Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year; the day on which we are closest to G-d and to the quintessence of our own souls. It is the Day of Atonement. “For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G-d” (Leviticus 16:30).
For twenty-six hours, from several minutes before sunset on Tishrei 9 to after nightfall on Tishrei 10, we “afflict our souls”, which means we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from sexual activity.
Before Yom Kippur we perform the Kaparot atonement service; we request and receive honey cake, in acknowledgement that we are all recipients in G-d’s world and in prayerful hope for a sweet and abundant year; eat a festive meal, immerse in a mikvah, and give extra charity. Late afternoon we eat the pre-fast meal, following which we bless our children, light a memorial candle as well as the holiday candles, and go to the synagogue for Kol Nidrei services.
In the course of Yom Kippur we hold five prayer services: Maariv, with its solemn Kol Nidrei service, on the eve of Yom Kippur; Shacharit–the morning prayer; Musaf, which includes a detailed account of the Yom Kippur Temple service; Minchah, which includes the reading of the Book of Jonah; and Ne’illah, the “closing of the gates” service at sunset. We say the Al Chet confession of sins eight times in the course of Yom Kippur, and recite Psalms every available moment.
The day is the most solemn of the year, yet an undertone of joy suffuses it: a joy that revels in the spirituality of the day and expresses the confidence that G-d will accept our repentance, forgive our sins, and seal our verdict for a year of life, health and happiness. The closing Neilah service climaxes in the resounding cries of “Hear O Israel… G-d is one.” Then joy erupts in song and dance (a Chabad custom is to sing the lively “Napoleon’s March”), followed by a single blast of the shofar, followed by the proclamation, “Next year in Jerusalem.” We then partake of a festive after-fast meal, making the evening after Yom Kippur a Yom Tov (festival) in its own right.
Teach your children that eating the day before the Yom Kippur fast is different from any other day. It should be done slowly and joyfully in preparation for the Day of Atonement.
Stay away from caffeine a few days before the fast to prevent withdrawal headaches and irritability. Use only small amounts of salt and spices in the Yom Kippur Eve Feast.
Make a schedule of small meals every couple of hours throughout the day before the fast. This prevents your stomach from being empty once you reach the final pre-fast meal, which can lead to overeating.
Plan to serve the final several hours before sunset so you can enjoy it. Getting food on the table at about 4:30, if sunset is at about 6, should give you time to eat, clean up and prepare yourself for Yom Kippur. Begin the meal with soup. Include kreplach (a meat filled pasta dumpling) in your chicken soup. Try sweet potato or pumpkin soup with a dairy or vegetarian meal.
Pre-Fast Menu
Honey Cake
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 fresh lemon rind, of grated
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 cup Almond milk
3 1/2 cups unbleached white wheat flour, sifted
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped slivered almond
Preheat the oven to 350° and grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Place the eggs, lemon juice, lemon rind, oil, honey and almond milk in a bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed until well blended. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon with a fork until mixed. Gradually add the flour mixture to the eggs mixture, mixing for about 5 minutes or until well blended. Fold in the slivered almonds. Pour the batter into the tube pan. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. When cool invert it on a decorative plate and using a doily sift over cake. Lift doily carefully so as to leave the design undistrubed.
Pumpkin Soup
1 beautiful 8-lb. pumpkin (about 14″ diameter) with a nice stem or “handle”
5 tbsp. butter
2 15-oz. cans pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 cups leeks, chopped (white and pale-green parts only)
3/4 cups onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. salt
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cayenne
6-1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup apple cider
pinch of sugar
Topping:
fresh chives, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
To prepare the pumpkin tureen, slice off the upper one-quarter to one-third of the pumpkin to make a lid (as you would to prepare a Jack-O’-Lantern). Set lid aside.
Using a metal spoon, scoop out all the seeds and any stringy bits from the interior and discard. Pour in several cups of boiling water and swirl around to clean the “tureen.” Drain, wipe dry and set aside.*
To prepare soup, melt butter in a heavy 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and onion and sauté until onions are softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, pumpkin, sugar and spices. Add stock and cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Purée soup in pan with immersion blender (or working in batches, purée soup in blender). This can be made up to 2 days ahead.
