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Kosher Food - Avoiding
Forbidden Substances and Combinations
Keeping kosher means that one follows the Biblical law regarding foods
permitted to the Jewish people. An earlier article listed which species of
living things are permitted. It also described the slaughtering method,
shechita, the only way flesh of acceptable animals and birds is ever
allowed.
This article is about two more aspects of keeping kosher:
1) Forbidden parts and 2) forbidden mixtures (of otherwise permitted
foods).
Forbidden Parts -
a) animals and birds. Immediately after slaughter the
animal is checked for signs of disease. If there are none the following must
be removed: 1)Certain fats and entrails. 2) the sciatic nerve and 3) all
blood. Except for the blood all of them can be eliminated with a knife by a
trained expert. Removing blood is more complicated. It must be done shortly
after slaughter. After the blood veins have been removed, the cuts of meat
are soaked in cold water and then sprinkled with coarse (koshering) salt.
The salt draws the blood to the surface to be washed away. The meat is
then
soaked a second time. All of this is usually done at the slaughterhouse or
butcher shop.
Note: Consuming any amount of blood is a serious violation of Jewish
law. As a kosher consumer there is a specific occasion when you may be
unprotected from this violation. That is when you purchase fresh unprocessed
liver. The blood of liver is not always removed at the slaughterhouse or by
your butcher. Blood cannot be extracted from liver by the usual salting
method because of the volume of blood. Liver must be broiled over a flame to be
made kosher with all blood removed. This is often left to the end user. If
you don't know how, consult an Orthodox rabbi or see below.
b) Eggs - The general rule is that a food is kosher if it's source is kosher.
A chickens egg is kosher; a robins egg is not. Blood spots disqualify any
egg. Crack and check each egg separately and discard if you find a blood
spot.
c)Milk - All milk looks alike and so the user must be assured that the source
animal is a kosher animal. In North America government regulation can
substitute for a Jewish inspection agency for milk. Elsewhere it is needed.
This is called Cholov Yisroel - Jewish milk and is also available in
North America.
d) Wine - All wine must be produced by Jews to be kosher. As wine was
commonly used for idol worship, a severely forbidden activity, Talmudic law
prohibits wine contacted at all by anyone who may even think of serving
idols. Be very sure that your wine is kosher.
e) Israeli Produce - Before you buy foods grown in Israel you will need
further information beyond the scope of this article. Some Israeli produce
has parts that must be removed; some at times is altogether forbidden.
Forbidden Mixtures - A central aspect of keeping kosher is separating meat
and milk. Milchig (dairy) and fleishig (meat-y) cannot be
eaten, cooked or used together at all. (Less well known is the fact that meat and fish are not combined either.)
This prohibition is the subject of as large body of literature in Jewish
law. I have written a separate companion article covering the major aspects of
this part of keeping kosher. The current article only summarizes the foods
and mixtures forbidden by Jewish law. To be sure that you are eating or
providing others with kosher food, you need more information and a
knowledgeable mentor.
About the Author: Leslie Rosenberg has a long-standing professional
involvement in the kosher food industry. He has extensive knowledge of the
Jewish dietary laws and of kosher certification practices.
Visit [http://the-definition-of-kosher.com/] for expanded information and all
the necessary resources to know that you are keeping kosher according to the
original Biblical law.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leslie_Rosenberg
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Fun With Kosher Recipes -
Yiddish Words and Phrases
Keeping kosher with recipes for Passover and other kosher food recipes is a
great way to stay connected to your Jewish heritage while instilling religious
values in your children. But if you're looking to feel even closer to the old
country, chances are it's going to involve some Yiddish. Read on for some
classic Yiddish words and phrases relating to food, including words that have
become common among English speakers.
Bagel: Originating in Krakow, Poland, the bagel first appeared to compete
with the bublik - a denser, drier ring of dough. It became tradition for
observant Jews to bake bagels after the Sabbath on Saturday evenings, as bagels
take less time to make than most other bread products.
Blintz: Crepe-like pastries with sweet filling, usually cheese. Unlike
crepes, blintz pancakes are made with yeast. Blintzes are often served during
Chanukah and Shavuot.
Challa: Bread common on Shabbat dinners, although forbidden in Passover
recipes.
Chazzer: This describes a pig - or, more frequently, someone that eats like a
pig. There's also chazzerei (pig's feed, or junk food) and the expression a
chazer bleibt a chaser ("a pig remains a pig").
Er est vi noch a krenk: "He eats like he just got over an illness."
Er frest vi a ferd: "He eats like a horse."
Essen: Part of many other phrases, essen means "to eat." We also see it in
ess gezunterhait ("eat in good health") and essen mitik (to eat midday).
Fleishig: A meat product.
Fressen/fress: Fressen describes a more intense form of eating - pigging out.
There's also the American-born fressing (gourmandizing) and umzitztiger fresser
(a freeloader who only wants to eat your food).
