May 27
Jeanette Friedmanlife cycle events and celebrations
By Jeanette Friedman
Once upon a time, in a land not far away, there lived a little girl who loved dressing up for shul. Her favorite dress was a Swiss-dotted, baby blue chiffon with tiny royal blue flowers. It had puffy little sleeves, a flared skirt with a wide-ribbon at the waist and matching lace trim. Her bright white anklets and shining Mary Janes worked perfectly with her classic bright red, double-breasted spring coat. It had gold buttons, a black velvet collar and cuffs, was nipped at the waist and looked fabulous with her white cotton gloves. But the piece de resistance, was the lovely, flower-and ribbon-trimmed straw boater that perched on her brown hair topping off her outfit and making a specific fashion statement. She was transformed from her boring self into a creature as bold and adventurous as Eloise at The Plaza Hotel. That little hat also made her feel as grown-up as the married ladies who wore interesting hats to morning services, especially on Shabbat in the spring and during the High Holy Days.
Those hats, worn half a century ago, were very similar to those worn by the women who filed into 
Westminster Cathedral for the Royal Wedding last April. Like the hats at the wedding, they were individual works of art created by local milliners. One of them was Selma, who owned a ladies’ hat store on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights and also sold the finest gloves and bags for day or evening. The ladies came to her in droves, sitting in a shop that was filled with hat racks and heads wearing every sort of hat imaginable, to wait for their turn with Selma, who sat them in front of a triple-mirrored dressing table and “consulted.” “Fedora or cloche? Something smaller? Larger? Feathers and flowers? A little less netting perhaps? oShall we try a wider brim in a more festive color?” Hats would appear from the back room, taken from a rack and place on the clients head. Selma would hold up a mirror behind them so they could see the full 360 degrees and the “profile.”
Each hat had to be different. God forbid two ladies should show up in shul with the same hat! And for a family simcha, like sheva brachot, a bris or a bar mitzvah (in those days, there were no baby-namings, no simchat bat, no bat mitzvahs to speak of), you would need at LEAST three hats, one for each outfit! Selma would send her clients home with at least one custom confection coddled in a hat box. It makes one wonder how big their closets were. Storing beautiful, enormous hats takes up lots of space!
Of course, all hats have histories based on religion, ethnic groups, social mores, and so forth. They were part of a uniform, a clothing language that telegraphed who you were to the people who looked at you. They were, and sometimes still are, symbols of authority and status. One woman who understood that was Congresswoman Bella Abzug, fierce feminist and civil rights leader. Today she is remembered more for her the wide-brimmed hats than her significant accomplishments, but she knew very well that, “if you want to get ahead and get noticed, get a hat.”
Back then and even today, finding the right hat for the right occasion was a highly personal process. What do you want your hat to say about you? Do you want to be low-key, wear a modest military cap, baseball cap, beret or snood? Did you want to make a fashion forward statement with something wild and contemporary like a fascinator attached to your sheitel (wig)? The hat parade at the wedding in Westminster may have caught the eye of mainstream media, but stylish hats aren’t news. There are women who, to this day, sit in synagogues and temples everywhere (in churches, too) whose hats command respect. In the 50s and 60s, married women in Jewish neighborhoods had their own version of the Easter parade along 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Ocean Parkway in Flatbush, and Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights. Women who went to church in those days had to cover their hair, too and wore outlandish hats. The neighborhoods overlapped, and so did millinery design. In the African American community, then and today, women love hats as much as Selma’s ladies did, and like them, try to outdo each other in style, class, color, complexity and creativity.
In hat world, Victorian ladies changed their hats at least twice a day—there were hats for every occasion—low tea, high tea, afternoon tea, going to the races, going to the opera, going shopping, you get the picture [hat]. Even during World War II, women wore wonderful hats. You can see them in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. Since millinery supplies weren’t rationed, there were plenty of materials to use for fashioning feathered, floral and brightly colored bonnets to chase the wartime blues away, at least for a few moments. In France, according to Wikipedia, these creations were called pieces de resistance as symbols of resisting Nazi attempts to demoralize the French. The 40s also put Victorian ‘Doll’ hats back in style—they are tiny hats perched at a precarious angle over the wearer’s face. Does that look sound familiar to you? Fascinators are Not New.
After the Second World War many women chose not to wear hats, but the millinery industry reinvented itself by marketing their creations as the accessory that completes an ensemble. They had lots of help from women who never gave up the hat habit.
Though many credit First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy for boosting the hat business in mainstream America, Hollywood movies in which the women who wore hats and the people who designed them had a huge impact on fashion (an impact visible in the TV series, Mad Men). There are others who believe that no one did more for the millinery industry than Audrey Hepburn, the mega-elegant pop icon who, among many films, starred in the box office hits My Fair Lady, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Charade. In the 1950s and 60s, she wore demure toques, fascinators, picture hats and cloches that were bold, flattering and fabulous. In the 50s, Bazaar did a fashion spread on Hepburn in hats that are as contemporary, classic and edgy as any hat worn at the Royal Wedding. (You can see the photos on the web at (http://english.cri.cn/6666/2009/02/19/1321s455776.htm) or Google “Audrey Hepburn hats” on Google images and go mad with delight for her hat repertoire.)
The hats Hepburn wore in My Fair Lady, particularly the black-and-white beribboned bonnet she wore to the Ascot Races, are timeless masterpieces that have continued a tradition that hat ladies love, no matter how liberated they are. ‘Tis true indeed, that fewer women indulge in hat habits today, even when required to cover their hair. They’ve switched to lightweight wigs, baseball caps, golf caps, snoods, pot hats and soft cloches, berets and kerchiefs. They are easy to care for. They don’t crush. They don’t take up space. But they also do not have the magic and madness of the true ladies’ hats and the obsessions of hat lovers everywhere, the ladies and their admirers, those who appreciate the power of a good hat. These ladies would love a chance to escape the mundane for a few short hours, to pull out their pearls, parasols and reticules, and transport themselves to less hectic times, to dress up for horse races, tea parties, garden parties, and social events.
But you don’t have to hunt for resale shops and vintage stores to find the hat for you. Now, you too, can transport yourself to such places by checking out the hats at My Fair Lady on Teaneck’s Cedar Lane, treating yourself to the hat the speaks to your heart, and then hostessing an afternoon tea or other hat-appropriate event to raise funds for your favorite charity.
When you surf the net, you’ll discover ladies’ hat societies that ladies form so that give ladies the chance to wear pretty picture hats, enjoy time with their friends and maybe put a little good into the world. They give a hat lover a place to be comfortable, and not be the only woman in a tea room, café, restaurant or at a social event wearing a beautiful hat. At the same time, these societies encourage their ladies to do mitzvoth, to do good, while looking good and feeling good. As one group in the Deep South wrote on their wesite, the idea is to develop a positive “hattitude.” “Be part of stylish brigade of ladies who are making a difference…discover how hats open doors, network, get complimented, experience a rise in self-esteem…”
It’s mad, it’s magic, and it works.
MY FAIR LADY
453 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Grace
201-836-8381
www.hatagories.com
You don’t have to go far afield to find the hat that fits you best. At My Fair Lady on Cedar Lane you’ll get the kind of old-fashioned, caring service Selma used to dish out in Crown Heights.