To Serve:
Whip cream and nutmeg to a soft peak. Bring soup to simmer. Ladle soup into pumpkin, top with chives and cover with lid to take to the table. Put a bowl of the nutmeg whipped cream on the side for guests to dollop on their soup.
*If you’re serving this on a buffet, it’s a good idea to heat the pumpkin shell in a 200° F oven for 10 to 15 minutes before adding soup. The heated shell will act as a chafing dish.
Hungarian Vegetable Soup
2-3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 16 oz bag of frozen baby lima beans
1 16 oz bag of frozen baby peas
4 medium-large red potatoes, peeled and diced
1 med onion peeled and left whole
2 large parsley root peeled and sliced
2 large parsnips peeled and sliced
1 bag of mini peeled mini carrots (try to get the really small ones) or 6 medium carrots peeled and sliced
12 oz. Pasta cooked (can be small bowties, orzo, stars, or whatever)
2 Tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
salt and white pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. ground rosemary leaves
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1. Heat oil in pot and add all vegetables and seasonings over med to hi heat. Saute for 15 minutes stirring often.
2. Add 12-13 cups of water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes with lid on pot.
3. Add frozen peas and cooked pasta. Pasta can be small bowties, orzo, stars, or whatever is preferred
4. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, heat and serve.TIP:Can be frozen, but be sure to freeze without pasta. SERVING SIZE: Serves 10-15.
Roast Chicken With Brown Rice Stuffing
1 roasting chicken
3/4 cup sherry
3/4 cups chicken stock
1 cup raw brown rice
2 tablespoons butter
ArrowrootStuffing:
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup dried currants
3 chicken livers, diced
6 large shallots, chopped fine
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Marinate whole roasting chicken in 1/2 cup sherry for 3 to 4 hours.
Turn often.
Bring chicken stock to boil in saucepan, add rice and butter; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. (The rice will not be done.) Presoak pot, top and bottom, in water for 15 minutes.
In large mixing bowl, combine the stuffing.
Add the rice and whatever liquid is not absorbed, and 1/4 cup sherry.
Remove chicken from marinade.
Rub the insides lightly with salt.
Stuff with the dressing, sew up the opening, and truss the chicken.
Rub outside of bird with butter and lightly salt.
Place chicken in presoaked pot and add remaining sherry marinade.
Cover and place pot in cold oven.
Set temperature to 480°.
Cook 80 minutes.
Remove from oven and test for doneness by wiggling a leg if it moves freely in its socket, it’s almost done.
Baste chicken and return to oven without the lid to brown for about 10 minutes.
Watch carefully and baste frequently.
Pour sauce into heated pan, adjust seasoning if necessary, bring to a boil and thicken with arrowroot.
Turn often.
Bring chicken stock to boil in saucepan, add rice and butter; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. (The rice will not be done.) Presoak pot, top and bottom, in water for 15 minutes.
In large mixing bowl, combine the stuffing.
Add the rice and whatever liquid is not absorbed, and 1/4 cup sherry.
Remove chicken from marinade.
Rub the insides lightly with salt.
Stuff with the dressing, sew up the opening, and truss the chicken.
Rub outside of bird with butter and lightly salt.
Place chicken in presoaked pot and add remaining sherry marinade.
Cover and place pot in cold oven.
Set temperature to 480°.
Cook 80 minutes.
Remove from oven and test for doneness by wiggling a leg if it moves freely in its socket, it’s almost done.
Baste chicken and return to oven without the lid to brown for about 10 minutes.
Watch carefully and baste frequently.
Pour sauce into heated pan, adjust seasoning if necessary, bring to a boil and thicken with arrowroot.
Moroccan Beet Leaf & Swiss Chard Salad
1/3 cup peanut, grapeseed, or vegetable oil
2 bunches of Swiss chard & beet leaves with stems,
coarsely chopped (about 1 pound)
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon harissa*, or to taste
1/4 cup white vinegar or lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Toss in the garlic, sautéing until just fragrant, then add the chard and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle on a little salt, the paprika, cumin, and harissa, and cook for another minute, stirring. Pour the vinegar or lemon juice into the pan, and cook for another minute, or until it has begun to evaporate. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.