Gedempte flaysh: An unknown - or "mystery" - meat.
Gelt: Though it can mean actual money, gelt is usually used to describe the
chocolate coins popular during Chanukah.
Hak flaish: Chopped meat.
Kasheh: Food-wise, kasheh is soft cereal or porridge, but it can also be used
to describe a confusing mess.
Kreplach: Meat-filled dumplings reminiscent of ravioli. In other settings,
kreplach can be used to mean something worthless.
Latke: Even popular among gentiles, latkes are potato pancakes served most
often during Chanukah. The pancakes are cooked using oil, which for some
represents the enduring oil flame that inspired the holiday.
Lox: A historic friend of the bagel, lox is a salmon fillet cured with a
brining solution. Lox was popularized in the United States by Jewish immigrants
from Eastern Europe.
Milchig: A milk product.
Nosh: A widely used verb to describe snacking. Typically, you nosh on a
nosherie (snack food).
Parveh: Food that isn't milchig (milk) or fleishig (meat). It's also
considered neutral.
Pesach: This is an easy one - Pesach is the Yiddish term for Passover.
Because of the special dietary restrictions, there are many Pesach recipes
created specifically for the holiday.
Schmaltz: Describes a type of fat or grease, usually melted fat from a
chicken. In modern usage, schmaltz can also describe over-the-top
sentimentality.
Schmeer (or schmear): A spread on a bagel, such as cream cheese.
Shtark gehert: Literally "strongly heard," this phrase is used to classify
smelly food.
Traif: Non-kosher food. A traifnyak is a person who eats traif, or who is
generally loathsome.
Wen ich ess, ch'ob ich alles in dread: Literally, this phrase means "when I
am eating, I have everything in the ground," but you can substitute "I don't
care about anyone else" for that last part.
Zee est vee a feigele: "She eats like a bird." Probably because she doesn't
know any good kosher recipes!
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JEWISH FOODS and RECIPES
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PICKLED CAULIFLOWER
Separate flowerettes of four heads of cauliflower, add one cup of salt,
and let stand overnight. Place in colander, rinse with cold water and
let drain. Tie one-quarter of a cup of mixed pickle spices in a thin
bag and boil with two quarts of vinegar and two cups of sugar, throw in
the cauliflower, boil a few minutes and pour to over flowing in
wide-mouthed bottles or cans. Cork or cover and seal airtight.
SCALLOPED TOMATOES
Drain off part of the juice from one quart of tomatoes and season with
pepper, salt, and onion juice. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with
rolled crackers, dot over with dabs of butter, pepper, and salt, then
another layer of tomatoes, then of crumbs, and so on until a layer of
crumbs covers the top.
If fresh tomatoes are used bake one hour, if canned, 1/2 hour.
If the crumbs begin to brown too quickly cover the dish with a tin
plate.
STUFFED CUCUMBERS
Cut four cucumbers in half lengthwise; remove the seeds with a spoon,lay the cucumbers in vinegar overnight; then wipe dry and fill with a
mixture made from one cup pecans or Brazil nuts chopped, six tablespoons
of mashed potatoes, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, two
tablespoons of chopped parsley, one saltspoon of white pepper, dash of
nutmeg and two tablespoons of melted butter. Bake in a buttered dish
until tender. Serve hot with one cup of white sauce, dash of powdered
cloves, one well-beaten egg, salt and pepper to taste.
MEAT OLIVES
Have a flank steak cut in three inch squares. Spread each piece with the
following dressing: one cup of bread crumbs, two tablespoons of minced
parsley; one chopped onion, a dash of red pepper and one teaspoon of
salt. Moisten with one-fourth cup of melted fat. Roll up and tie in
shape. Cover with water and simmer until meat is tender. Take the olives
from the sauce and brown in the oven. Thicken the sauce with one-fourth
cup of flour moistened with water to form a thin paste.
Kosher Snacks and Kosher Dining - delicious snacks
By: Daniel Jowssey
Kosher snacks, healthy and diabetic-friendly delicious snacks, healthy snacks are offered by a multitude of retailers, but it's often hard to tell exactly what goes into them, or how healthy they really are.Kosher snacks are prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down by the Jewish diet laws. Kosher snacks are famous with the low calorie health conscious individuals also. This is because there is a whole segment of kosher snacks being manufactured for them. These
kosher
snacks are low calorie diets that help the users to maintain their weight and increase their fitness and health at the same time. These are being used by lot of people across the world as they help to improve overall health of the people and are tasty as well. Infact, these kosher snacks and kosher foods are amongst the finest in taste. This is the key reason for their popularity. They make sumptuous banquets and there is a whole new different world of kosher dining. The kosher terminology is unique andnew. Meat
is amongst the key kosher foods.