Grace says that usually shul hats are styles with small brims or are crocheted cloches in black or neutral colors and reports that since the royal wedding, sales of “Derby Hats,” (picture hats like those in My Fair Lady and the wide-brimmed hats worn at the royal wedding) have gone up, even among women who wear small hats to services. Fascinators have taken off like a shot, and lots of birthday girls, sweet sixteeners, prom queens, and princess wannabes are snapping them up.
As for the picture hats, “We have sold scores of hats from our website for the Kentucky Derby, hats that are straight out of the Ascot scene in My Fair Lady—and they are selling in all colors, not just black, white and gray, which are still favorites. People like them for weddings, too.”
When you visit the website, there are hundreds of hats and styles to choose from, from the most casual to the incredibly outrageous and creative, available in every price range suitable for any kind of a celebration. Grace will help you choose the right one for you.
May 27
Jeanette Friedmanfood, life cycle events and celebrations, local stories/community
TEA PARTY REVOLUTION
By Jeanette Friedman
It’s like listening to the Mad Hatter, whose anxieties were fraught with unfounded fear. The screaming, rude noises, and rabid partisan politics of the ultra conservative wing of a certain political party dominate the news, giving those who truly love refined, old-fashioned elegant tea parties a headache. The tea partiers described in the press have attitudes and behavior that are light-years away from the finely-honed, strictly structured etiquette, lady-like sensibilities and compassionate sensitivities of tea party lovers worthy of the name.
This is a call to lovely ladies and gents of all persuasions to appeal to civilized society and convince them re-adopt the pinky-in-the air tradition that, thanks to Queen Elizabeth of England and the royals, has not been completely eradicated by modernity. For those who indulge, tea parties have often been a lady-like way to raise funds for good causes. Now these sophisticated get-togethers are becoming fashionable again, along with hats, pearls, red lipstick, blue eye shadow and spiked heels, so it’s time to celebrate with one.
The very British tea tradition was embraced in Eastern and Central Europe and came to American Jewish communities with the Holocaust survivors who remembered how magnificent teas were served in their childhood homes. Of course, there was always the “glezeleh tay” in a glass cup with a handle that was served after supper with a piece of cake, but nothing compared to a full spread of a Nishei Agudah women’s meeting, a fundraiser for the local Bikur Cholim organization, or an Oneg Shabbat tea organized by the local ladies in hats.
The neighborhood women knew how pull out all the stops, and taught their daughters to do the same. For large parties, they pooled their best silver and china, assigning different dishes, like fruit platters, fingercakes, apple strudel, and cheese cakes to the women who made the best of the best. The ladies would arrive at the home of the hostess, bringing their dishes and small gifts, like fancy paper napkins, a box of chocolates or other useful but elegant trifles. They wore lovely coat dresses and suits, with gloves, shoes and hats that were veddy veddy-matchy matchy. They chatted, gossiped, listened to a Dvar Torah, or pitch, wrote checks, and drank tea poured from sterling silver teapots into the finest porcelain cups, munching on finger sandwiches and other assorted delights. A wonderful, traditional custom from the Old Country was thus revived in the Jewish community.
Have a party of your own in a tea room or private home, cafes or hotel. Many scattered around the New York metro region will be happy to serve as your hosts or caterers. The most famous tea of course, is the afternoon tea at The Plaza Hotel, one of the most divine spots on the east coast. But there are rules.
You can find these exacting requirements on the web at http://whatscookingamerica.net/EllenEaston/EtiquetteFauxPas.htm. There are rules for everything, from how to hold the cup with your pinkie in the air to prevent spilling and how to use your teaspoon to stir sugar or milk (never cream) in your tea cup. Ellen Eaton has it all figured out for you. Google her and learn more about tea party ceremonies and tea than you could ever imagine.
Afternoon tea, also known as low tea, is a light meal typically eaten between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and served in sitting rooms on low tables (like a coffee table) placed near sofas or chairs. High tea, also known as meat tea, is an early evening meal consisting of cold meats, eggs or fish, cakes and sandwiches eaten at a regular height table between the hours of 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. It’s often followed by a lighter later in the evening.
To avoid Mad Hatter syndrome, make this easier by setting up a buffet andhaving your caters prepare finger sandwiches, fresh fruit and cake platters and other foods you want to serve. Keep little pots of tea hot on Sterno fueled platforms. Offer a selection of international teas that come from exotic places, or spice and fruit teas that don’t contain caffeine. They can be tea bags or loosed leaf teas. Prepare pareve substitute/milk, lemon, lime and orange slices, sugar substitutes, sugar cubes, honey, and different types of granulated sugars. Butter should be whipped and at room temperature for easy spreading. Don’t forget a huge bowl of whipped cream for the tarts and lemon curd for muffins and scones.
Put out your best china cups, and they don’t need to match. Use your fanciest platters, crystal plates and flatware. Everything should be as pretty as you can make it. You can buy fancy printed paper napkins or use linens, decorate with fresh flowers. Even the Queen of Hearts would approve.
Belamari Tea Room
198 Diamond Bridge Avenue
Hawthorne
973-304-0188
http://www.belamari.com
This Victorian tea room in Hawthorne was conceived in Paris in 2002 by three sisters who were there to celebrate a beloved niece’s Sweet Sixteen. As they sat in a tea salon opposite the Louvre and raised their tea cups to honor their recently deceased mom, they decided to create a tea room in Northern New Jersey. Their diverse backgrounds (information technology, the fashion industry, and banking) brought solid business experience to their love for tea and making people happy. The name “Belamari” is a combination of the names of their grandmother, Emma Bell and their mother, Edna Marie—a wonderful way to celebrate their heritage. The sisters trained with industry experts, attended seminars, read books and took tea trips to France, Germany, the U.K., and several states in the U.S. where they gained a wealth of information about tea, its service, preparation and etiquette to help them provide their clients with the perfect tea experience. Call to find out about catering and kosher availability.
Lady Mendl’s
Five Course Tea Service
At the Inn on Irving Place
56 Irving Place
New York, NY
tel: 212- 533-4466
tel: 800-685-1447
fax: 212-533-4611
Inquiries: innatirving@aol.com
http://www.innatirving.com/default.aspx?pg=home
This tea room is a throwback to the Washington Irving and Jane Austen days, simply out of this world
By Reservation: $35 per person + tax + 20% gratuity
Monday – Friday: 3pm or 5pm seatings
Saturday & Sunday: 12pm, 2:30pm or 5pm seatings
Harmony Tea Room
11 Bergen St
Westwood, NJ
201-563-0382
http://www.harmonytearoom.com
info@harmonytearoom.com
Located near the heart of Westwood’s Downtown, the Harmony Tea Room is American-style quiet oasis offering an escape from life’s hectic pace. It’s a wonderful place to sit quietly, sip tea from fine bone china and ponder what you must do for the next week or enjoy different teas with your friends as you take a taste trip around the world in a single afternoon. The scones are to die for and the variety of soups salads and finger sandwiches brings you from Africa to India and many other delicious destinations. Children’s tea parties are available in the Enchanted Garden party room. The Princess Tea Birthday includes fabulous costumes for each child and a photo memento. At the Scone Baking Party your child bakes scones and takes them home for the family, and at the Chocolate Tea Party, children make chocolate covered goodies. The reservation-only live music brunch is served the on third Sunday of every month. Call for more information.
Jeanette Friedman, EIC
The Wordsmithy
201-986-0647
May 27
Jeanette Friedmanlife cycle events and celebrations
MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY: The Art of Gift Giving
By Jeanette Friedman
The most ironic gift item anyone ever received is the handmade, needle-pointed pillow that reads, “THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS.” Maybe. But guilt-inducing gifts won’t stop us from buying and giving gifts. People really love “stuff,” especially if it’s different, has sentimental value, is an heirloom, or creates beautiful memories. And they love, simply love, to rip off the bows and wrapping paper, open the envelopes, and crack the boxes to see what’s inside.