*Harissa, a North African hot sauce, is available at Middle Eastern markets and specialty foods stores, and from pereg-spices.com. For a quick homemade harissa, mix 1/4 cup sambal oelek or other hot chili paste, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander in a small bowl to blend. The harissa keeps for at least a week covered and chilled.
ROASTED AUTUMN ROOT VEGETABLES
No-stick vegetable spray
6 carrots
6 parsnips
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
20 round red or Yukon C potatoes, miniatures
2 beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
Kosher salt to taste
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. olive oil, or more, if needed
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a 10×15 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Peel carrots and parsnips. Cut into 2-inch long sticks.
3. Place carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, miniature potatoes, beets and onion in baking dish.
4. Season lightly with salt. Drizzle vinegar and 4 Tbsp. olive oil on vegetables. Gently mix with a wooden or plastic spoon.
5. Roast vegetables for 1 hour, stirring and turning vegetables every 10 minutes so they roast evenly. If they start sticking to the pan, add more oil and stir.
6. Vegetables are ready when they are soft inside and brown on the outside. Serve immediately.
MAKE AHEAD METHOD:
Up to three days in advance, prepare vegetables through step #4. Place vegetables in a preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and adding more olive oil, if needed.
Remove pan from oven and bring vegetables to room temperature. Refrigerate. On the afternoon of Yom Kippur eve, bring to room temperature.
Before serving, place in a 450° F. oven and roast for 15 minutes, until vegetables are browned and warmed through. Stir every 3 minutes to avoid burning. Yield: 8 servings
Remove pan from oven and bring vegetables to room temperature. Refrigerate. On the afternoon of Yom Kippur eve, bring to room temperature.
Before serving, place in a 450° F. oven and roast for 15 minutes, until vegetables are browned and warmed through. Stir every 3 minutes to avoid burning. Yield: 8 servings
BAKED STUFFED APPLES
Nonstick vegetable spray
8 medium baking apples, such as Cortland, Gala, Braeburn or Fuji
15 dried apricots
12 pitted dates
12 dried figs
4 tsp. uncooked oatmeal (not quick or instant oats)
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
8 medium baking apples, such as Cortland, Gala, Braeburn or Fuji
15 dried apricots
12 pitted dates
12 dried figs
4 tsp. uncooked oatmeal (not quick or instant oats)
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with no-stick vegetable spray.
2. With a knife, using a circular motion, core apples by cutting away the seeds and fibrous parts. Go slowly so you don’t hurt yourself. Cut 3/4 of the way down the apple. Don’t penetrate the skin at the bottom of the apple. Discard seeds and core.
3. Place apples in baking pan. Microwave for 5 minutes. Reserve.
4. Cut apricots, dates and figs into quarters. In a medium bowl, combine them with remaining ingredients and mix well. Spoon mixture into the center of apples, and press down to stuff with as much filling as possible.
5. Lightly coat a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray. Loosely tent foil over apples. Bake for 30 minutes, or until apples soften.
6. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes. Skins may pucker. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.
MAKE-AHEAD METHOD:
Prepare through step #5 up to three days ahead. Bring apples to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate. Three hours before dinner, return to room temperature. Before serving, microwave for 3 minutes. Warm in a 350° oven for 5 minutes.
Yield: 8 servings
Post-Fast Menu
Consider a dairy or vegetarian meal before the Yom Kippur Eve Feast to make sure no one ends up feeling stuffed. Casseroles, crepes and peppers stuffed with brown rice, TVP (textured vegetable protein) or ground tofu and chopped tomatoes are good choices.
Don’t eat meat during the Yom Kippur evening meal.Find food that’s easy to digest so stomach discomfort doesn’t deter you from focusing on what’s important.Post-Fast Menu
Break your Yom Kippur fast with these easy-to-make and light-to-eat food recipes:
Il Bollo (Yom Kippur Bread)
(Usually served in the living room, this bread is the first food consumed after fasting, before partaking in a full meal at the table.)
Flour – 5 1/2 cups, unbleached and divided.
Yeast – 2 envelopes, active and dry.
Sugar – 1 1/2 cups.
Warm water – 1 cup.
Eggs – 3.
Olive oil – 1/2 cup.
Anise seeds – 2 tbsp.
Vanilla extract – 2 tsp.
Salt – 2 tsp.
Lemon rind – 1 tsp., grated. (optional)
Egg yolk – 1.
