The 8-day festival of Passover Begins on April 6th at Sundown!

I always wanted Mother’s Bistro & Bar to be a place where families could go to celebrate holidays and special occasions.  That’s why I serve traditional Thanksgiving dinner,  Christmas  eve dinner,  Corned Beef & Cabbage for Saint Patrick’s day and hot cross buns at Easter.  Another important holiday celebration is Passover, an 8-day holiday where Jews everywhere celebrate their freedom from slavery in Egypt.

A seder (ritual banquet) is conducted the first two nights of Passover.  Its major feature is the reading of the Haggadah, which relates, in detail, the events of the Exodus of the Jewish people from ancient Egypt, complete with symbolic reenactments using Kosher wine, specially prepared Matzah, and bitter herbs. At Mother’s Bistro & Bar we conduct a Seder on the second night. We have our own slightly shortened version of the Haggadah which we read along with our guests and pass around the microphone so anyone who wants to participate, can. We then serve traditional Jewish holiday fare.  Here’s the special Passover menu we’re serving this year…

If there’s any time of year to eat Matzoh Ball soup, Passover is it!  Because observant Jews avoid eating flour in any form other than matzoh, eastern European Jews created a dumpling made from crushed matzoh (called matzoh meal) to take the place of noodles and other dumplings in their chicken soup.  Below is my mother Belle’s recipe for Chicken Soup with matzoh balls, which is what we serve at Mother’s Bistro & Bar.

Belle’s Matzoh Ball Soup

10 servings

Chicken Soup

2 whole chickens & other carcasses, if available

2 whole onions, peeled, and left whole

4 stalks celery, peeled and left whole

4 whole carrots, peeled and left whole

4 parsnips, peeled, and left whole

1 bunch flat leaf (Italian) parsley, stems and all

Fresh cold water to cover

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 bunch chopped fresh dill (for garnish)

2 cups finely diced carrots

2 cups finely diced celery

1.  In a big pot just large enough to hold the chickens, put in the chickens and vegetables (up to the diced vegetables).  Add only enough cold water to cover the chickens (about 1 ½ gallons).  Bring to a boil and skim any scum that rises to the surface and discard.

2. Season soup lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Simmer the broth, uncovered, for at least 3 hours.  Lift the chicken from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle.

4. Strain the rest of the broth into a clean pot.

5. Add the diced celery and carrots to the strained broth, bring to a boil, and cook until just tender.

6.  While the vegetables are cooking, pick through the chicken, trying to leave the pieces as large as possible, discarding the bones.  Set aside.

Matzoh Balls

¼ cup chicken fat, melted, or vegetable oil

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup matzoh meal (available in the kosher section of the supermarket)

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons cold chicken soup

2 tablespoons soda water

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the chicken fat, eggs, matzoh meal and salt.

1. Add the soup and soda water and mix well.
2. Cover mixture and place bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
3. Place one gallon of water and one tablespoon of salt in a large pot and bring to a boil.
4. Remove matzoh ball mixture from refrigerator, and using an ice cream scoop (this ensures that the matzoh balls are uniform in size) scoop out equal amounts (about 1 inch in diameter) onto a cookie sheet.  With wet hands, roll each scoopful of the matzoh mixture so that it is shaped like a ball and drop the balls into the boiling water.
5. Reduce the heat so the water is at a simmer, cover pot and cook matzoh balls about 30 minutes.
6. Lift the matzoh balls out the a slotted spoon and place in serving bowls.

To Serve:

1. Add some of the cooked, picked chicken back to soup pot (you can make chicken salad with the rest of the boiled chicken), taste soup for seasoning, adjusting with salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed.

2. Place the matzoh balls into serving bowls.   Ladle broth, chicken and vegetables into bowls, sprinkle with fresh chopped dill and serve.

Some notes:

- You can omit the matzoh balls and serve the chicken soup with noodles instead.  Cook the noodles separately according to package directions and strain, keeping them separate until ready to serve.  Place them in serving bowls and ladle soup on top.