Back in the day, gift giving rarely used imagination. People bought things they liked that they thought you would like or would pick a toy, game or book that had been touted to fit a specific age group or celebration category, from housewarmings to birthdays and bridal/baby/engagement/adieu showers to graduations. Birthday boys could get three baseball gloves (today that translates into four smartphones or iPods). Birthday girls would score enough Nancy Drew books to stock a library and Barbie dolls to fill a mini-city. (Today that would translate into four smartphones or iPods and enough Barbie dolls to fill a mini-city.) Hostesses and brides-to-be were gifted with enough glassware and serving pieces to stock a restaurant. All it would take would be one more punch bowl to send them over the edge. And yet housewares keep on arriving—and after a while you wonder if you’ve been re-gifted and need to do a little re-gifting yourself. After all, “stuff” takes up lots of space, and don’t have any left.
Edibles are incredible gifts—bouquets of fresh fruits, chocolates and candies are available from a number of vendors. Petit-four and fingercake platters or a beautifully decorated cake are always welcome. They become part of your event, they’re attractive, luscious and scrumptious, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.
Diamonds and jewelry are absolutely forever and don’t take up much space. Vintage collectibles, like Anchor Hocking’s mid-century kitchen set, Tulips on Ivory, would warm the cockles of any kitchen collector’s heart. There are all sorts of collectibles available on e-bay, but you need to make sure the person you’re gifting appreciates your efforts and doesn’t already have what you want to bid on.
Personalized items create a special link between giver and receiver, creating memories that will last forever, especially if there’s a thoughtful message attached.
There are folks who specialize in memories—they’ll create themed photo/video scrapbooks , on-line or off, that document the fun and games. Other turn invitations into works of art, etch them in glass, or engrave heartfelt messages into an item, like a crystal wine decanter or silver charity box that become family treasures. Google what you’re looking for, and chances are you’ll find it. There are now all sorts of gift registries where you can send cash to contribute to the price of a cruise, or buying a cruise ship (http://www.workboatsinternational.com/cruise-ships-for-sale.html) a car, a down payment on a house, or just about anything else. There’s no re-gifting a cruise, a mortgage or a trip to Disneyland!
TEANECK GENERAL STORE
502A Cedar Lane
Teaneck
Bruce and Stacey Prince
201-530-5046
www.teaneckgeneralstore.com
RCBC
There’s nothing like it in town. Born on vacation during a Vermont vacation in 2009, The Teaneck General Store has been filling the community’s needs for a café, arty gift shop and general store, which offers a platform to local artists, musicians, authors and even comedians. They also offer shiurim (lectures about Judaism and related topics) and book signings. The seeds for the endeavor were planted when, as a child, Stacey, now a creative director at Vogue, traveled the country with her family, stopping at every General Store she and her parents could find. She developed a love of lore and crafts. Bruce’s love of community service and Teaneck pride has been at the core of his life for the last 30 years.
Stacey is the buyer and seeks out the interesting, the crafty and the unusual. Tableware items, Shabbos gifts range from $15-30, engagement gifts from about $50. There are elaborate sets of glassware, handmade ceramics picture frames, erving pieces and so forth. They also do screen printing and embroidery as give-away gifts and party favors. There are camp baskets to send to the kids that are packed with games, toys and things children miss from home. One third of the gifts including the teas and coffees, are fair trade items from developing nations. The also set up tea parties at people’s homes.
SWEETS ON CEDAR
488 Cedar Lane
Teaneck
201 928-4100
(fax) 201 530-5385
Monica
monica@sweetsoncedar.com
http://www.sweetsoncedar.com/
RCBC
Great place for those addicted to sugar and sweets, pretty things and fresh ideas. Get platters for your mahjong party, drown in 26 flavors of Jelly Bellies, and pack them as gifts by the glass, jar or bucket. The candyman in shul gets to pick from 20 lollipop flavors, or you can order a lollipop bouquet for your sweetheart. The shop also carries an elegant selection of disposable partyware. Corporate and organization gift giving accounts are available and there are specialty gifts that are custom created for weddings, bar/bats, sheva brachot, get wells, births, and so much more.
THE PAINT TUBE
10a South Dean Street
Englewood NJ
201-227-8203
Fax 201-227-8204
SHERI
sheri@thepainttube.com
http://thepainttube.com/
“Gifts to fill those wishes and dreams for infants, children and adults, ” says the website, and Shari had been there for twenty years to help you choose the right personalized gift for the right person and occasion. There’s even a baby gift registry for your convenience. The shop specializes in hand-painted custom gifts for infants, children and adults, many hand-painted by talented crafters. In addition to gifts, the shop carries custom accent furniture pieces, bedding for infants thru adults and accessories. Birth announcements, invitations, and. Stationery are also available. Visit the website to realize what you can choose to make someone happy.
SUNSHINE GIFTS
266 Grand Ave, in the rear
Englewood
RACHEL 201-541-5595
Great place for Shabbat gifts for your hostess and her family. There are also more than 100 games you can play on Shabbat for children of all ages. Prices range from $10-$200. Interesting items are a line of tempered glass platters that wash well, hold up in a warming drawer and microwave and are actually useful. There are picture frames, serving pieces, chip and dip sets, Funky dinnerware for picnics and pool parties, BBQ’s and romantic and themed and scented candles and diffusers. To see, you must go. Call ahead if you like to make sure Rachel is there to offer advice. Free Parking and Gift wrap.
PARTY PLUS STUDIO
108 Engle St.
Englewood,
201-871-8860
CARYN SHERRY/JENNIFER MARALDO
A unique boutique specializing in custom invitations for all your special occasions: Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, baby namings, social and business stationery and special event parties. Offering a wide selection of giftware for graduation, teachers gifts, hostess gifts and more. Stop by and begin your shopping experience with ease. To learn more, find them on Facebook.com
MATISSE CHOCOLATIERS
260 Grand Avenue, rear of building
Englewood
LUCILLE SKROCE
201-568-2288
RCBC
http://www.getfreshchocolate.com/
If you are looking for a chocolate gift that makes a special statement, the natural choice for gorgeous, quality corporate gift baskets and more.Matisse Chocolatier is deliciously decadent. They offer a sophisticated yet down home variety of beautifully prepared and gift wrapped chocolate gift ideas ~ perfect for business associates, clients, co-workers, your boss and more. There are traditional gift baskets, stackable boxes, leather look magazine bags, and more. Though packaging is important, it’s the delicious chocolate treats inside that really count!
Matisse Chocolatier puts fresh, homemade chocolate into every beautiful gift basket we make ~ chocolate bark in several mouth watering varieties, chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate dipped potato chips, chocolate drizzled Fiddle Faddle, chocolate covered Oreo cookies, and even more delicious chocolate confections to choose from. Gift basket styles may change from time to time based upon availability—so if you have any special preferences just give them a call to find out what baskets, boxes or other packaging is available. There’s a variety of fresh homemade milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate, cherry cordials, raspberry jellies, milk chocolate covered caramel patties, dark chocolate covered peppermint patties, classic assorted homemade chocolates in gift boxes ready for gift giving and the ever popular Matisse Box-O-Bark, featuring 20 different types of Matisse Chocolatier’s handmade bark. Check out the boxes of gourmet Chocolate Pizza!! And they do special themed gifts, as well as chocolate platter for parties.
