Halvah

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Marlene in Marina del Rey, California for sharing this with
us:

My friend Catherine from Louisiana told me this true story. When her
mother was living in England, she quickly became addicted to fish 'n'
chips and ate them every day, discovering she loved them best from
this little shy vender who taught her how to salt and vinegar them
just so. He also explained that the ink from the cones of newspaper
they were sold in boosted the flavor. Her mother even got the recipe
for the batter and cooked them many times over the years. And her
mother always served them in a newspaper cone. The last time she made
them was when Catherine was still living at home and for some reason
they just didn't come out tasting the same. Her mother told them it
was because she was using "The New Orleans Times Picayune" to wrap
them in, and that paper was always filled with such bad news that it
made her fish taste bad!

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Aside from dense, rich, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake, the typical
New York-style deli has little to offer me when it comes to dessert.
Don't get me wrong, there are always several delicious pastries,
puddings (usually chocolate and rice), pies, and cakes on the dessert
menu, but these usually strike me as a little mundane and superfluous
after the meal I've just finished. However, there is always halvah at
the cashier's stand, either commercially produced products wrapped in
shiny metallic foil, or if you're really lucky, made on the premises
and wrapped by hand in plastic wrap. I usually leave with one or two
pieces of halvah in my pocket for a late-night nosh.

Halvah

2 cups (500 ml) sesame seeds*
1/2 cup (125 ml) honey
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground ginger
1/2 tsp (2 ml) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 ml) allspice

* Sesame seeds are quite expensive when purchased in small jars in the
spice section of your supermarket, so I suggest buying them in bulk at
a health food store or Middle Eastern specialty shop.

Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring
frequently, until aromatic and lightly browned. Process in batches in
a food processor to make a coarse paste - some whole seeds are
acceptable. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pat into a
layer about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick on a lightly greased baking sheet
and refrigerate until firm. Slice into squares or rectangles and wrap
individually to prevent sticking. Makes 10 to 20 servings, depending
on size.
Received on Fri Oct 8 21:49:54 2004