Kosher snacks are widely used for gifting purposes on various occasions. These packages of kosher snacks are used for religious ceremonies and as well as a gift for special Jew occasions. These kosher snacks are available in various shopping retail outlets for the health conscious men and women and can be easily made available on the internet also through special orders. There are many kosher recipes. There are kosher snacks, kosher fast food, kosher meat, kosher wines, kosher pickles, kosher cakes and koshersoups.
Kosher symbols are used on the packs in order to confirm their identity. A ‘K’ or ‘OU’ mark may be used in order to confirm that the product has some degree of kosherness.
Kosher snacks are available in beautiful packaging across the internet as well as the retail stores. These kosher snacks include kosher coffee cakes, kosher chocolates, kosher drinks, kosher carrot cakes, kosher snacks cookies, kosher peanuts, kosher dry fruits, kosher grapes, kosher mint, kosher butter, kosher cherry, etc. These are the finest kosher snacks available across these stores. The manufacturers have been offering a diversified portfolio of kosher snacks for the consumers and therefore many newchains
of snacks have come into the product range.
However, since it is religious, there is a law that governs the preparation of this food. There is a certification agency that looks into kosher snacks and decides if they have been cooked in a legal and religiously prescribed manner. This has become important as the kosher snacks are of different kinds; kosher snacks for religious purposes and kosher snacks for health conscious individuals. Therefore it is mandatory to look for the labels on the pack signifying kosher certification. These certificationson
kosher snacks have come of late with the increasing number of producers and products.
These foods are a must for dining if you need to experience a new taste of America and for those who love meat and meat products. Kosher snacks are moreover, healthier than the other non kosher food preparations as they help to fight the bacteria.
Article source: Articlecat.com
Author: Find healthy snacksand more useful information about food and drink at this Thailand directory.
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Apple Fladen (Hungarian)
Ingredients
1/2 pound of sweet butter
1 pound (four cups sifted) of flour
4 tablespoons of powdered sugar
a little salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 pounds of sour apples
1/2 cup of light-colored raisins
cinnamon
4 tablespoons of bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of powdered almonds
Instructions
Rub together on a pastry-board sweet butter with flour, add powdered sugar, salt, four egg yolks and moisten with sour cream; cover and set aside in the ice-box for one-half hour.
Take sour apples, peel, cut fine, mix with raisins, sugar and cinnamon to taste. Cut the dough in two pieces, roll out one piece and place on greased baking-pan, spread over this bread crumbs and the chopped sugared apples, roll out the other half of dough, place on top and spread with white of one egg, sprinkle with powdered almonds. Bake in hot oven.
Print recipe/article only | Save to del.icio.us
Source
The International Jewish Cook Book (1919).
SCALLOPED NOODLES AND PRUNES
Make broad noodles with three eggs. Boil until tender, drain, pouring
cold water through colander. Stew prunes, sprinkle with sugar and
cinnamon. In a well-greased baking-dish place one-quarter of the
noodles, bits of butter or other fat, add one-half of the prunes, then
another layer of the noodles, butter or fat, the remaining prunes, the
rest of the noodles. Pour over the prune juice and spread crumbs over
top and bake in a moderate oven until crumbs are brown.
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FRENCH PUFFS (WINDBEUTEL)
Put one cup of water and one-quarter pound of butter on to boil. When it
begins to boil stir in one-quarter pound of sifted flour. Stir until it
leaves the kettle clean, take off the fire and stir until milk-warm,
then stir in four eggs, one at a time, stirring until all used up.
Flavor with the grated peel of a lemon. Put on some rendered butter in a
kettle. When the butter is hot, dip a large teaspoon in cold water and
cut pieces of dough with it as large as a walnut, and drop into the hot
butter. Try one first to see whether the butter is hot enough. Do not
crowd--they want plenty of room to raise. Dip the hot butter over them
with a spoon, fry a deep yellow and sprinkle powdered sugar over them.
APPLE AND HONEY PUDDING
Take four cups of raw apples cut in small pieces, two cups of bread
crumbs, one-half cup of hot water, two teaspoons of butter, two
teaspoons of cinnamon, one-half cup of honey. Put a layer of the apple
in a well-buttered pudding dish; then a layer of crumbs. Mix the honey
and hot water. Pour part of this over the crumbs, sprinkle with cinnamon
and dot with a few bits of butter. Fill the dish with alternate layers
of apples, crumbs, honey, etc., having a layer of crumbs on top. Cover
and bake forty-five minutes. Serve with cream.
Macaroons are a Passover favorite for many, who have a sweet tooth. For this
new harvest season celebration, I have come up with a new recipe.
If you love espresso, and also love coconuts and almonds then you should try
this recipe. This is a delicious treat for any and all who love coconut but we
are going to spice them up just a little bit, by adding espresso coffee flavor
to these little coconut desserts. These mini espresso, coconut and almond
macaroons will melt in your mouth, and are made with just a few ingredients.