NOAH’S ARK
493 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
Phone: 201.692.1200
Fax: 201.692.1890
www.noahsark.net
Glatt. RCBC
Prepaid Gift Card for Pastrami on Rye and so much more, giving new meaning to the phrase, “conspicuous consumption. ” The VIP cards are the size and shape of a debit card and work the same way, against the account set up by the giver. The full-color collage of deli meats on the card will make your mouth water. Available in any denomination, $18 and up. They never expire until the money runs out, and then they’re refillable and useable at Noah’s Ark in Teaneck and on the Lower East Side and Shelly’s Café on Cedar Lane.
DEPOSIT A GIFT
Dana Ostomel
Chief Gifting Officer, Founder
181 E. 119th St., Suite 10B, NYC
646-337-5581
www.depositagift.com
Be Our Fan: http://www.facebook.com/DepositaGift
Follow Us: http://www.twitter.com/DepositaGift
Press: http://www.DepositaGift.com/Press
Blog: http://www.DepositaGift.com/blog
dana@depositagift.com.
Deposit a Gift is for all of life’s celebrations where gifts are involved and cash is preferred. Knowing that some people feel awkward asking for money—and others are not accustomed to giving it—Deposit a Gift mainstreams the process with a user-friendly site modeled on traditional registries. Users share their wants and dreams with their guests, who help them achieve their goals by giving them what they want most: Flexibility. Works for weddings, babies, graduations, bar/bat mitzvahs, birthdays, fundraising, retirement parties and more. Users create gift lists to get what they actually want, not ‘stuff’ they don’t—from cribs to college funds, Bar/Bat Mitzvah trips to Israel, even raising money for charity. Gift-givers contribute via credit card. When users are ready, they cash-out to redeem their money via free direct deposit, personal check or Visa gift card to spend it how, when and where they want without being tied to a particular store. There is no shipping, no gift wrap, no need for returns.
The Grey Dove
159 South Livingston Avenue
Livingston,
Audrey Weinstock
973-994-2266
http://www.thegreydove.net
Founded 30 years ago, The Grey Dove specializes in hand signed art glass, fabulous picture frames, designer serving pieces, jewelry, home accessories and things you never knew that you needed. This gallery reflects what is elegant, beautiful and out-of-the-box outrageous! While trends in style are very important, selections are always tempered by what is right for our clientele. When you visit The Grey Dove, you will be surrounded by a kaleidoscope of beauty whether it is for your home, for the new baby, for your hostess, a wedding, graduation or engagement gift or just something that you would just love to have! It doesn’t matter if the gift is modest or extravagant, presentation is everything and our signature gift wrap is always free of charge!
THE PURPLE RAINCOAT
63 Fifer Lane
Lexington, MA 02420
www.Purpleraincoat.com
Ask for Carol Colman
617-803-0366
Unique keepsakes for life’s special events. Invitations are perfect touchstones for remembering the joy associated with life’s special moments. That’s why Purple Raincoat uses framed invitations to create personalized keepsakes that preserve the memories of these special occasions. Whether you’re looking for gift ideas or a memento for your own event, let Purple Raincoat create a unique keepsake just for you. They incorporate photographs and little touches of art and elegance into your custom-made keepsake. They can even “reinvent” lost invitations or announcements – for a 25th anniversary or 50th wedding anniversary keepsake. These personalized keepsakes become cherished mementos that will be appreciated now and cherished for a lifetime.
PICKELICIOUS
384 Cedar Lane,
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: 201-833-0100
http ://picklelicious.com/
ROBYN SAMRA
RCBC
Family Day Sunday`s (10am-5pm)Picklelicious Gift Cards make a great gift for the Pickle lover in every family. Get a $100.00 Gift Card for only $90.00. Souvenir section includes bibs, t-shirts, tot bages and other pickle paraphernalia. Sauce and condiment baskets, pickle platters as hostess gifts.
May 27
Jeanette Friedmanfood, life cycle events and celebrations
The Great Outdoors: Picnics, Pool Parties and BBQ’s
Pick up a picnic basket, get the grill going, and the world is your dining room.
By Jeanette Friedman
Here are keywords to tickle your imagination and get your brain working on party ideas for late spring and summer, especially if you will be surrounded by children of all ages who need to be entertained and fed on a regular basis. There’s always a reason for outdoor fun, so think themes: Fiestas, Casinos. Luaus. Golf Outings. Sweet16s, Middle Eastern Madness, Car Crazy. Under the Sea. Splish-Splash. Hannah Montana. New York, New York. Sleepovers. Fashion Themes. Milestone Birthdays. Anniversaries. Glee. Super Hero Themes. Bowling. Outer Space. Harry Potter. Pirate Adventure. Super Safari. Fairytale Castle. Candyland. American Idol. American Girl. Magic. Baseball. Basketball. Soccer Champ. Garden of Eden. Willy Wonka. Open House. Roast the Graduate. Preschool Graduation. Silver 25th. Golden 50th. Kitchen & Recipe Themes. Baby Showers, Mommy-To-Be, Rock n Roll, Retirement Party, Divorce Party, Housewarmings, Farewells. Party on the Porch, and Party on the Beach. Dog Day Afternoons, and Block Parties. All that should get your gears turning.
DINING EN PLEIN AIR
Picnics and BBQ’s
Picnics can be impromptu and impulsive or very formal. You can have a family picnic you do yourself to celebrate a birthday or holiday like the Fourth of July, or enjoy dinner while watching the local Little League game. Or you can dress up in summer frocks, seersucker suits, get out the parasols, and have a high-end top of the line caterer like Foremost prepare a posh picnic at Ringwood Manor.
If you’re doing it all yourself, you might want to make sure your transportation will hold everything you will need, including the passengers. You may also want to get a group of friends together and make a potluck picnic, where everyone plays a role and brings something to the picnic table. You’re schlepping stuff to the site, so be prepared. Make sure you meet your park’s regulations and that you don’t break any of them. If you are going to cook on site, you will need a grill and everything that goes with it, including charcoal, lighter fluid, matches, an insulated cooler to hold items you will be grilling, and condiments. Don’t forget tons of ice to keep beverages cold and foods safe.
Folding chairs, folding tables, tablecloths, napkins, pre-moistened towelettes, a first aid kit, real towels, blankets, pillows, coolers, thermal boxes, trash bags, paper plates, hot & cold cups, eating utensils should all be on your checklist. Perhaps you can plug in an iPod to a set of speakers that run on batteries, so bring extra batteries, too. Shield yourself from the weather with umbrellas for shade or protection against the rain, and use sunblock.
For a pot luck picnic, email all your friends and tell everyone whose first names start with the letters A-L to bring the salads, L-S do the entrees, and T-Z do the desserts. Or just divvy up all the assignments depending on who is best at creating a special dish. Have juices, soft drinks and plenty of water. Follow basic outdoor food safety tips. Remember alcohol is not allowed in public places, or you will face an intervention and a fine.
On the other hand, you can call your favorite local caterer and have them set everything up for you, including the arrangements to use the picnic grounds, gardens or beaches of your choice. The best thing to do is invite all your friends, worry-free, and bring your personality, interesting conversation, and for high-schoolers, maybe a hacky-sack or two to kick around or even an old-fashioned Frisbee to toss—though they may be too busy texting to notice. Fresh air makes for a hearty appetite, so be prepared to provide a picnic with plenty of provisions!
