Apple Mule for Chanukah

 Apple Moscow Mule for Chanukah

Chanukah is just a week away!  Since the first night of Chanukah is during the end of  (American) Thanksgiving weekend, I started to think about food that fits with both holidays.  Then, I thought about apples.  I know it's not usually the first food that comes to mind when you think of Chanukah, but don't forget about what some people like to add to their latkes!!  Also, apple cider doughnuts are perfect for Thanksgiving, fall and Chanukah!

But, there's a bit more to apples that I reflected on...

Chanukah is during a dark part of the year, so a bright and sweet apple could possibly help with adding some light to the dark time.  Also, in the book of D'varim (Deuteronomy) and in Psalms, the apple is referred to as a metaphor to the mitzvot (Jewish commandments):

Deuteronomy 32:10
He found him in a desolate land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings  

So the apple is more than just the sauce that is sometimes added to latkes!  

This cocktail recipe was inspired by the Fall Moscow Mule by halfbakedharvest.  Hope you enjoy it!  Let me know in the comments what you think!

-1 shot vodka

-teaspoon of cinnamon

-a tablespoon of lime juice

-2 shots of ginger beer (or ginger ale)

-2-3 shots of apple cider

Add ice to a martini shaker, then the vodka, cinnamon and lime juice.  Then pour into a glass (or mug).  Add the ginger beer and the cider.  Garnish with an apple slice and enjoy!

Three Purim Cocktails for Three Women in the Purim Story

Three Purim Cocktails for 3 Women in Megillat Esther!

Happy Purim!  This is going to be a topsy-turvey Purim for a topsy-turvey year!  To keep the joy going, I thought, why create just one drink??  I wanted to create 3 drink recipes to allow people to choose what works for them, especially this year for a Pandemic Purim, and when Purim is on a Friday--why not extend the Purim fun into the weekend??

My brother Josh gave me a fantastic idea:  to create drink recipes for women in the megillah!  So, I went with this idea and created drink recipes for Vashti, Esther, and Zeresh!

Esther Olive Oil Gimlet-

-1 shot (1 1/2 tbsp) gin

-1 lime cut into 4 wedges

-a few fresh sprigs of mint

-splash of olive oil (1/2 tsp)

-ice cubes

-(optional:  1 tbsp of simple syrup)

-put a couple of ice cubes, shot of gin, freshly squeezed lime from 2 lime wedges, and the simple syrup if you opt for that in a shaker, shake 

-put a couple of ice cubes in a cocktail glass, pour the cocktail into the glass

-add the sprigs of fresh mint leaves

-pour a splash of olive oil on top

Zeresh (Haman's wife) Hidden Cocktail-

-1 shot of baileys 

-optional:  1 shot of berry liquor

-1 tsp of berry or fig jam

-2-3 shots of almond or other milk

-pour a shot of baileys, optional berry liquor, and milk into a glass

-drop a spoon of jam into the cocktail

Vashti Festive Punch-

-slice up some fruit (such as apples, oranges, berries, mango-fruit can be frozen!)

-shot of rum (or skip the rum if you want to make it non-alcoholic)

-either 3 shots of bubbly wine or seltzer

-1 shot of either orange, grapefruit, or pineapple juice

-add a few ice cubes to a glass

-add the chopped fruit

-pour the rum into the glass

-add the bubbly wine or seltzer

-then add the juice

Esther Olive Oil Gimlet-

The story of Esther is very much connected to olive oil.  She uses olive oil to beautify herself before the pageant with the king.  It is also told that olives were a main part of her diet while living in the palace when there might not have been many options for her to eat.  Her other name:  Hadassah, alludes to a myrtle tree, found in the middle east where the story of Purim takes place.  So, this cocktail has the greenery of the Hadassah and olive oil.  It also has a Middle Eastern flavour which I hope gives you a little taste of the story.  

