 The holiday of Lag Ba'Omer celebrates the 33rd day of the counting of the omer between Pesah and Shavuot. A minor holiday, it commemorates a series of overlapping events, including the supposed day that manna first fell in the wilderness, the cessation of a divinely-sent plague on Rabbi Akiva's students, and the death of the great sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai.
Lag Ba'Omer has become a brief moment of celebration amidst the longer period of mourning surrounding it. Some people commemorate the day by lighting bonfires (to honor the light that Rabbi ben Yohai brought into the world) and grilling food with friends and family. |
DirectionsUsing a sharp, sturdy knife, cut the bottom off of the pineapple. Stand the pineapple up on the flat surface and, slicing down along the fruit, remove the outer peel, rotating as you go until the peel is gone. Lay the pineapple down horizontally and slice into 1/2 inch rounds OR cut into 1/2 inch long wedges. For CreamCombine cream and sugar in a bowl. Using an immersion blender or whisk (beating rapidly), whip air into cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, mash the raspberries well with a fork. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the smashed raspberries into the whipped cream. Serve over grilled pineapple.Note: For kosher keepers who are grilling meat, serve the pineapple with fresh raspberries sprinkled with sugar, instead of the raspberry cream. Do not substitute non-dairy whip--the taste is simply not worth the extra calories and chemical additives. 
Leah Koenig is a freelance writer whose work has been published in The New York Times Magazine, Gastronomica, Jewish Living, Lilith, Culinate, Beliefnet and other publications. Did you like this article? MyJewishLearning is a not-for-profit organization.  
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