My life truly began when I met my husband and best friend under the chuppah. There before our community and before G-d, we made a vow to build a life of Torah, together as one with G-d’s help. This happened nine years ago on the 28th of Tevet ( Jan. 9), and I couldn’t ask for a more loving and committed husband or a more amazing father to our four children.
Jewish and Mexican weddings are both wonderful, but a Jewish-Mexican wedding is a never-ending party! Our wedding consisted of my father serenading me, a full mariachi band playing “Hava Nagila” while marching with my husband as he approached the bedekkah (the veiling ceremony), a beautiful chuppah, and lots of dancing and celebrating with my family in cowboy boots and hats, with rabbis and guests in kippahs, and with shouts of “l’chaim” from all. What a simcha! And the festivities continued for seven more days.
Sheva Brachot means the Seven Blessings or wedding blessings. These are recited under the chuppah and continue as the bride and groom rejoice together for seven days following their wedding. During this time the new couple is treated like a king and queen. Every night for a week the couple is invited to celebratory dinners at the homes of friends or family. As part of the festive meals, the Seven Blessings are repeated. Among the minimum of 10 guests at each gathering, at least one must be a new face, someone who was not at the wedding (for more Sheva Brachot customs visit: chabad.org/library/article_cdo/ aid/476744/jewish/Newlyweds).
In America it is common to do themed Sheva Brachot with different kinds of foods, desserts and decorations. If you want to host a Sheva Brachot, keep the newlyweds in mind and make it all about them.
Here are a couple of side dishes you can use based on one of the species of Israel, the pomegranate. This fruit symbolizes abundant goodness and represents a high level of blessing, a sign of totality and perfection, 613 seeds representing 613 mitzvahs. The pomegranate is not only a spiritual food to eat, but a healthy one as well, so entice your royal guests with these amazing side dishes.
Salad
Mixed greens
Steak or roast beef, thinly sliced and warmed sliced mushrooms
Sliced red onions
Toasted walnuts
Wedges of ripe red pear
Pomegranate seeds
Fill the bowl 3/4 full of greens. Top with the rest of the ingredients as you like. Drizzle with the dressing (below) and enjoy.
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate in 1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon powdered mustard
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Add salt to taste
Thoroughly combine all ingredients. *This dressing can be used on any salad.
Roasted Beets
3 pounds beets (scrubbed and cut into wedges not more than 3⁄4-inch thick. If you prefer not to eat the peels, peel with a vegetable peeler before cutting.)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
Cracked pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seeds, fennel seeds (optional) Balsamic Glaze
1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Garnish
1⁄2 cup pomegranate seeds
1⁄4 cup crushed roasted pistachios
1 tablespoon orange zest
How to make:
Preheat oven to 425oF. Toss beets, olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and seeds (if using) in a bowl to coat well and place on parchment-lined baking sheet; roast, stirring every 15 minutes until fork tender (about 45 minutes).
In the meantime make the balsamic glaze. Cook 1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small pot on medium low heat; reduce for 20 minutes or until you have about 3 tablespoons of glaze.
When beets are done, place in a serving dish and toss with balsamic glaze, pomegranate seeds and pistachios. Garnish with orange zest.
How to cut pomegranate to gather seeds
1) With a sharp knife, slice 1⁄4 inch off of the stem end of the pomegranate and place the pomegranate cut side down on the cutting board to stabilize it. The pomegranate’s blossom end, the one that looks like a crown, should be on top.
2) Using a paring knife, cut a circle, angling in, around the crown of the pomegranate, cutting it out.
3) Notice the gentle ridges along the outside of the pomegranate. Use your knife to cut along those ridges, just through the red part of the pomegranate skin, from blossom end to stem end. You should make about six cuts. If you can’t feel the ridges, don’t worry about it, just make several gentle cuts (not so deep as to cut any of the seeds underneath) from top to bottom around the pomegranate.
4) Working over a large bowl, open the fruit allowing any loose seeds to fall into the bowl. Use your fingers to gently pry open the pomegranate. It should open easily, exposing the seeds.
5) Use your fingers to pry away the seeds from the peel and membranes. If you fill the bowl part way with water, the seeds will sink to the bottom while pieces of membrane will float to the top.
6) Once you are done stripping the pomegranate seeds from the skin and membranes, skim the membranes from the top of the water, and strain the seeds from the water.
How to freeze pomegranate seeds
Pat the seeds dry and arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place in freezer for 2 hours or until frozen. Once frozen, put them into a freezer bag or container and store them in the freezer.
Lucia Schnitzer and her husband, Ken, own Luci’s Healthy Marketplace in Phoenix. The local coffee shop and marketplace opened in 2009 in Lucia’s honor after her successful battle with breast cancer. She successfully manages her career, her growing family (four children), her personal well-being and the countless demands of the day.
