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Music videos, tech and content creation: Africa and the diaspora’s key success ingredients – Music In Africa

Posted By on July 10, 2022

I started working in Africa in 2000 when I signed Richard Bona for representation. Over the past 22 years, one of the major challenges of working in Africa has been trying to link events together to create tours. In particular, some of the challenges specific to the continent have been transportation, finances, infrastructure, logistics and communication.

I came to believe the issue was not to simply book more shows or get bigger fees, it was to create a longstanding infrastructure that could open the door for greater cooperation among professionals across the continent. The way to work in Africa requires a fundamental change of mindset, not one based solely on money or personal connections.

In 2019, Walter Wanyanya and I established a non-profit cultural arts network across Africa called Cultural Connections Africa (CCA). The main objective of the CCA is to connect promoters, educators and cultural stakeholders to each other to share resources, experience and information about their activities to invite collaboration and cooperation. The mission of CCA is to provide professional development and mentorship, to develop educational initiatives, to help support economic development through culture and create cultural exchange among African creators. CCA also strives to connect with the diaspora outside of the continent and to create strategic exchanges with other parts of the world Asia, Latin America, Europe and the US. These collaborations connect those away from their native lands to each other and promote unity and peace between nations through the arts.

Through the CCA, I met Kayode Adebayo, CEO of Ckrowd, Africas most preferred, innovative and premium content streaming platform. Ckrowd (pronounced crowd) distributes African content in information, music, education and entertainment to a global audience in short video and live-stream format. Ckrowd was created to solve the problem of poor revenue for African and Afro-diaspora content creators by allowingthem to profit from revenue opportunities available on the platform. Ckrowd also provides an online portal where original, exclusive varieties of African content are well organised, can be accessed with ease and are consumed as on-demand short videos and live series.

With accessible information and culture from curated videos in the digital space, people are able to bring their cultural identity, traditions and values wherever they go, ushering in a new era of content creation and marketing. Video is unquestionably one of the best-performing forms of content that creators can leverage to highlight their craft. Therefore, musical artists invest a lot of money in creatingbreathtaking music videos that give unique visual expressions to their music. This makes music videos a very important marketing tool for music across most media forms, especially digital media.

Music videos are now an integral part of the music marketing process, as it visually gives the music a fresh perspective and gets strong engagement from digital video consumers from across different demographics globally. Over the years, platforms like YouTube have been useful in distributing music videos as a unique digital music experience and have had to tweak their algorithms to allow more streaming capacity among their users. This was due to the popularity of videos as a means of having an enjoyable mobile music experience, especially as digital consumption of music grew in popularity in the past 10-12 years.

Music video production has required more budget spend over the years, too, even more than the cost of creating the actual music. This creates the need to consider a separate and unique model of business in approaching videos, thereby considering the cost and the return on investment for music video investment more seriously. The business of creating the audio version of music should be approached separately from the music video production, despite both being considered as one entity.

For instance, a Mafikizolo song (audio) should be created and exploited separately from a music video of the same song, from different means. Both should have different business strategies and be exploited through separate means. Both are perfectly capable of generating fantastic revenue as separate products (song, then video). A platform like Ckrowd is perfectly suited to support exclusive video publishing, distribution and monetisation for music creators, as they release their music videos first to their exclusive super-fan audience, before anyone on the internet. For this paid VIP viewing, well before the general release to the free consumer internet audience, the creators are rewarded in cash payments by their super fans for granting them access to an exclusive viewers club on the Ckrowd platform.

Ckrowd gives better monetisation options to African creators, as they have the liberty to determine pricing for their content and choose from a variety of revenue strategies available on the Ckrowd platform. Revenue strategies include pay-per-view, donations, content renting and subscription. This means that you do not need millions of followers to make a business off your video content, which I think is brilliant. All you need is a good number of super fans that are willing to be part of your musical journey or brand. For most of the earlier mentioned streaming services, the metrics and requirements to qualify for monetisation are onerous and offer low payouts. Payouts on these platforms are usually predetermined by content viewing numbers, sum total of the content catalogue and many factors that are unrealistic to an average internet user from Africa, where the cost of being on the internet or using it is still one of the highest in the world.

Ckrowd pays out 70% of the profits as the creators income, which is the highest payout to African creators on all streaming platforms. Several platforms offer streaming services for video content placement such as YouTube, Netflix, and Showmax, among others, but the question that still lingers is, how much do video creators really make from these service providers?

The issue of monetisation and revenue generation especially for the African creator is still one of great concern. Making any revenue from some of these platforms empties creators financially, emotionally and psychologically.

In many ways, technology platforms are an important medium for projecting contemporary pop culture, and they can further amplify this by creating hypervisibility across different regions and digital markets. For this reason, stakeholders across the music, film and technology industries, such as Ckrowd, must continue to be at the forefront of technology and media. This is to ensure that youths in Africa and the diaspora can truly explore their culture and creativity. They need to have the right technology space to share their talents with the world, especially one that protects their interests and is keen on rewarding them for all their efforts. These technology spaces like Ckrowd and the different content creating and publishing activities on them would continue to provide unique job opportunities for the young creative minds on the African continent.

Katherine McVicker is the founder and director of Music Works International and CCA.

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Music videos, tech and content creation: Africa and the diaspora's key success ingredients - Music In Africa

Indian diaspora in UK march against danger of ‘genocide’ in the country of their origin – The Siasat Daily

Posted By on July 10, 2022

By M Ghazali Khan

London: Hundreds of Indian diaspora from all over the UK gathered outside 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London on Sunday and marched to Indian High Commission, protesting against the brazen violation of human rights and the arrests and detentions of human rights activists in India.

They held placards with a variety of messages on them and portraits of Hindutva leaders, including Yogi, Kapil Mishra, Yati Narsinghanand and several others, with the heading, Wanted, and a one-line description of their crime beneath it.

One placard read, Silence is a crime. Another said, Stop killing minorities in India. Third screamed, You cant bulldoze us to silence.

The placards also showed photographs of human rights activists facing the wrath of Hindutva government. One placard showing the iconic photograph of Afreen Fatima read with a caption, We stand with Afreen Fatima. Another read, We stand with beneath which were the photographs of Teesta Setalvad, R.B. Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt.

The marchers reached the Indian High Commission raising slogans.

Before departing for the Indian High Commission, several speakers addressed the gathering. Kalpna Wilson, an academic and member of the South Asia Solidarity Group, in said: Boris Johnson and the British government are complicit in the impending genocide in India. Reminding the protesters of Boris Johnsons insensitivity to the violation of human rights in India, Ms Wilson said: We cant forget that while the JCB bulldozers were being sent by the government to destroy Muslims homes in Delhi and UP and, most recently as well saw the brave activist Fatimas home in Allahabad was destroyed right at that time our Prime Minister Borris Johnson was posing on a JCB Bulldozer to the media.

She added: So what my organisation South Asia Solidarity Group and all of us here today and all the 20 diaspora organisations who have called this march want to say to him is: Stop enabling genocide. Stop enabling fascism in India.

Kaplna Wilson warned that Hindutva supremacist groups in the UK are raising funds to help organisations involved in crimes against Muslims and other marginalised communities. Funds that are raised by organisations like Seva International go directly to the groups that are carrying the mob lynching of Muslims and Dalits And we have proved time and again how that money goes towards killing. And we demand action to stop the funding of hate in India from Britain; to stop the funding of genocide in India from Britain, She said.

She went on: We will never forget what happened in 2002. We will never forget those precious lives that were lost. She paid tribute to the courage of Zakia Jafri, the widow of Congress MP late Ehsan Jafri who was brutally maimed and killed by Hindutva mobs and Teesta Setalvad.

Sagheer, representingStrive UK, one of the organising bodies of the demonstration, said: Our fight is against the oppressive ideology of Hindutva. They are brewing up genocide in India. With [the help of] all of you we will resist its ambassadors, enablers, apologists and those complicit through their silence.

Sagheer cited a long list of the crimes of Hindutva committed against Muslims, Christians and Dalits. He said our fight is against all those who believe in the philosophy that encourages and defends these crimes.

