Jewish Espresso

Purim 2024 - the year of the HAMAStashen

2024-03-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Baci di dama, Pesach version

2020-04-14T16:23:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

100gr butter or margarine, cubed

100gr ground hazelnuts

85gr sugar

100gr coconut flour

Hazelnut cream

Mix all ingredients except for hazelnut cream in a bowl, until smooth. Create 4 logs and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 320F.

Cut the logs into even pieces and create little balls.

Bake until bottom looks light brown.

Let the cookies cool, then spread some hazelnut cream on the flat side of a cookie and sandwich with another one.

Enjoy!

Backyard Camp - Day 6

2017-07-31T19:57:00.006-07:00

Today Kendra and Bob Irwin came to visit with their kids!
Their son Finley was one of my first Doula babies, and he is now a very cute 3 year old...time flies!
The Irwins moved to Kansas soon after he was born, and this was the first time we have seen each other in real life since then.
Fin and his sister Calista played with the boys in Cain Park, while Kendra and me were catching up and chatting. It was fun, to bad it was just for a couple of hours!
Hopefully will see each other again next year.
On another note, tonight started the fast of the 9th of Av, in commemoration of the destruction of the Temple, but also of a lot of other horrific expulsions, pogroms etc. that Jews went through throughout history.
It is customary to eat a hard boiled egg dipped in ashes as the last food before the fast, as a sign of mourning.

Backyard Camping - Day 5

2017-07-30T22:07:00.005-07:00

Another busy day, but the evening was spent by the fire, eating corn and tortilla wraps with open fire baked apples...yummm!

Backyard Camping: Days 3 & 4

2017-07-29T20:54:00.006-07:00

Friday was spent preparing the camping area for Shabbat, finishing up the deck and adding table and chairs (!!!), and baking and cooking...
Shabbat was awesome, the weather was just perfect, and many friends came to visit!
Tonight the boys are watching a cartoon and then tuck in for the night in the tent :)

Backyard Camping - Day 2

2017-07-27T21:55:00.002-07:00

Today was a busy work day, so we came back to our backyard camp in the afternoon...the boys made vegetarian chili and and blueberry tea :)

Backyard Camping 2017 Edition - Day 1

2017-07-26T21:52:00.001-07:00

So here we are, it's backyard camping time again!

The tent has been set, a fire has been started...time to roast potatoes!

laundry time!

2016-07-17T08:26:00.001-07:00

This past week has been a wonderful one: assisting women in the process of becoming Mothers, spending time with the boys and enjoy their open fire cuisine, watching our tomatoes grow and harvesting tye first ripe ones...
Now it's time to go Flylady and conquer Mt.Laundry! (wish me luck)

Chocolate babka

2015-12-31T20:12:00.002-08:00

Chocolate Babka

Dough

3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil

Egg wash

1 egg yolk
sugar

Chocolate Filling

sunflower oil
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup grated bittersweet chocolate
Mix all in a bowl

Stir together warm milk and 2 teaspoons sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, and mix until smooth (it will be a bit sticky).
Let it raise until doubled in size.
Divide the dough in half, take one half and roll it on a floured surface until 1/4 inch thick.
With a brush, brush the oil on the surface, and then sprinkle filling until covered completely.
Roll slowly, making sure that the filling doesn't slip out from the sides.
Fold the roll in 3, keeping the ends in the center. (it looks a bit like a chain link)
Twist it starting from one side, just like you would wring a wet towel.
Transfer to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, brush it with egg yolk, sprinkle with abundant sugar, let raise until doubled.
Warm up the oven to 350 F and bake until golden/brown.

A year of 52 Frames!

2015-12-27T20:10:00.003-08:00

Today is my one year Frameversary!
I have been participating in 52 Frames's weekly challenge for a whole year, and i am excited to start a new year "going where no photographer has gone before"!
To take a look at 52 Frames's website, click here.
Here are the 52 pictures i took throughout this year:

Israel

2015-10-13T06:58:00.003-07:00

I have not been posting about it. I have not been sharing news. I have not been commenting on Facebook posts. I have not been sharing my feelings with my friends and family.

By nature, i hate confrontations.
I am always afraid to hurt somebody, and i do get hurt when people attack me personally.

But after witnessing the silence of many people around me about what's going on in Israel, i wander: do you really know what's happening? Why is it that none of my non violent friends or acquaintances has said ONE WORD after all the stabbings, gunnings, driving overs that have happened in the past few days?
Where are your words of support for the victims, where is your condemnation of violence, if "violence is wrong in all its forms?"

I know very well that the situation in Israel is not easy, and that there are political games being played, and the Israeli PM is not exempt.
I know that we are talking about human beings, and feelings, and a lot of anger, and cultural boundaries very difficult to be broken, but...

