Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah starts tonight. In honor of it, I'm celebrating with a little dinner for myself.

This little dinner seems to have spiraled out of control somewhat. What started as a vague idea to make gumbo turned into me making crawfish etouffee and chicken soup. Matzoh balls will follow later, once the chicken soup cools enough to allow me to skim the fat off the top. Right now I'm struggling wtih the rice. Yes, I can make etouffee and chicken soup from scratch but I can't make rice.

I have a number of small burns on my hands from making the roux for the etouffee - one website described it as 'Creole napalm' - a rather accurate description.

And as soon as the rice is done, I will open a bottle of Israeli cabernet sauvignon, sit down, and enjoy my etouffee. Any minute now...