Although there are those who are super organized and have begun Yom Tov preparation already, most people, I believe, need to do things slightly more slowly. When I prepare for Yom Tov I prefer to do many things at the same time. Once I am in the kitchen it makes no sense to me to only make one brisket while at the same time I could be preparing cake, baking cookies and chopping and peeling vegetables. I try to keep them in small bags and freeze until the time comes for me to use them. In my freezer at this moment I have cubed squash, chopped leeks, sautéed onions and sliced peppers, and I am too lazy to go down to my freezer to see what else. I guess that I am from the old school. I do not buy prepared vegetables nor do I ever buy cut-up melon. As an important note, I never bought prepared anything even when I had five young children running around in my kitchen. I guess that what I observed in my mother’s kitchen has stayed with me.

Every once in a while I take out some of my old cookbooks and while perusing them realize that there are recipes in them that I used to love making. It’s true that Susie Fishbein, Kim Kushner, (better known to me as Kim Pekofsky—a fellow Montrealer), Norene Gilletz (who has always been in my life), Jamie Geller and many others have made great contributions to the kosher culinary market, yet there is something special about those old reliables, as well as the many recipes that reacquaint us with friends we have not seen in many years. Yes, I did use index cards for these recipes. There is Rebbetzin Freifeld’s gefilte fish recipe, Shelley’s chicken, Lena’s honey cake, Ellen’s meat balls. Plus Auntie Jenny’s vegetarian chopped liver and grandma’s baked macaroni and cheese.

I would love to share with you some of the flavors and tastes from some older cookbooks. Hope you enjoy making them and eating them! Chag Sameach.

(“The Jewish Low Cholesterol Cookbook” by Roberta Levitton). For an appetizer. Serves 10. Recipe can be easily adjusted to the number of people needed for.

4 Tbsp olive oil, 4 Tbsp flour, ¾ pound fresh mushrooms, 2 cups of water, 2 tsp consommé mix, ¾ tsp salt, 2 Tbsp sherry, 3 cups shredded, diced or cubed cooked chicken ( good to use chicken from soup)

In a pot, warm the oil over medium heat and stir in the flour (careful not to let it burn). Gradually add the water while stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to boil and stir in the salt and consommé mix. Simmer several minutes longer.

Stir in the sherry, mushrooms and chicken. Cook for several minutes until totally heated through. Serve over rice.

(“Emunah’s Gourmet”—Yamit Sha’anan Chapter of Montreal)

5 lb lean brisket, 4 Tbsp oil, 2 onions sliced, ¾ cup green pepper and ¾ cup red pepper diced, 1 pint of mushrooms sliced, 3-4 cloves garlic cut into slivers, paprika, salt and pepper, Italian seasonings

Sauté vegetables in a large pot. Remove vegetables. Cut pockets into brisket. Arrange slivered garlic in pockets. Sear meat until brown, about 10 seconds. Add vegetables to meat. Season to taste. Cook 4 hours on low heat. Slice when cooled.

OR

Sweet and Sour Brisket

(So easy and so yummy.)

5-8 lb brisket, 3 onions sliced, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, 12 oz apricot jam, 14 oz ketchup.

Season brisket with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place onion slices on bottom of roasting pan. Place brisket over onions. Combine apricot jam and ketchup, Pour over brisket. Bake for 4 hours, covered, at 350 degrees.

(“A Yiddisher Taam”—Shaar Yashuv Sisterhood) Makes a ton of them.

6 eggs, 1 ½ cup sugar, 1 cup honey, 1 cup oil, 6 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp allspice

In large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Add flour. Add last 3 ingredients. Mix together. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment-covered baking sheets. Bake at 350 about 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.

By Nina Glick