Rebecca Friedman & Dr. Aran Toshav | Uptown
"Hot Shabbat" | 8.25.23
While gathering over a meal on a Friday evening is traditional in many Jewish homes, the triple digit heat that New Orleanians experienced for weeks on end was not. Rebecca Friedman, a local writer and dinner party host extraordinaire, decided to make the most of the occasion and hosted “Hot Shabbat” where she debuted new-to-her dishes as well as her recently redone dining room by Sally Grace Design and Sun Custom Restoration. “It was our first time hosting a dinner that didn’t involve a lot of kids running around asking for pizza. I wanted to keep the décor low and easy so there was plenty of room to serve dishes family-style.”
Due to the heatwave, Rebecca focused on lighter, seasonal dishes from three cookbooks: Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel by Alon Shaya (“Because the recipes are great and easy to follow at home,” she said); Sababa by Adeena Sussman; and Israeli Soul by Michael Solomonov. Guests were invited via Paperless Post and asked to arrive at 7 p.m. for pre-dinner cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before sitting around the table for dinner. Sean Josephs, the co-founder and master blender of Pinhook, made Nola Sours (Neal Bodenheimer’s riff on a New York Sour), and homemade pomegranate mint syrup was also on hand for mocktails. In order to make the day-of less hectic, Rebecca set the table a few days in advance and made some dishes ahead of time. And while she makes it look easy (a gift from growing up in a hosting household), she shares, “Usually, I’m hair-on-fire until the minute people walk in."
The guest list: I pulled from the hospitality and design communities — some friends, some folks I’ve met through my writing work — and made sure everyone already knew at least one other guest so people would feel comfortable.
The conversation: There was a lot of conversation around personal and professional transitions and an animated discussion about “Neuty” the Nutria.
The décor: Lots of votive candles and small vases with an array of delphinium, spray roses, thistles, eucalyptus, and other varieties in shades of white, green, and yellow.
The apps: Hummus (plain as an appetizer, topped with spiced meat as an entree); a pecan-lime muhamarra dip made with roasted red peppers and pomegranate molasses; seeded za’atar crackers for dipping; orange blossom candied nuts; plus a colorful crudité platter and olives to round things out.
The meal: For dinner, I made Alon’s pickled shrimp (with fresh shrimp from the Westwego Shrimp Lot) which I love because you make them ahead and serve them cold; a corn salad with cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, herbs, and chickpeas; a radish and zucchini salad with mint and nigella seeds; and freekeh (a grain with a yummy smoky flavor) with roasted grapes.
Dinner staple: Every Friday, I buy a challah from Levee Baking Co. because it’s tastier and more beautiful than anything I can make.
The dessert: Dessert steered French with a cherry clafoutis because I found end-of-season cherries, along with some fresh figs and halvah. And because I like sending people home with something, I made favor bags with tahini olive oil granola (then over breakfast the next morning, people can think back to a fun evening).
Last guest standing: Most left around 10:30 p.m., but one sweet friend stayed to recap and dry dishes.
This article appeared in Adore's October 2023 edition