BARBEQUES/BARBECUES
Picnics and pool parties, any outdoor party, would be incomplete without a barbeque, which can be spelled many ways, and is abbreviated as BBQ or Bar-B-Q. It’s a noun that refers to the food being cooked, the contraption it’s being cooked on and the party that BBQ creates in its wake. It’s also a verb that refers to the cooking method—essentially heating and smoking meats and poultry in a metal container with the use of fire, hot coals, wood, propane or natural gas, and in some cases, electricity, and drenching them in marinades, basting sauces and seasonings. BBQ’ed foods prepared in restaurants and take out places are usually cooked in a large brick or metal oven designed specifically for the purpose.
So who started the craze that has made Bobby Flay, the grilling, smoking Food Network Iron Chef and show host the expert? According to the OED, the first recorded usage of barbecue in the English language took place in 1697, when it was uttered by William Dampier, a British buccaneer. Scholars believe it came from the word barabicu found in the language of the Timucua people of Florida and the Taíno people of the Caribbean, and entered European languages as barbacoa—which means “sacred fire pit.” Traditionally, barbacoa involved digging a pit, lining it with a pot to catch the juices of a whole goat that was placed above it, covered with leaves and coals and set ablaze. Getting the goat to cook through took a few hours, but it was worth it in the end, or the methods and recipes wouldn’t have evolved through the centuries.
Every state of the Union (and the Confederacy) has come up with its own BBQ methods and lingo, and they are competitive and possessive of recipes and techniques—barbecue competitions are held in virtually every state beginning in April and run through October. Bobby Flay does a throwdown every week, where he challenges local cooks to see if they are as good as he is. Countless BBQ contests are fired up around the country, and a four-day-long American Royal Barbecue Contest is held each October in Kansas City. The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is held during the Memphis in May festival. Former newspaper columnist Mike Royko organized the first Chicago Ribfest in 1982, and less than ten years later, 10,000 people showed up to eat. These competitions helped popularize different regional styles to a wider audience. Now in North Jersey, barbequeing is part and parcel of living in the suburbs, and the smell of lighter fluid, charred meat and roasted, grilled veggies are the perfect scent for a summer’s eve.
POOL PARTIES
A small, intimate relaxed pool party for mature adults can be a beautiful thing. Discreet lighting, lounge chairs with little tables to hold cocktails and hors d’ouvres nearby, a sparkling heated pool, muted fusion jazz on the sound system, and mini-kabobs, lamb, beef, chicken, vegetable, all with different dipping sauces for dinner. Yum. So sophisticated. So summery. So divine. So Hollywood.
But pool parties are not recommended for large crowds, teens or children’s parties. Hosts would need to hire private cops and lifeguards to keep it all under control. Parents would need ten eyes wrapped around their heads to keep track of a child in a pool, and alcohol and swimming pools can be a deadly combination if people aren’t responsible.
Keep your invitation list short, and don’t allow horseplay, jumping or diving. You may want to organize some relay races for teens and kids and beach ball games. Whether it’s that Hollywood style evening, or an afternoon zoo, in either case, you will need plenty of towels, a few male and female bathing suits available in a variety of sizes. People are dripping went when they exit a pool, and if they need to use the facilities, unless you have a pool house, you’ll need to deal with water tracked across your floors as they search for the john. Try providing absorbent mats or runners to prevent slipping.
Chlorinate the pool well, make sure everything is properly balanced and that the water is crystal clear. Set up an outdoor shower or keep a hose near entry points to the pool, so that people don’t track dirt into it. Put mats near pool stairs and ladders. Keep a real life preserver ring handy and let your guests know where the deep water is.
The menu should be light, served from indoors, with plenty of fresh juices, ice and bottled water for those who are soaking up the sun. The serious party begins after the swimming session, when people are ready to eat, drink and relax, to enjoy a convivial, comfortable evening.
In some towns, people can’t park on the streets, especially at night. If you are planning an outdoor evening party involving music and noise or fireworks displays, check with your local police department to make sure you won’t be inconvenienced by a sudden visit from the constabulary. Invite all your neighbors to join the party and a good time will be had by all.
SIDEBAR: PICNIC SITES
Fountain Springs Country Club
Conklintown Road
Ringwood
973-831-9000
Private. Specializes in providing custom catering and facilities for picnics serving large-scale corporate picnics, school field-days, and family reunions for groups ranging from 50 to 2,000. 26 acres with 10,000 square feet of covered open air pavilion space overlooking lake and pools. softball, basketball, tennis, beach volleyball, soccer, sand soccer, horse shoes, roller-blading rink, hockey, bocci ball, fishing, ping pong, hand ball, five swimming pools, boating, petting zoo, and more. Kosher catering provided by Petak’s in Fair Lawn and Kosher Nosh in Glen Rock.
Hacklebarney State Park
Chester
908-638-6969
Public. A favorite place for fresh water fisherman, hikers and picnickers. Located in a 19th century mined iron ore site, the park has a fast moving river with a beautiful backdrop of grey boulders and dark green hemlocks. Hacklebarney is a hiking only park, no bikes allowed. Hacklebarney has over 100 picnic tables located throughout the park. They are available on a first-come first-serve basis. There are no picnic shelters. Bring your own basket.
Harbor Hills Picnic Grove
75 Doby Road
Mt. Freedom
973- 895- 3200
Private. A children’s day camp providing custom picnics for large-scale corporate picnics, school field-days, and family reunions. Features: four heated pools, three playgrounds, including the 4-story crazy crawl, two beach volleyball courts, soccer field, two softball fields, basketball center, 9-hole miniature golf course, two tennis courts, two batting cages, bumper boats, pool for children, hockey rink, 40′ x 100′ tent, 60′ x 120′ covered pavilion and a kitchen area & cooking equipment. Check for kosher food availability.
Hidden Valley Club
44 Breakneck Road
Vernon
973-764-4200
Private. A scenic, mountain environment that offers corporate and special event picnics and outings. The menu can include traditional picnic goodies such as burgers, hot dogs, salads, dessert, and beverages; or you can request a special menu tailored to your party’s special tastes. Facilities include; a relaxing in-ground pool adjacent to five tennis courts, softball field, basketball court, two sand volleyball courts, three horseshoe pits, badminton, lake swimming, paddle boats, and fishing. Call to find out about kosher food service.
Jeff Lake Day Camp and Picnics
Stanhope
973-347-1230
Private camp that opens its grounds and facilities for summer picnics and outings on weekends in June, July and August for corporate, family reunions, birthdays, and other special events. There’s a 50-acre lake with two water trampolines, a water climbing wall & slide, fishing, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boats and row boats will make your picnic unique. Tennis courts, ropes & climbing courses, sports fields, art & pottery studios, and four heated pools. Call to find out about kosher food service.
Ringwood State Park
Ringwood
973-962-7031
Public.The spring-fed waters of the 74-acre Shepherd Lake are cool and offer swimming from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day from 10 am to 6 pm. Picnicking with tables & food concession at Shepherd Lake. Boating, canoeing and fishing are permitted. Boat rentals available. A network of trails with rocky terrain surrounds the lake.Bring your own basket.