Claudia Webbe, Member of Parliament from Leicester East, said: I stand here to say with you No to the criminalisation of human rights activists. No to the criminalisation of journalists and others. And No to the bulldozing of Muslim homes.

Enumerating the crimes being committed against minorities in India the Labour MP lambasted at the British Government for its friendly approach towards India. Britains imperial past of divide and rule in India cannot be allowed to continueBritains trade agreements with India need to be called out. They are lacking in any human rights stipulations. We have a duty to oppose this.

Like previous speakers, Ms Raghad Altikriti of the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) expressed her anger and disgust at the murders, lynching and rapes of Muslims in India. Citing examples of BJP led Hindutva government, Ms Raghad made particular mention of the predominantly Muslim Lakshadweep where a beef ban has been imposed and liquor sale has been allowed and relaxed.

Continued here:

Indian diaspora in UK march against danger of 'genocide' in the country of their origin - The Siasat Daily

The Chinese Communist Party’s overseas influence operations seek to alter the Xinjiang narrative | The Strategist – The Strategist

Posted By on July 10, 2022

Over the last decade the free world has watched the Chinese governments brutal crackdown in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with growing alarm. Its use of mass extrajudicial interment, intrusive surveillance and coercive brainwashing has fundamentally altered the human and physical geography of the region and its indigenous Uyghur population. Yet the complex ways in which the Chinese Communist Party is exporting this repression abroad have received less attention.

Our new report, Cultivating friendly forces: The Chinese Communist Partys influence operations in the Xinjiang diaspora, exposes how the CCP is actively monitoring Uyghurs living abroad, creating databases of actionable intelligence and mobilising community organisations in the diaspora to counter international criticism of its policies in Xinjiang while promoting its own interests abroad.

More than a million people with connections to Xinjiang now live in countries such as Kazakhstan, Turkey and Australia. This diasporic community is dominated by Uyghurs and other indigenous peoples but also includes a small group from the Han ethnic majority who formerly lived in or have links to Xinjiang. Many of these Han are part of the Xinjiang Construction and Production Corps, or Bingtuan for short, which settled millions of Han in Xinjiang and colonised the region in the name of the CCP.

Collectively, the Xinjiang diaspora is referred to as overseas Chinese from Xinjiang by the Chinese government, regardless of their distinct identities as the colonised Uyghurs and the Han colonisers, or their cultural connections to the Uyghur homeland. By claiming to speak on behalf of Xinjiang and its people, these CCP-aligned community organisations can neutraliseeven silencegenuine criticisms of CCP policies in the region, while sowing fear, confusion and division not only in the Xinjiang diaspora but throughout the wider community. They actively foster a climate of plausible deniability that can cause foreign governments, politicians, corporate entities and civil society groups to ignore or discount the crimes against humanity being committed by the CCP in Xinjiang.

The Xinjiang diaspora is scattered widely across the world and its members are active targets of the Chinese governments vast united front system: a complex network of decentralised party, state and civil society entities responsible for influencing people outside the CCP. United front work seeks to advance the CCPs agenda, both domestically and abroad, by winning over friends and neutralising enemies. Under Chinese President Xi Jinping, united front work has increased in size, scope and strategic ambition.

The Chinese government and its united front agents are actively monitoring and harassing Uyghurs and other individuals and groups critical of its agenda. Amid this climate of intimidation, some overseas community groups with close ties to the CCPs united front apparatuses are actively whitewashing the human rights abuses in the Uyghur homeland and even openly praising the partys policies.

The CCP is also systematically collecting information on members of the Xinjiang diaspora and creating databases that could strengthen the partys overseas surveillance and interference work. Party officials in Xinjiang have been building such databasesof former and current Xinjiang residents with overseas connectionssince 1997. They collect detailed personal information, including political inclinations and attitudes towards the motherland and the methods and consequences of the efforts by hostile foreign forces to co-opt this group, and then use that information to develop and influence strategies.

In our new report we present four case studies to pull back the veil on the activities of Xinjiang-linked community organisations in Canada, Australia, Central Asia and Turkey, and their ties to the CCPs united front system. The full extent of their activities requires additional research and public transparency, and any policy responses will need to respond dynamically to the specifics of each situation. However, the starting point must be a more nuanced understanding of the CCPs united front system: its aims, tactics, operations and global footprint.

Take the example of the South Australian Xinjiang Association in Adelaide. This small Han-dominated community organisation has strong backing from the Chinas diplomatic mission and, until recently, local Australian politicians, who have openly praised the group for its contributions to Australian multiculturalism. The group regularly co-opts Uyghur cultural traditions (clothing, food, music) at their public events and claim to represent the diversity of both Xinjiang and Australian society despite the objections of Adelaides large Uyghur communitymany of whom have relatives whove disappeared inside the dystopian re-education system in Xinjiang.

Former presidents of the SA Xinjiang Association, Irena Zhang (far left) and Genargi Xia (far right) with South Australian MLC Jing Lee (second from right) and the Chinese Consul-General in Adelaide He Lanjing at an event welcoming the consul-general to Australia in December 2018 (source).

The groups founder, Irena Zhang (Zhang Yanxia), has been involved with a prominent united front organisation, the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, which has come under intense scrutiny for foreign interference activities in recent years. On the CCPs treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, Zhang reportedly told a local newspaper: In my opinion, I dont think they are being mistreated.

Another of the groups former presidents, Genargi Xia (Xia Guanjun), has served as an overseas member for at least two united front bodies while its current president, Vivian Lim (Nian Wei), claims: Xinjiang is a place where multiple ethnic groups lived since ancient times, where diverse cultures fuse and intersectionan environment where the sons and daughter of all ethnic groups coexist in mutual respect and harmony.

Nominally independent community organisations like the SA Xinjiang Association are powerful resources in Beijings ongoing efforts to reshape the global narrative on Xinjiang, and they are making inroads. Look at the way some international leaders, including UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev have recently echoed some of the CCPs talking points on Xinjiang. We have plenty of examples of how the CCP is influencingeven corrupting and capturingpolitical elites abroad while seeking to ultimately control diaspora groups regardless of their nationality or political disposition.

Community groups like the SA Xinjiang Association may not be immediately recognisable as aligned with the CCP and its united front system. But our research demonstrates how the CCP actively cultivates these organisations and its leaders as conduits for advancing the partys agenda abroad and, in turn, relegating or even silencing the voices of Uyghurs and other critics of its policies in Xinjiang. Their activities can mislead the public and could amount to foreign interference if properly exposed.

The CCPs united front system employs a range of methods and tactics depending on local circumstances. In free and open countries, such as Australia and Canada, it exploits democratic institutions, civic participation and multiculturalism to create the false impression that Xinjiang is not that dissimilar to these societies and amplifies pro-CCP voices and narratives. In less open societies, such as Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, it exploits business and cultural links while leveraging the growing economic dependency of these countries on China.

Despite its abstruse nature, the partys influence operations can be highly effective, especially when they go unnoticed and operate in a conducive environment. In countries where public scrutiny is possible because of, for example, a strong media and research community, the corrupting and corrosive nature of the CCPs influence operations can be exposed, and short-term impacts can be counteracted if governments have set up appropriate operational and policy mechanisms to deal with such surveillance and foreign interference. Yet, in countries where democratic protections and transparency are lacking, such activities can quickly alter public opinion, exporting the CCPs repression overseas and undermining domestic sovereignty.

The global rollback of open societies and democratic institutions leaves more dark shadows for the CCPs united front agents to operate in and fewer opportunities to expose their pernicious effects. Under Xi, the CCP has doubled down on united front work and shown a willingness to properly resource its vast network so it can adapt and evolve in light of past successes and failures.

Our recommendations for policymakers, researchers and civil society includes a call for governments, law enforcement and civil society groups to more actively disrupt the CCPs ability to interfere in sovereign countries and co-opt ethnic Chinese community groups and individuals through countermeasures such as enhanced public transparency, legislative reform, capacity building and law enforcement. Transparency is the best weapon for safeguarding the ability of citizens of all backgrounds to engage in public life free from outside interference and counteracting the hazards of the CCPs united front system.

