When Clara Raymond, an Iraqi Jew who lived in India, first moved to Terrace Gardens Retirement Residence, she longed for her traditional foods.
“She missed the chutney and basmati rice she was used to eating,” said Devorah Ohayon, marketing director of the kosher residence, part of Revera Living.
Ohayon said they worked with the chef and came up with a recipe for the chutney and rice, as well as a meat curry, “and Mrs. Raymond felt so much more at home. She just needed something familiar.”
That is part of the joy of living in a retirement residence, she said. “We try to make it like home – it’s not an institution. Living here is like having your own apartment, with services attached.”
Under the direction of nutritionist Mechal Moral, the food services manager, the cooks prepare three meals a day for the approximately 60 residents, taking into account special diets, and likes and dislikes.
“We always discuss their diet with them, and we have a resident food committee who meet regularly to discuss the menu,” Moral said.
As the Kashruth Council of Canada’s (COR) first female mashgichah, Moral spends a lot of time overseeing the kosher aspects of the kitchens – they have separate dairy and meat kitchens – such as purchasing food, supervising the cooks, overseeing deliveries or lighting the pilot light on the stove if necessary.
“The cooks have been here for a long time, and they are well trained in kosher cooking. They make the best chicken soup and matzah balls.”
She also has a treasure trove of cookbooks, which she uses to plan weekday, Shabbat and holiday menus. “We start with a basic menu, then we cater to the individuals. There are always alternatives.”
Rosh Hashanah meals are particularly festive, Ohayon said. “We cook comfort food, but we take it up a notch. We have to plan two days of holiday meals – residents can invite guests for holiday meals – plus the meal for Erev Rosh Hashanah, and we concentrate on the ambiance. We want the meals to be joyful.”
Moral offers some of Terrace Gardens’ favourite Rosh Hashanah recipes:
2 heads lettuce
1/2 pomegranate, seeds scooped
1/2 cup walnuts or pecan halves
Dressing
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. honey
salt and pepper
Mix the ingredients for the dressing together and toss in the salad.
2 3-lb. chickens cut into eights
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. pepper
10 oz. dried apples
2 golden delicious apples, finely chopped
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup soya sauce
Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken pieces in baking pan and sprinkle with spices. Layer dry and fresh apples on top of chicken. Combine honey, apple juice and soya sauce and pour over chicken pieces. Bake for 1-1/2 hours uncovered.
3 1/2- to 4-lb. brisket
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
3 tbsp. powdered onion soup mix
salt
paprika
garlic powder
1 cup water
Preheat oven to 325. Wash the brisket under running water and place in a larger roasting pan. Season the meat with salt, paprika and garlic powder. Mix the can of cranberry sauce with 3 tbsp. onion soup mix and add a cup of water to the mixture. Smear the mixture all over the brisket. Cover and cook for approximately 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
2 cups grated carrots
3 tbsp. orange juice
1 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray. Using a food processor, finely shred carrots. Mix carrots with juice. Set aside.
Using a mixer, beat margarine and sugar. Add egg. Add dry ingredients. Lastly, add carrots. Mix well. Pour batter into pan. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Makes 8 servings.
7-8 large Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
6 tsp. pareve margarine
Peel, core and slice apples. Mix apples with 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, cloves and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sugar, flour and margarine. Pour the apple mixture into a pie plate. Top with the flour mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