Round Valley Recreation Area
1220 Lebanon-Stanton Road
Lebanon
908-236-6355
Public.The Reservoir swimming area was created by the construction of an earth dam across a narrow waterway on the west side of the reservoir, separating it from the main part of the reservoir, which is stocked with lake trout. There are three picnic areas in the recreation area; two are located on tree-shaded grassy spots at each end of the beach, and the third is on a hill overlooking the reservoir and park. At each picnic area the visitor will find tables and grills, restrooms, and playgrounds. Bring your own basket.
Stonybrook Day Camp
42 Park Avenue
Randolph
973-584-0078
Private. A children’s day camp providing custom picnics for large-scale corporate picnics, school field-days, and family reunions, and children’s birthday parties. Features: high ropes course, two heated swimming pools, arts and crafts, lake boating and fishing, sporting events, and their famous “color war.” Activities can be structured and supervised by their staff. Check for kosher food availability.
Well-Sweep Herb Farm
205 Mount Bethel Road
Port Murray, New Jersey 07865-4147
(908) 852-5390
Private. In the picturesque mountains of Warren County and is home to one of the largest collections of herbs and perennials in the country. The public is invited to visit and bring a picnic lunch, play with your children on the swings, visit the farm animals, enjoy a leisurely stroll along the garden paths, or just relax and enjoy the beauty of the day. The farm features a multitude of herbs and perennials, display gardens, and a gift shop filled with a wonderful assortment of dried flowers, wreaths, statuary, hard-to-find potpourri supplies and unusual gifts for all ages. Butterfly, herb, medicinal, perennial and rock gardens burst forth with breathtaking displays. Bring your own basket.
Tomahawk Lake
153 Tomahawk Trail
Sparta
973-478-7490
Private: 200 acres that comes with complete packages and recreation including an 18-hole miniature golf course, rustic outdoor beer garden featuring live music on the weekends, Souvenir shops, Softball field, horse-shoe and volleyball areas, an old fashioned picnic area with more than 800 tables a white sand beach on a 200 acre lake! There are water slides, swan boats, duck boats, paddle boats and bumper boats, the one-person water coaster, Trolley slide and a their awesome Rocky Mountain slide that spans over 500 feet! All you can eat and drink all day catering is done under huge red and white circus tents for groups of 50-1000 people. They also have an outdoor garden. Prices include admission! Alcoholic beverages available. Check for kosher catering availability.
WHERE TO GET IT DONE FOR YOU:
The Kosher Experience
669 Cedar Lane
Teaneck
201-692-7722
www.kosherexperience.net
thekosherexperience@yahoo.com
Glatt. RCBC
This family-oriented self-service eatery and take out establishment’s main menu is American with a separate Mexican menu for those who love the spice of life. The Mexican dishes shout “Fiesta,” and are great for pool parties and other celebrations for tweens and teens. The staff loves to get creative when catering indoor and outdoor parties for lifecycle events and other celebrations. They’ll prepare individual Little League Southern Fried Picnic Baskets for you that will serve from 4-40 people, with all the fixings—potato salad, coleslaw, pickles, cold drinks and brownies, napkins and plastic ware included, with beverages and everything you’ll need for a picnic in the ballpark. Or order your choices from the American, Mexican, or Shushi menus (includes meat shushi). There are dishes that appeal to every palate. They’ve got chicken and beef kabobs and three styles of fries that are perfect for your BBQ.
Dougie’s BBQ
184 West Englewood Ave
Teaneck, NJ
201-833-6000
http://www.dougiesbbq.com
info@dougiesbbq.com
They offer an array of services from a sit-down retail restaurant and takeout family-style service to full service catering to drop off platters for office and home parties, celebrations and birthday parties. In spring and summer, they will come and BBQ on your premises, allowing you to hire your own version of Bobby Flay. They will even allow you to challenge the chef to a BBQ throw-down to see who comes up with a better burger. Though the restaurant is their main focus, there are specialty items in the BBQ and comfort food categories, like sliders, wings, and garlic mashed potatoes. They make everything themselves, including the pretzel crusted chicken, jalapeno slammers, homemade onion rings. We hear the chili is out of this world, and would be fabulous served on a hot dog. For weight conscious and healthy eaters, there’s herb marinated breast of chicken, fresh chopped salads, cheeseless Ceasar salads and a vast create your own salad and wraps option. Call to learn more, or visit their website for more information.
Noah’s Ark
493 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
Phone: 201-692-1200
Fax: 201-692-1890
www.noahsark.net
Glatt. RCBC
Pick up the All American Chicken Platter: heat and serves 12. Choose from Rotisserie, Southern Fried, or chicken cutlets. Comes with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, tossed salad and dinner rolls.Rotisserie ($9.95/person) Fried Chicken ($10.95/person) Breaded Cutlet ($14.95/person) Authentic Texas BBQ: heat and serves 15.10 Racks BBQ Beef Ribs, 20 pieces of BBQ Chicken, Tortilla Chips, Salsa, Guacamole, Refried Beans, 3lb. Corn Salad, 3lb. Red Skin Potato Salad. Pickles and Relish, two dz. Dinner Rolls (18.95/person).Pick-Up-A-Picnic: Perfect for a day in the park! (basket not included) Fried Chicken, Corned Beef, Turkey Breast, Salami, Bologna, Pasta Salad, Potato Salad, coleslaw, Rye Bread, Soda, Mustard, Russian Dressing, Ketchup, and Paper Goods ($11.95/person–multiples of 4 only)
For a Chinese Luau:
ChopStix
172 West Englewood Avenue
Teaneck
Uri
201-833-0200
http://www.chopstixusa.com
chopstixusa@yahoo.com
Glatt. RCBC
Since 2000, ChopStix has adopted Votee Park in Teaneck in the Adopt-a-Park program. If you feel like having a Chinese picnic, pick up your order, go around the corner and enjoy your meal in the beautiful neighborhood park. Or order up a luau, from the delicious items on the menu. Our choices for a luau would be sweet and sour chicken, eggplant with garlic sauce, Korean chicken with hot pepper sauce, General Zen, Vegetable Delight, fried chicken wings, Kung Pao Chicken and Mongolian beef. General Tso’s Chicken, well marinated and spiced w. Chef Peter’s special sauce. Sesame Chicken, lightly battered chicken blended with a mouth watering brown sauce covered with sesame seeds and garnished with broccoli. Lemon and orange flavored chicken, Kong Sang Mix: pastrami, veal, beef, chicken and vegetables in a tasty brown sauce. Sweet Hawaiian Chicken: tender chicken sauteed w/vegetables and a sweet white sauce.
From eggrolls to deli to a mouth-watering roast ChopStix has catered a dinner for one and celebrations for 350. Business lunches, bar/bats. Simchot, birthdays, anniversaries, Chopstix does them all.
For formal garden parties, elegant barbeques, and catered cruises, call
FOREMOST GLATT KOSHER CATERERS
65 Anderson Ave
Moonachie, NJ
(201) 664-2465
Jeff Becker
http://www.foremostcaterers.com/
Glatt. Supervision from Star K of Baltimore.
What good is a picnic without pickles?
PICKELICIOUS
384 Cedar Lane,
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: 201-833-0100
http ://picklelicious.com/
ROBYN SAMRA
Family Day Sunday`s (10am-5pm)
Come on down with your family for sampling and every family member gets a FREE pickle-on a- stick)
THE FRESHEST, BEST MEATS AND POULTRY TO PUT ON THE GRILL:
GLATT EXPRESS SUPERMARKET
1400 Queen Anne Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
(201) 837-8110
Tammy
www.glattexpresssupermarket.com
Glatt. RCBC
Best Glatt
543 Cedar Lane
Teaneck
Anat/Meir
201-801-0444 201 747 4645
abest747@gmail.com
Glatt. RCBC
PICNIC FIXINGS:
Have your favorite food service provider pack you a picnic.
