The Ravenna Kibbutz

Having been raised with secular Christmas as well as… well, secular Hanukkah and secular pretty much every other holiday, I find this time of year an odd one, especially now that I live at the Ravenna Kibbutz and am, for the first time in my life, surrounded by Jews my age from many different religious and cultural backgrounds. My dad’s first wife wasn’t Jewish, so they raised their kids with both Christian and Jewish holidays; when he married my mother, who was raised Jewish, he just couldn’t give up Christmas.

Debs posted this on the Kibbutz Facebook wall:

Thanks for having me over for the potluck! I had fun. For those who asked for my blog, it's at www.seattlelocalfood.com

I just watched the season finale of "Top Chef," and I think we should do a potluck that has a particular ingredient or culture as its theme. Suggestions of ingredients and/or cultures are welcome! :-)

Recipe for white bean salad:

2 cans white beans
2 celery stalks
1/2 red onion
1 yellow pepper
3 large tomatoes (not salmonella-infected ones, please)
1 cucumber
1/2 cup feta cheese
5 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cut/crumble all the ingredients into bite-size pieces. Combine them in a nice, big bowl, and let the salad chill for one hour or more. After serving, talk with Tamar about movies for, like, half an hour.