The Fast Approach

This day is going far better than expected. Apparently (although I'm a little wary of being presumptuous in this case), the "person" upstairs has already signed me in to the good book this year. It is now 10:39 am on the day before Yom Kippur, which in my world means Break Fast prep day, and I am way ahead of schedule. As of sundown, Kol Nidre will usher in Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement. This passage is traditionally observed with a 25 hour period of fasting (no eating or drinking) followed by a "breaking of the fast", where we overindulge in all things dairy and fattening. In this house we have modified to roughly 24 hours, or dinner tonight to Break Fast tomorrow. There are a few other things Jews are supposed to abstain from including, No wearing of leather shoes, No bathing or washing, No anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions and No marital relations. I can honestly tell you that I will bathe (including brushing my teeth), more than likely I will be wearing leather shoes, can't promise there will be no lotion or perfumes, and the last one is likely out of the question anyway, considering how tired I will be at the end of today. I'm not worried about the public declaration of my non-observant ways, whether I blogged about it or not, I assume it is well known to the one who judges and I've been doing it this way all along. I figure I cover most of my bases by fasting and the Temple hours tomorrow, and thus far in my adult life it's turned out ok.

Back to today, I arrived at The Crown Supermarket (our local kosher spot) at 7:45 am. I do not keep a kosher home, but there is no other place I would purchase hand-sliced Nova lox at $33 a pound. This holiday meal is my hands-down favorite and there will be no skimping on the salmon. After a day of fasting, my first bite of lox and bagels must be perfection, no other slice is acceptable. My guests have also come to expect the top grade fish platter (3 lbs. this year), maybe that's why they keep returning. I would guess that barely a quarter pound will remain when the dishes are done. The lox is just the hallmark of the Break Fast table; it's surrounded by countless other dairy indulgences. There will be three kugels, all different (varying degrees of noodle width, fruit inclusion and sweetness); all being made by different guests and all delicious. I will prepare 2 varieties of a French toast Soufflé, one plain and one with bananas. I am also responsible for the tuna and egg salad, both prepared only with Hellman’s (not fat-free or reduced fat, the original). My egg salad is legendary in its simplicity and perfection, eggs, mayo (just the right amount), salt and pepper – nothing else. The Crown provides the herring fillets in sour cream sauce; but once a year I crave this fishy delicacy. The main spread is completed with Bagels (regular and flat), rye bread, cream and chive cheese, Muenster and Swiss, red onions and tomatoes, and an Edible Fruit arrangement. The secondary buffet of desserts, which can be eaten simultaneously with dinner, includes a variety of homemade (not by me) specialties; lemon squares, Phyllis’s Chocolate Chip cake (referenced in the Nana P. post), apple cake and store bought ruggelach. There is nothing gourmet or fancy at this venue; this is not intended to be an epicurean holiday, this is Break Fast the way my family has been eating it for years. After the bagels & lox, I will work my way through each station until I can’t swallow another mouthful, and unfortunately that will come too soon. Sunday will luckily provide me with a whole day to re-enjoy each menu item; even tastier in my sweatpants, with my coffee, Sunday paper and Charles Osgood.

Of all the Jewish holidays that I host, this is the one I will fight the hardest to keep. Besides the fact that it is my most beloved foods, it is also the first holiday I had in this house and it is also the last one I shared with my father. So as some of you know, I stand my ground on Break Fast. I get to decide when it’s time to pass the Bagel Torch, if you love me, don’t even try before then. My Break Fast prep has developed its own routine over the past 14 years and kicks in to high gear the day before. I’m at the Crown bright and early; if Jeffrey is home he comes with me and we get coffee first (which only happens when Break Fast happens on a Monday and Sunday is prep day). Today I was by myself and I had coffee at home. There was no waiting and I was in and out in less than an hour, mostly because I did not see that many people, which would have increased my shopping time ten-fold. I did kind of miss that part today; lots of kissing and hugging and “how’s the family” and good wishes for an “easy fast. “ I did, however, see no less than 3 Rabbis in my travels (not all at one store), totally intrigued that they were all out shopping, you would think that they have some more pressing prep work to do? There were secondary store visits for all the other grocery items, flowers, coffee, and paper goods; all of which still got me home with the car emptied in less than 2 hours. I am fairly confidant this was a personal best. The remainder of the day will be spent making egg and tuna salads (both must be made today as I cannot “taste test” tomorrow), digging out platters and servers, and cleaning. Superwoman that I am (and that was totally facetious), I will also prepare a roasted chicken and baked potatoes for dinner (Jeffrey’s favorite), for which I will happily set 5 places at the table; the usual three, plus Scott and Auntie Sherri. Dinner will end with apples and honey and a blessing for a sweet New Year before we begin our fast.

Tomorrow I hope to arrive at Temple by 10, although slightly lower expectations from last week as Scott will be joining us and he will be more difficult to motivate. My mother and her husband will get there before us and attempt to do the unthinkable and save us soft seats, more than likely she will not succeed and we will head to the folding ones in the rear. Good weather is predicted which means there will be extended visitation after the service and I won’t be back home until after 1 pm. The preparation rituals continue when my mother comes over, changes out of her Temple clothes into her sweats and begins her assigned tasks of plattering lox, tomatoes and cheeses. She will run through my set up, each food item has already been assigned a platter and is labeled as such with a little piece of white paper (a Mom trick I have continued), she will make changes and I will let her. Jeffrey will do the bagel run and whatever else I need. I will barely notice that I haven’t eaten until the “no coffee” headache sets in by about 3:00 pm and If I’m lucky I will get to sit down for about 45 minutes before I have to change and start the show. Friends and family will arrive, pretty much the same mix since I started, and the eating will begin. With tomorrow being a Saturday night, I imagine we may linger a bit longer than usual and perhaps some alcohol might be in order. When the last guest leaves and the clean-up is done, I know I will be exhausted and full ..... and happy.