These will take some time so you may want to make these in advance.
Coconut Almond Mocha Macaroons:
1/2 cup honey
1/4 Teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon instant powdered coffee or espresso
2 1/2 Cups shredded, sweetened coconut
1 Cup of ground almonds
3/4 Cup matzo cake meal
2 Egg whites
1 Bag of Chocolate covered coffee espresso beans, from your local store or Starbucks
has them.
First things first you will line a baking tray with non
stick
baking
parchment paper. You will finely grind the 1 cup of almonds in short bursts in a
food processor until they form a fine meal and set aside until ready for them.
In a small saucepan you will combine the honey, cocoa powder and coffee powder
while cooking and stirring over a low to medium heat until powders are dissolved
and mixture is smooth. You will remove from the heat and let cool about 10 to 15
minutes.
While the cocoa mixture is cooling you will place the egg whites in a bowl,
and whisk until they form stiff peaks, when they start to get stiff you will
start to gradually add the sugar, and you will continue whisking until it forms
a thick and shiny or glossy meringue.
You will then stir in the coconut, matzo cake meal, vanilla bean paste, and
ground almonds into the somewhat cooled espresso mix, and stir for about 30
seconds or so. You will then start to combine the glossy egg whites in thirds
until well-folded in. When ingredients are well mixed you will spoon out about
one tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball. You will place the macaroon
balls on the parchment-lined baking sheet. You will continue to repeat with
remaining dough, placing the macaroon balls about one inch apart. You will press
one of the coffee
beans
into the middle of each macaroon ball.
You will then bake at 300F for 15 - 20 minutes, or until firm. You will then
remove the baking sheet from oven, and remove with a spatula from the parchment
covered baking sheet and cool on wire baking/cooling racks for about 20-30
minutes. Once cool you will remove the macaroons from the
wire cooling racks and store in airtight container for about 4-6 hours to
make sure they are good and set. I hope that you enjoy this recipe.
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive
Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon , CA. Shelley is also the desserts editor for http://www.bellaonline.com/site/desserts
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
Source: Free Articles from
ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chef Shelley Pogue is a Le Cordon
Bleu
graduate from The Texas Culinary Academy located in Austin, Texas. Chef Pogue
graduated with honors of cum laude with a GPA of 3.71. Shelley went to work for
The Hills Fitness Center in Westlake Hills after graduation and stayed the for
one year as the Executive Chef. She then left The Hills and went to work for a
company Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Chef Pogue is currently
developing sauces and meal concepts for large retail markets in the US. Chef
Pogue lives in Austin, TX, and is also a personal chef and caterer, and also
working on developing a recipe and cook book. ChefShelleyPogue.com
Favorite Hamantashen Cookie Dough and Fillings
Yield: about 5
dozen
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- 3 eggs
- 1 cup oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 4 cups flour (approximately)
PRUNE FILLING:
- 1 lb prunes, stewed 10 minutes, pitted &
chopped
- 1 cup raisins, chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juice & rind
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
POPPY SEED FILLING:
- 1/2 lb poppy seeds
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp sugar
- juice of 1/2 lemon
HAMANTASCHEN: Combine the ingredients in the order
given, using enough flour to make a soft dough which is not sticky Let stand 15
minutes. Divide dough into 4 parts. Roll to 1/4" thickness on a floured board.
Cut in 4" circles. Place a tsp of desired filling in the center of each circle.
Form triangles by folding the sides in towards the middle. Brush with beaten
egg. Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes,
until golden brown.
PRUNE FILLING: Combine all the ingredients and mix
thoroughly.
POPPY SEED FILLING: Soak the poppy seeds in boiling
water overnight. Drain, dry and grind through food chopper, using finest blade.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
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Affordable Judaism -
Money-Saving Ideas For Shabbat Meals, Event Planning, and Gift Giving
The "cost" of being Jewish in America today is staggering - day school or
religious school, synagogue membership, kosher food, elaborate and expensive
meals every Friday night and Saturday lunch... the list goes on. To make matters
worse, funding sources that traditionally subsidized some of these expenses have
all but disappeared.
One woman laments-"There's nowhere left to cut. We've even been turning down
invitations to weddings and bat mitzvahs, because we felt that we could give a
more modest gift if we don't attend. But my daughter's friends are starting to
become bat mitzvahed over the next year. In addition to the expenses we're going
to have for her event, we've got to come up with gifts for all the girls in her
class. She won't give up going, and we can't send her with less than a $50
check."
There's not much to be done about the current economical situation, or about
the high tuitions and cost of groceries. But there are creative solutions to
cutting the cost of your Shabbat and holiday meals, your events, and even your
gift giving.
Hosting Doesn't Have to Include Brisket
The key to a Shabbat meal is to make it different, special. Think of your
least costly menu and jazz it up in ways that won't cost you. Start with the
table cloth and place settings. Go all out with pieces that you already own-set
each place with a water goblet and a wine glass, and even a mini Kiddush cup.
