Everyday Kosher: Jewish Canada

Friday, November 8, 2013

SECOND HELPINGS WITH NORENE GILLETZ: CANADA'S KOSHER CULINARY ICON

Norene Gilletz, Canada's top kosher cookbook author serves up her delicious rice noodle kugel.

Seven years ago cooking became one of my biggest joys. Granted, I wasn't a trained chef, nor was I a restaurateur. I turned to culinary arts as a getaway from rocky marriage days. I was a young mother roaming IGA grocery lanes, pushing two babies in a double stroller, discovering all kinds of ingredients. "Do you know where I can find cream of tartar?" I asked an elderly woman in the baking aisle "...it's an ingredient I need for a Martha Stewart recipe," I added. Surprisingly clueless of who Martha Stewart was, she kindly replied, "the only cookbook you need is Norene Gilletz's Second Helpings, Please." Luckily, that was one of the first cookbooks I bought, and used to learn how to make apple cake, challah, banana bread, latkes, hamentashen, sweet and sour meatballs and more.

An original, the first ever Second Helpings, Please! cookbook.
It includes signatures of all the contributors on the first page.

"People long for classics, and food transports us
through time." ~ Norene Gilletz

Of Russian and Polish decent, Norene was born on May 29, 1940, in Winnipeg. Belle Rykiss, her mother, inspired Norene to cherish and make Jewish food. In 1960, Norene moved to Montreal and joined the B'nai Brith Women Mount Sinai Chapter. During that time, the concept for developing a fundraising cookbook was initiated and Norene Gilletz, played a crucial role putting this culinary classic together. After three years and a half of gathering and testing recipes, the first edition was published in 1968. Since then, the book was re-printed over fifteen times and proceeds from the sale of the book were used for Jewish Women International (JWI) the leading Jewish organization empowering women and girls.

Norene has been recognized as the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. In addition from being the author of numerous kosher cookbooks i.e. Healthy Helpings, Norene's Healthy Kitchen, and The New Food Processor Bible, she has influenced thousands of Jewish homes as a freelance food writer, food consultant, cooking teacher\lecturer, culinary spokesperson, and owner of www.gourmania.com. Norene had the chance to meet renowned French chefs like Jaques Pepin and Julia Child. She was featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio Show plus she was recently honored, last October, at KosherFest's Social Media dinner along with Susie Fishbein, Chef Laura Frankel, Gil Marks, Levana Kirschenbaum, and Menachem Lubinsky.

Two Sunday's ago, I found myself in her Toronto kitchen, having a cup of coffee over delicious homemade bran muffins and buttermilk noodle kugel (plus I got to enjoy peanut-free peanut butter cookies and biscottis, testers for an upcoming cookbook). We got to look-over and discuss the latest kosher cookbooks on the market that needed her review (coincidentally including Montreal's latest, And Then There was Cake). We chatted for hours, and realized we had more than Jewish food in common. Both Gemini's, we both lived in the West Island of Montreal in our past, we both experienced single-motherhood (and understand the hardships of the dating scene) and we both love Paula Abdul (Norene is actually her cousin). I truly had a delightful time, benefiting from her wise advice ;)

Norene and her cutsy dog.

Norene Gilletz's cookbooks. Her mother's original copy of The Food Processor Bible,
Norene's Healthy Kitchen. And the pile of books in the back that needed her review.

Seven years have past and my two little babies are now little girls. I have the nachas of turning to a book like Norene's Second Helpings, Please! as a means to teach my children how to bake, but even more appreciate the joys of Jewish living. Thank you Norene! :-)

Sunday, August 11, 2013

from quebec to the world: feel the love

If you love Bob Sinclar than you'll love this post. I got to warn you though, what I am about to ask you to do may come off super cheesy, please keep in mind that I am simply trying to be cutely interactive, so bare with me because reader cooperation is crucial. ;)

First, click here (wait for the commercials and bell to pass) “hear the song?…” come on, you have to play it :(. Now we’re talking! Next up, close your eyes and imagine you’re riding on highway 20 in a convertible white Jeep Wrangler on your way to Île Perrot. I can’t tell you where we’re going just yet, it’s a surprise for now.

Practice shaking your hips.

Feel the sweet August breeze blow onto your face, oh oh, your green beret flew away but don’t let that stop you, keep driving. Feel the sun shining, clap your hands and shake your hips à la Marocaine, yes even seated. If you’re Moroccan your technique will come naturally, if you’re not, you might need some practice here (click to find out) or drink some Evian water, apparently it does wonders. Ensure, Bob Sinclar’s song is back on… and let loose, start screaming like never before “woohoo!!!” There you get it! Sing-a-long if you feel it, or yoddle (I personally don’t do that, but hey, it is your fantasy), do the Gangnam dance, drop it low, dance or fly, whatever stimulates your senses. Do you feel it now, do you feel the Love Generation? I hope you enjoyed the ride, take a right between the corn fields, another right between the wooden fence and we've finally arrived to destination, our favorite family ranch, Quebec’s Quinn farm.

Back to reality, Love Generation has got to be a favorite road trip song for my daughters and I. We can listen to it over and over, and over again… and that’s exactly what we did last week on our visit to Quinn farm. Because the apple orchard was off-limits until the weekend, what initially was to be our annual pre-Rosh Hashanah apple picking trip became our first ever blueberry picking experience.

A few times throughout the year I take my kids to this farm for apple, squash, pumpkin or strawberry picking. Picking your own produce makes unforgettable moments, there is a certain peace and awe in being surrounded by nature’s farms.