Shavuot: A cheesy holiday!

The great festival of cheese is a delicious holiday, except for those who are lactose-intolerant.

Also known as the Festival of Weeks, of First Fruits and of the Giving of the Torah, the holiday begins at sundown on Tuesday, May 18.

As often mentioned in Tracing the Tribe, Tablet is one of my favorite reads each day, and there are several holiday-related stories: "Blintz Binge," "Dairy Heirs" and "Got Milk?" There's also a Shavuot FAQ and other related reading.

The first, by Katie Robbins, covers a woman's search for the perfect blintz. Get your frying pans ready for the excellent recipe provided.

The second, by Joan Nathan, gives good background on the holiday, covers spring, the greening of the land, the artisanal kosher cheese industry in North America. Nathan gives a great cheesecake recipe.

The last, by Liel Leibovitz, offers a look at the complicated history of Jews and dairy, goat milk, more on lactose intolerance, Ashkenazim, Sephardim, and even some diary-related gematria.

Enjoy!