Fold your cloth napkins in a flat rectangle in the center of each plate,
slightly hanging off the table, and lay a single flower or a sprig of fresh
herbs diagonally across. Use lots of silver, white, and clear class, and light a
few tea lights around the dining room just before you light the Shabbat candles.
Now back to your menu-let's say you chose veggie lasagna. Cheap and lots of it,
right? Now add a simple lettuce salad sprinkled with something a little more
exotic-toasted pine nuts or pomegranate seeds. Add a tomato salad with sliced
mozzarella and fresh basil leaves, and all you need is dessert. Whatever you
prepare (or unwrap!), serve it in your nicest champagne glasses for instant
panache. Your lasagna has just become your little black dress-instead of going
from office to cocktail party, it's gone from weekday to Shabbat-with just a few
accessories.
Holidays can be trickier; the crowds are bigger and the meals are even more
elaborate. And of course, the food traditions are even more important to uphold.
The trick here is to try and make small amounts of several different dishes. For
example, if you'd like to have an expensive roast for a main course, don't try
and make three of them and feed all thirty guests. Consider preparing one roast
that could serve ten or twelve, add a more economical chicken dish for ten, and
then a fish or vegetarian dish. Your mom will be happy that you served her
roast, and everyone else will appreciate the variety and marvel at your wide
repertoire of cooking skills.
Event Planning on a Budget
When planning a brit milah or baby naming, bar or bat mitzvah, or even a
wedding, only you can judge what is realistic to spend given your budget, your
wishes, and what is acceptable in your community. Peer pressure can be
tremendous in these situations, and in the case of parents hosting events in
honor of their children, cutting back on expenses can feel wrong and selfish.
But hosts often overspend to the point that they no longer get any joy out of
the event, or worse, wind up resenting the guests or even their own children who
they were trying to please in the first place. The secret to planning a
meaningful celebration is to focus on the meaning. While it's true that an
exclusive setting and fancy catering service can make a party unforgettable, so
can heartfelt speeches, ceremonies to honor deceased relatives, and
well-thought-out charity projects tied to the event. If you still feel that you
really want all of the best of the best at your event, think about keeping the
guest list small. The intimacy at the party will add to the classy atmosphere,
and you can plan several smaller or more modest celebrations for the guests you
don't invite-perhaps catering a casual breakfast or toast for your work friends
and sponsoring a kiddush in your synagogue one Shabbat. Large synagogues often
put out a spread after services in any case-check with your events coordinator
to see if they're willing to accept a donation, beef up the spread a bit, and
make an announcement that the kiddush was sponsored in honor of your event. Both
your work friends and your fellow synagogue members will appreciate the gestures
and may even feel relieved that they can share in your joy without feeling
obligated to bring a gift.
Gift Giving that Won't Put You in the Red
This issue is a no-brainer. Instead of writing a check, bring a gift. For
much less than the amount that you would feel obligated to give, you can find
something special and meaningful. For weddings, the possibilities are
endless-Shabbat candle holders with a matching Kiddush cup, a handmade mezuzah,
or a Hebrew blessing for the home to hang on the wall. If you like the idea of
giving Judaica, but are not 100% comfortable with assuming that the couple will
use it or enjoy it-consider a piece of handmade art that was created in Israel.
The folk art of Israel often incorporates Jewish symbols, such as pomegranates,
which give the piece a Judaic flavor but not necessarily a religious one. Israel
has many innovative artists who work in media that is fresh and interesting,
such as recycled newspaper. The couple will probably appreciate the connection
to Israel, and if they don't, they'll certainly appreciate the original piece of
art with which to start their marital collection.
Bar Mitzvah gifts can be a little more difficult-books are a nice choice, but
the bar mitzvahs are often presented with one or two as part of their ceremony,
so you should be careful not to go for the obvious choices. There are many
modern books of questions and answers about Judaism, books on the establishment
of the state of Israel or the heroism of the Six Day War-try and think of a
topic that relates to the boy's interests. A set of knitted or suede (and now
eco-friendly suede) kippot (yalmulkes) is a nice option-Jewish men say you can't
have too many.
Shabbat candlesticks make great Bat Mitzvah gifts, as do almost any other
Judaic items. Stay away from the heavy silver stuff (she probably got enough of
that from her Bubbe) and think young and hip-ceramic or even glass has a less
traditional feel than silver, and an interesting pair of candlesticks will look
great in her room now, even if she doesn't actually start lighting them for
another ten years. Jewelry is another can't-go-wrong option, and the selection
is endless. You don't necessarily have to go for a Star of David pendant-think
about a hamsah, or a pomegranate, or maybe a kabbalistic charm. Kabbalah jewelry
is still all the rage. Jewelry designer Maayan Pariente makes pendant necklaces
with charms adorned with beautifully-appropriate sentiments for a 13-year-old
girl, such as the kabbalistic letter combinations for "unconditional love",
"marvel", or "purity". If you're concerned that she'll get a lot of Judaic
jewelry, consider a non-Judaic piece made by an Israeli artist-there are plenty
of great options, some for under $30-try Dikla Meri for a wide range of
styles.
