Comfort Chanukah Drink

Chanukah is one of my favorite holidays!  There's not a lot of requirements, the ritual of the holiday (lighting candles) is at night, and it's very nice and lovely to be around lights (and oily food!).  It's also a tradition to have the chanukah candles lit in a window, visible to many who pass by your window.  These lights not only add more physical light in dark winter skies, but also send a message that this home is a Jewish home, proudly celebrating a moment in Jewish history.

There is another message which I think is worth publicizing along with the lights of the candles, which inspired this Chanukah cocktail.  There is a legend that there was a woman named Judith or Yehudeet (similar name to Judah, like the Maccabee!  Coincidence??  ;)  who helped to lure one of the leaders of the Assyrian army into her tent for some warm milk and cheese.  She was able to then kill him (or have him killed?  ), therefore helping the Maccabees in the war.  There are many stories about Jewish women, but they are not always publicized or even mentioned.  This Chanukah, I am inspired to continue to tell and learn stories of Judith and others who may not have a voice to share their stories.  This cocktail is bright, like the candles of the chanukiah, and it is a dairy drink, perhaps like the drink which Judith gave to the army leader.  May we all be inspired by the lights of Chanukah to tell stories, learn from them, and be comforted by them.

Recipe for Chanukah Comfort Drink:

-2 spoonfulls of white hot chocolate mix (I like the kind from Second Cup, Canada)

-1 shot of chocolate liquor

-optional:  1 shot of peppermint schnapps

-the rest of the mug either with warm milk or with some hot water and some warm milk

Chag Urim V'Sameach!

Happy Chanukah!

Stars while Travelling Cocktail

"Lechi lach, to a land that I will show you"
Debbie Friedman (based on the text from this week's Torah portion)

The cocktail which I created is in honor of this week's Torah portion, Lech Lecha.  In the text (Genesis 12 and 15) it says:

יֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃

The LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

2

וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃

I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you; I will make your name great, And you shall be a blessing.

יּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃

He took him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He added, “So shall your offspring be.”

Abram, who will later be named Abraham, is sent by God to leave his homeland and travel to a new country.  He is promised by God that he will be blessed with as many descendants as the stars in the sky.  

There is much that can be learned from this text, but what I take from it nowadays is this:  it has been hard to see where we are going and what direction things are going to take here in the U.S., in Israel, and in the world.  I have been feeling a bit lost sometimes about what to do next, how to help, etc.  Sometimes it is hard to see the stars both literally, as a New Yorker, and figuratively.  Hopefully this cocktail will help to guide us and remind us to look at the positives, and take it step by step in our journeys.

Here is the recipe:

-1 shot vodka

-1 shot St. Germaine liquor or triple sec

-2-3 shots of lychee juice

-1 slice of star fruit

Optional step before making the drink:

This idea was suggested by my Ima (mom):

-dip the glass rim in water and a bit of lime juice, then sprinkle some brown sugar on a plate and dip the glass rim in the sugar (this should give the glass a bit more sparkle, and it can also represent the second promise about the descendants being as numerous as the dust of the earth)

Enjoy and feel free to add in the comments if you made this drink and if you have any suggestions!

Build Your Own Sukkah in a Glass!

Build Your Own Sukkah in a Glass!

Thank you for reading my blog!  I hope that those of you who tried out the Pomegranate Tekiah drink enjoyed it.  Those of you who didn't get a chance to try it yet, it's not too late!!  It is still the season of pomegranates and wishing a happy new year to those who go by the Jewish/Hebrew calendar sometimes.  

This drink is for the upcoming holiday of Sukkot, which starts this Wednesday Oct 4th in the evening and ends next week on Oct 13th with the holidays of Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.  This drink can work for the whole week, either as a cocktail, as a shot, or even as  a non-alcoholic drink.

I would like to dedicate this drink blog and recipe to those affected by recent hurricanes.  I hope that this brings a little more hope and sweetness to the world and inspiration for people to give and donate to help with the hurricane relief.  

Sukkot is a time where some Jews build huts or sukkot to eat in and sometimes even sleep in for 7 days of the holiday.  One of the main reasons that we have this practice is to help to remind us of the time with the people of Israel lived in huts on the journey from Egypt to the land of Israel.  This holiday brings back memories to when I was in Canada with my family and we would often be huddled in winter coats and gloves in the sukkah, rushing to pack up the tables and chairs immediately after the meal so that it wouldn't get rained on...which brings me to think about those affected by the hurricanes.  As I sit in the many sukkot of family and friends in Chicago, New Jersey, and in New York City, I will definitely be thinking of those who have no permanent home, or whose home(s) was damaged or destroyed.  

