ROSH HASHANAH TRADITIONAL DINNER MORE THAN THE STEREOTYPE

Sundown, September 29, is the beginning of the High Holy Days, the Hebrew calendar year of 5780.  Jewish people around the world will be celebrating the start with family, friends and most likely a huge meal. A century old immigration brought the opening of several kosher delis in New York that had a notoriety of becoming, “Jewish food.” “Ashkenazi,” was the term used for Jews coming from Eastern Europe with cuisines from Poland, Russia and Germany. 

 

Looking back to the 17^th and 18^th century we find that it was the Sephardic settlers from countries such as Brazil, Spain and Italy that established the synagogues and traditions in American colonial port cities such as: New York; Philadelphia; Newport, R.I.; Charleston, S.C;  and Savannah, Georgia. 

 

Many Sephardic Jews hold a Rosh Hashanah “seder” where each item or recipe symbolizes a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in the coming year.

Challah bread is simply a tradition around the world and used as a symbol of “breaking bread” as each member tears a piece from a loaf. What is added to the bread in baking is less traditional but symbolizing health (seeds) and sweetness (honey, a topping of cinnamon sugar).  You can even go all out by preparing chocolate challah cranberry rolls with citrus sugar. 

Gefilte fish is all too common. Let’s go for an Italian Sweet and sour recipe using: raisins, honey, apple or red wine vinegar. With fish multiplying quickly, it is eaten in hopes that the coming year will be one of plenty.  In some communities, there is significance associated with fish heads. These have historically been placed on the Rosh Hashanah table, with a special prayer asking to be like the head and not the tail. 

Talk to Vinny or Pat at Crossbay Seashell Fish Market at 161-14 Crossbay Blvd. in Howard Beach for great choices of whole white flesh fish as well as a request for a fish head.  You can certainly enjoy a side of fish cheeks that when cut out may be the size of scallops.  Take advantage of picking their brains (Viny and Pat, not the fish) to find out how mild or stronger tasting you choice should be expected.  

Seven is a lucky number in Jewish tradition, so a soup or stew featuring seven vegetables is a Rosh Hashana favorite among Sephardic Jews. With Moroccan origins the vegetables are served over couscous.  This one includes: onions, peeled and diced turnip, green and yellow zucchini, diced ripe tomatoes, shredded white cabbage, and string beans.  Add ginger, turmeric, cumin and top with finely chopped dried apricots or raisins.

  

Apples dipped in honey are as just as much of a tradition as eating the seeds of a pomegranate which expresses the wish for a year filled with as many merits as a pomegranate has seeds.

One of the best sources for fruit and vegetables is another “mom and pop” market, Valentino Food Market located at 66-64 Fresh Pond Rd in Ridgewood. They are open from 7am to 10pm on most days. My suggestion is to shop early morning as due to both popularity and low prices it tends to get quite crowded. If fresh figs are not available ask for a jar of fig jam.   Whatever it is that they have tasted great both on bread as well as a delicious added flavor in cooking.  

Considering that none of the above suggestions fall into either the meat category, you can decide by either including dairy or meat but not both….if you are keeping a kosher meal  

 

For instance, create a chicken soup that includes beef bones for a great stock.  You can either fill the pot with a whole chicken or chicken backs will do. 

I have two recommendations for dessert of which neither are cake: If you haven’t used meat, head on over to Eddie’s Sweet Shop at 105-29 Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills.  I love that they make their own ice cream. I recently tried the banana and clear that real bananas are being used. Cost for a pint is about the same as the fancy ones with additives and so much better. 

Not that you shouldn’t  get both, but if you are choosing a meal with meat, ices from The Lemon Ice King of Corona will also have your guests drooling. Located at 52-02 108^th Street owners Mike and Vincent use real fruit. Purchase a pint of the original lemon as the perfect palate cleanser. 

“Happy New Year” is not what you would say as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and the only Jewish holidays that are considered to be “Holy Days” with the 10 days reserved for days of atonement. L'shanah Tovah is the correct greeting.  I say, “May the new year bring us one of no anti-semitism.”

ARTISTRY OF COOKING WHERE PREPARATION AND TASTE TRANSCEND THE CUISINE

“Elvis is finally in the house.”  You could hear those words muttered at the 3^rd Annual Chicken Soup Cookoff, held last year at the Temple Beth Sholom in Flushing. For the past two years prior, Chef Elvis’ spicy Caribbean style chicken soup came in first place from both the judges and People’s Choice awards.  Not so in this one as Elvis had competition from a new entry, Tropical Revival, whose chicken soup seemed even a bit more “peppery”.  Nevertheless, Tropical Revival came in first from both judging groups with Elvis taking second place.  

