TWAS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

This summer, after serving the shul for 26 years, Rabbi Ephraim and Esther Zimand of Traditional Shul in St. Louis, are making aliyah. This past weekend, the shul held all manner of programs in their honor and much Torah was taught in their names. On Sunday night, we enjoyed a most sumptuous dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in town.

The executive chef at the hotel is an Israeli fellow, and he is also the kosher caterer. That is to say, there is a full kosher kitchen complete with dishes, glassware and pots and pans (the key is held by the local vaad’s mashgiach), and the chef and his crew do the same work that he does on the other side of the hotel.

The dinner honoring the Zimands was very special as speaker after speaker extolled their virtues. One rather well done presentation was a “megillah” of their rabbinic history written in megilla style, in Hebrew, on a scroll. The megillah was sung in Hebrew and read in English. It was incredibly well done!

We managed to miss the smorg because we were too busy with people who all had something to say. We had been a part of the ongoing festivities all shabbat, and add to that the fact that we have been at that shul a number of times in the past, and we found that people wanted to share the love and their impressions of the Zimands. All in all, it was an incredible weekend, but let’s get back to the dinner:

First we had a lovely little salad that mixed fresh strawberry slices and Mandarin oranges with the greenery on the plate. We are not sure of just what the sauce was, but it was light and a nice counter point to the greens and the fruit.

Dinner was a very thick piece of prime rib along with stringbeans almondine served with a salsa of green and red. The roasted potatoes were small, reds, and they were perfectly done. Baby carrots served lightly blanched were the perfect addition of color to the dish.

Dessert was a whole candied pear served on a painted plate with a dollop of chocolate (dark and rich!) next to the pear, and served on top of a piece of greenery. We are not sure, but it looked like dandelion!

Wines were served along with very tasty small rolls. A horseraddish sauce served as a nice counterpoint to the natural juices of the meat. Oh, and by the way, the meat came one way only: medium rare.

The food was delish! So, for our next affair, we are thinking of going to St Louis!

Mazal tov Esther and Rabbi Ephraim Zimand- hatzlacha rabba on making aliyah.