Assisted Living Resident & Holocaust Survivor Presents Her Traditional Hanukkah Cake

Holiday cultural baking presentation and art viewing, this Thursday, December 19th, 2:00 to 3:00pm, The Hacienda at The Canyon

AL resident Yvonne Goldstein, a connoisseur of traditional Jewish cuisine and a survivor of the holocaust, will present with Pastry Chef her special Hanukkah cake and recipe (linked below), which is also great for Christmas as well

AL resident and former professional medical illustrator, Mary Torrance, will present her fine art piece which is featured in the community’s art collection. Both will be presented in the Taboon kitchen and dining room.

With nearly one million seniors across the United States living in assisted living communities, more people are discovering its many unique benefits. Top among those benefits for residents of Watermark’s The Hacienda at the Canyon is freedom. With life’s necessities professionally taken care of, residents are free to focus on their passions.

“Many people fear losing their independence in assisted living, but the reality is quite the opposite,” says Mary Torrance, an assisted-living resident at The Hacienda at the Canyon (THC),”we actually thrive here.”

Yvonne Goldstein is another resident who has flourished since moving into assisted living at THC. A native of Berlin and survivor of the Holocaust – and a lover of baking — Goldstein has worked with THC’s Pastry Chef Michele Laconto to keep Jewish culinary traditions alive. Most recently, Goldstein collaborated with Chef Michele to make dishes for the Yom Kippur break-the-fast-menu.

The meal marks the official end of the Yom Kippur fast and often includes foods like challah, blintzes, and fruit. “The break-the-fast meal is very important,” Goldstein said. This year, Laconto prepared Goldstein’s traditional Apple Cider Honey Cake for the meal.

Chef Locanto will be reprising Goldstein’s Apple Cider Honey Cake for the upcoming Hanukkah feast at THC as well.

Chef Laconto said that Goldstein often stops by to share traditional Jewish recipes for holidays. Laconto enjoys making these treats, “Yvonne brings her iPad or her recipe box and has me take pictures of them.”

Yvonne Goldstein’s Apple Cider Honey Cake Recipe:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/81io7uk56vgplm64tcd19/Yvonne-s-Apple-Cider-Honey-Cake.pdf?rlkey=gq2in8f0rfsr0ye9svmvyz0y2&st=7xv04y39&dl=0

Passion for Art

Mary Torrance, a member of The Hacienda at the Canyon community, moved into assisted living when her macular degeneration worsened. Torrance needed a welcoming place that could professionally handle essential things like housekeeping and meal preparation. She was drawn to THC and its myriad engaging daily activities.

“I owned my old home and I handled all my own shopping, cleaning and meal prep,” she said. “But, as my eyesight got worse, I needed a place that would take care of those things.”

Unburdened by daily chores, Torrance, formerly a medical illustrator, was freed up to enjoy many activities including her passion for art. She was thrilled to take art classes. In fact, her paintings are so good they hang in the Hacienda’s gallery.

Torrance says one of the most significant advantages of assisted living is the vibrant community atmosphere. “I’ve made so many friends here,” Torrance added. “They even asked me to be an ambassador so I can show new residents around.”

Families also benefit from the peace of mind that comes with knowing their loved ones are in a safe and supportive environment. This allows for more quality time during visits, free from caregiving responsibilities.