There’s an old joke that Jewish holidays all come down to this: “They tried to kill us. We won. Let’s eat.”
And so what can we say about today, which is a minor holiday called Lag B’omer. We aren’t exactly sure what it is we celebrate, though it is a joyous day. It may have something to do with a victory against the ancient Romans, but it may have to do with a respite from a 2nd century plague.
Nevertheless, the third part of the joke is certain. On Lag B’omer, we eat. The tradition in Israel is to light bonfires and roast onions and potatoes. The picture here is from the Jerusalem Post, showing kids in Israel, holding a whole bunch of potatoes for roasting in that big bonfire.
On the other hand, I know some people who take this opportunity to roast marshmallows with their grandchildren.
I would roast potatoes on my outdoor grill, if it would only stop raining for a day. I like when russet potatoes get all black and crusty on the grids. It reminds me of my grandmother’s old potato roaster. The potatoes were always crunchy crusted and tasted oh so fabulous all slathered with butter and sprinkled with salt. Who needs chocolate when you have a treat like that!?
But, it’s probably going to rain again. Tell that to the climate-change deniers.
So, toasted marshmallows, made inside, sound good to me. Especially on top of ice cream for a tasty sundae.
Toasted Marshmallow Sundae
one scoop ice cream
4-5 ripe, sweet strawberries
4 marshmallows
1-2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
Place the ice cream in a bowl. Mash the berries and spoon them on top of the ice cream. Roast the marshmallows (I use a metal skewer and line them up) until they are black on the outside and oozing inside. Spoon them over the berries. Sprinkle with the nuts.
Makes one