Bar and Bat Mitvah celebrations are often tied to a tikkun olam project
(literally, a project that "repairs the world"). In preparation of their ritual
coming of age ceremonies, kids often embark on year-long efforts to collect
donations for charitable organizations, or raise awareness about issues they
find important. Making a donation to the respective cause in honor of the bar or
bat mitzvah is always a special gift. You are of course not only contributing to
the cause, but to the bar or bat mitzvah's path toward his or her adult
responsibilities as a Jew. In most cases the amount of your donation is not
revealed to the honoree, and you should give at level on which you feel able and
comfortable.
No one said that living a Jewish life is easy, but a few creative decisions
can help make it at least slightly less expensive, and perhaps even a bit more
meaningful.
BERLINER PFANNKUCHEN (PURIM KRAPFEN)
Take one and one-half cups of flour, a pinch of salt sifted into a deep
bowl, one cup of lukewarm milk and three-fourths cake of compressed
yeast which has been, dissolved in a little warm water and sugar. Stir
into a dough, cover with a towel and set away in a warm place to rise.
When well risen, take one-half cup of butter, one cup of sugar, a little
salt and rub to a cream. Add two eggs well beaten, stir all well and
add the risen dough, one teaspoon of salt and work in gradually five
cups of sifted flour and the grated peel of a lemon. Stir the dough till
it blisters and leaves the dish perfectly clean at the sides. Let the
dough rise slowly for about two hours (all yeast dough is better if it
rises slowly). Take a large baking-board, flour well and roll out the
dough on it as thin as a double thickness of pasteboard. When it is all
rolled out, cut with a round cutter the size of a tumbler. When all the
dough has been cut out, beat up an egg. Spread the beaten egg; on the
edge of each cake (spread only a few at a time for they would get too
dry if all were done at once). Then put one-half teaspoon of marmalade,
jam or jelly on the cake. Put another cake on top of one already spread,
having cut it with a cutter a little bit smaller than the one used in
the first place. This makes them stick better and prevents the preserves
coming out while cooking. Set all away on a floured board or pan about
two inches apart. Spread the top of each cake with melted butter and let
them rise from one to two hours. When ready to fry, heat at least two
pounds of rendered butter or any good vegetable oil in a deep iron
kettle. Try the butter with a small piece of dough. If it rises
immediately, put in the doughnuts. In putting them in, place the side
that is up on the board down in the hot butter. Do not crowd them in the
kettle as they require room to rise and spread. Cover them with a lid.
In a few seconds uncover. If they are light brown, turn them over on the
other side but do not cover them again. When done they will have a white
stripe around the centre. Take them up with a perforated skimmer, lay on
a large platter, sprinkle with pulverized sugar. If the butter gets too
hot take from the fire a minute. These are best eaten fresh.
The doughnuts may be baked in moderately hot oven and when half done
glazed with sugar and white of egg.
EGGLESS GINGER GEMS
Mix one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of sugar, one tablespoon of butter, and warm slightly; beat up well and stir at least ten minutes. Add the following spices: one-half teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon; and gradually one-half cup of milk and two and one-half cups of sifted flour in which has been sifted two teaspoons of baking powder. One-fourth cup of currants or seeded raisins may be added. Bake in well-greased gem pans and eat warm for tea or lunch.
POTATO PANCAKES ( latka / latke Hanukkah recipes )
Peel six large potatoes and soak several hours in cold water; grate, drain, and for every pint allow two eggs, about one tablespoon of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, a little pepper; a little onion juice may be added if so desired. Beat eggs well and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls on a hot greased spider in small cakes. Turn and brown on both sides. Serve with apple sauce.
When eggs are very expensive the cakes can be made with one egg. When required for a meat meal, the pancakes may be fried in drippings; the edges will be much more crisp than when fried in butter, which burns so readily.
FRENCH DOUGHNUTS
French doughnuts are much daintier than the ordinary ones, and are easily made. Take one-half pint of water, one-half pint of milk, six ounces of butter, one-half pound of flour, and six eggs. Heat the butter, milk, and water, and when it boils remove from the fire and stir in the flour, using a wooden spoon. When well mixed, stir in the eggs, whipping each one in separately until you have a hard batter. Now pour your dough into a pastry bag. This is an ordinary cheesecloth bag, one corner of which has a tiny tin funnel, with a fluted or fancy edge. (These little tins may be purchased at any tinware store.) It should be very small, not over two inches high at the most, so the dough may be easily squeezed through it. Pour the paste on buttered paper, making into ring shapes. Fry in hot oil or butter substitute. Dust with powdered sugar.
