By Nina Glick
There seems to be one common denominator between all sects of Judaism. Food. Give them a bowl of chicken soup and drop in a few kneidlach (matzoh balls) … ecstasy! Everyone loves it. Borscht maybe not so much, but chopped liver, kreplach, eggs and onions (per my mother “tzibelah mit eyen,” forgive my transliteration) and … yum … palates begin to tingle. Cheese blintzes, potato latkes, rugelach and bulka (square) challahs are food items that most can not say no to.
Funny, I wonder what our children will remember as the delicacies of growing up today in a kosher home. Sushi (not very Jewish), tacos (Mexican), chicken fingers and french fries (oy, what would our grandparents say about that?). Forget the adoration of poutine in Montreal!
I cannot even imagine what the generations after us will choose as their favorites. It would be quite funny if they went back to things as strange as tzimmes, blintzes and stuffed cabbage.
They will never know the days when you needed to drink your coffee black, and the thought that in 1981 David Mintz introduced to the world the idea of substituting pareve products that looked and tasted (mostly) like dairy and could be served with a meat meal. Tofutti Cuties for dessert after finishing our Friday night seudah made the “old folks” wonder if their married children had gone “off the derech.”
As the kosher world has exploded, Jews have become much more demanding. Why don’t we have Indian food in Teaneck? What we really need is a good authentic Greek eatery. Very little Mexican food is around. Give them all time and they will come soon enough. Our palates seem to get tired quickly and frequently are looking for something new and zestier.
I am aware that we can no longer have a restaurant that puts delicious rolls in a basket on the table because we are all so busy watching our calories. Yet the Queen Anne’s Fries at Humble Toast and that big onion served at Dougie’s don’t seem to count.
Someone, anyone, please open a dairy restaurant where we can sit down and enjoy all of those little onion rolls and pumpernickel rolls with the assorted mini muffins and a few slabs of butter. YUM. That with a delicious bowl of soup and a stuffed baked potato—I am ready!
The reason that this topic is on my mind is because several weeks ago Menachem Lubinsky, president of Lubicom, announced the closing of Kosherfest after many years of bringing manufacturers of food products from all over the world to display their wares for two days in the month of November. Attended by thousands, it was a total eating orgy. Many business connections were made through this event.
Oh no, what will we do without Kosherfest? Fear not, because within a few days of his announcement another group came forward with their addition to the world. The JFood Show arrived on the scene on June 13-14 in Edison, and even more exciting is the fact that on June 28 we at The Link will be well represented at Kosherpalooza 2023, taking place at the Convention Center at the Meadowlands.
In their publicity they are not mincing any words! Prepare to eat throughout the day, and try to pull yourself away from the gluttony for the many sessions being given by renowned gourmets in the kosher world. I already checked: The nearest food display closest to the Jewish Link table is Popinsanity Gourmet Popcorn. Not bad for an interim nosh.
We Linkers have already learned to start off the day with dairy, because it is really unfortunate to grab the first hot smoked meat sandwich that is on display near the door. As a result you are totally doomed! Unless … different halachot for different folks. (after all, it is all for business!)
I am sure you will all hear the low down from our writers next week. You will hear about all of the phenomenal new products on the market, none of which will have the words kugel or gefilte in them. One thing they do not do at the show is weigh you before and after your arrival.
Get ready, for at some point someone might decide that rattlesnake is a kosher delicacy (I did not check the kashrus standard of snake before writing this).
The most unfortunate news of the day is that I have suffered from a stomach bug for the past few days and I am trying to figure out how I will get through tomorrow without stuffing my face. Wish me luck!
Nina Glick can be reached at [email protected].
