Fog and Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

I'm entertaining again. Yup, one more time before I pack on up and head back to the States, I will be hosting another Friday night dinner. This time, the meal will all be Israelis with one token American (me). It should be a lot of fun! Chances are, I won't understand half of the conversation, but if they all have a good time with each other then it will be worth it. I'm trying to figure out the menu for Friday night and I decided to start with dessert first. Since strawberries are in season, and some have been absolutely gorgeous with long stems and lush flavors, I'm going to make white and dark chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert. I'll also make a pan of Shulamit's blondies and cut up some fruit that doesn't have any chocolate on it, so it will be a nice balance. I also think, depending on if I can find the right pan, I'm going to make my Aunt Amy's meat loaf, complete with mashed potato topping, a marinara gfilta fish (I have two more left in the freezer), another cauliflower kugel in a pie shell (I have the pie shell) and chicken soup, and two types of chicken bottoms for the main. Coupled with the usual salads to start and I think I have me a nice meal going. Now all I have to do is extend the invites and I'm all set.

Shabbat in Efrat was really relaxing. I didn't leave the house as the rain wasn't even torrential - it was apocolyptic. I've never experienced anything like this really, even that one storm when I was younger and the family was stuck in the old Oldsmobile and my Dad couldn't see through the windshield, was nothing compared to this past weekend on the West Bank. When we left Jerusalem, the rain was coming down hard and steady, but that didn't prepare us for the dense fog we encountered after we emerged from the tunnel. I've never driven through a cloud before and it was surreal, the area around us was just awash in white mist and we joined a caravan of Palestinian cars all flashing their hazzard lights. It made sense, we needed the extra light just to make sure we wouldn't rear end anyone while driving through the fog. I kept expecting a pack of Greyhounds to flank the car and accompany us on our path; these ghost dogs show up whenever the fog comes out. Fortunately, we made it to the house in one piece with 25 minutes to spare! The rain didn't end until 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, and I've been chilling at home all day.

I have a lot of reading to do for class this week, and a couple of revisions I want to get started on before Bret Lott leaves Israel. So, I'm off to try and be productive. I hear it's in the 70's in New York - that's absolutely insane! I know that as soon as I touch down at JFK, the wicked cold weather will just sock the tri-state area and I'll be nice and miserable.

Can't wait!