Loquat Granita

What is a loquat you ask? I had no idea until a few weeks ago when a friend pointed out the tree in her yard and asked me if I had ever tried one. They are a fruit indigenous to China with a tart flavor reminiscent of the apricot. Inside they house large brown seeds.Well now they are all over the farmers markets in the LA. So what does a foodie do with a big batch of this sweet and sour fruit? Make granita of course!

Loquat Granita*

• 1o oz water
• 10 oz wine
• 3.2 oz sugar
• 4.7 oz loquat puree (made simply by removing the stems and seeds and running the loquats through a blender.)
• 1 oz triple sec

1. Combine the water, wine, and sugar in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil for three minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Once cooled, add the puree and triple sec and whisk together until homogenous.

3. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze over night.

4. To serve, use a fork to scrape out the finished product until it has the texture of a snow cone. I like to serve in martini glasses.

*This recipe is easily adaptable for any puree. Just switch out the fruit and use a complementary liquor.

Vegan Feast for Queen Esther

With Green Tahini Sauce and Chickpeas

Noodles and Cabbage

A Purim Recipe

My dad’s comfort food is noodles and cottage cheese and although this dish is lacking on the cheese, I still find it reminds me of this dish and brings me nostalgia to eat it. I think the best thing about Jewish inspired food is the comfort level. I never have to worry about feeling sick afterwards as the food is rarely too spicy and contains little dairy. This recipe in fact is entirely vegan as it was inspired by a story about Queen Esther’s diet. Because she was most likely kosher, I would not be surprised if in fact she was a vegan, unable to eat the meat and dairy provided by her non-Jewish husband.

You can find the recipe here.