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The Chinese Communist Party's overseas influence operations seek to alter the Xinjiang narrative | The Strategist - The Strategist

Explained: Who are the Tamils of Moreh in Manipur? – The Indian Express

Posted By on July 10, 2022

Two Tamil residents of the town of Moreh in Manipur on the India-Myanmar border were found dead in Myanmars Tamu on Tuesday (July 5). The men, P Mohan (27), and M Iyarnar (28), had crossed over into Tamu that morning. They were found with bullet wounds to the neck, and are believed to have been shot dead by a militia aligned with Myanmars ruling military junta.

How did Tamils reach this area on Indias border with Myanmar?

At the height of its reputation as one of the most important trading centers in Asia, the Burmese city of Rangoon (now Yangon), attracted crowds of traders and workforce from across the continent. The British East India Company took with them labourers and businessmen Tamilians, Bengalis, Telegus, Oriyas and Punjabis, to this affluent port city, edged strategically between India and China.

The British later withdrew, but the Indians remained. They set up businesses and became drivers of the Burmese economy.

The Burmese Military Junta took over in the 1960s. Subsequently, two decisions by the then Burmese government, drastically changed things for the Indian diaspora in the country. The Enterprise Nationalization Law, passed by the Revolutionary Council in 1963, nationalized all major industries, including import-export trade, rice, banking, mining, teak and rubber and the Indian government was asked to withdraw its diaspora from their lands.

In 1965, the then Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri sent the first batch of ships to Rangoon from Kolkata, Chennai, Vishakapatnam and Kochi. A reluctant Indian diaspora, with a considerable Tamilian population, headed to a land they no longer considered home.

The docks were heaving with Indians of all ages the elderly who had made Burma their home, their families, young workers with their wives and children were clamouring to get on to the Indian ships. Every ship carried around 1,800-2,000 refugees.

In the beginning, the Burmese government allowed the Indian repatriates to carry whatever they had back to India. But soon after realising that much wealth was leaving the country, they imposed a cap of Rs 15 and one umbrella, a settler forced to leave at that time had told The Indian Express.

When did the first Tamilian settlers arrive in Moreh?

The families came in through the sea route, and some also trickled into India through the unfenced border. Those on ships were taken to their home states. The Tamilians were taken to Chennai and housed in refugee camps there and few others across the state.

But this new life remained unpalatable to many who then decided to head back to Myanmar on foot and on boats, a journey which took several months.

Those who travelled by land, walked through Moreh a route made familiar by Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses INA. But most were captured by the junta and sent back to India.

The Indian diaspora became the first settlers of Moreh, along with a handful of Kuki and Meitei families that had lived there since the 1940s. The Tamilians, however, outstripped every other community, with a population of 20,000 in the mid-60s.

How have Tamils of Moreh fared over the years?

Over the years, the Tamil community became one of the most influential communities in this border town, 110 km from the capital city of Imphal. The community is represented by a body called the Tamil Sangam, and it dominates a grid of lanes and timber, cement houses in the heart of Moreh. Little eateries serving up hot dosas, sambar vada and idli line these lanes.

The Sangam puts the number of Tamil families in Moreh at 300 now, with a population of 3,000.

The brightly hued Sri Angalaparameshwari temple in Moreh the second largest temple complex in the North East after Guahatis Balaji temple, was built by craftsmen and specialist labour flown from Chennai. There is a Tamil Youth Club which organises cultural events every month and girls are trained in Bharatnatyam. Timithi, or the fire walking festival, is held every year between March-April.

The Indian repatriates, particularly the Tamils, are believed to have given impetus to the informal, and sometimes illegal trade, between India and Myanmar.

However, the non-Manipuri population of Moreh has dwindled over the years. The first exodus took place in the 1990s due to a violent conflict between the Naga and Kuki insurgent groups, who wanted to control the thriving trading town.

The community of outsiders Tamils, Bengalis, Punjabis, Odiyas, Andhraites, Marwaris were, for years, collectively called Tamilians by the local population because of dominance of Tamilians in the group and due to locals finding it difficult to differentiate between communities.

How is the Tamil community seeing the present incident?

The Moreh Chamber of Commerce controls the trade here and is headed by the president of the Tamil Sangam. To ensure a smooth running of trade, the Moreh Chamber of Commerce maintains good relations with the military junta. In fact, no Myanmar regime has ever bothered the Tamil community.

This is why the recent incident has taken the Tamil community by surprise. For decades, the informal trade between India and Myanmar was carried out through the barter system, with products even from Japan and China making its way to India through this route.

In 1995, the Indian government directed a switch to the credit system. But over the years, with Chinese goods dominating Myanmars markets, trade in any form formal or otherwise has declined. This too has prompted more traders and their families to leave Moreh altogether.

The impetus given by the Indian government for formal trade with Myanmar has not been enough. While China has permitted 1,500 items for trade with Myanmar, India only allows 40.

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Explained: Who are the Tamils of Moreh in Manipur? - The Indian Express

Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe (Jewish Penicillin)

Posted By on July 10, 2022

What's Cooking America Cooking Articles Electric Pressure Cooker Recipes Pressure Cooker Poultry Recipes Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe (Jewish Penicillin)

Stovetop InstructionsInstant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions

Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup is known for having a golden, clear broth with essential nutrientsto revive you right out of your sick bed. It makes sense why homemade Jewish chicken soup is also famously known as Jewish Penicillin. Every Jewish Mama will insist that their chicken soup is the best chicken soup, because it is made with LOVE.

Making your own broth from scratch is very easy. Simply place the whole chicken in the pot with root vegetables, fresh herbs, cover with water, and walk away from the stove for a few hours. You might wonder, Why would you boil a whole chicken with the skin on? Isnt there a lot of fat in the skin? Well, there is a very good reason for that. Chicken skin is actually rich in collagen and not all fat. Leaving the skin on the chicken while it simmers in water will help produce a rich flavor in the broth. The skin will also help produce a beautiful golden color that makes Jewish chicken soup special. The traditional root vegetables that are added to the soup while cooking are carrots, celery, onion, and parsnips. Fresh parsley and dill with the stems on also add a great flavor to the broth during cooking.

No need to feel intimated by making homemade chicken soup. Once you try this recipe, your friends and family will keep begging you to whip up some Jewish Penicillin whenever they feel a sniffle come on. You can enjoy the broth with just chicken and vegetables or you can add noodles or matzo balls. I have provided instructions to simmer the soup on the stovetop and if you are looking to save time, Instant Pot pressure cooker instructions are also provided.

Find more Instant Pot Pressure Cooker recipes and check out more outstanding soup recipes.

The tradition for soup broth comes from Northen Europe, where families would use the remaining meat bones, scraps of meat and vegetables to cook up soup to provide flavor and sustenance for their families. It was strongly believed not to let any food go to waste, especially out of necessity if a family needed to stretch their earnings. Many Jewish families across Europe favored raising their own chickens instead of pigs. This may explain why chicken soup is favored and considered Jewish soul food. Jewish chicken soup is also the base for Chicken Matzo Ball Soup which is an important menu item featured in many Jewish holiday meals.

Learn more about the tradition of Jewish Passover and a Passover Seder Menu with Recipes from Ellen Easton.

Course:Soup

Cuisine:Jewish

Keyword:Jewish Penicillin Recipe, Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Stovetop Instructions:

Clear out both openings of the chicken and remove any giblets. Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel and place in a large stockpot. Fill the pot with cold water until the chicken is covered by about an inch of water. Place the stockpot of chicken on the stove over medium-high heat. When the water comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low to let simmer.

During the first part of the simmering process, you will see foam rise to the top of the water and clump together. Use a large spoon to skim off the foam and discard. Once all the foam has stopped producing, add back hot water to the pot so the chicken is covered by at least an inch again.