 

Who would have thought that having a most peppery soup would be such a crowd pleaser.  Late arrival Elvis toted his soup from his restaurant on Long Island, while Tropical Revival owner Albert Teekasingh made an early entrance coming from Whitestone.  I think they were aware of their competitor as along with Elvis’s soup, a tray of mac and cheese was sitting alongside as an addition taster.  Albert had a tray of what for me was the best tasting buttery soft corn bread.  There is fresh corn in the bread and a secret ingredient that makes it so soft and flavorful. 

What was in the chicken soup?  Let’s begin with that Albert only uses cut up dark meat on the bone from fresh killed chickens. Cut up pieces of corn on the cob, yellow split peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, yucca, plantains, are added.  Habanero peppers are the “kick” in the soup and he doesn’t yell the word “bam” when he adds it. 

I was forced (twist my arm) to seek out Albert’s restaurant, located at 12-40 Clintonville Street, in a small shopping center with two floors of stores.  It was easy to spot the boasting award signs and not just due to the Chicken Soup Cookoff  as I arrived at what I believed to be a less busy time. 

Albert and his sister Elizabeth were behind the counter. Most of the food choices were resting each separately on the steam table. Although there is seating for about 12 people, most customers pop in and take out.  The menu changes every day depending upon what Albert (along with Elizabeth) want to prepare. 

I interviewed Albert and sampled much of the food to find that the artistry of preparation and taste that transcended the cuisine to the point of not even taking in account its “ethnicity.”  

It was back in his childhood days in Guyana that Albert learned to cook watching his mother and grandmother involved in the catering business.  That is what got him his start here catering companies such as Home Depot. 

He soon vied for a spot catering school lunches as four-year-olds and other kids were tired of eating bland foods now catering 4 Catholic Schools.  The children only noticed the flavors and enjoyed the spices.  One of the choices is rice with spinach that is “garlicky.” He does cut back on the habanero but tends to use dishes made with a curry.  Another is a lo mein (not of the Asian ilk) with vegetables. The one I sampled also had jumbo shrimp.  

It was now time to secure a restaurant only a few years ago.  Albert begins the food preparation at about 4 am, opening the restaurant at about 11:30 am.  There are no frozen foods used in any of his dishes, not even the most popular and sought out Oxtail (It does not come from an ox, but a cow). In fact it goes so quickly that you have to call ahead of time to see if there is any left. This 4-6 hour dish is simmered and not pressure cooked using onions, garlic, thyme, sweet pepper, cilantro and scallions marinated for hours prior to the cooking. 

 

Here is where I have to “share.”  While tasting and talking a man from Uber Eats came to take photos of the food. Yes, it means that you’ll be able to fill you tummy with goodness using an app.  The man is Chinese born.  I purposely asked because I had gone to a Chinese restaurant that served oxtail and was a bit surprised as I had never seen this on an Asian menu.  I wanted to tell him this but got interrupted. Before the man left, Albert asked if there was anything that he wished to take home and he said, “oxtail.”  I had to laugh. 

Enough chat….let’s get to the food.  I started with his famous soup and although it was still as peppery managed to get past it finding that my throat was not affected but my lips were a bit.  Now I was able to totally understand the “win.” 

Curry dishes are not my favorite due to one particular ingredient – cumin. Don’t enjoy the taste and find that I have a slight allergy as well. I had brought my food buddy, Deveka who was born in Surinam.  Give her a peppery tasting item and she will still request hot sauce to go with it. Not this time though as Albert’s combination of herbs and spices pleased her palate well.  

Curry is not a spice but a mixture of spices. Albert combines: onions, garlic, cumin, and masala.  One of the selections was Crab with Curry using snow crab, coconut milk and a root vegetable known as eddoes, related to the taro family. 

   

Baked Chicken and Curried Chicken were two other items as well as Pumpkin Shrimp using both pumpkin and butternut squash.  I have yet to have Curried Duck of which Albert goes directly to a place where he can pick out a live duck. 

“Sides” are served with the main item, including rice and red beans, rice and pigeon peas, the rice with spinach, roti, dahl and macaroni pie (a form of mac and cheese). 

“Jerk” mains are available in the form of Jerk Chicken and Jerk Pork.  Spicy, but not so peppery. If you happen to be there on a Saturday, Albert might just have made his “fall off the bone” spare ribs.   

This entrepreneur is not stopping at having the catering and restaurant.  There are two more ideas in the making.