Cold water – 1 tsp.
Also needed: A clean kitchen towel.
Keep all ingredients at room temperature. In a large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour with dry yeast, 1 tsp. sugar and the warm water. Whip until you have a very smooth, soft dough. Lightly sprinkle over its top half a handful of flour. Cover it with the clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm spot for about 2 hours (or until doubled in size).
Heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add anise seeds and stir until lightly toasted. Keep to a side.
Next, return to the flour mixture. Add eggs, 1 1/4 cups sugar, oil and seeds and beat well. Add the vanilla extract, salt and grated lemon rind. Again beat well and keep adding enough flour from time to time. Continue until you get a soft dough.
Spread the rest of the flour on a working surface. Then, put the soft flour dough over it and knead, gathering the flour. Go on kneading until you have a dough stiff enough to hold its shape. Divide this stiff dough into two equal parts. Knead each part for a minute or two, and let rest for 5 minutes. Then shape each part into a 12-inch oval loaf, and put on a lightly oiled and generously floured baking sheet.
Cover with the towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 – 2 hours (or until more than doubled in bulk).
Brush the top of the loaves with the egg yolk (beaten with 1 tsp. water) and place them in a preheated 450° oven. Lower the heat to 350° instantly and bake for 30 minutes or until dark brown.
Serve with small glasses of sweet vermouth.
Cucumber Salad With Dill
Water – 1 cup.
White vinegar – 1 cup.
Salt – 1/4 tsp.
Sugar – 1 cup.
Cucumbers – 2 large (hot-house variety), sliced paper-thin.
Dried dill weed or Fresh minced dill – 2 tbsp.
Bibb lettuce – 1 head.
Arugala – 1 bunch.
Cherry tomatoes (for garnish)
A large glass bowl
In the large glass bowl, combine the water, vinegar, salt and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumbers and toss.
Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
Take it out of the freezer and drain. Garnish with watercress and cherry tomatoes. Serve on lettuce leaves.
Beet and Onion Salad
Beets – 5 (pickled, drained and sliced)
Onion – 1 large, red , peeled and thinly sliced.
Cucumber – 1, peeled and thinly sliced.
Olive oil – 1/3 cup.
Juice of 1 lemon
Eggs – 2 hard-boiled, peeled and chopped.
Parsley – 1 cup, minced.
Lettuce leaves
Also needed: A large and a small bowl.
Mix the beets, onion and cucumber together in a large salad bowl. Toss the ingredients well.
Combine the olive oil and lemon juice in the small bowl.
Add some salt and pepper to the beet mixture for seasoning. Garnish with chopped egg and parsley. Just before serving, pour the olive oil mixture over it and toss.
Serve in a bowl or on a bed of lettuce.
Cheese Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce
Cheese Blintzes:
4 large beaten eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Filling:
1 pound farmers cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup sugar or more to taste
Blueberry Sauce:
12 oz. Blueberries, rinsed or Frozen
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2Tbsp. water
To make the blintzes, beat together all the blintz ingredients and let the batter rest for at least a half hour. Heat a small skillet (about 7 inches) and add a pat of butter. Pour about 1/4 cup batter into the pan and swirl it around, pouring off excess. Don’t let it brown. Flip and cook the other side for a few seconds. Then turn blintz out onto a towel. Repeat with with remaining batter and pats of butter.
To make the filling, mix together all the filling ingredients in a large bowl. To make the sauce, put all ingredients in a sauce pan, partially cover and cook over med heat until thicken. Stir occasionally. Do not boil hard, just simmer. This may take about 30 minutes to thicken. Serve warm over blintzes.
To assemble, place 1 blintz on a work surface and place 1 tablespoon on top. Fold envelope style and roll up. Continue with remaining blintzes and filling. Fry filled blintzes in butter until golden brown. Serve with Blueberry sauce and top with sour cream.
The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn. The shofar is sounded on both days of Rosh Hashanah (unless the first day of the holiday falls on Shabbat, in which case we only sound the shofar on the second day). The sounding of the shofar represents, among other things, the trumpet blast of a people’s coronation of their king. The cry of the shofar is also a call to repentance; for Rosh Hashanah is also the anniversary of man’s first sin and his repentance thereof, and serves as the first of the “Ten Days of Repentance” which will culminate in 
“Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melekh ha-olam, borei p?riy ha-gafen.”"Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melekh ha-olam, asher bachar banu mee-kol am, v’rom’manu mee-kol lashon v’kee’d’shanu b’meetzvotav, va-teeten lanu, Adonai Elohaynu, b’ahavah et yom [ha-shabbat ha-zeh v'et yom] ha-zikkaron ha-zeh, yom zikhron t’ruah b’b'ahavah [b'ahava] meekra kodesh, zeicher leetzeeyat meetz’rayeem, kiy vanu vacharta v?otanu qidashta mikol ha?amiym, u’d'var’kha emet v’qayam la’ad.”
The first day of Rosh Hashanah (or the second day if the holiday begins on Shabbat) includes the tashlikh ceremony, in which we symbolically toss away our sins by throwing bread crumbs into a body of running water. To make this ritual more concrete, you might help your children to make a list beforehand of the things they want to throw away. As part of tashlikh, you can throw this piece of paper in the trash (not in the water, where the paper will just be a pollutant.) You can also turn the preparation for tashlikh into an art project. Children can paint, with watercolors, what they wish to get rid of in the coming year. When you float the drawings in water, these unwanted habits will magically disappear.
cloth. Round Challahs are even better (to symbolize a perfect, cyclical year to come), and Challah with raisins are sometimes used for added sweetness. One of the things found on almost every Rosh Hashanah table are apples cut into slices and honey. It is customery to eat a slice of apple dipped in honey, and recite two blessings while doing so. Sweet chestnuts are New Year’s food for Jews from Transylvania, who eat them when reciting the Shehecheyanu, the prayer for new fruits at Rosh Hashanah. Black-eyed peas probably arrived in ancient Judea from China via the Silk Route, and consuming them on Rosh Hashanah is a Middle Eastern tradition dating back to the Talmud.
outdoor decor. Cattails can be grouped together in a tall flower pot, or tied with a ribbon and laid on a ground. 
thermostat at a lower setting that will force your system to work harder. Worse yet, it’s easy to forget to turn it back up. Stick with the warmest setting you can tolerate, and try other stay cool ideas.
rod and the wall is covered, or hot air will rise through the gap. It’s possible to buy curtains and shades with thermal ratings, so shop around or make your own. Window coverings have the added benefit of keeping heat from radiating outward during the winter. Shutters are a wonderful option as in indoor window treatment.
is around.
Cook outdoors. Grilling is a classic summer pastime. Best of all, it keeps heat outside. Of course, you want to minimize the environmental impact of outdoor cooking so don’t use chemical fire starters.
Spend more time outdoors or away from home. A trip to the woods will be cooler and a walk is great exercise. Visit a friend and enjoy their air conditioning too? A little window shopping never hurt anyone, and it’s likely there are several ice cold destinations within walking distance or a short bicycle ride from your home. While eating out is a luxury for a lot of people these days, blowing a couple hours with a frosty drink and a book someplace cool isn’t a bad way to spend a sweltering summer afternoon.
rates to their customers. Take advantage of these. In any event, even a properly vented clothes dryer radiates heat. Restrict its use to the coolest part of the day. Wherever possible, line dry clothes. It worked for our parents’ generation, and it will work for ours. A simple line between two sturdy supports will do, and umbrella-style clothes lines are an affordable investment. Line drying is more of a challenge for apartment dwellers. You may be able to get away with a small line on a porch — check your lease terms. It’s also possible to dry indoors, and there are many retractable lines and racks made just for that purpose. Indoor drying may be the best choice if your area is dusty, or if you happen to be particularly susceptible to outdoor allergens.
the host, you are implying that you will be bringing all the food and supplies for everyone you ask to join you. A good way to arrange a picnic for a large group of people is to have a pot-luck picnic, where everyone is responsible to bring a certain food item.