Add the carrots, celery, onion, parsnip, peppercorns, kosher salt, cloves, bay leaves, parsley and dill to the pot of chicken stock. Cover with a lid, butallow some venting and let the stock cook at a steady simmer. If it starts to boil too hard, the broth results will be cloudy.(steady bubbles coming up with steam, butnot a rolling boil). Let the stock cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the chicken meat is cooked and tender. You may have to occasionally add more water to keep the chicken covered.

When the chicken is done cooking, turn off the heat. Use large tongs to transfer the chicken and vegetables to a cutting board and let cool.

Pour the stock from the pot through a strainer into another large pot or large bowl. Discard any remaining herbs, spices, and onion chunks. This will give you a nice clear golden chicken broth. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. If desired, cover and refrigerate the broth for up to 8 hours and skim off any hardened fat from the surface and save the fat to use in other recipes. Otherwise, let the broth cool down for a couple hours and use a spoon to skim off the fat that is rising to the surface and discard.

Note: Rendered chicken fat skimmed off the top of cooled chicken broth is also known as the Jewish term "schmaltz". You can save that fat to help bind matzo balls in Chicken Matzo Ball Soup, or wrap the fat in plastic and freeze to use as a shortening replacement in other savory recipes such as homemade biscuits.

When the chicken is cooled, pull the meat off the bones and shred. Set aside the chicken meat until ready to use. Discard the chicken carcass and skin. Chop up the carrots and celery into smaller bite-sized pieces. In a large 5 quart Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the chopped vegetables and chicken broth. Note: If you do not prefer really soft vegetables in your soup, you can discard all the vegetables from your stock, and chop up fresh carrots, celery and parsnip and saute with a couple tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz) or butter for a few minutes, until softened. Then add the sauteed vegetables to the broth.

Heat the vegetables and broth until they just start to boil, add noodles if desired and bring the soup back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low to let the soup simmer until the noodles have become tender. Stir in the chicken meat and let simmer for a few minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup in bowls to serve and garnish the tops with chopped fresh parsley or dill.

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions:

Place a trivet with handles facing upwards inside the inner pot.

Clear out both openings of the chicken and remove any giblets. Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel and place on top of the trivet inside the inner pot.

Add the carrots, celery, onion, parsnip, peppercorns, kosher salt, cloves, bay leaves, parsley and dill on top of the chicken. (Tuck vegetables into open pockets of space to make enough room in the inner pot.) Note: If you are using a 6 quart Instant Pot, reduce the number of vegetablesto have enough room in the inner pot. If using an 8 quart Instant Pot then the amount on the ingredient list should be fine.

Fill the inner pot with enough cold water to cover the chicken. Place the inner pot inside the Instant Pot appliance and cover with lid. Close the lid to the sealing position. Next, make sure the pressure valve is closed to the sealing position. Press the Manual button, with the High-Pressure setting. Adjust the pressure cooking time to 30 minutes. When the pressure cooking time is completed, let the pressure naturally release until you see the pressure pin drop. (this could take 25-30 minutes since there is a large quantity of liquid in the pot.) Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot and open the lid and set aside.

Using tongs, pull out the carrots and celery to a cutting board to let cool. Place silicon mitts on your hands for protection and grab the trivet handles to pull the chicken up and out of the Instant Pot. Place the chicken on a plate and cover with a foil tent to let cool.

Pour the stock from the inner pot through a strainer into another large pot or large bowl. Discard any remaining herbs, spices, and onion chunks. This will give you a nice clear golden chicken broth. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. If desired, cover and refrigerate the broth for up to 8 hours and skim off any hardened fat from the surface and save the fat to use in other recipes. Otherwise, let the broth cool down for a couple hours and use a spoon to skim off the fat that is rising to the surface and discard.

Note: Rendered chicken fat skimmed off the top of cooled chicken broth is also known as the Jewish term "schmaltz". You can save that fat to help bind matzo balls in Chicken Matzo Ball Soup, or wrap the fat in plastic and freeze to use as a shortening replacement in other savory recipes such as homemade biscuits.

When the chicken is cooled, pull the meat off the bones and shred. Set aside the chicken meat until ready to use. Discard the chicken carcass and skin. Chop up the carrots and celery into smaller bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped vegetables and chicken broth back into the inner pot. Note: If you do not prefer really soft vegetables in your soup, you can discard all the vegetables from your stock, and chop up fresh carrots, celery and parsnip and saute with a couple tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz) or butter for a few minutes, until softened. Then add the sauteed vegetables to the broth.

Press the Saute button and then press the Adjust button until you see the "More" heat setting on the panel. Once the broth starts to come to a boil, add noodles if desired and bring the soup back up to a boil. Let the soup simmer until the noodles have become tender. Stir in the chicken meat and let simmer for a few minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls to serve and garnish the tops with chopped fresh parsley or dill.

* It is important in Jewish traditional chicken brothto leave the skin on the chicken while simmering in water. Much of the rich flavor and golden color comes from the chicken skin.

** Use cloves as in the spice, not garlic.

This is the type of pressure cooker that I prefer to use in my cooking: I get readers asking which electric pressure cooker brand I prefer to use for cooking. I personally use the Instant Pot Multi-Use Pressure Cooker. I love having 7 cooking functions in one space-saving appliance Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Saute Pan, Steamer, Yogurt Maker and Warmer.

Learn more tips on How to Use an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

Related Recipes

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Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe (Jewish Penicillin)

‘I never expected to find Asian cuisine in the Netherlands’ – DutchNews.nl – DutchNews.nl

Posted By on July 10, 2022

Yuven Muniandy fulfilled a childhood dream when he moved to the Netherlands to work on his PhD. Originally from Malaysia, hes since fallen in love with the country and its bike culture.

How did you end up in the Netherlands?I came to the Netherlands to do a PhD program. Back in Malaysia I was working at a stem cell manufacturing company. I had a secure job but I felt there was something lacking. Basically, I didnt know what to do with my life. A good friend of mine who finished his PhD in Germany knew I was interested in scientific research. He suggested I do a PhD in Europe. I landed at Schiphol airport in the dead of winter, eight years ago now.

Looking back, its a miracle I finished the PhD. I was struggling with some personal problems at the time, and also had a loss in the family to cope with. It all seemed pretty hopeless. Fortunately a kind and empathic supervisor helped me complete the PhD program.

I now work have a job with a life science company at the Leiden Bioscience Park. During the last year of my PhD, I realised my calling is to be a writer or journalist. I believe the life journey that I experienced over the last eight years is part of a bigger learning curve.

How do you describe yourself an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international?I consider myself a nomad-pat. Even back in Malaysia, I was always on the move. Both my bachelor and master degrees were from two different universities, 900 miles apart across the South China Sea. I love the Netherlands, and this is where it feels like home. But you never know where life may take you. It can happen in the blink of an eye. For now the Netherlands offers various opportunities for me to pursue my passion, calling, and purpose in life.

How long do you plan to stay?I am fully settled here in the Netherlands. I wouldnt mind relocating to other parts of the Netherlands, especially the east part of the country. Im at the stage where my career is starting to take off and moving to another country is not really an option at the moment. I have been living here for almost eight years now and pretty well up to the norms and living conditions here.

Actually, my love for the Netherlands goes back to my childhood. In Malaysia, there is a famous dairy product manufacturer called Dutch Lady. In the late 1980s, there was an advertisement for Dutch Lady products where a milkmaid carried buckets of milk in the middle of a green pasture full of Holstein Friesian cattle. That was when I first fell in love with the Netherlands and decided to live there.

Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn?Ik spreek redelijk Nederlands [I speak Dutch reasonably well]. I learned Dutch through different ways, mostly by using different study books and online materials.

I want to spend more time on grammar and get complete fluency in the language. There is room for improvement in my Dutch fluency, but I believe perseverance and practice will result in perfection in the end.

Whats your favourite Dutch thing?Bicycles. I just love cycling in the Netherlands. Heres a secret: I learned how to ride a bike in the Netherlands! I believe a lot of foreigners are introduced to cycling here. I enjoy bike riding in all weather. Each season offers different types of beautiful and unique landscapes. Its very therapeutic.