- If making the matzoh balls ahead, keep them in the cooking liquid until ready to serve, then lift themout with a slotted spoon and place in serving bowls.  This will prevent the balls from drying out.

It is so important to follow your dreams and do what you love.

Here’s the article:

We’re all so busy, who has time to cook for our loved ones on Valentine’s day? Not many of us, which is why I’m in business ! But if you’re ambitious, or want to celebrate the holiday and share the love with your children,  have I got a recipe for you!

I personally love pudding (who doesn’t?) and chocolate. Put them together, and I’m in heaven. My recipe for chocolate pudding is the best because it’s not overly sweet and can you actually can taste the chocolate.

When I think of making dessert with the kids (besides chocolate chip cookies of course), I always think of chocolate pudding. It’s not too hard to make, is slightly nutritious given the milk, and kids love to stir it and lick the spoon. The cornstarch and cocoa dissolve best when mixed with just enough liquid to saturate the powders and make a paste. Otherwise, they’ll form clumps that won’t cook out.

Give this a try and watch all the love come your way!

Best Chocolate Pudding
Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder (Love Note)

Pinch salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 large egg yolks

1 cup half-and-half

2 cups whole milk

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 tablespoon crème de cacao, Godiva chocolate liqueur or vanilla extract 1 cup whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

1. Place cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt and sugar in a large (6-quart) saucepan and whisk to combine (don’t heat yet).
2. In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks, half-and-half and milk together until combined. Pour a couple tablespoons of the egg yolk mixture into the dry ingredients in the saucepan, whisking well to make a thick paste (this will help avoid lumps). Slowly whisk in the rest of the egg mixture, a little at a time, making sure it’s incorporated before adding more.
3. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, whisking steadily but not furiously, until thickened and just starting to boil. (You need to stir constantly — make sure to get the sides — to prevent scorching, but don’t stir vigorously or you’ll break the cornstarch granules and the pudding won’t set up.) Lower heat to medium, continue to cook at a gentle simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until melted.
4. Whisk in the crème de cacao, chocolate liqueur or vanilla extract. If there are any lumps, strain the pudding through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
5. Pour pudding into 1-cup serving dishes or cups. If you don’t like a skin (I do!), place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the puddings. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. Serve alone or with whipped cream.

Love Notes

The difference between Dutch process cocoa and regular cocoa is that the Dutch style has been treated with alkaline to neutralize the natural acidity in the cocoa. The result is a more mellow cocoa flavor and darker color – perfect for a rich pudding like this where you want deep color and rounded flavor. Regular unsweetened cocoa has a more complex flavor.
Be careful when using cocoa powder in baking recipes. Dutch process is pH neutral so it doesn’t work with baking soda – it can’t provide the acidity needed for the baking soda to react and create gas bubbles for leavening. It’s therefore usually used with baking powder, which contains its own acidic ingredient. Regular cocoa powder is already acidic, so it’s best used with baking soda, because using it with baking powder would be overkill. It’s not always easy to be sure if a cocoa powder is Dutch-process or not. Check the fine print on the back label. Droste is a common brand.

I love to give kids the spoon to lick when making chocolate pudding. They enjoy it so, and I enjoy seeing their delight and chocolate-covered faces. Here's a 30 year-old picture of my daughter, Stephanie licking the spoon!

My message to you today is YOU GIVE, YOU GET.  

I don’t give with the expectation of something in return, and I don’t always give for a particular reason. I just know in my heart of hearts…if you give just to give it will come back to you somehow.  

In Judaism a good deed is called a mitzvah. In the area of giving, the greatest mitzvah is to give anonymously. The receiver doesn’t know who the giver was and the giver doesn’t know who the receiver is. That’s real giving – with no expectation of anything in return…not even gratitude.  Give of your time, your energy, your money or your product and you will invariably get back what you need in business, relationships and life.  

