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My grandmother was a foodie of sorts. Growing up in Lodz, Poland in the early 20thcentury didn’t mean your tummy was always full. When she immigrated to Canada, she appreciated the variety and abundance of food that today we take for granted. She relished in making her own noodles from scratch and baking unbelievable treats. But one recipe that has been enjoyed for four generations is her cholent. Cholent has a unique history. In essence, it’s a traditional Jewish stew. Most Jews in Eastern Europe at the time were observant and did not light their ovens from Friday at sundown until Saturday evening. In order to have a warm meal on Saturday afternoon all the villagers took their pots of cholent to the village bakery. The baker kindly left his huge oven flaming all night so everyone’s cholent could be cooked overnight and ready for lunch on Saturday. After synagogue on Saturday morning, the whole town trudged down to the bakery to pick up their pot. The recipe for cholent depended on economics and would change weekly. If money was tight, cholent was made from potatoes and onions. If money was flowing in that week, cholent was made with beans, barley and meat. Ironically, in 2008 when my children can eat anything their hearts desire their favorite meal is cholent. How happy would my grandmother be to know that my children’s favorite meal is a basic stew that her own mother taught her to make and costs next to nothing? Poor Man’s Cholent 8 potatoes, grated 2 large onion, grated Salt and pepper, to taste A little bit of oil Put a little oil in bottom of crock-pot; add potatoes, onions salt and pepper. Cook on high for a few hours. (This must be started in the late afternoon). . Cook on low overnight. Continue cooking for the next day. Enjoy it for lunch or dinner.
Rich Man’s Cholent 1-cup lima beans 2 pieces beef short ribs 2 onions, grated ½ cup barley 4 potatoes, cubed 4 cloves fresh garlic 2 pieces smoked turkey (I use turkey legs) Salt and pepper to taste Water Soak 1 cup of lima beans in water night before making cholent. Heat oil in crock-pot. Add short ribs and onions. Cook for 5 minutes. Add lima beans, barley, potatoes garlic and turkey. Season to taste. Add water to cover, (not overflowing) Place
Shari Krieser, RSW, lives in Toronto, and is a mother to 4 children–ranging in ages 9-20! She is a Member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers and a Member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Today she is Chair of the Parent Council at Heydon Park Secondary School, and enjoys her involvement in the Inclusion Initiative with the United Jewish Appeal. For fun Shari loves running 10k and half marathons, yoga, and travelling everywhere she can . Her passion-we wonder how she finds the time, is reading memoirs and biographies.
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It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition.
