wish famili
Jewish Cinderella's Tasty Soup
What your favorite fictional Jewish characters might like to eat.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor
A
THE ADVENTURES OF
K'TONTON
husband and his wife were very happy
— except for one thing: They had no
children. Then they met up with a lit-
tle old woman who assured them
their wish would soon come true. All the wife
A LITTLE JEWISH TOM THUMB
had to do, the old woman said, was wait until
the last day of Sukkot. Then she should bite off
the end of her etrog.
BY
The wife did as she was told. And sure
SADIE ROSE WEILERSTEIN
enough, that very year she had a baby. He was a
charming little child, with dimples in his knees
and the darkest of eyes and hair. But he was,
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
JEANNETTE BERKOWITZ
well, a bit different.
Unlike other babies, this one was less than 2
inches tall. His parents named him K'tonton and
he would, in a series of books written in the
1930s and 1940s by Sadie Rose Weilerstein,
----\,,.,>
experience some remarkable adventures.
-_:---,5- ---?
■
What might such a tiny but dauntless little lad
-1"
- - -,-- Q■
(the type who once hid in an etrog box, and
another time got caught in a bowl where his
rim
mother was chopping fish for Shabbat) like to
eat? Why Angel Wings, a tasty
cookie treat, of course, says
YORK
Eileen Polk, librarian at the
Temple Beth El Prentis Memorial s
---------
Library.
---- -----
STORY
AND
PICTURES
BY
Nobody knows Jewish books
like librarians at Jewish institu-
JANE BRESKIN ZALBEN
tions. So AppleTree appealed to
"It is this riddle
these experts not only to learn the
that causes the
names of their favorite Jewish
rabbi's son (aka
characters in children's books, but
Prince Charming)
to suggest what these characters
to fall in love with
might like to eat.
her at the Purim
If you're looking for a fun family
ball. However,
project, consider checking into any
when he proposes
of the following books and cook-
she only answers
ing up a tasty treat to go with your
after he has provid-
reading.
ed the correct
answer to her rid-
Rachel Kamin is director of
dle.
Y43rir
libraries and the media center at
"Unlike in the
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY I Neu ,
Temple Israel. Her favorite Jewish
traditional
character in a book is Raisel from
Cinderella stories,
Raisel's Riddle by Erica Silverman,
Raisel teaches us
with pictures by Susan Gaber.
to look not at the flask but at
"Raisel is a Cinderella character who is truly a role
what it contains,' that learning is 'more precious than
model for girls" Kamin says. "At a time when it was
rubies, more lasting than gold,' and that intellect,
not typical for girls to learn and study the Torah and
perseverance and kindness are always more important
the Talmud, Raisel studies with her grandfather.
than physical beauty."
Through her studies she writes a wonderful riddle:
Food and material items were unimportant to
`What's more precious than rubies, more lasting than
Raisel, Kamin says. "When she lived with her grand-
gold? What can never be traded, stolen or sold? What father, they got by on bread and cheese. And I imag-
comes with great effort and takes time, but then —
ine that even after she marries the rabbi's son and
once yours, will serve you again and again?'
lives happily ever after, she gets more pleasure out of
t•
_.- ._,
ii . --e-- . _...... _
--
.„,
- 414.z....
...
M
,-..,
'
Happy New Year Beni
,
,,o,
ire,00,-
„
feeding her hungry mind than from feeding her
body.
"However, I'm sure she will always have happy
memories of the Purim feast at the rabbi's house, as
described in the book: beet soup, roast duck, potato
pancakes and noodle pudding."
BEET SOUP
3 lbs. fresh beets, peeled and grated
1-2 cups coarsely chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
3 cups chopped tomatoes
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
dash balsamic vinegar
chopped fresh dill (optional)
Saute onion and garlic until
soft. Add beets and toma-
toes. Cook until beets and
tomatoes are soft, about 30-
40 minutes. Puree soup. Swirl
in balsamic vinegar.
Serve, or save for a day in
the refrigerator and serve
chilled.
ROAST DUCK
5 lbs. whole duck, fresh or frozen
1 T kosher salt
1 scallion
3 slices fresh ginger
1 T. light corn syrup
1 T. soy sauce
few sprigs fresh coriander, for garnish
Thaw duck, if frozen. Remove excess fat, rinse and
pat dry. Rub entire surface of duck, inside and out,
with salt. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or,
even better, overnight.
Put scallion in cavity and lay slices of ginger on top
of duck. Add at least 2 inches water to a large, flame-
proof roasting pan with a lid. Put pan on stove.
Place a large rack in the roasting pan and bring
water to a boil. Choose an oval casserole large
enough to hold the duck and small enough to fit into
the roasting pan.
Place duck in the casserole and then put casserole
on the rack. Cover and steam for one hour, checking
water level from time to time and adding more boil-
ing water if necessary.
Save duck broth to use in soups or stir-fry dishes.
When done, remove duck from casserole and place
on a rack to dry.
Combine ingredients for the glaze in a small
saucepan and bring to a boil. With a pastry brush,
TASTY SOUP on page 28
to am
5/14
2004
27