BEEF COLLOPS
Cut thin slices off from any tender part, divide them into pieces of the size of a wine biscuit, flatten and flour them, and lightly fry in clarified fat, lay them in a stew-pan with good stock, season to taste, have pickled gherkins chopped small, and add to the gravy a few minutes before serving.
PEAS STEWED WITH OIL
Put half a peck of peas into a stew-pan, half a lettuce chopped small, a little mint, a small onion cut up, two table-spoonsful of oil, and a dessert-spoonful of powdered sugar, with water sufficient to cover the peas, watching, from time to time, that they do not become too dry; let them stew gently, taking care that they do not burn, till perfectly soft. When done they should look of a yellowish brown. French beans, brocoli, and greens, stewed in the above manner will be found excellent.
GRIMSTICH
Make into a stiff paste one pint of biscuit powder, a little brown sugar, grated lemon peel, six eggs, and three-quarters of a pound of warmed fresh butter; then prepare four apples chopped finely, a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds blanched and chopped, half a pound of stoned raisins, a little nutmeg grated, half a pound of coarse brown sugar, and a glass of white wine, or a little brandy; mix the above ingredients together, and put them on a slow fire to simmer for half an hour, and place in a dish to cool; make the paste into the form of small dumplings, fill them with the fruit, and bake them; when put in the oven, pour over a syrup of brown sugar and water, flavored with lemon juice.
PLUMS, SWEET POTATOES AND MEAT
Wash one pound of prunes or plums and put on to boil with one pound of
brisket of beef or any fat meat; when the meat is tender add five
medium-sized sweet potatoes which have been pared and cut in small
pieces. Place the meat on top, add one-half cup of sugar and a piece of
sour salt (citric acid). Cover and bake until nicely browned. If gravy
should cook away add some warm water.
STRAWBERRY CAKE ROLL
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| Yield: 12
servings |
- 6 eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange rind
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup potato starch
- pinch salt
- 1 pint strawberries, sliced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup whipping cream, chilled
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 4 cups Cool Whip
- 1 quart strawberries, sliced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray
bottom and sides of a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Line pan with wax paper
and spray it with cooking spray.
Using a mixer, beat egg whites until
foamy. Add juice and rind. Beat until soft peaks form when beater is raised. Add
sugar gradually and then vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form when the beater is
raised. Fold 1/4 of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Pour the
yolk mixture over the remaining whites.
Sift potato starch over the top
and fold tegether until there are no streaks of egg white showing. Pour into the
jelly roll pan. Spread to even it out.
Bake until toothpick comes out
clean, about 25 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake.
Turn cake out onto damp clean towel and then peel off the wax paper. Gently roll
cake in towel, jelly roll fashion, starting at one long side. Cool on a cake
rack, leaving it in the towel.
Unroll the cake and spread the Cool Whip
(or 2 cups whipping cream whipped up with powdered sugar) on top, not touching
the edges. Distribute the 1 qt. strawberries on top. Roll the cake again, using
the towel to help you. Place on a serving dish, seam side down.
Frost
with whipped cream and decorate with a few strawberries. Cover loosely and
refrigerate.
Stir together remaining strawberries and sugar and put in
covered container. Refrigerate but often take the container and shake it
vigorously. This will make a sauce to serve with the cake roll
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| Passover
Waffles |
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INGREDIENTS:
- 2 eggs separated
- 3 Tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup matzah cake meal
- 1/8 cup potato starch
Beat egg whites with an electric beater until soft
peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks, but not
dry.
Using same beaters, beat egg whites with oil until light, about 5
minutes. Add milk, continue beating.
Gradually add dry ingredients.
Batter will be thick.
Fold in egg whites in two batches.
Pour
batter into prepared waffle iron.
Will make about 4 waffles. This batter
can also be used for griddle pancakes.
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Sesame Seed Cookies for Purim
Yield: about 20
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- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup sifted flour
- 2 cups sesame seeds
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|
1. Blend eggs, sugar and oil.
2. Sift together baking soda and flour and add to
egg mixture. Blend in the sesame seeds.
3. Roll mixture into small balls.
4. Spread across a greased cookie sheet, pressing
each cookie down with your thumb. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for about 20
minutes or until golden brown.
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Fresh Content.net
How To Bake: Easy Challah (braided Bread)
By: Dennis Weaver
While challah is a traditional bread baked for the Jewish Sabbath, it has become popular with everyone, everywhere. It's attractive and has a firm, egg-rich texture that works for dinner, sandwiches, or French toast. It is typically braided with three, four, or six strands of dough. (The braided strands are symbolic of love.)
Challah is really very easy to make, especially from a mix. There is a sense of satisfaction in working the dough by hand and crafting such an attractive bread and it certainly will impress guests.
