Shavuot at our place

Shavuot is a very spacial holiday because usually the bigger family comes together to a huge fiesta of dairy meal at Rachel’s place. It’s a once a year occasion when I get to see all the distant cousins, wander who are all these unfamiliar children, be bitten by dozens of mosquitoes and, well, the main event is the meal itself. Everyone brings something, and for about 100 people event, it means tons of food, which has to be tasted fully. There’s also a kind of consensus about what each family brings, so we know who to blame when the bread is late or the cake is too good. We are asked to bring the cheese platter since I remember myself. Now you can understand why I love this holiday. This year, about a week before the awaited day, I asked casual about Rachel’s Shavuot fiesta and just as casual I was answered that it’s not happening this year. Rachel is climbing some mountain somewhere and no one’s replacing her kind hospitality. I had to do the initiative, said Elisheva. And so I did, after receiving the proper approvals from my superiors. We made a more modest event of the closer family. Elisheva, though she was the one to suggest the hosting at our place, couldn’t make it for her dismay. Every family was asked to bring what they like making and we contributed the rest. Weird thing was that we were still left with the cheese platter no one volunteered to bring, and the salads. These two doesn’t require much cooking but nevermind.

The cheese platter: 

We took the Camembert out of the fridge for the entire day so it’ll be ripe.

Mom made her Caesar salad with the authentic dressing (Parmesan cheese, boiled eggs and anchovy..) and walnuts.

I made the other dairy salad, Greek salad with fetta cheese and calamate olives. Cubed vegetables and Balsamic-mustered dressing.

Safta brought these broccoli Latkes (belinis)

… and Spinach Lasagna – yam!

Ohad made this mushroom, zucchini and onions tart. Horay! you’re on the right path.

Elizabeth and Lior brought the “talk of the evening” – a crab and horseradish baked dip with colorful chips. It’s far from traditional at our Shavuot dinner but I loved it!

Alon and Laly brought the bread, two home made loafs: one of them was Rye, the other I’m not sure (you’ll have to remind me Alon). And some other interesting breads.

The table set at sunset:

And Yeudith brought onion soup but confessed to us she only love making it but not eat it. It was delicious.

Shlomo made sole fish with Oxalis (chamtzitz) which he thought was Spinach but then figured out what it was when he tasted the sourness. Was actually a good match with the fish and creamed sauce.

Ariel made a Sashimi Blue runner with soy dip and it was fresh and amazing.

Einat brought her cold classic cheese cake – I couldn’t even take the picture before the masses already had their share of it.

Safta also brought one of Anat’s mousse cakes that’s good and known.

And we can hardly know it’s Shavout without the cheese Blintzes Safta makes (recipe in Safta’s site, see in the links page) with sour cream and apple sauce. Also with Yehudith’s confitures – Shavout Classic!

Plated:

It was a very nice alternative Shavuot dinner. Can not compete with Rachel but we all enjoyed very much. These are some more atmosphere pictures for you to enjoy:

Thank you all for coming… next time at your place 🙂

For the complete album see: