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Tag: Italy

A Traditional Purim Food (That ISN’T Hamantaschen)
March 8, 2022

A Traditional Purim Food (That ISN’T Hamantaschen)

Classic Foods by FunJoel0 comments

The spirit of the Purim holiday (which is coming up next week), is one of near-reckless abandon, which shines through in the traditional Purim foods. This crazy-fun party holiday is one on which drinking is encouraged, even to excess (more on that in a future post), a festive meal is mandated, and gifts of food are traditionally exchanged between Jewish […]

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Alternate Chanukkah Food Traditions and Their Surprising Sources
November 29, 2021

Alternate Chanukkah Food Traditions and Their Surprising Sources

Holiday Food by FunJoel0 comments

What are the Jewish Foods classically connected with Chanukkah (or Hanukkah, Chanuka, Hanuka, etc., choose your spelling…)? Most people would point to latkes or sufganiyot (potato pancakes or jelly doughnuts), or any of many other fried items from around the Jewish world, as the “traditional foods” for this holiday. And while I will not complain about fried yumminess (most things […]

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Thank God for Food Spoilage
June 9, 2021June 10, 2021

Thank God for Food Spoilage

Classic Foods by FunJoel0 comments

Traditional Jews have a wide array of food blessings, based on the type of food being consumed. We thank God with a different bracha (blessing) for creating grain products, fruits or wine, for example. These add up to an expression of our gratitude to the Creator for providing us not just with sustenance, but with a variety both nutritionally and […]

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Respectfully Responding to Reem Kassis (Re: Bagels)
April 13, 2021

Respectfully Responding to Reem Kassis (Re: Bagels)

Classic Foods by FunJoel1 comment

If you spend time reading on the Internet about food history or Middle Eastern cuisine, chances are you recently saw a post by Palestinian-American cookbook author Reem Kassis in which she claimed that the bagel has origins in the Arab kitchen. I first came across it when my friend Sarah forwarded me an article from Serious Eats in which Ms. […]

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No, Virginia, Haman Did NOT Have Pointy Ears
February 24, 2021

No, Virginia, Haman Did NOT Have Pointy Ears

Classic Foods by FunJoel0 comments

Hamantaschen: those triangular stuffed cookies that so many of us eat on Purim. What do they actually have to do with this holiday? The answer is actually more complicated than you might think, but not as asinine as some might make it out to be (i.e. there actually is some mild significance). The most common explanations you will hear are […]

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The Unknown Jewish History of Bourekas
June 4, 2020

The Unknown Jewish History of Bourekas

Classic Foods by FunJoel8 comments

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, […]

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Mimouna Mutations and More
April 13, 2020

Mimouna Mutations and More

Holiday Food by FunJoel1 comment

Particularly interesting about Jewish Food are the special food-related customs of specific Jewish communities around the world. The Malida ceremony of the Bene Israel Jews around Mumbai, the Ethiopian Beta Israel’s Sigd festival (as they break their fast) and Seudat Yitro (Feast of Jethro) for the Jews of Tunisia are but a few examples. But even more interesting is when […]

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From Slavery to Freedom via Food
April 5, 2020April 5, 2020

From Slavery to Freedom via Food

Holiday Food by FunJoel4 comments

Of all of the Jewish holidays, Passover or Pesach (its Hebrew name) is the one most tied to food. For starters, it is the only one with a specific Biblical commandment to eat something (matzah), as well as one to avoid an entire other class of foods (chametz — leavened dough). And although we no longer sacrifice the Paschal Lamb, […]

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Exploring Jewish Food History and its links to Jewish Culture.

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Recent

  • May 04, 2022 Kosher USA (from The Jewish Food Bookshelf)
  • Apr 27, 2022 Ashkenazi Food: Unrecognized Diversity
  • Apr 20, 2022 Cooking Jewish Culture: Passover Onion Rolls
  • Apr 05, 2022 Media Updates
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