For a thousand years or more, Jews have used special symbolic foods on Rosh Hashana to augur good outcomes for the new year ahead. Over time those foods have grown more numerous, taking on multiple diverse meanings. This led to a situation where there are many more omen-laden foods associated with Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) than any other […]
What Exploring Our Food Can Teach About Our People
To me, studying food is not an end in itself. It is a way to learn about the people who make and eat it. Which of course is the angle that I am taking in my book. Obviously, I describe the foods themselves, their origins and history, and other interesting things about them. But beyond that, I use them as […]
Jews Were the Original Culinary Movers and Shakers (Literally)
In my post about Bourekas, I touched on some of the culinary results of the Jewish forced migration following the Spanish Expulsion of 1492. Primarily, however, that focused on the effect it had on a Jewish food (i.e. an internally-focused discussion). In a later post about foods whose Jewish connection was less known, I spoke more about how our moves […]
The Sephardi-Style Eggs that are Not Just for Sephardim
Huevos haminados, eggs cooked slowly through the night, are one of the most recognizable foods of the Sephardic kitchen. But in fact, the uniquely Jewish cooking method long predates its popularity among the Jewish community in Spain. With the Spanish Expulsion of 1492, it spread widely to other Jewish communities while simultaneously remaining a hallmark of Sephardic cuisine. * * […]
Bagel, Knish & Haroset, Oh My! (On Books About Iconic Jewish Foods)
Of all the books I’ve come across during my research into Jewish Food, there are many wonderful ones (and some that are less great, too, of course). They fall into a wide array of categories, from cookbooks to histories, dry-but-informative academic texts to just entertaining (whether more or less informative). One of the more interesting breakdowns I’ve encountered is how […]
Jews of Booze: When 25% of World Jewry Worked in the Alcohol Biz
If I say “Jews in the alcohol business,” what springs to mind? Many of you probably think of the major kosher wineries. Others realize that pretty much all of the alcohol produced and sold in Israel – beer, spirits and wine – is made by Jews. And the hipsters out there might highlight some boutique Jewish distilleries around the world. […]
What Do Chili con Carne, Fish ‘n’ Chips and Foie Gras Have in Common?
Chili con Carne — that spicy, meaty, slow cooked stew that is so well-known from the American Southwest. Fish ‘n’ Chips — the classic English street food combo of deep-fried, breaded fish fillets and crispy chips (French fries to Americans). Foie Gras — fatty goose or duck liver, often utilized in any number of French haute cuisine dishes. What do […]
Why Hot Dogs are the Greatest American Jewish Food
American Jewish food is most typically defined as pastrami sandwiches, chocolate babka, or bagels and lox. But I am here to argue that the greatest American Jewish food may actually be the humble hot dog. No dish better embodies the totality of the American Jewish experience. What’s that you say? You didn’t know that hot dogs were a Jewish food? […]
The Unknown Jewish History of Bourekas
Bourekas are one of those foods that are uber-popular here in Israel, and becoming better-known around the world. But many people don’t know their country of origin — Turkey — and even fewer know that they were actually invented by Turkish Jews. Bourekas (or burekas or borekas or however you choose to spell them) are actually a true Jewish Food, […]
What the Dairy-on-Shavuot Custom Says About Jewish Culture
Admittedly, this is going to be a bit of an experimental post. Rather than heavily researching the Jewish history of a specific food, or presenting a broad-strokes analysis of Jewish Food trends, I’d like to explore an idea in progress. Something that has been gestating in my mind for a while, but has not yet fully developed. Hopefully, writing it […]
