I couldn’t figure out why I was having such a difficult time focusing on this issue of the Shofar. I had just returned to work from a sunny vacation in Mexico and was in my office for less than two hours when both Robert and Clare poked their curious faces into my door. “Shelley, do you have your article ready yet?” Barely thawed from the freezing temperatures that awaited my bronzed skin, I looked up at them dazed and confused … and said, “HUH?”

 

It was due that day and I hadn’t even given it one ounce of my brain space. I thought about it overnight and then again throughout the next morning. Finally, I summoned the two of them to my office, begging for something, anything … to get me motivated. Nothing.

 

I knew that the focus of the Shofar was Purim. But, what can I possibly write about?

 

The only food topic that comes close to what you might suggest as appropriate for this holiday is Hamentashen. So that evening, as I sat in front of my computer, I finally resigned myself to the fact that what had me so blocked was the baking. Anyone who knows me will attest that I hate to bake. I hate even the mere thought of baking. So, rather than create more recipes for hotdogs (the second culinary brilliance that comes out of our kitchen during Purim, other than Hamentashen) that would dazzle your taste buds, I chose to have some fun and come up with some unique, yet easy recipes to try. Recipes and ideas that even I can accomplish. So, here we go! If I can do this, so can you.

 

> Hamentashen with Yeast Dough Recipe

> Chocolate Cookie Dough Recipe

> Savoury Hamentashen Recipe

 

For the past three years, we have been making Hamentashen filled with prune, poppy seed (my fave) and apricot. But I wondered: What would it be like to dip one side of a fortune cookie into chocolate then roll in colourful sprinkles? A fun thing to do with the kids, and everyone gets their fortune told at the same time. I tried it and it works great! Does Purim only have to be Hamentashen? No. Why not mix the Hamentashen with the chocolate dipped fortune cookies and then let’s dip some pretzels and apricots in chocolate and sprinkles, too. I can’t see why we couldn’t dunk popcorn as well. What else? I got really radical and tried Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups double-dunked and then rolled in chocolate sprinkles — a trio of chocolate for only the chocolate junkies of the world. I not only spent the day running all over purchasing all of this stuff to try, but you know what? It really was fun and was equally as evil to eat!

 

Bon appetit!

Until next time,
Shelley