How Dutch have you become?Ik ben bijna Nederlander [I am almost Dutch], perhaps 50-50. I use a bicycle to go everywhere in Leiden. I feel restricted it when my bike is broken and I am forced to walk. When I forst came, it was a bit of a struggle and strange for me to eat a boterham [sandwich] for lunch. I am from a culture where we have a hot meal for both lunch and dinner. But now I am used to it and, from time to time, I do have a nice hot meal for lunch.

Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet?Corrie ten Boom. She was the daughter of a watchmaker named Casper ten Boom. Together with her father and sister, Betsie ten Boom, Corrie helped many Jewish people escape during the Holocaust in World War II. The house of the Ten Booms became a hiding place for many fugitives.

Anne Frank. Well, she is not really Dutch, but she is considered Dutch since she lived the majority of her life in Amsterdam. Her voice still speaks for all those who were silenced during this dark period of history.

Whats your top tourist tip?I guess one size doesnt fit all. It really depends on what sort of a place you enjoy. I have been to tourist places both in the Netherlands and across Europe where the majority of the masses go. Personally, I do not enjoy overly crowded places, and they are claustrophobic.

If you are like me and you like peace and quiet and natural landscapes, the Veluwe region is certainly worth visiting. I was lucky enough to go there and I immediately fell in love with its purple heathlands.

Another place that caught my attention many years ago was Zaanse Schans. Its home to 17th and 18th century windmills used to grind spices, mill flour, and produce wood. There are also plenty of little museums there, such as the Albert Heijn Museum.

Tell us something surprising youve found out about the NetherlandsFood. I never expected to find Asian cuisine in the Netherlands. All I was expecting was burgers, French fries, and bread. Dont get me wrong, I do enjoy western food, but I was totally flabbergasted to see an Indonesian restaurant called Selera Anda [Your Taste] in the middle of Leiden.

It didnt stop here. As I explored different Dutch cities in the Randstad, I came across Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese, Iranian, and East African cuisine. The Netherlands has been a safe haven for people from all over the world, and this is the main reason why there are different types of food from all over the globe.

If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do?This is something really hard for me to contemplate, settled as I am here. But if I had no choice and had to leave the Netherlands in 24 hours, I would go to the Veluwe and have one more bike ride in the woods and heathlands. I also would want to see all my close friends.

Yuven Muniandy was talking to Brandon Hartley

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Getting to Know Your Neighborhood: East Boston | BU Today – Boston University

Posted By on July 10, 2022

A guide to eating and sightseeing

For many, East Boston is synonymous with Logan International Airport, New Englands largest and the nations 19th busiest airport, with approximately 33 million passengers annually. But with its prime waterfront property, this working-class enclave has some of the most breathtaking views of Boston Harbor and the citys skyline to be found.

Established in 1836, the neighborhood was created using landfill to connect five Boston Harbor islands. The waterfront location made it a center for shipbuilding and other marine industriesa legacy that continues today.

Long a home to various immigrant groups, East Boston offers a wide range of restaurants and cuisines as well as recreational activities. Canadians settled here in the 1840s, followed by the Irish in the 1850s. Russian and Eastern European Jews were the next to arrive, and Italian immigrants came at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, its home to a mix of people of Italian and Irish descent and newly arrived Central and South American and Southeast Asian immigrants. The neighborhoods many ethnic stores and restaurants reflect the tastes and traditions of its diverse residents.

East Boston is also a neighborhood in flux. Once primarily working class, today it features several new luxury condominium projects, and the Institute of Contemporary Art just opened a seasonal space in the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina.

BU Todayhas compiled a list of some of the best places to visit in East Boston.

Piers Park is ideal for spending the day outdoors. You can walk the 600-foot promenade, exercise using the outdoor fitness machines, or embrace your inner child on the playground. Several decorative gazebos and spray fountains provide relief on hot summer days. The park also boasts an amphitheater and provides direct access to the waterfront and an amazing view of downtown Boston across the harbor.

While youre at Piers Park, take advantage of the nonprofit sailing center there, which offers lessons, chiefly for beginners. The Learn to Sail course is 21 hours, structured on two back-to-back weekends or two weeks of weekday evenings. If you want to sail one of the centers 23-foot Sonar sailboats, but didnt take lessons there, you must pass a check out test. Early registrants, college students, East Boston residents, veterans, and seniors can get discounted memberships, good for the entire sailing season. The center has outreach programs for underserved youth and one of the countrys best programs for disabled sailors. With easy access to the Inner Harbor and Harbor Islands, this is one of East Bostons most popular attractions.

LoPresti Park, along the Maverick Square area waterfront, is another great outdoor recreation spot. Grab a basketball and head to one of the four-acre parks two courts (you can play under the lights at night), put on your helmet and head over to the street hockey rink, or play a game of ping-pong in the picnic grove. Its also home to a state-of-the-art artificial turf soccer field, a childrens play lot, and a spray fountain. You can fish along the waterfront, a popular dusk activity here. For a more relaxing activity, stroll along the pier and enjoy the beautiful Boston skyline.

A large salt marsh inside the city limits? Who knew? The reservation, open year-round from 9 am to dusk, preserves 152 acres of the 241-acre Belle Isle Marsh, the last remaining salt marsh in Boston. Its protected waters are a breeding ground for numerous fish and shellfish, as well as for native vegetation, and it offers a view of wildlife rarely seen in a metropolitan area. Visitors can scan the marsh, Logan Airport, and the nearby town of Winthrop from an observation tower.

You dont need to travel to Cape Cod or the North Shore to find a great beach. Just take the MBTA Blue Line to Orient Heights and spend the day at Constitution Beach. Among the parks amenities are a bathhouse, tennis and handball courts, a baseball field, a picnic area, a concession stand, and a playground. Its no wonder its one of the citys most popular beaches. Lifeguards are on duty from June through Labor Day. When youve had enough of the beach, take the nearby pedestrian overpass across the MBTA tracks and explore the neighborhoods many dining options.

Once a marine industrial site, this area is now one of Bostons 29 urban wilds, or natural landscapes, thanks to the efforts of the Urban Wilds Initiative. In addition to meadow grasses and salt marshes, it has a boardwalk, walking paths, and a viewing platform overlooking Chelsea Creek. In the winter and spring, harbor porpoises can sometimes be seen swimming along the creek.

The most iconic site in East Boston is the 35-foot statue of the Mother of God atop Orient Heights. The Madonna Queen of the Universe Shrine, built in 1954 from copper and bronze, is the national headquarters of the Don Orione Fathers (also known as the Sons of Divine Providence), an order of Catholic priests founded by St. Luigi Orione, who was canonized in 2004. The statue is a replica of one in Rome created by Jewish sculptor Arrigo Minerbi to thank the Don Orione Fathers, who shielded him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. Some of Bostons best views of the waterfront and downtown skyline can be had from the shrine.

Several years ago, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA) opened a seasonal exhibition space in a former copper pipe and sheet metal facility in the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, which boasts 15,000 square feet of exhibition space. The ICA Watershed has become a popular summer destination for residents and tourists alike, who flock to its annual exhibition. This years show, titled Revival: Material & Monumental Forms, features large-scale installations by six prominent international artists, each of whom uses reclaimed and repurposed industrial and everyday materials in their work. Be sure to visit the Harbor Room, a space for gathering and education projects that leads to an outdoor plaza overlooking Boston Harbor and the skyline. Watershed admission is free for all. Purchase an ICA admission ticket, or become an ICA member, for complimentary ferry service to and from the Seaport. Ferry capacity is limited, and tickets, which can be reserved online a month ahead, are available on a first-come, first-served basis for both ICA members and visitors. Advance reservations are recommended. The Watershed is open Tuesday to Sunday through September 5.

Founded by two friends their senior year of college, Downeast Cider is a hard cider brewery in the heart of East Boston, offering rotating lines of hard cider and hard lemonade. The company is committed to using only fresh-pressed juices and natural ingredients. Visit the indoor taproom for a flight (one per person) of four rotating ciders on tap, then head to the outdoor bar for full pours and canned offerings. Summer flavors include black cherry lemonade, strawberry, raspberry iced tea, and extra hard lemonade.

