JEWISH FOOD?

I've heard people say, "That's Jewish food".  Italian food comes from Italy, German from Germany, Irish from Ireland.  I've never heard anyone say, "That's Catholic food". So, what country comprises Jewish cuisine?  Certainly not Israel, since that is considered to be Mediterranean cuisine.  Jewish cuisine must be mistaken for food that is served in a kosher deli who's origin is mostly that of Ashkenazi Jews, those being Poland, Germany, Russia, and Austria.

With Jews immigrating to the United States, so came the foods that they cooked.  New Yorkers learned to dine in the kosher deli's to seek the delicious specialties. What makes a deli kosher? Aside from the meat being kosher, you would not be able to order anything made with dairy.

Most of the delis no longer exist, although "kosher style" may be the cuisine.  One company has latest for many years and still remains; Ben's Deli.  With various locations, I sought out the one in Bayside and spoke with Hal Simon, the manager.



After sharing his thoughts about working for Ben's we talked about the food.

Cole slaw and pickles are automatically placed at your table.  Do not expect "dill pickles" even though they somehow got representative of Jewish cuisine.  The true pickles are either "sour" or "half sour". 

Chicken fricassee is a dish composed of chicken parts and meatballs cooked in a brown sauce. It is common to use paprika for the coloring.   Beef tongue is a delicacy.  At Ben's it is served with a sweet and sour Polonaise sauce.

Chopped Liver is a staple.  Think of it as a chunky pate made with chicken livers, onions, hard boiled eggs and chicken fat.  Gone are those days as the chicken fat has been 86ed.

Rye bread can be gotten with or without the caraway seeds. 

Stuffed cabbage.

Stuffed derma.  No more is the casing composed of the cows intestines, which no matter where you buy it, has changed the true flavor.  It is stuffed with vegetables, oat meal, and beef fat. 

Gefilte fish...the meatloaf of fish.  Ben's recipe uses white fish and yellow pike.  Other recipes call for the addition of some carp as well.  Must be eaten with the traditional red beet horse radish.  It is served with carrots as the recipe calls for first boiling the fish in water, onions, and carrots. 

What's a Jewish meal without the challah bread?

Ben's has two kinds of knishes.  There is that one company out there that makes the square ones. Ben's has some of that assortment as well as making their own round ones that are bakes.  It is typical to place deli mustard on it. 

Ben's has "overstuffed sandwiches that will certainly hit the hunger spot.  I had one made with corned beef and pastrami. Same brisket of beef is used. Pastrami has spices added. 

If you are not sure as what you want, you should have the "chicken in the pot".  You'll not only have the boiled chicken, but also kreplach (dumplings), matzo balls, noodles, peas and carrots that is actually served in a pot but on a plate. 

Potato pancakes are a given.  Of interest is that we tend to eat french fries with ketchup, potato knishes with mustard, potato pancakes with apple sauce and a baked potato with butter and sour cream.  Nu?

Kasha vanishkas is made with kasha, a buckwheat oat, pasta shapes in bow ties, and onions

Noodle pudding varies with either a sweet made with fruit such as raisins or the ultra caloric, artery clogging one that I make with not only the eggs but pot cheese, and lots of butter. 

Ben's has a variety of dessert that are not made on the premises.  One of the Ben's locations is responsible for baking up the delicious rugalah. 

CATERING KOSHER WITH FAIRWAY

“It’s not kosher” is a phrase you hear when it usually pertains to not being on the “up and up”.   Food wise “kosher” is a both a Jewish dietary law as well as one that rests on how you practice the religion.  The word, “kosher” derives from the Hebrew word, “kasher”, meaning “pure” or “proper”.  Simply being blessed by a Rabbi does not make food “kosher”.  

Fairway Market has a kosher catering menu.   What does it all mean?   I was able to sample and speak with Fairway’s expert Rebecca Martin as we begin with the facilities, which have to be set up so that there are no other foods around to contaminate.  Rabbis are present to oversee.  