Vashti Festive Punch-

For the Vashti drink-I thought it would be fitting to have a lot of choice, since Vashti chose to stand up to the king and refuse to dance at his party!  So, this punch is a very festive drink and it's also sort of a "choose your own adventure" drink.  If you want to add rum and bubbly wine, go for it!  If you want to add juice, go for it!  If you'd rather skip the juice and just add fruit, that works too!  If you'd rather trade the alcohol for seltzer, it'll still be delicious!  Hope that you enjoy this bubbly celebratory drink, which could also work as a Shabbat drink if you want to extend the Purim fun into Shabbat!

Zeresh Hidden Cocktail-

Oy....Zeresh was Haman's wife who did a bad thing in the story...she was the one who suggested to Haman how to kill Mordecai.  As many of you may know, there is a tradition to make hamantashen (triangular shaped cookies with fillings inside) on Purim to help to remind us to behave the OPPOSITE way of Haman (and other reasons too).  So, I thought that cocktail with a hidden "filling" would be perfect for the Zeresh cocktail-a kind of liquid hamantashen.  This drink can be made dairy with creamy liquors and milk, or non-dairy with almond (or non-dairy) liquor and non-dairy milk.  It could be a great dessert cocktail for the end of the evening, or a brunch cocktail for a festive Purim or Shabbat Seudah!  

 

Rosh Hashana Apple of the Orchard Martini

Wow!  I can't believe that a new Jewish Year of 5779 is about to begin!  It's also about to be the one year anniversary of reviving this blog and starting my new instagram account @areasontolchayim!  

This year presents a bit of a challenge for me with this blog and my instagram.  I already posted many drink ideas last year, so this year I'm going to face up to the challenge to add as many new drinks as I can to this blog.  

Speaking of new things, let's talk about the New Year!  I was thinking about the tradition of eating apples with honey on Rosh Hashana and the reasons behind the tradition.  Many of us are familiar with the reasons of it's sweet and we want to have a sweet year, and that the fruit is round, just like a year begins and ends like a never-ending circle.  I was interested in finding out which instances an apple is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

In Isaiah, apples are mentioned as part of an orchard which is withering:

"Be dismayed, O farmers, wail, O vinedressers, over the wheat and barley, because the harvest of the field has perished. 12The grapevine is dried up, and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, palm, and apple—all the trees of the orchard— are withered."
-Isaiah

In the book of D'varim (Deuteronomy) and in Psalms, the apple is referred to as a metaphor to the mitzvot (Jewish commandments):

Deuteronomy 32:10
He found him in a desolate land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings  

I think the idea of an apple being something to protect and to have in your mind or your eye is a nice idea.  It's up to all of us to take care of the orchards of apples, perhaps by trying to take on new mitzvot or to continue protecting the ones we are already taking on.  This idea helped to guide me with the Rosh Hashana Apple of the Orchard Martini.  Hopefully, this cocktail will not only go with the sweet theme of the holiday, but also help to inspire us all to improve in taking care of the orchard of mitzvot and each other in this new year of 5779.

Shana Tova U'Metukah!  

Recipe for Rosh Hashana Apple of the Orchard Martini:

The day or two (or even week before):  take 2-3 tea bags of apple tea (I like the Wizzotsky brand called Apple Delight), add them to a large plastic or glass bottle and fill with cold water.  Place in the fridge and let it sit for a day.

In a martini shaker add the following:
-2 shots of either vodka or rum
-(optional) 1 shot of sour apple liquor
-2 shots of lemonade
-3 shots of the apple iced tea
-ice cubes

Shake, pour, and serve!  You can also add a slice of apple to the glass as a festive garnish.

-

Pesach Standing Drink

Pesach/Passover Standing Drink

Wishing you and your families and friends a wonderful Pesach holiday!  Here are my thoughts on my drink which I created for the seder this year:

Vehi she'amdah

The promise to our ancestors and to us STANDS.