Saigon Hut is a testament to the many Southeast Asian immigrants whove made East Boston home for 40 years. The colorful paper lanterns give this small (eight tables) Vietnamese restaurant a whimsical feel and make it a pleasant place for an intimate meal. The menu has a long list of soups, vermicelli bowls, rice plates, and fried noodles, and also has a vegetarian section.

This family-owned restaurant serves traditional regional dishes from Puebla, Mexico, and now has two East Boston spotsthe original in Eagle Hill and the more recent in Orient Heights. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, its known for its superb moles, the richly flavored sauces that are a staple of authentic Poblano cuisine. Unique breakfast items are dulce de leche pancakes, a chicken fajita omelet, and chilaquiles (corn tortillas sauted with your choice of sauce, shredded chicken, sour cream, queso, onion, and avocado, with a side of eggs and refried beans). For lunch or dinner, try some mini flautas (crispy fried corn tortillas filled with either chicken or potatoes, with lettuce, avocado, sour cream, tomato, and queso fresco) or veggie quesadillas (stuffed with assorted vegetables, guacamole, and sour cream) and end your meal with churros, flan, or fried ice cream. Theyre all delicious.

If you are in the mood for Italian food, look no further. This eatery has been featured on the Food Networks Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, as well as the Fox 25 Morning Show and Phantom Gourmet. Its extensive lunch and dinner menu will satisfy your craving for tomato sauce, thick-cut veal, and ravioli. The shrimp scampi and homemade gnocchi are great dinner choices. Chef Anthony DiCenso, whose parents, Rino and Anna, opened the restaurant over two decades ago, is famous for his maxim: It wont be sent out until its done right. And with prices ranging from $9 to $18, Rinos offers one of the best values to be found anywhere in the city. The restaurant features outdoor dining during warm-weather months.

Arguably East Bostons most famous restaurant, Santarpios, established in 1903, has won Boston magazines Best of Boston Award 13 times over the last 30 years. Prized for its pies, the family-owned eaterys friendly staff gives it a welcoming atmosphere. It also serves lamb, steak, chicken, and sausage skewers, cooked fresh over an indoor grill. Check out the pictures of heavyweight champions on the wall and pick a song to play on the electronic jukebox in the back.

Oliveiras is a must for meat lovers. Best known for its Brazilian churrasco (barbecue), it also has a variety of skewered meats, among them pork sausage, sausage, sirloin steak, and chicken, seasoned with traditional Brazilian spices and sea salt and slow roasted or grilled over an open flame. Diners can pay a fixed price for an all-you-can-eat buffet or pay by the pound. The meats and sides are fresh and selections change every day. Oliveiras also makes authentic Brazilian desserts, such as flan, arroz doce (rice pudding), and tres leches cake.

This authentic Peruvian restaurant serves breakfast, tapas, soups, seafood, and many traditional plates. Try the seco de cabrito (Peruvian-style lamb stew), arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), or plato montaero (grilled steak with rice, beans, fried pork, egg, plantains, and salad). It has a warm and cozy atmosphere and an authentic Peruvian dcor, with a large painting of Machu Picchu. Rincon Limeo recently opened a second location in Revere.

Across from Constitution Beach, Royal Roast Beef and Seafood has been serving the East Boston community since 1979 with a variety of sandwiches and wraps, salads, and seafood dishes. The unpretentious restaurant also offers takeout, delivery, and catering. Although famous for its seafood combination dinnerswith clams, scallops, shrimp, haddock, fries, and coleslawthe roast beef sandwiches are what put Royal on the map.

Taqueria Jalisco serves up classic Mexican staples, including tortas, tacos, burritos, and meat and seafood entres, in a cheerful and colorful setting. Stop in for breakfast and enjoy a delicious breakfast burrito, chilaquiles (eggs scrambled with red or green sauce and tortilla chips), and other egg dishes like huevos con chorizo. Popular menu items include birria tacos, carne asada, tamales, enchiladas, and quesadillas, which are often served with rice and beans. Be sure to order some chips and sample some of the restaurants fabulous salsa. The fresh guacamole is also superb. You can order your food to go and wander over to the waterfront for an outdoor meal and a perfect view of Boston Harbor and the city skyline.

As its name implies, this walk-up corner shop serves Italian slush, classic gelato, and premium soft serve ice cream made on site daily with all-natural ingredients. Customers can select from more than 15 slush flavors, including lemon, passion fruit, blue raspberry, orange cream, and mango. Try a gelati (layers of slush and soft serve) or one of Slush Kings specialty sundaes: we recommend the smores, the fluffer nutter, and the turtle sundaes. Customers can add sprinkles, walnuts, and cookie dough to their soft serve. Gelato flavors include espresso, hazelnut, cookies and cream, and rum raisin. Slush King began in 1965 as a mobile vendor and didnt open its East Boston brick-and-mortar location until 2020. You can still find the companys original pushcart vendors selling slush and freshly squeezed lemonade at summer festivals throughout New England and on the Boston Common.

Theres no more popular place in East Boston than Tall Ship, the 245-foot vessel thats now been turned into a floating oyster bar. The ship offers three custom-built mahogany bars that offer breathtaking views of the harbor and skyline. The place is packed nightly with a mostly young (21-plus) crowd drawn to Tall Ships atmospheric setting, bespoke cocktails, and fresh oysters, shellfish, and charcuterie boards. Navy Yard Hospitality Group, which runs the restaurant, has built out the pier to include a 40,000-square-foot outdoor space featuring food trucks, live entertainment, lawn games, and more. Parties of 8 to 15 can reserve in advance a private lounge area on the pier that comes with a designated cocktail server. If you go, plan to wait, especially on weekends, when Tall Ship draws big crowds.

Getting there: Take any MBTA Green Line trolley to Government Center, transfer to a Blue Line outbound train toward Wonderland, and get off at Maverick, Airport, Wood Island, Orient Heights, or Suffolk Downs.

Click on the points in the map above for more information on the places listed in our guide to East Boston.

This story originally ran July 19, 2012; it has been updated to include new locations and current information.

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Getting to Know Your Neighborhood: East Boston | BU Today - Boston University

Yatir Winery Launches DAROM-A New Independent Brand That Comes Straight from The Israeli Desert Wine Region – Broadway World

Posted By on July 10, 2022

If Israel is "the land of milk and honey," the Negev (desert) region should rightly be called "the land of milk, honey, and wine." Many people don't know that wine grapes were grown in the southern region by Nabatean tribes as early as the second century BCE. Unlike other regions of the country, the Negev's climate and conditions have always made cultivation a particular challenge.

Today, however, the Negev region is a famously intriguing location for the production of unique, superb wines, and the new DAROM wine brand showcases the Israeli desert wine region in all its glory. DAROM wines are created from quality grape varieties grown in selected vineyards in the south of Israel, where intense desert conditions result in unique and distinctive blends.

DAROM is a new brand from the renowned Yatir Winery, developed by its respected and talented winemaker Eran Goldwasser. He has been producing award winning and coveted wines for Yatir for more than 20 years. DAROM holds its own, with distinct flavors, characterized by refreshing, accessible grapes based on beloved and familiar varieties from select vineyards in the south. These vineyards enjoy a dry, cold desert climate at night, which creates a unique terroir. Growing and cultivation conditions are perfect for the grape varieties from which Darom wines are produced.

Darom by YATIR addresses wine consumers who want to invest in affordable quality wines, and who enjoy wine on a frequent basis-not just on special occasions-and are open to exploring new and exciting varietals.

The Darom LOGO represents the anemone flower that blooms in the Negev and covers a significantly wide area, with a beautiful red blossom from mid-January to the end of February, as the red anemones' blossoms are at their peak during this period.