Fish must have scales and fins.   That not only leaves out all shellfish, but one such as catfish.  Think of it as fish that are not “bottom feeders”.  The sushi menu is limited to salmon, tuna and yellowtail, keeping in mind that not all fish considered to be “kosher” should be eaten raw, such as tilapia, an entrée selection.   Let’s examine a few maki rolls.  Godzilla: tuna, yellow tail, salmon, kani, tempura style.  American Dream: yellow tail, tuna, salmon, spicy tuna, masago, scallion, sweet sauce, spicy sauce.  You get extra sauces, such as spicy mayo and soy sauce. Of course it comes with pickled ginger and wasabi.

Animals that chew the cud and have cloven hooves are okay.  So, for the sake of the menu, we are looking at beef with cows that have gone through a ritual slaughter.   No cuts of beef from the hind quarter. This excludes parts that are seen as premium cuts of beef, such as the filet mignon and the porterhouse. This also excludes all flank, sirloin, T-bone and round cuts.  Does it limit the taste?  It’s not the cut of beef but how you prepare and cook it.

Beef facon, for instance.  Think of it as bacon using beef instead of pork. Certainly a lot leaner and is a pretty good substitute.  Beef sausage can be done in many styles depending upon the herbs and spices being used with edible casings.  A company called Jack’s manufactures both the facon and sausage.  Fairway spent time researching to find the best.

I grew up on eating tongue...beef tongue and from a kosher deli.  Fairway cooks up their own and what you get is lean. Chopped Chicken Liver.  Let’s first get to the chicken livers coming from a kosher chicken.  Not only is the chicken slaughtered so that the blood is drained, if the liver has any green on it…goodbye chicken.  Chicken livers, onions, hard boiled eggs, salt and schmaltz (chicken 

fat). 

Back to the beef as in Beef Spare Ribs.  They are like the size of “country ribs” when you buy the pork ilk.  It is all about the sauce regarding taste.  The ribs are totally cooked tender when they arrive.  You just need to heat them up, like the rest of the foods served hot.

Here is a great specialty…Crispy Orange Beef.  This item arrives in a cut out orange.  The sliced beef is coated and fried. Sesame seeds sit atop.  An orange sauce is prepared with some extra sauce packed.  It’s delicious. What more could you want?

Two particular items made use of mushrooms.  One was Portobello Fries. Basically, cut up Portobello mushrooms, coated with panko and fried.  It comes along with a remoulade sauce.  The other was Seared Wild Mushrooms in herbs. Great side to the Crispy Orange Beef. 

Sweet potato pancakes are quite tasty and make sure you order challah bread, while you’re at it. Challah bread goes with everything! 

Want a taste?  On Sunday, November 3, the Paramus, Stamford and Westbury locations will be giving out samples of their kosher Thanksgiving menu from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  You can find the kosher catering menu on www.fairwaymarket.com

YOURS FOR THE TASTING AT FAIRWAY

Fairway Market stores throughout the Tri-State area are holding their annual “Hosting the Holiday” event in which shoppers can sample main courses, side dishes, baked goods and more from the extensive Thanksgiving catering menu and receive 10% off catering orders placed that day.

“Hosting the Holiday” takes place on Saturday, November 2, 2013 and on Sunday, November 3, 2013 between 11 AM– 2 PM at twelve Fairway Market locations (excluding the Upper East Side and Upper West Side stores).  Items available for tasting include autumn vegetable puree soup, butternut squash soup, roasted Fairway ABF turkey served with turkey gravy, roasted butternut squash, candied sweet potatoes, savory sausage stuffing, classic cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and Fairway’s own apple, pumpkin and sweet potato pies.

“We know that Thanksgiving is all about great food and family,” said Herb Ruetsch, CEO of Fairway Market.  “Our wonderful and extensive catering menu will provide the great food and give the hosts more time to be with family.”

