes, Portland, Maine, USA

This Thursday is Thanksgiving in the USA and there's a good chance we'll be eating sweet potatoes.  Between sweet potatoes, carrot souffles, and pumpkin pies, it's surprising that we don't all turn orange after our Thanksgiving feasts.

Southern Comfort

Southern Cafeteria Food, Tucker, Georgia, USA

Sometimes, simpler is better.  Matthews Cafeteria sits on Main Street in Tucker as it has since 1956.  To say it's not fancy is an understatement, but the food is wonderful.  This meal of chicken and dumplings, butter beans, cabbage, cornbread, and cherry pie was outstanding.  They're also known for fried chicken, mac and cheese, pole beans, and many other Southern comfort foods.