"The south is an integral part of the history of the Jewish people and their connection to vineyards there have bloomed and flourished in the region since the dawn of history. It is a wonderful natural habitat in terms of climate and soil, and many high-quality local varieties can be cultivated here. We are proud to lead Israel's southern wine trend with the Yatir, and now with the new Darom brand," says Yacov Ben Dor, CEO of Yatir Winery.

The launch of the Darom by YATIR is a milestone. After Yatir boutique wines of the south were launched 20 years ago, the brand grew into a coveted line of wines in Israel, with international recognition as well. Ben Dor describes Darom as the "younger brother" of Yatir.

Winemaker Eran Goldwasser of Yatir Winery says, "DAROM by YATIR's wines are connected to the dynamic history of the soil, and the unpretentiousness accompanying them is felt in every sip. The tasting notes offer a lighter character, with fresh fruit flavors.

Harvest in southern vineyards began in the second week of August and ended at the end of September. According to Goldwasser, "The season was preceded by a cold winter with average rainfall for the region, except for March, which was unusually cold and rainy. Spring was intense-a combination of cold and frequent spells-and the summer was pleasant without extreme heat waves. The ripening was continuous and flawless."

In the first stage of the launch, DAROM will include a series of boutique wines including three wines:

DAROM WHITE 2021:

This is a dry white wine derived from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the vineyards in Mitzpe Ramon and Ramat Arad located in the southern desert of the Negev. The wine was fermented in stainless steel vats and matured for 4 months in concrete vats.

It's an elegant white wine whose distinct fruit flavors are cool and fresh. The wine displays a bright, golden color, and possesses fruity, fresh, and juicy flavors, with slightly herbaceous aromas. It is expected to continue to mature well in the bottle over the next decade. Darom White is a wine with a distinct presence that pairs well with food but can also stand on its own, serving as an aperitif.

Alcohol percentage is 12%. To enjoy the wine to the maximum, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature of 10-12C (50-54F).

DAROM ROS 2021:

This dry ros wine is produced from 34% Grenache, 33% Zinfandel, and 33% Red Muscat grapes from vineyards in the southern Judean Hills and Ramat Arad. The wine was fermented and matured in stainless steel vats for 4 months.

The result is an elegant ros whose distinct fruit flavors maintain tasty freshness. It has a bright pink color with fruity, fresh, balanced, and slightly tart flavors. The wine presents refreshing aromas of strawberries and rose blossoms.

Darom Ros 2021 merges wonderfully with a variety of Mediterranean cuisines, a combination that creates a real celebration for the palate. It is suitable for serving as an aperitif and is a perfect accompaniment to Mediterranean-style first course dishes.

Alcohol percentage is 11.5%. To enjoy the wine to the maximum it is recommended to serve it at a temperature of 8-10 degrees 8-10C (46-50F).

DAROM RED 2020

This dry red wine produced from 61% Shiraz, 20% Zinfandel, 12% Marselan, and 7% Grenache grapes grown in regions of the south and the southern Judean Hills.

The varieties were gently fermented for a short period, mostly in stainless steel vats as well as concrete and large open wood containers. The wines were then aged in concrete and large wooden vats (foudres) for a further 9 months.

With its distinct garnet color, blackberry, plum, and pepper aromas, and juicy ripe fruit flavors, this medium-bodied wine displays fruity and balanced acidity with rounded tannins and a long finish. It makes a perfect accompaniment to light meat dishes and Mediterranean cuisine.

Alcohol percentage is 14% Alcohol. To enjoy the wine to the maximum it is recommended to serve it at a temperature of 8-10 degrees 8-10C (46-50F).

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Yatir Winery

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Yatir Winery Launches DAROM-A New Independent Brand That Comes Straight from The Israeli Desert Wine Region - Broadway World

‘Two Dogs’ will delight readers of all ages – Washington Blade

Posted By on July 10, 2022

As a college student, I hungered for Arab and Muslim representation. Prejudice against our communities was mainstream and demoralizing. Things, however,can sometimes change sooner than we expect.

Although Muslims and Arabs are still maligned, it is no longer as widespread and is often counterbalanced by allyship and, crucially, Muslim and Arab representation. From Hulus Remy, Netflixs Master of None, HBO Maxs Sort Of, to the upcoming premiere of Disney+s Ms. Marvel to Muslim characters on Love Victor, Never Have I Ever, and Genera+ion, Muslim characters and creators are now common. And these creators are diverse, proud, and often queer.

Mahersalah Ali is a two-time Oscar winner (one for the Black queer Best Picture winner Moonlight) and Riz Ahmed is the first Muslim to be nominated for Best Actor; he won an Oscar this year for a short film taking on British xenophobia, and spearheading an initiative to boost Muslim representation in Hollywood from screenwriters to actors.

From starving to satisfied, it has been quite a transformation in American culture. And its not only TV and film. Political representation isnt novel anymore. I still remember when former Rep. Keith Ellison was asked on CNN to prove his loyalty by the conservative host Glenn Beck. Today, Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are progressive trailblazers. Irvine, Calif., has a Muslim mayor in Farrah Khan. Joe Biden has nominated the first Muslims to the federal judiciary, one has been confirmed and the other, civil rights lawyer Nusrat Choudhury, awaits Senate confirmation. And Biden, lest we forget, said inshallah (God willing) on the presidential debate stage. Weve made it, I want to shout. But I know were still fighting for full normalization in American life.

Hence my excitement over three new books (two cookbooks and one art text) that feature Arab and Muslim heritage, art, and gastronomy.

To these new rulers [the Moors], cuisine was an art, and food a gift from God that should be consumed in moderation and shared with those in need, writes Leandro Carreira, the author of Portugal: The Cookbook. Its not surprising to learn that Arabs and Berbers shaped the evolution of Portuguese cuisine, but whats striking is the nature of its legacy. In this cookbook of 700 recipes, half draw from the Moors.

When Moors conquered the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) they brought with them not only warriors and administrators but architects, astronomers, poets, and, inter alia, cooks along with cookbooks, such as the Medieval Kitab al Tabikh.

The Moors introduced hydraulics that irrigated the farmland (along with orchards and leafy gardens) and beautified the land by planting citrus trees both for the fruit and scent. The list of crops introduced by Moors includes eggplant, artichoke, carrot, lentils, cucumber, and lettuce. The latter would later christen the residents of Lisbon, who are colloquially known as Alfachinhas (little lettuces). Moors popularized sour oranges, apricots, dates, melons, and watermelons; spices such as pepper and ginger; pickling of olives and nuts; sour marinade to preserve fish; rose water and orange blossom. The Moors vinegary salads were the precursor to gazpacho. The introduction of sugarcane later severed Portuguese colonization and fueled the slave trade, and transformed sugar from luxury to staple.

Naturally, the North African rulers brought couscous, the main consumed wheat until the late 16th century. To this day, northwestern Portuguese villagers prepare couscous using the methods and utensils introduced by Berbers 900 years ago.

The Moors cultivated hospitality and conviviality at the table along with the order in which food is served: soups followed by fish or meat and concluding with sweets. The Arabs cousins, the Jews played their part in shaping Portuguese cooking, too. Jews prepared their post-Sabbath meal by laying aside a slow-burning stew of meat, chickpeas, collard greens, hard-boiled eggs, and vegetables; today, the Portuguese call it Adafina. Jews introduced deep-fried vegetables and Portuguese missionaries later brought them to Japan and (voil!) tempura.

In its history, Portugal evokes our interwoven humanity.

The past few years have seen cookbooks with narratives of culture and personal journeys foregrounding recipes many focused on Arab culture. The Gaza Kitchen by Laila el-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt and The Palestinian Table and The Arabesque Table by Reem Kassis, for example. To this list, we can add Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora by the James Beard finalist Reem Assil.

For connoisseurs of Arab food in America, Reem is no stranger. Reems California, a bakery in Oakland and San Francisco, has acquired temple status for its use of Californias ingredients in the service of Arab dishes. A few years ago, the New York Times praised Reems as an Arab Bakery in Oakland Full of California Love. (The bakery was, sadly, the target of vulgar anti-Palestinian prejudice for its mural of Palestinian activist Rasmeah Odeh.)