Fairway will also be holding a KOSHER “Hosting the Holiday” event on Sunday, November 3, 2013 from 11:00AM - 2:00PM in the Paramus, Stamford, and Westbury Fairway locations. The kosher items that will be available for tasting include autumn vegetable puree soup, butternut squash soup, roasted empire kosher turkey served with turkey gravy, roasted butternut squash, candied sweet potatoes, apple cranberry challah stuffing, classic cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and Fairway’s own apple, pumpkin, and sweet potato pies.

Please go to www.fairwaymarket.com for complete Thanksgiving menus and ordering instructions.

GREAT AMERICAN HEALTH BAR

Food regiments doesn't necessarily pair well with restaurant reviews unless I can find a few that work with the concept.  The Great American Health Bar peaked my attention billing themselves as "A Restaurant for Healthy Eating".  With a kosher and feature of Mediterranean cuisine, the enhancement is having items such as a Create Your Own Salad.

In case you are not familiar with kosher restaurants, keep in mind that they are either "dairy" or "meat" and never a combination.  This one is "dairy", allowing fish such as salmon and tuna.  So it's eggs but no chicken, milk and no beef.  Soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, pizza, quesadillas, platters, beverages and desserts. 

I would have loved to have ventured in a more fresh juice selection or combination since they are equipped with a juicer.  A large glass of carrot juice went fine with my meal. 

In the mood to check out the Mediterranean, I went for the Mediterranean Combo of: Hummus, BaBa-Ganoush, Tabullie, 3 Falafel Balls, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Feta Cheese, Israeli Salad, Green Olives and Pita (cut up in triangles for dipping).

Hummus is a puree of cooked garbanzo beans and tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds.  Garlic, lemon, salt and olive oil tend to be added.  At home I add salt and olive oil, topped with sumac (not the poison plant).  BaBa-Ganoush is a puree of eggplant, sometimes smoked, garlic, tahini and lemon juice.  I didn't ask for their exact ingredients.  Garbanzo beans (aka chick peas) is the basic ingredient of Falafel, sort of equivalent to having a fried meatball.  Tabullie centers on fine cracked wheat with the basic addition of diced tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley.  Grape leaves are stuffed with rice.  Israeli salads tend to have the same ingredients as the Tabullie without the cracked wheat (with a few additions).

I missed out on their veggie burger prepared with chopped vegetables and garbanzo beans, topped with muenster cheese, tomato and served on a whole wheat bun. Next time.

One other feature of The Great American Health Bar is the  Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt with a wide variety of toppings to add to it.  They are located at the lower level of 35 West 57th Street. It's full service with a decent amount of tables.   FYI.  Cafe Classico is upstairs...kosher as well, but no dairy. 

Chocolate Kosher For Passover

Joseph E. Whaley, like many sons, decided to take over his father's business. Textile? Fish Market? Physician? Restaurant? Well, close as it does have something to do with food, namely chocolate.

It was several years ago when I stumbled upon a company called 5th Avenue Chocolatiere located on New York's Madison Avenue. I was really looking for my favorite chocolate place, Kron. His dad bought the Kron store and using the same chocolate formula created some of the most delicious chocolates "to die for". The tease was coming into the small store and sampling their non-hard coated truffles that truly melted in your mouth.

All of the chocolates were already packaged as the factory was located in the Long Island City area of Queens. I made my way there and watched various chocolates being made and getting the inside info on which suppliers were used.

One other thing to add to the greatness is that the chocolates are certified Kosher.

The store moved to 43rd Street to include the ability to choose your chocolates for packages. The factory also moved to 396 Rockaway Avenue in Valley Stream on Long Island. Joseph bought a building and the factory includes a storefront as well.

Walk past the displays and you'll enter a party room. Right now, the room is being used only for chocolates that are certified Kosher for Passover. What does that mean? To begin, there is a rabbi present to make sure that things "are Kosher". Joe uses a special chocolate that he doesn't use all the time. The chocolate covered matzohs are made with matzoh from Israel. Then there are chocolate covered macaroons. He may even be able to make a solid chocolate Seder Plate...hey he creates everything else.

Go past the party room and into the factory for a tour. There is actually one of those "I Love Lucy" machines. I'm going back out there to make a video for youtube.