Food Friday and a dress made because I have friends

If you were here sitting next to me as I was getting ready to write this post I would ask you if you wanted to to read about the dress first or Shabbat dinner first. Since you aren't here by my elbow, I will just begin.

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A few weeks ago I came home and our doorman handed me a package with two beautiful lengths of fabric inside. One was a beautiful rusty red brocade, the other was a length of blue and turquoise ikat-dyed and woven Guatemalan cotton. The package had no indication who gave me this wonderful gift. I was both delighted and puzzled.

I asked our doorman a few questions about who might have left the package. I thank my older sisters for their many hours of playing 20 questions with me. I was able after a few questions (fewer than 20) to figure out that these fabrics were a gift from my friend Arleen who is downsizing her apartment.

I thanked her in synagogue. She told me that the red fabric was left over from upholstering her dining room chairs. The Guatemalan fabric came her way when our mutual friend Alan went to Guatemala with his wife Amy. Arleen asked Alan to bring back fabric. I suspect that Amy selected the fabric, she loves turquoise.

And so, thanks to my friends, I now own this summer dress.

I used directions from a WWII era sewing book to construct the dress. The bodice is made up of a 14 inch square of fabric cut into two triangles, darted and stitched into place. The skirt is cut on the bias. The neck ties and waist band were made out of fabric left over after the main patter pieces were cut out. This dress would have worked fine with the fabric rationing restrictions during the war.

And now for Shabbat dinner. My future son in law has many fine qualities. Unfortunately, he is allergic to potatoes. While rice IS nice, sometimes too much of it gets a bit boring.

I decided to make noodles for Shabbat dinner. I dumped a cup and a half of flour into the food processor along with three eggs and lots of freshly ground black pepper. After a few minutes the dough came together into a big lump. I kneaded it for a few minutes and then let it rest under a bowl on the counter while I took a shower and then took care of a few other household obligations.

I first attempted to make pulled noodlesand failed. So my plan be was rolling out the noodles. I was able to roll the noodles really thin, working in small batches. I then rolled the big noodle up int a loose roll and cut it with my trusty knife into ribbons.

The noodles, like toddlers need lots of rest time scheduled into their day the noodles resed while I worked on the rest of the meal.

I made beef in a coffee spice rub.

Roasted tomatoes to add to salad, because several of us hate raw tomatoes but love them cooked.

I boiled the noodles and made a very old world noodle recipe with poppy seeds, salt, black pepper, parsley and a bit of sugar.

Tonight's parev ice cream is coffee -walnut.

As a Shabbat treat for all of you, a little architectural treat, from above one of the bays on the garage on 101st street.

Shabbat Shalom!

מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים

וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים You are faithful to restore the dead to life. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Resurrector of the dead. That particular line is recited at every single prayer service every day three times a day, unless you use a Reform or Reconstructionist prayer book . In those liturgies instead of praising God for resurrecting the dead God is praised for giving life to all. I am enough of a modern woman, a modern thinker, to not actually believe in the actual resurrection of the dead. I don't actually expect all of the residents of the Workmen's Circle section of Mount Hebron cemetery in Queens to get up and get back to work at their sewing machines. I don't expect the young children buried here or the babies buried here to one day get up and frolic. Yet, every single time I get up to lead services I say those words about the reanimating of the dead with every fiber of my being. Yesterday, I e...

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