Debra Eckerling

Los Angeles

Writer and Editor at Freelance

Contributing Writer at Jewish Journal (Los Angeles)

Host at The DEB Show

Articles

Chef Beejhy Barhany: “Gursha,” Ethiopian Jewish Food and Ethiopian Matzah

3 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

“Ethiopian Jewish food is just a little bit of everything,” Beejhy Barhany, the founding owner and executive chef of Tsion Cafe, an Ethiopian and Israeli restaurant, told the Journal. “It’s an array of an abundance of flavors … packed with nutrients.”Born in Ethiopia, Barhany was raised mostly in Israel, before moving to New York in 2001. Her new cookbook, “Gursha” is a celebration of Ethiopian Jewish (Beta Israel) cuisine.
Choices of Charoset

3 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

One seder plate — and table — mainstay is charoset. That sweet mix of fruit, wine and nuts is something many look forward to all year. “Growing up, we always had my mother’s shepherd-style charoset, which was my favorite at the Passover seder table,” Alon Shaya, co-founder of Pomegranate Hospitality and author of the cookbook “Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel,” told The Journal.
Seder Favorites with a Twist

3 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

Passover will be here before we know it. While there are some seder favorites to look forward to year-round, it’s also fun to mix things up. Chef and spice master Lior Lev Sercarz, owner of La Boîte, enjoys gefilte fish. Yet, he understands that the traditional version is not always a crowd-pleaser. “We wanted to offer a delicious and easy alternative that everyone can enjoy during the seder,” Lev Sercarz told The Journal. “Our approach?
Susan Feniger’s Keeps Cooking in Her 3rd Act

3 weeks ago | 3rdactmagazine.com | Debra Eckerling |David Nemetz

Susan Feniger’s third act looks a lot like her second. For 40 years, the 71-year-old celebrity chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and radio and TV personality has traveled the world, bringing food from different cultures back to her several influential Los Angeles restaurants—past and present—including: Ciudad, STREET, Border Grill, and SOCALO.
Sean Kanan: Bad Boy Hot Sauce, Gratitude and Pasta

4 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

Sean Kanan is an author, actor, Emmy-award winning producer, and founder of Bad Boy Hot Sauce. He’s also the guest for the 100th episode of Taste Buds with Deb!Kanan’s first role in Hollywood was as bad-boy Mike Barnes in “Karate Kid III,” a role he reprised on the fifth and sixth seasons of “Cobra Kai” on Netflix. “Martial arts has always been an important part of my life since I was probably about 14, 15 years old,” Kanan told The Journal.
PJ Library Passover Resources for Families

4 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

One way to make Passover family-friendly is to get everyone involved. PJ Library, best known for sending free storybooks to Jewish families with young children, has lots of resources designed to get kids of all ages excited about Passover.
Soulful Vegan Ellen Kanner Shares Healthy Recipes for National Nutrition Month

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

March is National Nutrition Month. This annual event, led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shines a spotlight on good food choices and healthy eating habits. This year’s theme is “food connects us,” something Jews know very well. Food connects us to each other and the world around us. “Our food choices have implications for the environment, social justice, wellness, culture and community,” Ellen Kanner, founder of SoulfulVegan.com, told The Journal.
Remi Haik: Self-Care, A Three-Second Solution and Tahini and Date Bliss Balls

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

Nutrition coach and naturopath Remi Haik believes that self-care is the key to healthy living. Haik grew up in the 1990s, when fashion TV arrived and the beauty standard was women needed to be skinny. “It led me into a cycle of a lot of crazy diets,” Haik told the Journal. “It led me down a path of not liking my body.”Haik struggled for many years before creating a healthy relationship with food, something that developed over time.
The Braid Shares Stories of Kindness in Its Latest Salon Show

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

The theme of The Braid’s latest show is, per usual, right on target. “Hold Me, Heal Me,” which features true Jewish stories of kindness, is the perfect counterprograming for this challenging moment in time. It is designed to make the audience laugh, cry and want to do good. “This show is a possible antidote to times that feel overwhelming,” The Braid’s founder and artistic director, Ronda Spinak, who is producer of this show, told The Journal.
Fail-Proof Vegetable Puree

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Debra Eckerling

Aliza J. Sokolow, author of “This Is What I Eat: Fun Activities for Mindful Eating,” loves the change of seasons … and the fruits and vegetables that go with it. “My eating and cooking and shopping is very seasonal,” Sokolow, a private chef, food stylist and photographer, told The Journal.