My culinary career started through volunteering. I strongly believe if you want to “make” it in this world, you have to give of your time first. In the food business we call it “Staging. ” It’s when you work for free in a kitchen. Sometimes it’s just to learn — a new technique , skill or dish. Other times you stage with the hopes of getting a job. I worked for free for two weeks at Le Bernadin in New York city, but there weren’t any positions available. I then worked for free for one day at Le Cirque and got a job. I gave my time, I got a job. You give, you get. Sometimes it will come from a place you don’t expect, but you’ll get.  

I consider myself a part of my community. I am compelled to get involved as a citizen of Portland and this earth. I give my time to causes I believe in. For example, I am a survivor of domestic violence. I swore that someday “when I made it,” I would help other women like me break the cycle of violence. So when the Bradley Angle house asked to have Mother’s Bistro be a place to hold fundraising events, I happily obliged. Their high tea event got so big over the years it had to be moved to larger location. I never asked what I’d get out of it…I just gave because I believed in the cause.. But because I give, constituents that believe in the same things I do patronize my business. That’s not why I do it, but what goes around comes around.  

My restaurant is located in downtown Portland. As a member of the Portland Business Alliance we’re all invited to attend monthly Downtown Retail Council meetings where we learn about what’s going on in the area, impending events and projects and given opportunities to discuss how they may affect our businesses. By just showing up I help ensure downtown is successful, vibrant and inviting. The city of Portland benefits. Mother’s Bistro & Bar benefits. We all benefit. Where I can’t donate my time, I find other ways to give.

I always thought I wanted to be in politics, and have found a way to be political while simultaneously doing what I love. I GIVE my space to political causes and candidates and let them use it for fundraisers and events. I’ll also donate the food and my services. This way, I help put someone in office who will hopefully be good all of us.

I have used my space to host events to Save Bristol Bay Salmon and educate people about the potential negative impact Pebble Mine could have on the watershed that’s home to the largest sockeye salmon population on the planet. I do this because by saving salmon we save ourselves. I get as many as 10 requests a day for donations to auctions and charities. From basketball teams to orphans in Ethiopia, I am asked to contribute in some way and often do. Mother’s may get a mention in their program, or our name listed on a table. It’s not why we do it, but it couldn’t hurt.

I did classes for the Oregon Food Bank and got to be featured in a spot with Bill Moyers. I gave with no expectation of anything in return and got a TV spot worth thousands.

I don’t have an official “frequent dining” program at Mother’s Bistro & Bar, but if I see your face enough or know your name, you can rest assured there’s a piece of pie in your future. It’s not that I keep track. But if you give me your business I can’t help but thank you with a little something-somethin. It’s how I roll. You give, I give, we both get.  

I keep in mind the needs of others and do what I can to help. I offer health insurance and a 401K plan to my staff. They appreciate me as a boss and show me through dedication. I help and give to them and my business gets loyalty in the process. I share with you here what I do not to brag, but to provide insight and ideas on what you can give.

The ways certainly don’t stop here. I never measure or keep score. I don’t need to and neither do you. Just give and you will get.

There’s no way of knowing where or when it’s going to happen.

But happen it will. Just when you really need it.

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more”

– John Keats, an excerpt from “To Autumn”

Come fall I’m ready to pay tribute to the harvest; September through November is the time for such autumnal celebrations. Pumpkin picking, hayrides, and corn mazes are family favorites – of course, all second to the love of candy corn and fall holidays. But Sukkot (a Jewish holiday celebrating the harvest) and Thanksgiving shouldn’t be the only times you relish and savor seasonal specialties.

My grandson Taylor playing on the hay bales at The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie’s Island, Oregon

Cooking seasonally with local fruits and vegetables is not only good for you and the environment; it is economical, too. Foods in season are more affordable than something flown halfway across the world. That’s why most of our mothers didn’t serve us asparagus in January, and another reason we’ve always tried to serve seasonal ingredients at Mother’s Bistro & Bar. It’s how we’ve been able to remain a good value in this tight economic climate.