I've been thinking about this phrase a lot recently with the standing and marching that I've been a part of (along with other cousins and friends).  I decided to look up other times when someone says "amad" in the tanakh/Bible:  

1)  when Yosef stood before his brothers in Egypt, about to reveal his true identity

2)  another time when  "amdah" is mentioned:

​ [פרק ל' פסוק ט']
וַתֵּרֶא לֵאָה כִּי עָמְדָה מִלֶּדֶת וַתִּקַּח אֶת-זִלְפָּה שִׁפְחָתָהּ וַתִּתֵּן אֹתָהּ לְיַעֲקֹב לְאִשָּׁה
when Leah took her "handmaid" Zilpah and gave her to Ya'akov as another wife, helping to continue the line of children in the family.

During the seder, I think it is important to not only discuss the story of the Exodus, but also where we came from?  Where were we before we even got to Egypt.  When we look back, we read about Avraham standing (nitzavim) before the three guests at the tent.  We read about Leah, as I mentioned earlier and Yosef standing before his brothers as the second to Pharaoh in charge of Egypt.  They were standing up for themselves, but also for others.  

So, as we are about to stand for Vehi Sheamda, I would like to think about what I stand for?  What do I march for?  What promise do I think still holds between all of us and God?  What promise do we need to make sure we keep for each other?

And as we're standing, we usually hold our second glass of wine.  I would like to add a "stand" of fruit to represent the extra sweetness that we can add when we stand together to help to make the world a bit better and continue to help to keep our promises with each other and might I add, to God.  

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!

Golden Dreams: Parshat Vayeshev

In this week's parsha, Joseph dreams his famous dreams (you know the play!) where he imagines himself as ruling over all, including his brothers. He makes the mistake of sharing these dreams with his brothers, who are anything but pleased, and then he is sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. Joseph is very far from his dreams, working as a slave, and then thrown into jail at the end of the parsha. But then, there is a little glimmer of hope at the very end of the parsha, when Joseph interprets two fellow prisoners' dreams. The hope is that the prisoner who is then let out of prison and sent back to work for Pharaoh, will remember Joseph and then help him out. We have to see what happens...or you can read ahead or see youtube clips of the play!

One lesson that I take from Joseph is to keep dreaming. Even when things get tough, even when the dreams seem impossible, to keep dreaming.

And to those of you living the dream: whether that means you are living in New York City, in Israel, joining the army (shout out to my brother Josh!), or somewhere else great that you enjoy, it's about appreciating what you have and hopefully continue dreaming.

In honour of the dreams, dreamers, and dream interpreters of this week's parsha, I present the Golden Cocktail. May all of our dreams turn golden:

Golden Dream Cocktail

3/4 oz cream
3/4 oz orange juice
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Galliano

Or, skip the cream, or replace the cream with ice cream and then blend ingredients together.

Vayeitze-A Reunion Drink

Family reunions can be tough and we learn that they were tough on Jacob in this week's parsha too. Jacob takes a journey from Haran back to his hometown in the land of Israel. In anticipation of the upcoming reunion with his estranged brother, Eisav/Essau, Jacob sends messengers to check out Eisav's group. Jacob also begins to take precautions with his things and the tents that he and his family were living in. But, in the end, the reunion of the brothers is a peaceful one, it even included a brotherly embrace! They did not need the liquid courage that many of us seem to crave in anticipation of upcoming family reunions during the holiday season. But, I just discovered this drink called a reunion cocktail and I adapted it a little big for you all.

1/2 oz. Brandy, sherry
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/4 oz. Lime Juice

P.S. Just FYI, I am VERY excited for the upcoming family reunion of my own that is coming up at the end of December! And am not concerned enough to need the drink to get through it, I am just plain looking forward to it.

Parshat Toldot: Red, Red, Cocktail!

Parshat Toldot: Red, Red, Cocktail

In this week's parsha, Rebecca is told that she is going to be expecting twins! These twins will be the beginnings of two new nations. When they are born, it is said that the first-born, named Eisav, is born with lots of red, red hair.

Eisav is known as the outdoorsy son, the one who hunts animals for fur and food. He had a bad reputation, for some reason, but I have recently found some positive in him. He was connected to nature and to animals, and felt fit and comfortable spending lots of time outside, which not everyone can do.

