There are some mini rituals that occur every year that catch me off guard each time because I simply forget about them until they happen again. One of these is the Lag B’omer Trip Food Shopping. For the younger kids, this ritual isn’t just about the minutes spent shopping, it’s also the what-are-you-bringing conversations in the days leading up to the big event!

When I brought my kids to the supermarket after school the day before Lag B’omer this year, I was given a warning before entering the store. “It’s like Erev Yom Tov in there,” one woman said, “but with kids, not adults.” There was a real buzz in the store — an energy you could feel — and it was pretty adorable.

The buildup of the kids’ anticipation around something legitimately exciting is a healthy sign to me, because it’s properly placed. As they gear up for their trips, the candy becomes a tangible symbol of their anticipation.

It’s a simple thing, but it’s the power of building excitement. It creates a positive feedback loop, where the anticipation of the event fuels the excitement, which in turn fuels the anticipation. It’s a cycle that seals in the good memories of the day.

Sometimes people question our society’s fascination with the accessories around our Yamim Tovim — with cheesecake for Shavuos being the mascot of them all (doughnuts for Chanukah a close second) — where so much emphasis and effort is placed on the accessory, to the seeming oversight of the Yom Tov itself. It’s a real thing, and many of us lose the forest for the trees, but sometimes the accessory plays an important role. When you can plug it into the pre-trip nosh equation, it adds up to something that builds so much positive energy and excitement that it fuels the anticipation of the Yom Tov, and the loop keeps going for years, with many memories to come.

Wishing you a beautiful Yom Tov, and an exhilarating kabbalas haTorah,

CHANIE NAYMAN
Food Editor, Family Table
Editor in Chief, Kosher.com

Caramel-Dipped Mock Lotus Cookies

• 1 cup oil
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves

Combine oil and sugars with a whisk. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add flour to the bowl, and whisk the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into the flour before combining the flour with the rest of the ingredients.

Roll the dough into a large rectangle and cut into small squares or rectangles.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 12 minutes until golden and crispy.

Don’t Cry Over Spilled Caramel

For a caramel topping, melt two cups of Arcor caramel candies in a saucepan over low heat. Careful, when it melts you need to act very fast Then drizzle over cookies of your choice, or dip the cookies into the saucepan to coat.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 844)