Food was Reems saving grace. Facing a debilitating digestive disorder, and the wreck of familial stress, Reem left college and headed to the Bay Area live with her Arab uncle and Jewish aunt. Soothed by Californias climate, nature, and ingredients, she found mental and physical healing and roots and purpose.

Arabiyya is a guide to California-based, Arab-rooted recipes alongside tales of Reems journey and her familys. Her grandparents fled the Nakba the 1948 catastrophe of the forced exile of roughly 750,000 Palestinians at the hands of Israeli troops and the Naksa, the 1967 War that forced her family to decamp once more for Lebanon. The Lebanese Civil War led to one more flight to Greece, and finally, California.

Growing up American, Reem knew little of her grandmothers resilience. After her sittys (colloquial Arabic for grandmother) passing, she pasted together tales from relatives of her grandmothers determination to uphold Arab hospitality no matter where she landed. Her identity as a Palestinian was threatening both in Lebanon and America but she walked with dignity. Arab hospitality meant that home was a safe comfort no matter the headwinds outside, and, at times, her grandmother went lengths to survive. A tale of sneaking out during a pause in fighting in Beirut became family lore: sitty couldnt forget her lemons (who would serve fish without lemons?!) even after a rocket attack knocked her down.

Foods healing and grounding became the thread uniting Reem with sitty. Ive come to realize that my grandmother, who loaded the table to its edges with tasty morsels of my favorite foods, lives through me, Reem relates.

Reems journey to cook and bake as love and spontaneity opened a window to heritage a familys history and Arab pride. Her recipes (like the California Fattoush Salad where traditional tomatoes are swapped for oranges and citrus and fried sunchokes) overflow with love. Arabiyya is destined to be a classic among Arab-Americans.

Artists from the Arab world exhibiting in the West face a challenge: Our culture is ubiquitous in Western depictions but poorly understood; a dilemma for the artist who must inevitably interrogate the stereotypes that spectators bring to the practice of looking at mythologized places, in the words of critic Omar Kholeif in his review of the Abu Dhabi-born and NYC and Dubai-based Farah Al Qasimi.

Al Qasimi is one of five Arab artists featured in the new collection on arts next generation entitled Prime. In After Dinner 2 (2018), Al Qasimi captures the pressures of domestic life in her native UAE and the misconceptions westerners have about Arab domesticity. A mother stands behind her daughter kneeling on the couch while looking out at the window. The mothers stance is recognizable to any child raised by an Arab mother: head tilted up and her arms stretched out a plea for Gods mercy in the face of a stubborn child. The pink and white staging of the drapes and couch suggest the mother-daughter dispute is about marriage, the daughter having sights on another admirer. Neither the daughters nor the mothers face is visible. The mothers face overflows out of frame while the daughters rests behind the drapes. Al Qasimis photograph turns on its head the Western conception that Arab women are hidden behind the veil; their life is plain to see if one discards their preconceived notions and recognizes that mothers and daughters differ universally.

Gulf Arab states, soaked in oil and gas money, however, pander to Western standards. Alia Farid scrutinizes the imitation. Urbanization has upended life in the Gulf, including in the official representation of culture. Seeking to parade heritage, Gulf states are crafting historical narratives that embody less the realization of culture and more a contrived display that weaves together disparate artifacts, as Farid displays in a mock-museum exhibition titled Vault (2019). These exhibitions stand as staid advertisements a defensive declaration: We, too, have culture! placing together all manners of ancient and modern objects without telling a coherent story or inspiring new creativity.

In a juxtaposition, At the Time of the Ebb (2019) is a video installation documenting the celebration of Nowruz Sayadeen (Fishermans New Year) on the island of Qeshm, Iran. We are brought close to culture at its grassroots level the suggestion being that cultural life is built in communities as opposed to something to represent within the entanglements of a global museum industry, one that willfully neglects the culture it seeks to validate, observe critics Hana Noorali and Lynton Talbot.

The Middle Easts wars and rivalries inform the work of Lebanese artist Rayyane Tabet, who works in Beirut and San Francisco. Steel Rings (2013) is a recreation of the Trans-Arabian Pipeline that was abandoned due to political upheaval but not before hundreds of miles of pipes were laid (and remain) underground. In Tabets exhibition, steel rings laid on the floor stand in for the pipelines route with engravings on the rings marking the locations passed underneath. The uncompleted pipeline is the only material project to exist between five regional nations. It is a sad statement on the regions divisions that the only thing crossing that many borders is abandoned and buried steel. Humanization of the regions troubles comes into relief in Cyprus (2015). The installation consists of a 1,800-pound wooden boat suspended from the ceiling. The boat was deployed by the artists father to flee Lebanons civil war but was unable to complete the journey to the neighboring island. Years later, the family found it on the coastline. Suspended in midair, solitary, the boat speaks to the anguish burdening people in the face of conflict a hardship that is often insurmountable, like the boat drawback by the current. Cyprus centers our thoughts beyond the headlines obscuring the human toil and toward people struggling in their wake.

It is refreshing to see Arab artists creating thought-provoking art on their own terms.And so, the wheels of American life roll on as we crave our hearts on its road.

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'Two Dogs' will delight readers of all ages - Washington Blade

Lily Safra, One Of The World’s Richest Women, Dies at 87 – TheTealMango

Posted By on July 10, 2022

One of the worlds richest women, Lily Safra has died aged 87. The Brazilian billionaire passed away on Saturday, 9th July in Geneva, Switzerland. The socialite had a fortune of more than R$ 5 billion, i.e. roughly US $1.3 billion as per the annual list of Forbes magazine.

Lily was the widow of banker Edmond Safra who died in 1999. The cause of her death has not yet been revealed by her family. Read on to know more about the billionaire and her life.

Lily was born on December 30th, 1934 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Her father was a railway engineer from the Czech who had moved to Brazil for the electrification of Brazils railway. She grew up in Rio de Janeiro, before moving to Uruguay with her family.

She was married four times throughout her life. She met her first husband, Mario Cohen at the age of 17. Cohen was an Argentine hosiery magnate, with whom Lily had three children in the early 1960s.

She then went on to marry businessman Alfredo Monteverde in 1965. Alfredo committed suicide in 1969 and left all his assets to his wife. Edmond Safra was her late husbands banker whom he dated for a while, but their relationship ended because Safras family did not approve of it.

In 1972, she married another businessman Samuel Bendahan, but ended up divorcing him only a year later.

Lily finally married Edmond Safra in 1976. Edmond founded the Republic National Bank of New York. In 1999, he died in a fire accident in Monaco that was ruled to be murder. Because of his riches and position, his death piqued the curiosity of the media. Edmond Safra allegedly felt so protected here that when he slept in Monaco, he did not have his security remain the night.

Ted Maher, a former Green Beret, was suspected of lighting the fire in order to obtain Edmond Safras acceptance when he would eventually rescue him, but it quickly became out of hand. Ted was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to eight years in prison.

Lily somehow managed to save herself from the accident. She inherited $800 million from the late bankers assets.

The billionaire was known for her generous donations to charities. She founded the International Sephardic Education Foundation along with Edmond Safra and Nina Weiner in 1977. She was also the chairperson of The Edmond J. Safra Foundation which works for humanitarian relief and medical research.

Lily supported the American Red Cross Organization. In 2009, she was presented with the An Enduring Vision award by the Elton John AIDS Foundation for her long-term association with the foundation.

In May 2012, she proposed to auction 70 pieces from her jewelry collection to Genevas Christie. The money raised by the auction was donated to 32 charitable institutions around the world in the fields of education, healthcare, religion and culture. The same year, she donated $16 million to Edmond and Lily Safra Childrens Hospital in Tel Hashomer.

In 2019, she pledged 10 million for the restoration of Notre Dame de Paris after it was damaged due to a fire.

Lily will surely be remembered for her charitable work. For more news and updates, keep watching this space.

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Lily Safra, One Of The World's Richest Women, Dies at 87 - TheTealMango


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