For this bread, we used a bread mix though you can braid nearly any breadincluding your favorite recipe. We chose this mix because we wanted to make a very large loaf and the potato flour in the mix would retard staling. (We could have chosen to make two smaller loaves from this same mix.)
Here is the recipe and the instructions using this mix:
The package directions call for two cups of water. For the firmer dough needed, reduce the water amount. To make the dough egg-rich, crack two large eggs into a measuring cup and add warm water--enough to total 1 2/3 cups. Whisk the mixture together with a fork then heat it in the microwave until warm (110 degrees).
Mix the bread according to package instructions using only one packet of yeast (not two as per the mix instructions) and the egg and water mixture in place of the two cups of water. You may substitute 1/4 cup oil for the butter if you desire. You should have a slightly firmer dough than most doughs.
Place the bread dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubledabout 1 1/2 hours.
Prepare a large baking sheet by greasing and sprinkling with cornmeal. Use a lighter colored sheet to help keep the bottom from burning.
Once raised, use a knife to divide the dough into three equal pieces (or four if you choose to make a four-braid bread). Roll the pieces under the palms of your hands into three long ropes. You may need to let each rest for five to ten minutes to allow the dough to relax to get the proper shape. Using this mix, we had three ropes nearly 24-inches long. If you want the loaf to be larger in the center and less rectangular shaped, make the ropes thicker in the middle and tapered toward the ends.
Braid the three ropes in a common three strand braid just as if you were braiding pigtails. (Some people find it easier to create a symmetrical shape if they start braiding from the center.) When you get to the ends, wet them, pinch them together, and tuck them under. You should have a neat, symmetrical loaf when you are through. You can shape the loaf somewhat with your hands. If you don't like how the loaf looks, simply pull the braids apart and start again.
Place the finished loaf on the prepared sheet. (The formed loaf will be about 12-inches long but after rising and baking, you will have a finished loaf of about 24-inches so be sure to allow room on your sheet for expansion.) Cover the loaf and let rise until doubled, about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a glaze by whisking one egg with one-half tablespoon of water. Just before baking and when the loaf has fully doubled, remove the plastic wrap and gently brush glaze over the entire surface of the loaf. Sprinkle the top with poppy seeds or sesame seeds as desired. (Tip the loaf so that you can sprinkle seeds on the sides as well.)
Bake the bread for 20 minutes then cover the bread with a large sheet of aluminum foil to protect the top. Continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the bread crust is a deep golden brown. The interior of the loaf should register 190 degrees with an insta-read thermometer.
Use an egg turner to loosen the bread from the pan and transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool.
Note: If you choose to bake smaller loaves, reduce the baking time by five to ten minutes.
Copyright 2003-2007, The Prepared Pantry (http://www.prepraredpantry.com ). Published by permission
Article source: Articlecat.com
Author: Dennis Weaver is a baker, a recipe designer, and a writer. He has written many baking guides and How to Bake, a comprehensive baking and reference e-book--available free at The Prepared Pantry which sells baking and cooking supplies and has a free online baking library.
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Kosher food as a symbol of Jewish national culture-mykoshermarket.com
Kosher food as a symbol of Jewish national culture-mykoshermarket.com
By Natalie Halimi
Kosher food has become the symbol of Jewish national culture, together with the Jewish holidays and Jewish music. Originating from Jewish religious beliefs, kosher food is perceived by non-Jewish communities as a tradition, which symbolizes the specifically Jewish foods and preferences. Jewish stores are found in every big European city: the signboard which says “Kosher”, declares that in this store you can purchase kosher groceries and kosher deli, such as kosher meet, kosher fish,
kosher pretzels
and kosher snacks.
Shopping for kosher food has become an art for Jewish religious women. For Jewish orthodoxies, it requires not only buying in specific supermarkets, but also checking all the foods for a rabbinic seal. This seal is a sign of a rabbinic supervision, which indicates, that the specific food has been prepared according to all the Jewish laws of Kosher, as it is said in the halakha. In every country there are different Kashrut supervising organizations. For instance, in United States there is “The Union of Orthodox
Jewish Congregations”, a non-profit service organization, which for many years has been a leader in the field of kosher supervision.
And there is also the matter of kosher style. This expression usually refers to non-Kosher foods, which aren’t kosher, but can be produced as such. Kosher style food doesn’t include the meet of forbidden animals, but only those which can be certified as Kosher. Kosher style food also doesn’t contain mixtures of Kosher dairy and kosher meat, also forbidden according to the halakha. Jews who strictly adhere to laws of Kashrut don’t eat in restaurants of Kosher style, but those who keep only a degree of Kosher,
may eat Kosher style food.
Kosher food in America and many European countries has become a certain symbol or brand of Jewish national food. Many of the buyers of kosher food hold the belief that Kosher is not only food prepared according to Jewish law, but also a symbol of healthy, tasteful food.
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Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com
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