EDITOR'S NOTE
Dear Cooks,
When winter is securely behind us and my eyes adjust to the sunlight outdoors, the first thing that hits my senses is the color—the explosion of blue sky, green grass, and even the colors of kids’ clothing and shoes. When I reviewed the Levines’ Spring Vibes, the first thing I thought was, Wow, just look at these colors! Indeed, Hashem’s vibrant bounty, most noticeable at this time of year, is a great motivator for us to get into new habits that include lots of colorful and nutritious veggies. On a different note, coffee is one of the rare things in the world that holds universal appeal all year round. However, it’s also something you shouldn’t try making for anyone else but yourself. It’s so personal; it’s almost like your own toothbrush. The precise amount of coffee granules, sugar, hot water, and milk—forget it, something will inevitably go wrong. Personally, I like my coffee without any sugar and a couple of squares of dark chocolate. My toddler, who’s still home with me in the morning, has learned some really bad habits from my coffee drinking rituals, which includes the need to add chocolate to anything he’s drinking—or eating, for that matter. I literally keep a bag of chocolate chips handy to make him eat his oatmeal, farina, and even the occasional
scrambled eggs. Whenever my older kids need coaxing to wake up and go to school, coffee’s the word. They genuinely believe—and by nurture it is—that coffee will give them energy to start their day. What they don’t know is that the coffee granules for their cuppas come from a jar with a green lid. This month’s Rebranding speaks to that deep, cozy coffee love within. I tried the Coffee Turmeric Cauliflower Chicken for the seudah Friday night last week, and it was a hit. And while I haven’t tried the Coffee Protein Fudge just yet, it strikes me as concurrently quirky and appealing. My personal coffee rebranding is in my cholent each week. I put a generous tablespoon or two over the cholent meat and it gives the entire cholent a smoky, deep flavor. My husband is known for hesitating before he eats the cholent: “Is the caffeine to ensure I’ll stay up to babysit the kids in the afternoon?” But of course, he ends up eating it anyway. What are some other awesome things you can do with coffee? Please write to me with your inspo! Happy spring,
Esther
WELLSPRING / IYAR 5783
75
