Growing up, the kitchen was the hub of our home. That’s the way it usually is with Jewish families, right? My earliest memories revolve around sitting at the counter with my Easy-Bake Oven, baking brownies while my mom made the real deal just a few feet away. Every Shabbos, she would bake chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, rice krispie treats, peanut brittle, brownies, cinnamon buns, and cinnamon cake so all of our friends could hang out in the afternoon and no one would leave hungry. 

My mom was the primary cook in our house growing up. Every night after school, we ate dinner together as a family, me and my 3 siblings always finding something to argue about. My mom served meals like baked macaroni and cheese, chicken ala king, tuna casserole, breaded veal chops, and always a salad on the table. Shabbos was homemade chicken soup and challah, meatballs and rice, cornflake crumb chicken (and the chicken necks ready for snacking on Friday afternoon when we got home from school). I definitely ate well growing up! 

But let’s not forget about my dad! He didn’t cook dinner every night but, oh my gosh, when we wanted spicy spaghetti, saucy barbecued steak, or hot dog soup, he was the man for the job! As we got older and went off to college, my dad started getting more excited to be in the kitchen and experiment with new recipes. My parents would travel to cool places like Thailand and South Africa and my dad wanted to learn more about the local cuisine and how he could make it kosher at home. The kitchen turned into a bit of an experimental lab, filled with new smells and lots of taste-testing. 

At the same time that my dad was getting more involved in the kitchen, I was working on my food blog. It was called Kitchen Tested, and my goal was to try new recipes that had always intimidated me and encourage others to have more fun in the kitchen. Try something new, make mistakes, and through the process, gain more confidence and knowledge in how to cook for yourself. I watched my parents cook while I was growing up but I never really got so involved in actually cooking my own food until I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 18. I’ve always loved tasting exotic and unique foods, and now I was actually making them for myself and teaching others to step out of their own comfort zones.  

And then in 2020, Covid happened and everything changed. During the first summer of the pandemic, I flew with my kids to Seattle instead of sending them to sleepaway camp and we spent two months with my parents. My dad was making a chili paste that he learned how to make in Thailand and I decided to hit record on my phone and share his recipe. From there, we continued to share more and more recipes, and they are all saved to a highlight on my Instagram, including tom kha soup, fresh basil dressing, dairy free ice cream, kosher pickles, and so much more. My Instagram followers fell in love with my dad’s energy, and now when we’re hanging out, we share new recipes and make videos together on Instagram AND TikTok answering questions about Judaism. I think people appreciate our authenticity and feel like they are in the kitchen with us. 

Filming these videos with my dad has not only strengthened our bond but also allowed us to share our cooking adventures with a wider audience. It’s amazing to see how cooking together can connect people. I’m honored that my dad will be writing the forward for my cookbook and I can’t wait for you all to read it.

Garlic Dill Kosher Pickles

Recipe by Melinda Strauss and Larry Russak

This recipe will be featured in my cookbook, Eat Jewish, set to be published in September 2025. I highly recommend doubling or even tripling the batch – these pickles are irresistible after just 1-2 days, and they will disappear quickly!

Yield: makes 1 quart (32-ounce) glass jar of pickles

Ingredients:

4 to 5 kirby (also known as pickling) cucumbers, sliced in quarters lengthwise to make spears

1/4 cup fresh dill

6 whole garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons black peppercorns 

1 and 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional

Directions:

1. Boil water with salt until all the salt is dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly. 

2. Add the dill, garlic, and peppercorns to the jar. If you are adding chili flakes, add them here as well.

3. Top with sliced cucumbers and pack the jar tight. 

4. Fill the jar to the top with the water/salt mixture. 

5. Close the jar, flip upside down for 1 hour on the counter, then refrigerate for 2-3 days before eating. The pickles will continue to become more flavorful after a week. These pickles should last 1-2 months in the fridge.