In direct contravention of my wife's explicit instructions, herewith I inaugurate my first blog. Long may it prosper.

For some reason, I think I have something to say to you. You think you have something to say to me? Email me at: gideonsblogger -at- yahoo -dot- com

 
I know, I've been a fountain of excuses lately. Why am I not posting about the impact of our victory in Iraq on North Korea's behavior (or, more important in my view, South Korea's)? Why am I not posting about the paradox of nuclear power in an age of petroleum-financed terrorism? Why am I not responding to the cascade of posts by Stanley Kurtz in The Corner? Why haven't I written that bit I've been working on in my head about Franklin Graham's mission to Iraq, the neo-cons' idealistic imperialism, and transactional altruism versus the international welfare state? (Sounds intriguing, no?) Why haven't I responded to Benny Morris's piece in The New Republic about the Palestinians? Or the piece by Theodore Dalrymple in City Journal about British imperialism and its lessons for us?

Why? Because Passover is just around the corner, I'm hosting 2 seders this year, and here's the menu:

Date/Almond/Pistachio Haroset
Tarragon eggs
Chicken soup with matzoh balls
Composed roast asparagus and bitter green salad with mushroom ragu
Fried fish cakes with parsley and preserved lemon sauce
Chicken, meatballs and cardoons stewed in wine, garnished with fried artichokes and served in an egg-lemon sauce
Roast stuffed breast of veal
Matzoh farfel stuffing with apricots and Moroccan sausage
Roasted sweet potato and squash dice
Hot and sweet stewed parsnips
Pan fried cucumber, tomato and mint salad
Chocolate nut cake
Fruit salad
Cookies

Okay, so my sister is bringing the cake, my mother's bringing the matzoh balls, and we bought the cookies. But otherwise I'm cooking all of the above. So stop making me feel guilty. I'll be back on chol ha-moed. (Promises, promises . . .)
posted by Noah at 10:51 PM