This weekend, people who live in the US are going to be giving thanks at their Thanksgiving tables. I would like to challenge you all to think about something in nature that you are grateful for, like Eisav, the red-haired twin. In honour of Thanksgiving, a fall holiday associated with fall colours, like red, I present a very red drink! Maybe it will inspire you to think of more reasons to give thanks....

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Adapted from a recipe from the food network website:

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 2 ounces pomegranate juice
• 2 ounces gin
• 5 to 6 ounces club soda
• 1 ounce red wine
• Fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in the juice and the gin; stir to mix together. Lighten the drink with a generous splash of soda. Float a layer of red wine on top by pouring it over the back of a wide, flat spoon. (Don't worry if it doesn't float; it tastes great either way.) Drop a few maraschino cherries and raspberries into the glass. Drink.

Oh Baby! Parshat Vayera

Baby Bellini

Babies seem to be on the brain in this week's Torah portion and also in the lives of some people who I am close to. I'll start with the Torah, while you fabulous readers try to figure out whose babies I am referring to.

In this week's parsha, Abraham and Sarah welcome three guests to their tent. They are a fine example of what hosting guests are all about: they give food, drink, and are attended to with care, even though it was a very hot day and Abraham was in a great amount of pain at the time. The guests later reveal that they are in fact angels and God's messengers. One of these messengers tells them that Sarah will have a baby!

I have always liked this story of the first hosted meal, it inspires me to continue to host meals myself, as I hope it does for you!

Mazal Tov to Pnina and Dov Nickerson on the birth of their baby boy Yair Adin! Also, mazal tov to Maggie and Adam Norris on the birth of their baby boy Teddy! So excited for you and hope to meet the babies soon!!

One of my favourite drinks to make for a big meal that I am hosting (especially brunch) are bellinis. In honour of all of the babies' arrival to the world, I will introduce a baby bellini, which is non-alcoholic. Enjoy and here's to more reasons to host celebratory meals!

Recipe for Baby Bellini

-put one tablespoon of berry applesauce inside a champagne glass

-half of the glass full of sparkling peach or blush grape juice

-half of the glass with orange juice

Global Hunger Shabbat

Parshat Lech Lecha

This week instead of choosing a cocktail drink, I decided to put in a little shout-out for the American Jewish World Service Global Hunger Shabbat. Please parooz on ajws.org for readings, feel free to start here:

http://ajws.org/hunger/ghs/materials/09-11-ghs-2011-hunger-prayer_v3.pdf

Shabbat Shalom!

Rainbow Martini

Parshat Noach: A Rainbow Martini

I hope that you enjoyed the drinks from the holidays!

I just recently noticed that the colours do not always show up on my blog, so I am going to try to work on that. But in the meantime, if the colours are not showing up on your computer screen, please know that I attempted to make the blog as much of a rainbow as possible by making the first row red, second row orange, etc.

This week's parsha is Noach, with the Noah and the ark story. I always liked the ending of the story with the dove bringing an olive branch and then a rainbow. The rainbow is supposed to be a symbol of God's promise to never destroy the world again. As a teacher of young children, I tend to see rainbows in the students' drawings a lot. One time, I asked one of my students about the rainbows in her drawings and she answered simply, "When I look at rainbows, I feel happy." I think that's true for many people, young and old, that rainbows help to bring happiness, comfort, and hope.

Not too long ago, Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was held prisoner for years, was just returned home to his family in Israel. This is definitely cause for both celebration and a little bit of wariness and worry for the future: Gilad's future and Israel's future. I hope that this Shabbat can bring us what the image of the rainbow helps to provide: a little happiness, comfort and hope for the future of a better world.

Presenting a rainbow drink!!

Recipe for.....

Malibu Reggae Rainbow

Cocktail - Long drink

2 oz Malibu® coconut rum
1 oz Midori® melon liqueur
3 - 4 oz pineapple juice
1 splash cranberry juice

Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour in the Malibu rum, then Midori melon liqueur (which will sink to the bottom). Gently pour in pineapple juice. Do not shake. Gently splash in a bit of cranberry juice. Do not mix. Drink will be layered, from top to bottom; green, yellow, red.