Ma’adan
446 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
201-692-0192
Stuart or Yossi
http://www.maadan.com/
RCBC. Glatt.
Foster Village Kosher Deli
469 S. Washington Avenue, Bergenfield
In the Foster Village shopping mall
Kosher supervision/Rabbi Isaiah Hertzberg
201-384-7100
Free parking.
Call for orders and hours.
Petak’s Glatt Kosher Fine Foods & Catering
1903 Fair Lawn Ave.
Fair Lawn, NJ
201-833-8200 or 201-797-5010
Glatt. RCBC
Call for Daily Specials
petaksfood@aol.com
http://www.petaksglattkosher.comSababa Grill
456 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666-1711
(201) 530-0808
Fax: 201-692-9111
Danny Mizrahi
dansababa@gmail.com
http://sababagrill.com
The^ Famous^ Kosher Nosh
894 Prospect St.
Glen Rock, NJ
201-445-1186
http://www.koshernosh.com/
Kosher supervision, Rabbi Isaiah Hertzberg
Reuben’s Glatt Spot Catering
659 Eagle Rock Avenue
West Orange, NJ 07052
973-736-0060
Fax: 973-736-8026
Reubensglattspot@aol.com
http://www.reubensglattspot.com/
Glatt. Vaad of MetroWest.
Ariel’s
18 Engle Street
Englewood
201-569-1202
Craig Solomon
crms99@aol.com
www.arielskosher.com
questions@arielskosher.com
Catering@arielskosher.com
Follow them on Twitter: Arielskosher
DAIRY Cholov Yisroel, RCBC
Chickpeace
83 South Main Street
New City, NY
Contact Israel
845-499-2400
www.chickpeace83.com
chickpeace83s@gmail.com
May 27
Jeanette Friedmanfood, life cycle events and celebrations, middle east
MIDDLE EASTERN MEDLEY:
The Global Cuisine of the Wandering Jew
By Jeanette Friedman
When preparing for an outdoor spring or summer event, or even a fancy indoor feast, no festive occasion is complete without at least a few Mediterranean/Israeli dishes that are deliciously fragrant, loaded with za’atar, cumin, marjoram, oregano and other aromatic herbs and spices that take you to the fragrant market places, the beaches, mountains, resorts and camp sites of the Holy Land.
In addition to the herbs and spices, essential ingredients for cooking, grilling or baking Middle Eastern dishes include, where required, butter or olive oil, garlic, lemons, tamarind, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, honey, date syrup, yogurt and rose water.
This unique cuisine, like the Jewish people, is a global Jewish fusion and has a history based on its people’s travels through history. It’s a great way to spend a summer night, telling stories, munching on Moroccan cigars, finger foods and other succulent treats. Get your grills ready, marinate those kabobs, put them on the grate and fill the space with the aroma of Israel at its best.
A typical Israeli/Middle Eastern meal begins with Mezza, a selection of appetizers or small dishes of finger foods accompanied by different dipping sauces, and anise-flavored liqueurs or a selection of wines. Popular dishes include Kebabs (often marinated with garlic, lemon and spices, then grilled), Bamia (lamb, okra and tomato stew), Quzi (lamb with rice, almonds, raisins and spices), Falafel (fried chickpea patties served with salad in pita), Kubbah (minced meat ground with bulghur or rice and spices). There myriad grilled meats, sweet and savory puff pastries, rice dishes, stuffed vegetables, pita breads and salads to choose from.
For dessert, there are so many choices, it can boggle the mind. The professional bakers who came to Israel from Europe brought with them the finest pastry techniques that are visible in the thousands of cafes that line Israeli streets. But there are also the Middle Eastern favorites like baklava and halvah, treats made with dates, figs, apricots and other dried fruits and nuts. The old fashioned cinnamon babke now has halvah fillings, too. The best beverage to go with these treats would be a tiny cup of Turkish coffee or a glass of mint tea to put a perfect ending on your celebratory, gustatory adventure.
There is nothing, absolutely nothing more important to Israelis and other Middle Eastern residents than preparing and serving fabulous food to their guests. Imagine a wonderful Morrocan style tent filled with a wonderful buffet, colorful and bright, with each dish presented as its own special jewel, each dish carrying traces of every culture, ethnic group, country, tradition and religion touched by the Jewish people. Celebrate your hospitality by providing your guests with great food, good talk a glass of tea, a cup of rich coffee, or a flute of Israeli Champagne.
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISRAELI CUISINE
Israeli/Middle Eastern cooking is based on basic Mesopotamian cuisine, the first fusion cuisine, now about 10,000 years old. The recipes they used in the temples back then are the world’s first cookbooks—inscribed on the walls of ancient ruins in Iraq. Millennia later, Greek and Roman culture heavily influenced cuisine in first century Palestine. Elaborate meals included fish and meat dishes prepared with olives, vegetables prepared in different ways—stuffed, grilled, pickled—and the meal, accompanied by alcoholic beverages, was topped off with tart or sweet fruits.
At that time, Jerusalem was a center of the spice trade, a resting place and market for merchants marching across Mesopotamia from Europe to Africa, across ancient Israel’s fertile lands—lands loaded with olive and citrus orchards, vineyards and wheat fields, the air scented with the spices and herbs they brought from exotic lands. The seven species mentioned in the Bible—olives, figs, dates, pomegranates, wheat, barley and grapes—were the staples of the ancient Israeli diet, and still are today.
Fast forward to the 1880’s, to the Old Yishuv, where the food culture was dominated by Sephardi cuisine based on recipes that evolved when the community’s ancestors—the Jews of Spain—were expelled and settled in the Balkans and the Ottoman Empire. There they adapted local food culture to their kosher kitchens. About fifty years later, Hasidic Jews came to Eretz Yisroel, with Ashkenazi cooking that developed new iterations—like the sweet and hot Yerushalmi noodle kugel.
Chalutzniks (Zionist pioneers) rejected the fat-filled dishes of their native Poland and Russia, and planted eggplant, chickpeas (the key ingredient in hummus, which has been called the Israeli equivalent of peanut butter or ketchup), zucchini, peppers and other healthy crops. The first Hebrew cookbook was published by the Women’s International Zionist Organization in the early ‘30s, and asked cooks to be locavores—to use locally grown vegetables, herbs and spices.
This same book also standardized what has become known as “The Israeli Breakfast”—with its huge selection of fresh fruit and vegetable salads, cheese selections, cereals, eggs, breads and beverages—the kind of breakfast/brunch spread that North Jerseyans love to present when they are celebrating, indoors or out. The centerpiece is the classic Israeli salad made with finely chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, sprinkled with a bit of lemon juice and olive oil. Variations include the addition of diced bell peppers, scallions, sliced radish, fennel, chopped parsley, and fresh herbs.
When Jews from Morocco Yemen, Iraq, Kurdistan and Turkey arrived in Israel after 1948, they staffed Israel’s professional kitchens and wielded great influence on shaping Israeli palates. Balkan and Turkish immigrants brought kubbeh, bourekas, yogurt dishes and sauces to the Holy Land. In times of rationing, these cooks were experts in creating vegetable liver from eggplants and using turkey instead of veal and lamb in schnitzel and kabobs—recipes that are still in popular use.
