I would like to wish everyone who is celebrating a joyous and happy Purim. For those of you who aren’t celebrating, and don’t know what Purim is, it’s the Jewish holiday commemorating the salvation of the Jews in Persia from the annihilation planned for them by Haman, the advisor to King Ahasuerus, all of which is recounted in the biblical book of Esther. The day is marked by festive meals among family and friends, gift-giving, (customarily gifts of sweets), drinking, jokes and satire, and costumes. I’m not dressing up or anything this year, but I did get some hamantashen (three-cornered pastries with filling, usually fruit) and some rugelach (crescent-shaped pastries wrapped around a filling). The hamantashen are raspberry, which is not my favorite flavor, but these are surprisingly good. The rugelach are cinnamon and sugar. These were both made locally so they are very fresh and thus as moist as they should be. Very tasty.