Tropical Revival is open from 11:30 am to 7pm, closed on Sunday and Monday. (917) 563-7879

GET A LOT OF HOT POT AT SPRING SHABU- SHABU

“Unique” would be the word to describe Spring Shabu-Shabu, a “hot pot” restaurant in downtown Flushing.  “Hot pot” is a style of food preparation at many Asian eateries where you sit at a table and cook your meal in a broth.  Let me just share my experience.

Spring Shabu-Shabu is located at 136-20 38^th Avenue and Manager Jay Lang is skillfully in charge.  It is on the second floor of the building known as Queens Crossing.  Quite large but I hear that it can get quite crowed at peak hours being wonderfully popular, particularly with the Asian population.   There are several eateries in this building, so you have to follow the signs.

I went with a friend as it may be difficult to dine alone.  First step…we chose a broth. Soup bases are: dashi, dried fish and vegetable stock; spicy dashi (spicy radish strips added); pork bone; spicy pork bone – chili oil, red chilies, and Chinese herbs; vegetarian- mushrooms and vegetables.   I opted for the pork bone while Nancy chose the vegetarian. 

Your proteins are ordered off the menu (if you so desire). Here are the prices.  Chicken – 7 oz.  $4.  Other meats - fatty beef, non-fatty beef, prime beef are $4 for 5 oz.  $6 for 4oz. ribeye beef, $6 for 4 oz. pork, tripe, 4oz- $4, lamb 5oz.-$4.   Seafood options include shrimp - 8 pieces for lunch for $5 or 12 pieces for dinner at $7.   A 14 oz seafood combo of shrimp, clams, squid, baby octopus, whitefish and crab is $5 for lunch. Shrimp is more like prawn with the heads on…which we placed on our list.  All meats are thinly sliced and meant to be cooked a short time.  We ordered chicken and prime beef.  Crabs were another item that I couldn’t resist.  But wait!

Off to what was the longest buffet of vegetables, noodle products, tofu and dumplings.  I have not even experienced seeing this amount of a variety of vegetables at any Asian grocery.  Just to get an idea…white sweet potatoes, lotus root, Kabocha squash, various cabbages and a variety of mushrooms.  Thank goodness they are labeled and more importantly, fresh.  Nothing wilted, etc.  I grabbed a plate walked around and filled it up for the first run.   There is another area just for sauces both mild and spicy.  You grab a bowl and can mix up a few if you want.  

Back at the table to cook and enjoy sharing a small bottle of sake.  You are given a large spoon and slotted spoon along with chop sticks or fork and knife if you wish.  Placed some of the cooked food on my curved metal plate, dipped into the sauce using my chop sticks and the flavors of the combination of soup that is produced along with obviously fresh meats and fish is beyond ones idea of savory food.   

This is an all you can stuff yourself buffet which means I could not only keep going back but try produce that I don’t usually eat.  We both took advantage of this opportunity to “exercise.” With the buffet having dumplings that contain meat, I realized that it was not necessary to order other meats or seafood but certainly fun and great tasting.  Crabs (heads removed and cleaned) are just about large enough to get a decent amount of meat and easy to crack.  Nancy found them to be messy.  More for me.

 

A Shabu-Shabu experience here was certainly not without service.   Our server brought and replenished the broths (which cannot be changed in midstream).   He saw to it that the used dishes were removed and both tea and water glasses/cups were refilled.  As for leftovers….the restaurant does not use plastic which means that you cannot take the soup home to your “dog.”  They will, however, bring an aluminum container so you can scoop out the solids.   Ate them the next day….cold!  OMG! Soft ice cream is the only dessert….fine with both of us! 

Interesting to have found out that the tea is not made from tea leaves but a combination of barley and corn from Korea (oksusu-bori-cha.)  I guess it would be classified as being “herbal.” Aside from the never ending tea…beer, wine, sake, soju (a Korean alcohol made from rice) and soft drinks are available.  With assistance from our server, I opted for 300ml of cold sake in the category of Junmai, called Kaga Setsubai described as, “pure rice sake that is aromatic and light with a smooth finish.” Sake can be pricey as wine would be.  Here the cold sake prices range from $15 to $31 for 300ml; $31 to $73 for 750 ml.  

Meal prices? Lunch special weekdays - $11.95, 11:30am  to 3pm ; weekends and holidays, $15.95.  Everyday dinner - $16.95.  Lunch on a weekday is a bargain at $13 that includes the tax.  If you are thinking, “Why would I pay $13 for lunch?” Change your habit for the day and think of lunch as “dinner.”   Open until 10pm.  For further information call: 718-395-8076.  No…they do not take reservations.