IMA Restaurant
445 Cedar Lane
Teaneck
201-357-5790 / 201-357-5789
Ofira
www.imarestaurant.com
info@imarestaurant.com
Glatt. OU with RCBC approval
Platter Catering. Drop off or pick up.
Ima’s Restaurant on Cedar Lane is a direct descendant of one of the most famous eateries in Jerusalem, with one branch in Machane Yehuda and the other in Nahla’ot, opposite Sacher Park. Ofira in Teaneck follows her Kurdish/Jewish mom’s recipes and takes pride in presenting the best of traditional Middle Eastern food. First courses include a modest meze (selection of appetizers) of fresh hummus and babaghanoush (eggplant dip), stuffed grape leaves, pickled vegetables and wonderful kubeh (seasoned ground meat deep fried in a jacket of bulgur wheat).There’s a wonderful selection of stuffed vegetables, and tangy kubeh soups full of dumplings. Entrée choices include shashlik, chicken or a Jerusalem mixed grill with majadra (rice and lentils) on the side. There’s matbucha, beet salad and white bean soup with a tomato base. Maamul is the perfect sugar coated treat to end your meal and have with your mint tea. They’re homemade cookies filled with dates, coconut, walnuts, cranberries, apricot jam, and sesame seeds.
Sababa Grill
456 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666-1711
(201) 530-0808
Fax: 201-692-9111
Danny Mizrahi
dansababa@gmail.com
http://sababagrill.com
Glatt. RCBC
Sababa Grill, located in the heart of Teaneck, NJ, has been serving quality Israeli-Ashkenazi cuisine to area residents since 2005. Everything is cooked fresh to order. Experience authentic Israeli food, from schwarma to schnitzel and delectable homemade salads. There’s friendly service in the newly-renovated dining room, and proprietor Danny promises full service catering, from the most elegant events to the local pool party. There’s also drop-off and pick up platter catering, and services for all occasions, including kiddush, business meetings, organizational lunches, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Pidyoney HaBen, Yahrtzeits, sweet sixteens and other events worth of delicious Israeli-American cuisine.
There’s kubeh, finger cigars with dips, grilled veggies, hummus, Moroccan eggplant, Matbucha, Israeli Salad Turkish Salad Brisket Beef w/Fig Sauce California Roast Lamb Roast. Veal Roast Apricot Chicken Cranberry Chicken Roasted Chicken Barbeque Chicken Breaded Israeli Schnitzel Moroccan Salmon Moroccan Tilapia.
Best Glatt
543 Cedar Lane
Teaneck
Anat/Meir
201-801-0444 201 747 4645
abest747@gmail.com
Glatt. RCBC
Best is a small supermarket that carries a variety of items, free-range meats and chickens, never frozen, always fresh. Best is best known for preparing kabobs and fresh meats with spices, stuffings and marinades that you can cook off at home—on the stove, in the oven or on the outdoor grill. They will give you a choice of four marinades. A real fusion treat is chicken cutlets or boneless thighs stuffed with kishke or pastrami and then marinated in Mediterranean sauces and spices. Check out their assorted meat/skewers/kabobs for grilling at the simcha and life cycle events of your choice. Takeout and kiddush with Mediterranean flair and free delivery. Full service catering and platter drop off and pick up available.
Chickpeace
83 South Main Street
New City, NY
Contact Israel
845-499-2400
www.chickpeace83.com
chickpeace83s@gmail.com
Kiddush, birthdays, bar/bats, pool parties, sweet sixteens, engagements, anything goes. From hamburgers and French fries to schwarma and kefta kabobs, baby chicken skewers, schnitzel, hummus, tahini, grilled vegetables, Israeli salad, hot mushroom salad, falafel, shakshuka, sabich, stuffed grape leaves beef, hummus, baklava, three-layer mousse cake, walnut cake. Platter drop off or pick up.
Reuben’s Glatt Spot Catering
659 Eagle Rock Avenue
West Orange, NJ 07052
973-736-0060
Fax: 973-736-8026
Reubensglattspot@aol.com
http://www.reubensglattspot.com
Glatt. Vaad of MetroWest.
Over in West Orange, Reuben’s Glatt Spot offers traditional platter packages that are perfect for either a dairy or meat kiddush, along with a Middle Eastern kiddush called the Israeli Homeland Delight—a seven section platter filled with your choice of Middle Eastern salads like babaganoush, chumus, tehina, grilled eggplant, vegetarian liver, Turkish salad, Spanish eggplant, an ample supply of cut pita and a large bowl of Israeli salad. Minimum 10 people @ $9.50 per person. Full service catering, platter drop off and pick up are available.
Other purveyors who carry Middle Eastern dishes:
Ma’adan
446 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
201-692-0192
Stuart or Yossi
http://www.maadan.com/
RCBC. Glatt.
Foster Village Kosher Deli
469 S. Washington Avenue, Bergenfield
In the Foster Village shopping mall
Kosher supervision/Rabbi Isaiah Hertzberg
201-384-7100
Free parking.
Call for orders and hours.
Noah’s Ark
493 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
Phone: 201.692.1200
Fax: 201.692.1890
www.noahsark.net
Glatt. RCBC
Petak’s Glatt Kosher Fine Foods & Catering
1903 Fair Lawn Ave.
Fair Lawn, NJ
201-833-8200 or 201-797-5010
Glatt. RCBC
Call for Daily Specials
petaksfood@aol.com
http://www.petaksglattkosher.com/
And for the do-it-yourself’er there is always,
GLATT EXPRESS SUPERMARKET
1400 Queen Anne Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
(201) 837-8110
www.glattexpresssupermarket.com
Tammy carries a full line of Israeli and Middle Eastern spices, sauces, products, cookies, marinades, condiments, crackers, fresh meats, poultry and fish. Grab your favorite Middle Eastern cookbook and have a blast feeding your guests truly homemade fare, from falafel fixings to tender lamb kabobs made with hand-picked produce.
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Once upon a time, in a land not far away, there lived a little girl who loved dressing up for shul. Her favorite dress was a Swiss-dotted, baby blue chiffon with tiny royal blue flowers. It had puffy little sleeves, a flared skirt with a wide-ribbon at the waist and matching lace trim. Her bright white anklets and shining Mary Janes worked perfectly with her classic bright red, double-breasted spring coat. It had gold buttons, a black velvet collar and cuffs, was nipped at the waist and looked fabulous with her white cotton gloves. But the piece de resistance, was the lovely, flower-and ribbon-trimmed straw boater that perched on her brown hair topping off her outfit and making a specific fashion statement. She was transformed from her boring self into a creature as bold and adventurous as Eloise at The Plaza Hotel. That little hat also made her feel as grown-up as the married ladies who wore interesting hats to morning services, especially on Shabbat in the spring and during the High Holy Days.
Westminster Cathedral for the Royal Wedding last April. Like the hats at the wedding, they were individual works of art created by local milliners. One of them was Selma, who owned a ladies’ hat store on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights and also sold the finest gloves and bags for day or evening. The ladies came to her in droves, sitting in a shop that was filled with hat racks and heads wearing every sort of hat imaginable, to wait for their turn with Selma, who sat them in front of a triple-mirrored dressing table and “consulted.” “Fedora or cloche? Something smaller? Larger? Feathers and flowers? A little less netting perhaps? oShall we try a wider brim in a more festive color?” Hats would appear from the back room, taken from a rack and place on the clients head. Selma would hold up a mirror behind them so they could see the full 360 degrees and the “profile.”