Here are a few ideas on where to go. You don’t need to go very far when packing a picnic, a shady area of your back yard can be just as fun. If not your back yard, maybe a friend or neighbor has a beautiful yard, field or forest to explore, but ask first. How about a stroll down to your local neighborhood park and find a secluded, quiet corner to spread a blanket. It may be a little busier and noisier but is still enjoyable. It may require a short drive to a state or national park, but you’ll find larger parks and beautiful sights. Some parks may charge an entrance fee and have rules on food and beverages so make sure to check before driving there. A beach is one of the most loved places for a picnic. Find the nearest beach, enjoy sun bathing, playing and walking in the sand, and swimming in the cool waters
and often have free access. Local wildlife reserves make a lovely choice for a picnic. You can throw the wildlife your breadcrumbs. Ski Lodges in summer have no long lift lines which make ski hills a wonderful summer option. Many ski hills are open for hiking and biking, providing many ideal picnic opportunities and scenic views. Whether you need to rent a small boat or pay a ferry fare, getting out on the open water is a great way to spend an afternoon with a packed lunch and well worth the expense.
features beautiful to look at but enjoying sounds of gently splashing water will surely help you release stress after a long day. Garden fountains are also one of the easiest and most affordable ways to transform your outdoor space into your own relaxation haven.
When it’s not spouting into the air, the water for your fountain will need to be stored in a reservoir, which is usually hidden from sight, or in a pool. A reservoir can be any vessel that will hold water: A small plastic trash bin, a large ceramic pot or even a poured concrete, water-proofed basin will work. A pool likewise needs to hold water, and usually a saucer-like, shallow vessel works best. Pre-formed pond liners work, but so can the top of a bird bath, an antique wash basin or even a new never used oil-change pan. The pool can sit on top of the ground or can be sunk into the ground. The pool basin can also be constructed of poured concrete or can be made using a pool liner fabric over a shallow depression dug in the yard. Conceal your reservoir by surrounding it or covering it with large rocks and stone, by burying it partially or entirely in the ground or by surrounding it with tall plants or shrubs. Just make sure there’s a way to cover the reservoir to keep animals and debris out of it. With a reservoir, you’ll also need a water collector that’s positioned to collect all the fountain spray and direct it immediately back into the reservoir.
Some sprays produce a globe-like, smooth bubble of water; others disperse the water into graceful arcing fans and still others produce sturdy, forceful jets of water that shoot 10 feet or more into the air before falling back on itself, resembling a tall, trembling pillar of water. Consider the options carefully; you’ll want to think about how each one works with your pond or reservoir, the kind of sounds it will produce, how much the water will splash when it hits bottom, and whether the water shape it produces is a good match for the rest of your fountain design.
Water pumps can be powered by batteries for only the smallest table-top fountains, electricity or solar panels. Solar panels can be helpful if you want to build your fountain some distance from an electrical outlet. Consider the placement of the solar panels as part of your planning: They’ll need to get lots of sun to be effective. You’ll want to build your fountain near an outlet if you’re going to power with electricity, as long lengths of extension cord strung across the yard can be unsightly and dangerous.
Municipalities often have concerns about ponds or pools and may require gates or fences surrounding even modest-sized water features, or they may limit the size or depth of a pool or a pond. Check also with your insurance company even if your fountain will be rather small. Consider the safety needs of children for whom even a 2-inch-deep pool can be a threat. If you know what the restrictions are before you begin your design, those considerations will be included in the creative process as you design your fountain.
Clean out your storage areas. You may find things that you forgot you owned or thought you’d lost. Now is a good time to go through the boxes and keep only the most precious items. You can have lots of fun giving away the things that you don’t want. Or you could have a yard sale and make a little extra cash, but better than that is you help those who seek to buy slightly used items at great prices. Going to Yard Sales is lots of fun too. If you have an imagination and don’t mind a little work, you may just find something wonderful.
soluble, not water soluble. The oil should help the flavor get into the surface and for a better crust. A lot of seasoned barbecue cooks use a base of mustard, but I think oil works better. Sprinkle enough spice rub to coat all surfaces but not so much that the meat doesn’t show through. That is about 2 tablespoons per side depending on the size of the slab. Many of the herbs and spices in the rub are oil soluble, so the vegetable oil will help them penetrate a little better. Spread the rub on the meat and rub it in. Wash your hands. Wrap the meat in foil and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours on a platter or pan to catch leaks. In addition to flavoring the meat, the salt in the rub pulls the juices to the surface and that will help form a crust during the cooking. If you don’t have time to let the meat marinate in the dry rub, it’s not the end of the world. Put on the oil and rub anyway and start cooking.
