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Recipes from Grandma Rae—always have with tea

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Meryll and Grandma Rae away from the stove in Mississippi in 1961

Disclaimer:
Grandma Rae was not a very good baker. To her grandchildren, however, a single mandelbrot or poppy seed cookie that weighed more than the entire box of Oreos meant love. It was a cookie with heft, a cookie to dunk, a cookie that sated your hunger for hours. When Grandma Rae died, the one heirloom all of the grandchildren lusted for was the cookie tin—a giant blue cylinder that contained Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels in the 1930s but had the aroma of decades of Grandma’s baking etched into the metal. Cousin Mike was the best eater so we conceded that he deserved the tin. How did it happen that Grandma Rae defied the stereotype of the power baker Grandma of the 1950s? She didn’t have to bake until 1961 when her mother died. Her mother was the doyenne and ultimate boss of the baking, shooing Grandma away when she was stretching strudel pastry or kneading bread dough in the early hours of the morning. The recipes were given to me by Grandma Rae and then adapted for better digestion and a modern twist (see chocolate sprinkles). Even so, we grandchildren remember with fondness the hockey puck size poppy seed (mohn) cookies. Most of all, we remember in her world that food was love and accompanied by tea and talk.

Recipes

  • Essig Flaish
  • Mandelbrot
  • Mohn Cookies
  • Strudel

Recent Blogs

Meryll
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Hack Attack
The news is providing a lot of fodder we could use for a blog—Putin's upcoming visit, the controversy at the Kotel, the non-stop scatological twittering by our President… My own daily dramas can overshadow the geopolitical and ideological. Welcome to my own personal newsheadline:The lede--​Proper Grammar Saves Hacking Victim (me)Last week modern technology slapped me in the face. Usually the compu...
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Meryll
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11 June 2017
Haunted by the Past; Family Pictures, Part II
Last week Leslie shared her reaction to the portrait you see in front of you. As she was lobbing rhetorical question after question to me, i.e. "who takes pictures like that?""Why was I wearing those clothes? I would have pr...
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Leslie
Leslie
04 June 2017
Haunted by Myself, Family Pictures: Take 1
My sister and brother-in-law are downsizing, preparing to move into a condominium.* I should have known to be wary of gifts when entering their house.I place no sentimental value on my grandmother's oversized formal furniture, and, thank you, our house has enough stuff.Meryll told me she has a present...
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Invite Us To Speak

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We were featured speakers at Hadassah Brandeis Institute and Levy Summer Series. Our speaking engagements include JCCs, synagogues, libraries, book groups, retirement communities, schools, and organizations (e.g. ORT, Hadassah, and Women's League). References are available. 

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Upcoming Events

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Talk Review

"I was very fortunate to be able to hear Meryll and Leslie speak at a Hadassah event in Israel. Each of the ~50 participants really enjoyed the event because Meryll and Leslie were so engaging. While they had a natural rapport with the audience, you could also tell they had prepared well so they could connect with our particular group's interests. I learned a lot from listening to them, and I found their sisterly interaction unique and fun. If you want an enlightening and uplifting experience, attend one of their book talks."
Lisa Shimoni, Modiin Israel

Book Review

"Truly, you have written a story that makes accessible the reality of existence in Russia, through the eyes of individuals who lived through the various regimes and dictates.  It is fascinating and very well told.  As I read Vera and Alla's story, I learned more Russian history than I had known from a textbook.  That's a big deal, women!  You tell the tale with vivid detail and hook us on the two women and their stories, then weave in the history to illuminate their journeys. It is such a necessary book.  I am thrilled that the two of you collaborated, as I can see the uniqueness of your personalities come through in the stories, and that, too, makes the book a gem."
Margaret Leibfried, Danielson Group consultant

Buy the Book

Online:

Click here to order your copy of Jewish Luck: A True Story of Friendship, Deception, and Risky Business on Amazon.com.

The Kindle version is available here

In Stores:
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Make a donation to Sholom Home and enjoy Jewish Luck at the same time. Jewish Luck is now available at the Sholom Home West gift store. Meryll and Leslie will donate 50% of the proceeds back to Sholom Home. Enjoy!

Tasting Torah

Nourish mind, body, and soul with Meryll's Tasting Torah, which will bring oneg (joy) and limmud (learning) to your Shabbat, broaden your culinary horizons, and draw your Shabbat guests closer together.

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Meryll
Meryll
02 July 2017
July Book of the Month:  Bloodlines by Neville Frankel
July Book of the Month: Bloodlines by Neville Frankel
Leslie and I began writing Jewish Luck with an underlying question in our minds—what would life have...
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