As a Jewish woman, mother and wife, today i feel that i have to guard and protect my family, my people...because if i don't, i am not sure anybody else will.
That's how i feel because the media is mostly ignoring the violence that is being perpetrated, or twisting information.

And i don't mean that i will buy a gun. I don't think that owning a gun will protect me.
At least not here in America.
I think that i have to protect myself and my family by being openly proud of being Jewish, and being less afraid of confronting people that looking at me think "Ye you Jews are all planning to dominate the world, and you probably deserve whatever happens to you, to learn a lesson".

Last night i was at a meeting in a Cafe', and all of a sudden, while i was sitting and talking with a group of Doula sisters, i realized that i was consistently scanning with my eyes anybody entering the place, and looking in the mirrors to see where they were going, if they had something in their hands, etc.

And this is nothing compared to what most Israelis feel these days, every moment of their life.

Just some food for thought, folks.

Backyard Camp Day 6

2015-08-15T20:58:00.005-07:00

One of the last days...boys are very sad about it :(
We will be camping until Sunday morning, and then back inside to organize the home schoolroom for the new learning year...
I am very happy that Alec had this great idea, it was a bonding experience, and the boys learned so much about how to live in the wild!
We got food ready for Shabbat, then put a blech on the fire for Friday night's meal (Alec made chicken with rice in the cast iron pot!!), and we had sushi for lunch on Shabbat.
Now the boys are watching a fairy tale cartoon as a last treat :)
Here are some pictures from Friday:

Backyard Camp Day 5!

2015-08-15T20:30:00.003-07:00

Another great day!
We had vegetarian pilaf (stir-fried onions, tofu, green peppers with rice), and several guests!

Stacy and Zac stopped by for lunch, and Rachel with Sophie and Maurice came in the afternoon for a play date, that became a tomato and tangerine grilling session :)

We even had some deer in the backyard, i caught them on camera as they were jumping to run away fro the boys' excitement.

Oh and a cicada came to check out our coffee machine and then even jumped on Simcha's shoulder!

It was so cool to watch it doing some gymnastics with its long thin legs and swaying from side to side...almost like a Mom in labor!

Backyard Camp Day 4

2015-08-13T09:58:00.006-07:00

Perfect sunny day, perfect ( a bit cool) night, with a clear sky, i deal for taking pictures of the Perseid meteors...

We have a little watermelon in our garden!! And a dragonfly was posing right next to it :)

Boys helped Alec building a climbing tower in the backyard, and learned how to make tea on the camp fire :)

I brought my guitar out and sang a bit, it's so nice to play music outdoors...

Here are some pictures!

Backyard Camping, Day 3!

2015-08-12T07:12:00.001-07:00

Our camping adventure continues!
After the rain, the sun came out again, and it got warm.
We figured out that we could use our Bialetti (moka maker) on the camp fire, the plastic handle survived without any issue!
I was SO happy to be able to have my morning coffee...i love tea, but it just isn't enough to wake me up :D
After a trip to the store to buy some food supplies, we made vegetarian chili (3 kinds of beans, tomato puree, our basil, salt and oil) and home made pitta coked on the fire...good and filling!
In the afternoon, the boys and Alec started a new project int he backyard: a climbing tower, using up lots of scrap wood; i started my own project: reorganizing my laundry room so that it will be fit to be my Doula office space as well!
Here are some pictures:

Backyard Camp Day 2 :)

2015-08-11T07:39:00.003-07:00

It rained a bit, but Alec created a shelter so we could eat and stay dry...more or less ;)
Boys are asking to do backyard camping every summer, so i really think that they are having a great time!
Yesterday's menu was: hot dogs and cherry tomato skewers plus real Sausage (kids loved it), and cheese and focaccia for me :)
Here are some pictures:

Backyard Camp Day 1

2015-08-10T08:55:00.005-07:00

We set up a camping station in our backyard: tent, pots and pans, plenty of teabags, and lots of fire wood :)

The idea is to camp out and use survival skills, like washing your own dishware, clothes, etc.

So far, so good!

We had a little cookout and an impromptu get together last night, with trouts and potatoes cooked in ashes.

Kids had fun, and they loved the color changing fire (thanks to some magic powder Alec bought).

Even Drori slept until 9 am, and woke up all ready to have his oatmeal :)

Here are some pictures:

Citizen!

2015-08-07T14:19:00.003-07:00

Today i participated in the Naturalization Ceremony, together with more than 70 other aspiring American Citizens.
I am a full fledged American now!
It was amazing to see so many different people together, in line to receive their Certificate of Naturalization; some of them we.re visibly moved (an old Indian lady was crying as her husband was taking her picture with the officer), and many brought the whole family (like me).

In this day of joy i cannot forget a dear high school friend of mine, Alessia, who passed away after a bad car accident, leaving a big void in our class room.

Why the connection?
Alessia was a girl full of life, and she had one big dream: to come to America.
She had brought a map of New York to be hung on the door of our classroom, and she knew Bruce Springsteen's and John Denver's songs by heart: us members of our class band would play them for her, and her smile would broaden in delight.

So i dedicate this day to her: she never got to fulfill her dream, but i hope i will be able to honor her memory here in America, and i will play her songs to my kids.

Mi manchi!

Another year

2015-08-04T15:36:00.003-07:00

Tonight starts my mother's 11th Yahrzeit (anniversary of her passing).
Unfortunately, as the years go by i forget some things, or it takes me some time to remember (yesterday it took a bit to remember that her favorite cake was fresh fruit tart), and it makes me feel sad, because i feel like her memories are slowly slipping away, and all i will have left is some pictures in a box.
But then when the house is quiet i think about her and images some to my mind of her laughing, listening to De Andre' and Battisti by our stereo, debating about politics with my grandpa (they agreed, but they just liked to argue), speaking with me as a friend, to young in spirit herself to enjoy being an "adult".
We laughed, we screamed, we kept in touch throughout our journeys, and i wish she was here to talk to her about life, i am sure she would be joking around with the boys, singing some 60ties songs out of tune, and sipping a beer wit me and Alec.
Once a year, i allow myself 10 minutes to cry.

Week 31: Magic hour

2015-08-01T20:30:00.003-07:00

This week's photo challenge was to shoot a picture during "magic hour": right before sunrise or right before sunset.
It was not easy, because sometimes it was too cloudy to get the "golden" effect, and some other times i was too busy and the magic our just passed before i could grab my camera....
Here is my submission:

And here is the out take: i took this picture a few minutes before Shabbat, and i really love the dramatic effect of the color contrast:

So hard to keep up!

2015-07-25T20:50:00.003-07:00

My apologies: i had started posting every week, and then all of a sudden i stopped :(
Life got busier than usual, and i just could not find the time to do it!
But here i am again, posting the picture i took for this week's Photo challenge, "Unusual":

It was taken inside one of those "Play America" game places, where as soon as you get in you feel overwhelmed by the noise and the lights coming from all directions: the boys were confused and didn't know what to choose, ended up being pretty disappointed and admitted that after all a good ice cream would have been way more interesting :)

But all is well, because i got to take this crazy picture of people sitting on TOILETS to play a game :P

52 Frames Weeks 17-19

2015-05-12T20:00:00.001-07:00

Crazy busy times in the Popivker household!
Lots of Doulaing, seasonal colds, swingsets being installed, etc.
Not much time to update my blog!
Anyway, i want to be consistent and will post my choices for 52Frames for the past few weeks:
Week 17: Macro
I love shooting macro, but it takes a lot of patience, a steady and and good equipment to get a good photo.
Here is mine:

A picture of the buds of our beloved Lilac :)

Week 18: Behind the scenes
Driving to Walmart we discovered this intimate scene:

Week 19: Explore a new technique
this was a tough one, because i definitely am not familiar with all the techniques, at the same time it's hard to concentrate and learn properly something new when you are running around sleep deprived after a long Doula week end :)
This is what i chose:

Light painting, definitely a new technique for me, and a lot of fun for the kids!
Here are the runner uppers for the new technique shot:

A lot of manual focus and manual setting practice in there pictures...i for sure learned a lot!

52 Frames Week 16: Through the eyes of a child

2015-04-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

This week's challenge was pretty straightforward, because i happen to send a big part of my day with my boys, so i get to see "through their eyes" a lot :)
So here is a picture taken on afternoon, right after Alec had left for work:

And here is my description:
"Hey! Hurry up! I gotta drive to work!"
Drori is obsessed with this old black truck, rain or shine, he wants to ride it!
Maybe it's because it's black just like Taty's (his father's) truck?
When Alec leaves to go to work, he darts outside and gets on it...he is a big boy, he can help Taty to build stuff with wood...if just Foxy the cat would understand that he is in a hurry!!

52 Frames Week 15: Nature

2015-04-17T12:26:00.003-07:00

For this week, i had taken several shot that i ended up not using because i found them to be too cliche'...typical nature shots ;)
Here they are:

But i ended up using this one, a bit more unique even though it's less dramatic than some other ones above...

52 Frames week 14: Levitation

2015-04-11T19:40:00.004-07:00

Wow, this was really a challenge!
I tried different ideas, one of which is this comic version of me levitating away from the Chametz and reaching for the sky...i cannot find the picture anymore :( will post it if i will find it after Pesach.
The i decided that it was too hard to try to make a levitation shoot with me as the subject AND the photographer, too many details...
So i enrolled the boys to help, and they were more than happy!
I decided to go with a chess game, and i made the chess set levitate-i also changed it into black and white to give it a phantom like appearance.
Here is the final picture:

And here are the two pictures i took to be able to create the scene: