National Bagels and Lox Day

I grew up in New York City, so bagels were - of course! - an essential part of my diet.  Bagels, thin-crust pizza perfectly suited to folding, black-and-white cookies, matzah ball soup ... these are just a few of the basic food groups in my world.  I could go on and on, but we'd all just get hungry and wish we were schlepping around in my hometown, eating our way from deli to pizza parlor to food cart.

According to America's Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast by Sheryll Bellman: "The modern bagel arrived in America in the early 1880s with a wave of Eastern European Jewish immigrants.  Not long after that, cream cheese was developed and lox met its mate ....  The genius that married the bagel with cream cheese and lox is a mystery, but we do know that it occurred sometime early in the twentieth century."  This is one of those innovations, like duct tape, that warrants a prize of some sort!

I don't normally eat much bread or many foods made with refined carbohydrates (my sweet tooth causing me to make an exception to the rule occasionally, I must admit).  But today is a special day requiring some deviation from my usual preferences.  So bring on the bagels!

And no bagel is complete, of course, without a schmear of cream cheese and some gorgeous lox.

In today's "recipe" (what, a bagel an' a schmear requires instructions???) I advocate for chopping the lox and the scallions and mixing them into the cream cheese, rather than serving the bagel with a slab of fish or a slice of onion.  This allows for the flavors to blend together in each bite, rather than any one ingredient overpowering the others.

But however you slice it (ha!), just be sure you don't miss out on this fabulous food holiday!


Don't forget to read about my "Chopped" challenge: dare me to use ingredients you suggest, and I'll post about my creations! Click here for the terms ....




Bagel an' a Schmear

6 ounces soft cream cheese
2 medium scallions, chopped fine
2 ounces lox, chopped fine
generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
2 everything bagels (or savory bagels of choice - don't try this with a raisin bagel!)

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, scallions, lox and pepper; mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and preferably overnight) to let the flavors blend.

Slice the bagels, then schmear them with the cream cheese mixture.

Serves 2.

Wordless Wednesday: The Lord of the Ring, Guarding His Precious

For today's recipe - Italian Spinach and Chickpea Soup - go to the Food and Grocery page of AnnArbor.com ....

Egg 'n' Onion Sandwich

Although some of my recent posts have been a bit less than noble nutritiously (The Cupcake Station, Brownie Ice Cream Pie) others have been very health-oriented (Cabbage and Fennel Slaw, Tropical Granita).

Well, today I'm making no pretense of preparing anything that's good for me. Today, I'm simply offering something that was good for my soul. Sometimes you've just gotta give in and do that for yourself.

And so, I recently indulged in a toasted bagel with a fried egg and sauteed onion ... an Egg 'n' Onion sandwich inspired by the old Jimmy Stewart movie "Harvey."

I have little use for new movies, and have seen virtually nothing current (which means nothing in the past several years, with the exception of the fabulous "The King's Speech"). One or two others, I might eventually get around to watching; but I'm pretty content not to sit and stare at a screen for 2 hours. (I stare at my computer screen for far too long already, without adding different screens into that mix!)

But I love old movies, MGM musicals in particular. I was raised on them, at the Regency Theater on Columbus Avenue in New York City, which only showed the old standards rather than new releases. And "Harvey" - full of sweet and eccentric characters - is a long-time favorite.

It's a screwball comedy about a man with a drinking problem and the family members who try to take care of him despite his, ahem, oddities. Harvey is the "pooka" - a benevolent character, manifesting as a 6' rabbit not visible to everyone - who watches over Jimmy Stewart's Elwood P. Dowd and helps to create some chaos.

At one point, without sharing too much and spoiling the movie (because I do, indeed, expect you to go straight to Netflix and watch it instantly!), Elwood's sister and niece are caught up in escapades with the sanitarium in which they're trying to commit poor Elwood.

The niece, Myrtle Mae, happens to develop an immediate crush on one of the employees who's been sent to the house to bring back a patient. Fortunately, she rather strikes his fancy, too.

And so Myrtle Mae, not socially adept, asks the man a not terribly romantic or flirtatious question: would he like an egg 'n' onion sandwich?

And he accepts.

It's bashert [bah-SHAYRT], which is Hebrew for "destiny."

Eggs and onions make a great pair, whether in omelettes or any other form. Add a slice of cheddar cheese to the Egg 'n' Onion sandwich, and you've got a perfect combination served on an "everything" bagel.

Egg 'n' Onion Sandwich

1 teaspoon bacon fat or butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 egg
1 everything bagel
schmear of Dijon mustard
1 slice cheddar cheese

Heat the bacon fat in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until just translucent.

Add the egg, being careful to keep the yolk intact, and nudge the onions into the raw egg to cook together. Cook until the edges of the egg are set and crisping. Carefully flip the egg and turn the heat off on the stove to let the underside cook while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Toast the bagel, and schmear the mustard onto it. Place the cheese on the bottom half of the bagel, top with the egg/onion, and then complete your sandwich with the top half of the bagel.

Makes 1 sandwich, which should be served with a napkin because the yolk will run. This is messy, but it's really good!

The Shiksa, The Bagels and the Blintzes

I love, love, love what is collectively known as "Jewish" food -- absolutely adore it!!!  Now, of course, I have to clarify that I love all Jewish food -- both Sephardic (mostly non-European -- the Asian, African and South American cuisines of those expelled around the time of the Spanish Inquisition) and Ashkenazic (Central and Eastern European).

When most people think of traditional Jewish cuisine, they inevitably think of the Ashkenazim and the chicken soup, lox, pastrami and other foods available at delis.  And ya know what???  While that is only a minor part of the entire repertoire, that's okay -- those foods are good for the soul, and each one holds a special place in my heart.  There's time to introduce people to tzimmes and charoset and hamantaschen (no, they're not just German Christmas cookies -- they're Purim treats!), and all sorts of other delicacies.

But last Sunday, I indulged in some of the old favorites -- bagels and blintzes.  It was a good day, I have to admit!  I try to limit my intake of yeast and of white flour, but sometimes God sends a strong enough message saying "It's okay" that you just have to give in.  I'm sufficiently obstinate and enough of a control freak (despite having no semblance whatsoever of influence over my own life) that I'm not usually a "'Cause God said so" kinda girl.  But when God speaks to me through a tray of bagels, as well as through freshly made blintzes ... well, who am I to turn a deaf ear???  He even placed cookies in my path, so I indulged in just one oatmeal raisin cookie; and since oats and raisins are good for you, I can delude myself that there was some health food on the plate!

Anyway ....  after enjoying the bagel and cream cheese that I don't usually permit myself, while simultaneously schmoozing with friends, the wonderful Marcie Greenfield (whose Savor Ann Arbor walking tours are de rigueur for newbies and townies alike, and on my "to do" list when we can coordinate our busy schedules) gave a demonstration of how to make blintzes -- those fabulous crepes filled with ricotta or sour cream with fruit or salmon or lots of other mix-ins, then fried in butter because they're not unhealthy enough already.  C'mon -- you know that butter makes everything better!  How else will they get that gorgeous golden glow, short of a tanning salon???  Baking may be a substitute, but it's just not the same.

I don't usually go through the many steps required to make blintzes; they're not difficult, but they are time consuming ... and frankly, everyone already knows that I just want to eat!  I have a recipe that calls for pouring some batter into a baking dish, cooking it a bit, then topping it with the cheese filling and pouring the rest of the batter over everything; then it bakes into a 3-layer casserole that can be cut into squares, with a fruit sauce poured over it (since I've always made a sweet blintz casserole, though after tasting Marcie's lox/dill filling that will change).

So Marcie was giving an excellent presentation to a group of some exceptional women about the beauty of blintzes, and trying to pour batter and fill/fold crepes and brown the blintzes ... it was a lot to manage when the steps progress quickly and require undivided attention.  So when she asked if I wanted to help, well, who was I to refuse both a friend's invitation and an opportunity to cook?  So I buttered the pan, poured the batter (not as well as Marcie did, with a few holes here and there ... mine weren't pretty, but who cares once they're filled and fried and fabulous???), and generally did my part to be helpful.  Here's the process, for those who want to go for the full gusto:

Pour the batter into the pan and cook it until the edges curl ....

Flip the crèpe to cook it briefly on the other side ....

Place the crèpe onto a work surface ....

Place your desired filling into the center of the crèpe (this one happens to be ricotta with lox and dill ... sigh) ....

Fold up the left and right sides, then the top and bottom edges to form a square; then fry the blintz on both sides in a hefty dose of butter to get one of the truly glorious wonders of the food world!!!

I ate with abandon, because bagels and blintzes are truly foods of love.  Blintzes are traditionally served for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (which will begin on the evening of May 18 and end 2 nights later), which celebrates the Israelites' receipt of the Torah; dairy foods are part of the custom, and these can be rolled to resemble Torah scrolls.  I'll have to remember to make my Fried Ice Cream Torah Scrolls for you, 'cause they're just too cute ... though I'll be coming home from a trip to Philly with Tom that Wednesday -- his daughter is earning her Master's in Urban Design from the University of Pennsylvania!!! -- and I may be too busy doing laundry and replenishing groceries, not to mention spending time with Jeremy whom I'll have missed terribly over the course of 5 days, to make the effort.  But it's the thought that counts, right ...?

Until next time, eat with no regard to fat or sugar or sodium contents -- just enjoy!!!

Still Having Fun While Senility Creeps In

Well, the Docent Invitational Exhibit Reception was held at the Riverside Arts Center this past Saturday night, and I was there twirling in my beautiful new dress in the only pair of high heels that I own.  Jeremy told me that Tom should be sure to let everyone know I'm already taken; and Tom said I looked "like a million bucks" ... :)

But do I have a photo to commemorate my rare and priceless non-officewear, non-jeans, and non-jammies moment?  Did I take a picture of the buffet table that I, of course, meandered over to on "enumeritus" (thank you, "Squidbillies"!) occasions?  Heavens, no!!!  Your foolish Food Floozie switched purses -- bad words that I haven't uttered, literally, in years -- and very inconveniently left her camera at home.

Now, admittedly, the little red purse with sequins was cute, and it was much easier to tote than the behemoth that I usually carry my life around in.  However, while I remembered other critical items like my lipstick and a card bearing the Jewish traveller's prayer (don't leave home without it!), not having brought my camera is really posing (no pun intended -- ha!) some problems for someone who likes to decorate her posts with a little bit of color and with lots of food.

So the one and only picture that I have to offer from Saturday night is the lovely one at the top of the page.  MUCH credit to my beloved, Tom, for taking it before the schmoozing began and further opportunities were lost!!!  But unfortunately, I now have to compensate for the lack of pictures from the actual event by placing props around my home and asking them to pose photogenically for me ... sigh.

Anyway ... let me tell you about those fabulous chocolates that are not yet for sale but will be soon, I hope -- I'll keep you posted when I learn more.  They were made by a friend of Tom's who is a devoted chocolatier in his spare time, after work.  They're raw (only heated slightly, for melting), vegan and organic -- all normally terms that would make me think of tofu and other wretched ingredients not readily placed into my mouth.

But these sinful little tidbits are simply the purest chocolate, with nothing to interfere with your sensual experience.  They literally melt over your tongue as you are transported into a reverie ... I exaggerate not, even though I am admittedly prone to both enthuse and to effuse.  Daniel, the man who creates these magical treats, has located a commercial kitchen for production and is currently networking to seek outlets for sales.  A company name, packaging ... all of those little details are still a-brewing.  But Daniel had better speed up this process, as I steered every one of my guests on Saturday night to the chocolate tray and every single person was nearly in ecstasy from just the small tasting opportunity.

As for the rest of the buffet table -- my vegetable and chip tray with Spicy Mustard Dip (photo taken prior to Saturday night, or else you'd be using your imagination for that, too) seemed to be pretty popular, though no one seemed quite capable of figuring out that the bowl of chocolate stuff surrounded by cookies was yet another type of dip ... sheesh!  Cookies disappeared, but the bowl of chocolate -- bowl of chocolate, may I reiterate! -- was barely acknowledged.  Oh, well -- their loss!  The mini bagels schmeared with a lox-dill cream cheese and then cut into quarters to become bite-sized were also a hit, so I was 2 for 3 with my offerings.

Besides my contributions, there was a Mexican dip in a 9"x13" Pyrex pan that looked remarkably like spaghetti topped with tomato sauce (to my trifocal-ed eyes) until a closer perusal showed beans and sour cream and -- ohhhhh -- shredded cheese underneath the chunks of tomatoes.  It was good, once I figured out what it was!  There was a beautiful cheese tray with very thick asparagus for a garnish (???), lots of fresh fruit, cheesecake, cookies, and more food than I can remember after 4 long days.  (The senility of the title refers not only to having forgotten my camera, but to my inability to even remember why I've walked into the kitchen at any given time, let alone what I ate on Saturday!) There was even a nice assortment of beverages such that I could add dribbles of white wine to my sparkling water, making me feel a bit grown-up in my party dress (but without becoming an embarrassing drunk, since I have perhaps one glass of wine annually and have no tolerance whatsoever).

Tom's father and stepmother drove out to Ypsi from Royal Oak for the event, which was a nice surprise; I'd known they'd been invited, but hadn't expected them to come out.  But as Gary put it, this was a family event and he always shows up for family events ... even though, as Monica pointed out, the Masters was on and her golf-addicted husband was missing it!   Tom's sister Sandy came, as did an old acquaintance from his former writing group.  Several of his co-workers, who are just wonderful, attended -- Daniel (of chocolate fame), Flo, and Sara (whose mom has even commissioned an artwork from Tom after seeing a fabulous piece he'd made featuring a photo of Sara).

Fellow co-workers and very dear friends of Tom's -- Alan and Carol -- had prior commitments and couldn't attend the reception, so they'll get private tours; Carol's will actually be tonight, after dinner at the Prickly Pear (which just happens to be donating 10% of today's proceeds to Alpha House to help the homeless, I might add, which is how it was selected as the restaurant du jour).  I asked Tom to warn Carol that I have the odd habit of photographing my food, so she should be prepared ... though, according to my beloved NYT, I am not alone in this hobby; and I do it for the sake of my faithful readers on AnnArbor.com and Food Floozie, rather than for my own perverse amusement.  Rationalize, and all can be right with the world!

Many of the people I'd invited couldn't attend because they're observant Jews and the reception was held before Shabbat ended after sundown.  But others -- mostly my "bubbes," as I affectionately call the women in their 80s who have adopted me and taught me to play Mah Jong -- came and ate and laughed and, oh yeah, made sure to schmooze with Tom and to fuss over him and to admire his beautiful artworks.  I was thrilled to have them there, and it wouldn't have been the same without their love and support.  I hope they know how special they are to me, and how blessed I felt that they considered this an important occasion to attend ... :)

So, I came, I ate, I schmoozed, I ate, I ate some more, and the reception was a huge success!  Stay tuned for my next post -- "Prickly Pear and Paintings," or something like that ....