Gefilte fish!

I made gefilte fish this evening to share with my parents and some of their friends Wednesday night, on erev Rosh Hashanah.

When I was a kid, I remember raving about my grandmother's homemade gefilte fish. This fish -- made, I was sure, from an ancestral family recipe -- blew away any faux "gefilte fish" that you might find in a jar. Night and day. Nana would make gefilte fish for Pesach seders and (as a special Wilson family tradition) for Thanksgiving. Just amazing.

When I was a bit older (25), she taught me how to make it. For several years, we'd make it together. I'd be the brawn of the operation, and she'd supervise. During one of those fish-making sessions, I learned that the "family recipe" was actually an adaptation of a recipe that Nana found in a cookbook (Jewish Home Cookbook, published in 1956 by the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Jewish Home for Aged of Worcester County). The page with the original recipe is well-used, with food stains and marginalia in Nana's handwriting. Nana also taught me to taste the raw fish to see if it needed any additional doctoring before it went into the pot. If it tasted a bit fishy and a bit salty, it would turn out fine. Each time she and I had fun making the fish, and each time it turned out great.

These days, with Nana gone, my father and I make gefilte fish. (Not together, however -- now it's a solo affair for each of us. He makes his at home in Maine, and I make mine at home in Boston.) Where Nana chopped the onions and fish extensively to create a smoother texture for the fish balls, Dad simply stirs all of the ingredients together. (Dad also adds garlic to his fish -- heresy.) For years, I've carried out the tradition of chopping -- until this year. I also used haddock and sea bass (two salt-water fishes) instead of the freshwater pike and whitefish that Nana used to use. We'll see how it comes out. I'm hopeful, though, because the raw fish tasted a bit fishy and a bit salty. That's always a good sign, as Nana taught me.

Steph promised to take pictures of this year's fishmaking extravaganza to share with you all. But her pregnancy-related food aversions kicked in, and she didn't find the smell of boiling fish balls to be so appetizing. Perhaps she'll take some pictures if I make fish again for Thanksgiving.

Shanah tovah to everyone -- a sweet, healthy new year.

Labor Day Weekend

Last weekend, my sister-in-law S came to visit. Her sister N and N's fiance D have been living in Boston over the summer (before moving to London), so we all had a chance to spend some time. It was a gorgeous weekend -- sunny and temps in the mid-70s.

On Saturday, S, N, and Steph did some baby shopping on Saturday while I went to my kung fu class, mowed the lawn, and washed Herman. Afterward, I joined them for some stroller research at a local Arlington maternity store. Strollers are serious business! It's not a trivial investment, and the options are extensive. We're trying to decide between two models, and it's not an easy choice at all.

That evening, we went to an amazing Moroccan restaurant, Tangierino, in Charlestown. This was easily the most exotic and delicious meal I've had in a long time. The restaurant's rich colors, the canopy over the table, the opportunity to wash our hands in scented water, and the delicately spiced food all contributed to a great meal. We had a blast. (The restaurant's belly dancer, however, was not as talented as Steph's stepsister Ariellah.)

On Sunday, after brunch at home, we all wandered along Boston's Harborwalk. This is just one of the spots in Boston to which Steph and I had never been. Apparently, we need to have guests from out of town before we can get out and about in our own city.









Steph, S, N, and D
along the Harborwalk




We've posted more photos from the weekend, in case you want to see.

Brandeis in the fall

It's a gorgeous day at Brandeis, and Steph and I are working away in our offices. Personally, I would prefer being on my bike. But so it goes. Here's a quick snapshot of Brandeis, courtesy of my cell phone camera. This statue is located outside the Brandeis library. You can see students lounging & studying. Perhaps I should go join them and work wirelessly in the sun.