May the evening blessing of wishing for a sukkah-type shelter of peace come true for us all (hapores sukkat shalom aleinu).  

recipe for build-a-sukkah-cocktail:

-1 shot of chocolate liquor

-optional:  1 shot of chocolate-flavored vodka

-optional:  1 shot of peppermint schnapps

-2 (or more, depending on taste) shots of either milk, almond milk, rice milk, name-your-choice of milk

-1 mint leaf

-2, 3 tooth picks

recipe for non-alcoholic version:

-1 shot of chocolate syrup instead of chocolate liquor

-3 shots (or more) of name-your-choice of milk

-1 mint leaf

-2, 3 tooth picks

Check out my instagram account @areasontolchayim for pictures, stories, and more!

Chag Sameach!  Have a wonderful Sukkot holiday!

Pomegranate Tekiah Cocktail (or Shot)

Happy New Year or Shana Tova!

Welcome (or welcome back) to my blog about reasons to l'chayim!  Very shortly, a new Jewish year of 5778 will begin!  In spirit of the new year, I want to challenge myself to start a new instagram and revive my blog about cocktail drinks in connection to Jewish holidays, themes, events, and maybe sometimes even the weekly Torah parsha!  Thank you for reading my blog and for following me on instagram.  I'm hoping that these recipes will help to bring a new taste for the holidays and more sweetness and fun in your homes.

And now, the cocktail:  Pomegranate Tekiah Cocktail

This can be made as a drink or as a shot, depending on your taste or mood.  This drink can work as part of a Rosh Hashana dinner drink, a cocktail hour/happy hour pre-dinner drink, or even lunch!

The idea of this drink basically comes from the idea of a mix of salty/sour and sweet.  I wanted to create a taste that incorporated two aspects of Rosh Hashana.  Many take time during this point of the year before the new year to make changes an improvements for the upcoming year.  During the holiday itself, many will greet each other with "Shana Tova U'Metukah" or Have a sweet new year!  So, this drink is meant to inspire both the t'shuva , the call to change and metukah , the sweetness and hope for a better year.  

The name of the drink is based on the names of the ingredients in the drink (including tequila) and one of the sounds that the shofar (the instrument blasted in synagogues during Rosh Hashana).

And now, the drink itself:  
The first step for either a cockail or a shot would be to drizzle some honey on a plate (I recommend paper, since this part can be messy...).  Then, take your margarita/martini/shot glass and dip the rim in the honey.  You can almost imagine that you're dipping the glass in the honey instead of the traditional apple in honey;).  Then, add 2 shots of tequila
1 shot of triple sec or cointreau (or even pomegranate liquor, if you can find it!)
1 tbsp of lime-aid or fresh-squeezed lime

for a shot:  add a splash of pomegranate juice
for a drink:  fill the rest of the glass with pomegranate juice

Feel free to add a lime wedge for garnish (and for fun).  Also, if you're drinking this as a shot, feel free to eat an apple slice after the shot for a sweet touch!

May this year bring more hope and sweetness and t'shuva !
Shana Tova U'Metukah

Candle in the Cloud...a Chanukah Cocktail

Candle in the Cloud...a Chanukah Cocktail

So, the holiday of Chanukah is coming up and fast!  But this year, I am so grateful that the holiday is soon after the Operation Pillar of Defense in Israel.  As many of you know, during that time, there were rockets, missiles, terrible things attacking Israel from Gaza.  But, there was an Iron Dome protecting Israel from many of these rockets.  Because of this protective dome, this whole period of time was refered to as Operation Pillar of Defense or translated from the Hebrew, A Protective Cloud.  

This image of a cloud protecting Israel makes many people think of the pillar of fire that protected the people of Israel from the charging Egyptian army right after they escaped from Egypt.  It also conjures up the image of the protective cloud that followed the people of Israel as they traveled in the desert on their way to the Land of Israel.  These images were in my head during the weeks this November in Israel and provided many, me included, with a tiny glimmer of hope.     

During the holiday of Chanukah, many Jews will be lighting Chanukah candles, another way of bringing light and hope during literally dark and cold wintery nights.  These candles are supposed to trigger memories of our past as a Jewish people.  

There is an Israeli Chanukah song that comes to mind when I think of these candles:

נרותי הזעירים הם סיפרו לי סיפורים על עבר של עם על עבר של עם ואשמע כל נר ונר לי קורא קום התעורר עם חיה וקם עם חיה וקם

This part of this Israeli Chanukah song struck me as well:  “My little candles/they teach me stories/about the past of the nation/about the past of the nation/and I will listen to each candle/that tells me to get up and wake up/my nation is alive/my nation is alive.”

The candles that we will be lighting on Chanukah tell a story and in turn, the story is meant to teach us about our Jewish identities and of our identity as a strong nation.  We must remember to continue to help to light the way for others and use these little lights as a way to remind ourselves about our stories from the past.  May we draw comfort from these candles during this dark and cold time and may we turn this light and warmth to help others.

In light (get it?  light?? :) of the image of the candle and cloud, may I introduce the Candle in the Cloud Cocktail!  The tastes, smells, and images seen in the one little cocktail, should remind people of the green land of Israel, the cloud of defense, and the sweetness of a hopeful future.

In a glass mug, or a regular glass, add a spoonful of white hot chocolate mix.

Then, add 1/3 of a cup of hot water.  Mix well and let the drink cool for about 10 minutes.  Add one shot of peppermint schnapps and mix again.  Optional step:  Add a drop of grenadine or berry jelly to the glass.  Sip and enjoy!

Stars in your Eyes and in the Skies

I know that it's been awhile since I last posted, but it's been a busy couple of months.  The holidays, then the hurricane in New York City, lots of things were taking up my time.  During this time, there was a lot of travelling happening:  travelling to visit family for the holidays, travelling to prepare for the hurricane, travelling to escape the storm (luckily, I just went down the street to weather the storm with a friend, but i was okay the whole time), travelling to parts of the city and beyond to help post-hurricane.  

During the last couple of parshiot in the Torah, we read the stories of our ancestors' travels.  Avraham and Sarah traveled from their home to the land of Canaan.  God promised them descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.  Then, Rebecca traveled from her home to the land of Canaan to marry Yitzchak.  When they had trouble having children, she prayed to God, asking for children.  Then, low and behold, she becomes pregnant with twins!  In this coming Parsha Toldot, Jacob begins his journey away from his twin brother and home.  He follows the stars along his long journey in the desert.

I was thinking about the idea of stars and what they represent to many.  For some, stars represent guidance in direction.  People used to depend on following the stars in their travels, so the stars in a way guide us when we are lost in our way.  Even Peter Pan used the stars for direction to Never Never Land:  "First star to the right and straight on 'til morning".  For some, stars represent a hope for the future, a light in the darkness perhaps?      Maybe that is why so many New Yorkers are cynical, not enough stars are seen in the skies...;)  

But, I wonder if perhaps if stars are also a reminder of the past as a way of guiding us to our future?  I'm reminded of a quote from a father lion to his little cub in the movie The Lion King:  "Look at the stars.  The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars....so whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you.  And so will I."  That idea of having faith that it will be okay, even in the night, while traveling or through the storms, is a powerful and warm thought that I think we can all use during these weeks of dark and starry nights.  Let us all focus on the stars in the skies and in our cocktails, keep having faith, and stay warm during this wintery Hebrew month of Kislev.

Here is a recipe for a Star Cocktail:

Stars in your Eyes and in the Skies

2 shots of vodka
1 shot of Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 tablespoon of orange juice
Fill the rest of the glass with pear juice.  Stir with a teaspoon or stir stick.
Add a slice of star fruit.

Sip and enjoy!

Sparkling Rosh Hashana Sangria

Sparkling Rosh Hashana Sangria

Dear Readers,

During this time, as we approach a new Hebrew year of 5773, many take on the tradition of reflecting on the past year and doing what is called "T'shuva"/repentance, asking for forgiveness from others.  So, I would like to ask your forgiveness, for my lack of blogging for the past several months.  I will try to post on a more regular basis and to make up for it, I will try to add some images along with these words.  

Now, back to the essence of the blog, the drink recipes!  Rosh Hashana has so so many options:  apple martini, pomtini (which is one of my favourites and will definitely include at some point), and my previously mentioned Tekiyah shots.  However, I decided to include a simpler, lighter drink:  a sparkling Rosh Hashana sangria.  I thought that a not-so-intense drink would be best for this time of year when people are reflecting and collecting their thoughts with a clear mind.  Also, the fruit that can be added to the sangria is flexible, so you may add whatever fruits you want.  Perhaps you would like to include a new fruit that you haven't tasted before?  Take this drink on as you would take on the new year:  try new things, reflect, and enjoy a sweet beginning to a good new year.  Just make sure that you at least add some slices of apple, to remind yourself to have a sweet new year, and some pomegranate juice to encourage you to take on many mitzvot (like the many seeds in a pomegranate).  

Recipe (serves about 4 people):
-in a pitcher add:
-small (half inch/cm) slices of one apple (I prefer honey crisp, but whatever floats your boat)
-small slices of 8 strawberries
-small slices of one peach
-4 shots of pomegranate liquor (or triple sec if you do not have this liquor)
-1 cup of pomegranate juice 
-1-2 bottles of sparkling white wine (or sparkling grape juice for a non-alcoholic version)

-refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving

-Shana Tova!