Pumpkin is a perfect fall favorite to enjoy all season long. And while there are lots of recipes for pie, puddings and cheesecakes, I especially love to serve my Pumpkin Pancakes this time of year.  It makes the house smell great and kids of all ages come running to the breakfast table.

Here’s my recipe, along with a segment I shot for Everyday Denver on how to make homemade Pumpkin Pancakes (with a special garnish!). They’re a Mother’s Bistro & Bar favorite and for all the busy chefs out there, don’t feel bad about using canned pumpkin, it’ll still make for a delicious brunch.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Makes 8 servings; 16 pancakes

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

5 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (Love Note)

6 eggs

3 cups whole milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil or clarified butter for brushing griddle or pan

1. Preheat oven to 200 °F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl.  (If the brown sugar is lumpy, run the mixture through a sifter or fine-mesh sieve.)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and eggs until combined. Whisk in the milk.

3. Slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients while gently stirring and mix just until combined.  (Don’t over mix or you will activate the gluten in the flour and the pancakes will be chewy, like bread, instead of fluffy). The mixture will be a little lumpy (and that’s okay. If you have pockets of flour bigger than a dime, smash them against the side of the bowl to break them apart without having to stir the batter more). Pour in the melted butter and gently mix just until incorporated. (Sometimes melted butter solidifies when added to cold ingredients. Adding it now helps it disperse evenly in the batter and smooth out some of the lumps).

4.  Place a griddle or wide (preferably 14-inch) sauté pan over medium heat for several minutes. If using an electric griddle, set the heat to 350 °F.

5. Sprinkle griddle with a few drops of water; they should bounce around before evaporating. If they sizzle away quickly, the heat is too high. If they just sit there and slowly steam, the heat is too low. When griddle is properly heated, brush with clarified butter or oil, then wipe with a paper towel so it’s evenly greased. (Big spots of oil or butter will promote uneven browning and your pancakes will have dark and light spots.)

6. Ladle ½ cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle, about an inch or two apart.

7.  Cook until bubbles begin to pop on the surface of the pancakes, the edges look a little dry, and the underside is golden, about 2 minutes. (Pumpkin pancakes tend to get a little darker faster because of the natural sugar in the pumpkin and the additional sugar in the recipe.  It’s therefore better if your griddle is a little cooler than for other pancakes.  That way the pancakes will have a chance to cook before they get too dark. If the underside of the pancakes are browning or burning before the surface of pancakes get a chance to form bubbles and dry out, the heat is too high. If it’s taking much longer than 2 or 3 minutes for the bubbles to form, the heat is too low). Flip them over and continue cooking until pancakes are cooked through, about 2 minutes more.

8. Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep pancakes warm on a heat-safe platter or baking sheet in the oven.

9. Serve with softened or whipped butter and maple syrup.

Love Note

When buying canned pumpkin, check the label carefully. You want pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and spices already mixed in. Feel free to substitute 2 cups fresh pumpkin purée if you have it.

I’m an ex-New Yorker who moved to Portland, Oregon over 13 years ago. Back then, I didn’t understand the differences between wild and farmed salmon and had no idea choosing one or the other is like voting with your fork. I didn’t realize how farmed salmon can negatively impact the wild salmon population or how important wild salmon are to those who live in the Pacific Northwest. During my time in Oregon, I have learned how the people of the Pacific Northwest have a special relationship to salmon. It has nurtured us as long as we’ve been here. It’s part of our culture, heritage and central to the lives of many in this region. Six species of salmon (King, Coho, Sockeye, Pink, Chum and Steelhead) begin their life in our streams, head down river to the ocean, and then instinctively return to their birthplace to reproduce and start the cycle over again. After spawning, the salmon die and become food for over one hundred other species, from eagles to bears, as well as the forest itself.

