Though I must bring up again that famous scene
in Orwell's 1984, where Winston Smith gets to
taste wine for the first time and is sorely
disappointed, having expected something like a
more intoxicating sort of ice cream topping.

I must say I used to share that reaction.

I grew up with dry red wine, having had my
first tastings while still in the single digits.
Not so severe as my first beer, which was while
still a toddler barely able to walk.

We used to get the fruit frappe at the
Blue Parrot (I seem to recall, or perhaps
it was the Ha'Penny), which was fruit and
ice cream with red wine.

That sounds ... interesting.

Wine and sugar and fruit = sangria; add a bit
of cream, what could be bad? In fact, it was OK.

Sounds like my late dad in a kitchen. He needed directions to

make

instant coffee.

My father once melted a kettle on the stove.

Darned near done that myself. I used to have one that didn't whistle
if it didn't have enough water in it. Since I didn't hear it whistle
I forgot it while working on something else. Boiled it dry
before...oops, what's that stink from the kitchen.

Never leave the kitchen when something is on
a high flame. I've learned that over the years.

My late lamented friend Lyn claimed that
after a modeling job she invited her male
counterpart over for a date, and their
preassignation feast consisted of raw onions.

That could be interesting, if you're both into it.

She gave a good report.

Lox isn't quite a sufficient substitute for
smoked oysters, but smoked fish could pass.
I've had sort of hybrid lox, with a smoky
element; pretty good too.

What about the Matje herring? Now there's an interesting fish for
you.

For some reason that disgusts me. I tried to
convince myself to eat some in the traditional
way, picking up the, er, delicacy by the tail
and munching upward, with the eater's head tilted
up, but it struck me that spending a Euro on
something I didn't really enjoy was a dumb idea.

Mock oysters

Now this might work. Real oysters are on the forbidden list, but eggplant is almost required.

And now that all but the most Orthodox are
allowed to eat sesame, baba ghannoush, that
most delicious of spreads, can now be eaten
throughout Passover.

I guess most of us have been eating honey sesame candy by mistake all
this time. As a Gentile I can get away with it of course.

Most of my friends were Reform, which meant that
they could eat pork stroganoff with impunity,
though not perhaps without a frisson of wickedness.
As I've grown old, more of my friends have come
from the more conservative communities, and we
just agree to disagree about things with Ks in
the name, such as Kashrut, kitniyot, and Likud.

But in '15 I think it was (I cited the date in a
previous post) the main conclave of Conservative
rabbis decreed that anything not specifically
forbidden was allowed, and this past year even
some Orthodox authorities have arrived at the
same conclusion. So unless your friends are of
the black-clad bad-hair persuasion, they are in
the clear.

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01

Title: Kvas <mint-Flavored Bread Beer Soup>
Categories: Russian, Soups/stews, Ethnic, Beverages
Yield: 6 servings

1 lb Stale black bread 2 tb Mint leaves, fresh
- or - - or -
1 lb Pumpernickel bread, stale 1 tb Dried mint leaves
1 c Sugar 2 tb Active dry yeast
2 tb Raisins 1/4 c Luke warm water

**NOTE** Water must be NOT hot as it will kill the yeast. Oven must be
preheated to 200 degrees F. Cube bread then spread on a cookie sheet and
place in oven for 1 hour. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and drop in
the
bread.. Remove from heat, cover with a towel, & allow to sit at room
temperature for 8 hours. Strain through a fine seive by pressing the
moistuire from the bread. Sprinkle the yeast & 1/4 teaspoon of sugar over
the cup of lukewarm water and stir to dissolve the yeast completely. Set
aside in a warm place covered by a towel for approx. 10-12 minutes or
until. mixture doubles in volume. Add the mint leaves, and remaining
sugar,
stir well then re-cover with the towel and set aside for 8-12 hours more
at
room temperature. Again strain the mixture through a fine seive. Pour
into
a 1 gal. container, add the raisins, cover the top with plastic wrap,
secure with a rubber band, and place in cool NOT cold, spot for 4-5 days
or
until the raisins are floating and the sediment has sunk to the bottom.
Pour off the clear amber liquid and rebottle in a clean jug or bottles.
refrigerate until ready to use. In Russia this is a beverage as well as
cold soup stock. ORIGIN: Dr. Sergei Betschonov, Uralsk, Kazakhstan
Submitted By DONALD HOUSTON On THU, 12-16-93 (19:47)

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disappointed, having expected something like a
more intoxicating sort of ice cream topping.

I must say I used to share that reaction.

I grew up with dry red wine, having had my
first tastings while still in the single digits.
Not so severe as my first beer, which was while
still a toddler barely able to walk.

I tried Cold Duck (yeah well) at 13, but didn't get anything good
until I was in my 20s. I was about that age when I tasted beer the
first time too; it didn't impress me.

it was the Ha'Penny), which was fruit and
ice cream with red wine.

That sounds ... interesting.

Wine and sugar and fruit = sangria; add a bit
of cream, what could be bad? In fact, it was OK.

It doesn't sound like something I'd want seconds of, but you never
know.

My father once melted a kettle on the stove.

Darned near done that myself. I used to have one that didn't

whistle

if it didn't have enough water in it. Since I didn't hear it

whistle

I forgot it while working on something else. Boiled it dry
before...oops, what's that stink from the kitchen.

Never leave the kitchen when something is on
a high flame. I've learned that over the years.

That's why I generally make a tea mug in the nuker.

What about the Matje herring? Now there's an interesting fish

for

you.

For some reason that disgusts me. I tried to
convince myself to eat some in the traditional
way, picking up the, er, delicacy by the tail
and munching upward, with the eater's head tilted
up, but it struck me that spending a Euro on
something I didn't really enjoy was a dumb idea.

I tried it once. Didn't go back for seconds.

this time. As a Gentile I can get away with it of course.

Most of my friends were Reform, which meant that
they could eat pork stroganoff with impunity,
though not perhaps without a frisson of wickedness.

I just don't do it around folks who keep Kosher.

But in '15 I think it was (I cited the date in a
previous post) the main conclave of Conservative
rabbis decreed that anything not specifically
forbidden was allowed, and this past year even
some Orthodox authorities have arrived at the
same conclusion. So unless your friends are of
the black-clad bad-hair persuasion, they are in
the clear.

For rice and corn syrup at least. Not so much the pork stroganoff.
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