In June of 2010, Trout Unlimited invited me, a few other chefs and food writers to Bristol Bay, Alaska, to see and experience their wild salmon fishery firsthand. Five species of Pacific salmon return to Bristol Bay to spawn in its rivers, and the waters of the region have long been an integral part of the state and local economies, providing thousands of sustainable jobs to Alaskans for generations. The Bristol Bay watershed is home to the largest sockeye salmon population in the world (up to 60 million fish return there each year), and is their last vestige of a pristine habitat left on the planet.

Many people depend on these fish for their livelihood and subsistence and are supported by the $500 million this salmon stronghold represents. Native Alaskans who’ve been fishing in these waters for thousands of years, commercial fishermen (and the associated canneries) who have been the major industry of the area for decades, and sports fishermen who consider the Bristol Bay area and its rivers the Serengeti of Alaska – all rely upon these salmon.

We were invited primarily to raise awareness about a proposed copper, gold and molybdemum mine (called “Pebble”), to be located in the headwaters of the Kvichak and Nushagak Rivers, two of the eight major rivers that feed Bristol Bay. If built, Pebble would be one of the largest mines in the world. Because of its size, geochemistry and location, Pebble runs a high risk of polluting Bristol Bay, and puts the entire watershed at risk. The toxic waste generated from the mine would never go away; it would remain in the watershed forever, threatening the salmon, the economy and the livelihood of many.

While in Bristol Bay, we visited the commercial fishing grounds and watched the large boats set their nets and reel in their catch (with the help of heavy duty machinery).

We went on small boats with native Alaskans and participated in gillnet salmon fishing, learning how locations on the bay are passed from generation to generation and all family members participate in setting and pulling in the nets each day during the season.

We toured Bristol Bay’s processing and flash-freezing sites, seeing how quality is maintained while mass-packaging and freezing the reddest of all salmon.

We got to fish with a sports fisherman guide and I caught my first king salmon while it was still bright as daylight at 11:30 pm.

We spoke with salmon fishery managers and scientists and learned about their concerns regarding the impact of Pebble Mine on the fish and habitat. We met local community members (like former Alaska State Senator Rick Halford) who had always supported “development” in the past, but have made the prevention of Pebble Mine their cause célèbre.

We flew over key sites of the region and learned how nearly every body of water is connected, which is how the salmon swim miles upstream to lay their eggs and die. It became abundantly clear that if even one stream is polluted the entire watershed is affected.

Thankfully, we also got a chance to work with the salmon of Bristol Bay and learned how native Alaskans smoke their salmon to preserve it for the harsh winters.

We visiting chefs prepared a meal for our hosts and community members. Each of us created a different salmon dish for each course: Quentin Topping, executive chef from Google made Bristol Bay salmon rillettes;

Helene Kennan from Bon Appetit Management company made Bristol Bay Salmon Nicoise;

Joel Chenet from Mill Bay Coffee & Pastries in Kodiak, Alaska, made a lovely Salmon Soup with Salmon Dumplings;

and I made a Grilled Salmon with a Honey-Red Onion Compote & Red Wine Beurre Rouge, which we serve frequently at my restaurant, Mother’s Bistro & Bar.

The more I learn about salmon and their habitat, the more I understand the importance of salmon. I have seen firsthand why we all need to take an interest in what’s happening in Bristol Bay, Alaska, because what affects salmon affects us all. I am committed to doing whatever I can to save Bristol Bay, because I know by saving salmon, we’re saving ourselves.

N.B. Mother’s is one of the 13 Dine for Bristol Bay restaurants celebrating Bristol Bay Salmon this week, September 19-25. Other participating restaurants are:

Bamboo Sushi, Bluehour, Chef Naoko, Clarklewis, Clemente’s Restaurant (Astoria), Metrovino, Mother’s Bistro, Nostrana, Papa Haydn (Eastside location), Salty’s on the Columbia, Serratto, Skin and Bones, and The Original.