Holy Roller Kosher Sausage Truck Roams Manhattan
(Yeahthatskosher and combined sources) A kosher sausage cart launched last February in midtown Manhattan— Holy Rollers — is both the first Glatt kosher meat cart and the first kosher sausage cart (or truck) to appear in NYC in years. The main sausages available are Polish, Cajun and Sweet Italian, with other menu items available such as Double Dogs, Grilled Chicken and Pulled Brisket, all served inside fresh hoagies. The menu includes 14 items, which combine the meat choice with a combo of toppings, sauces and veggies that include: chili, pastrami, BBQ sauce, ketchup, garlic mayo, mustard, Sriracha, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, etc. If you can think of any combination of the above ingredients, they’ll make it for you.
The sausages are made by the cart’s owners at a location in NJ. Holy Rollers is glatt kosher certified under the OU. Current hours of operation are 10:30am – 5/6pm — but be prepared to find the cart at other locations around the city at night.
The cart often takes a position on the NW corner of 52nd & 6th Ave. near the corner from the Diamond District during the daytime. Holy Rollers’ Facebook page provides daily updates regarding location. Visit https://www.facebook.com/HolyRollersKosherCarts.
Tic Tacs to Launch New Line: Tic Tac Mixers
(Foxnews.com) Tic Tac is launching new flavors designed to appeal to the indecisive millennial consumer. The new line, called Tic Tac Mixers, will feature two new flavors, cherry to cola, and peach to lemonade, that will change to different flavors as they dissolve in your mouth. This is the first major innovation for the brand since 2008, according to Bloomberg.com. The goal is to appeal to young millennial consumers who “hate being bored.” After 18 months of research, Ferrero, the company behind Tic Tacs and Nutella, found that there are three reasons why people eat Tic Tacs: to freshen their breath, to get a quick fruity burst and for “emotional rescue.” First introduced in 1969, Tic Tacs are now sold in over 100 countries. Packages produced in Israel and Canada are certified kosher; American-produced packages are not certified kosher.
Health Benefits of Black Rice
(Naturalnews.com and combined sources) Black rice, packed with a variety of nutrients, is one of the healthiest foods available today. Black rice contains a variety of antioxidants, is thought to prevent heart attack, contains low glucose content and is low in calories, yet rich in fiber and iron. The rice gets its black color from the high volume chemicals in the antioxidants present in it. Black rice is also a possible prevention from serious illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes and even cancer. One of the reasons why black rice is so nutritious is because it contains bran, where most of its nutrients are packed. It should be noted that cooking black rice is trickier than cooking the typical white and brown rice–it can take almost an hour of cooking time. Black rice is sweeter than other types of rice, which makes it a good ingredient for desserts such as puddings and rice cakes. It can be a good side dish in salads and pastas, and is found in sushi rolls as well. Black rice can be found in your local grocery store.
Favorite Summer Fruits Rumored to Have Weight-Loss Powers
Scientists have discovered that red, blue and purple berries serve not only as a refreshing summer fruit, but can help weight-loss efforts as well, reported Yahoo news.
A new research study published in the International Journal of Obesity reported that eating two to three servings of berries, grapes and other summer fruits can transform extra, or “bad” fat, into “good,” calorie-burning fat. The ingredient said to be the cause is resveratrol, the same ingredient that purportedly holds the health benefits of red wine as well. Based on a study conducted on mice with this ingredient, scientists discovered that mice who ate a diet which included .1% of resveratrol daily gained 40% less weight than mice who did not. The extra dose of resveratrol changed the mice’s extra white fat into “beige fat,” the “good” type of fat that burns off regular body fat as fuel for your body, the existence of which was proven in the journal Cell in 2012. This new discovery only adds to the already promoted benefits of resveratrol.
U.S. Entrepreneur Turns Vodka Into a Spiritual Experience
(Menachem Lubinsky/Kosher Today) Marc Grossfield is a typical entrepreneur who managed a number of successful businesses and eventually sold his marketing promotions company to a public company.Through family connections, he hooked up with Eddie Philips of Millennium Imports and soon he was learning about such upscale brands as Chopin and Belvedere. Eddie seized the opportunity about 35 years ago when Poland was undergoing its transition from Communism and managed to become the sole importer of the upscale Belvedere Vodka.
It was a time when Absolut virtually controlled the luxury market with an average bottle selling for $15. Eddie took the luxury Belvedere brand with its beautiful bottle to the next level, commanding double what Absolut was charging and he was an instant hit.
According to Marc, Eddie did not keep the success to himself, donating as much as $25 million to Jewish causes. He eventually sold Belvedere to Louis Vuitton LVMH “for hundreds of millions of dollars” and then sold Chopin. Meanwhile Marc was not only transitioning to Vodka thanks to his mentor Eddie Phillips but also becoming increasingly spiritual. The Gold family in Israel turned out to be a perfect fit. The family, originally expelled from Russia in 1824, moved to Safed (Tzfat) along with the entire community where they continued to make vodka in the finest Russian tradition. This art was passed on from father to son, today run by Yossi and his dad Joseph Gold.
Yossi’s journey took him to the Israeli Air Force, then to medical school, to Brazil where he became a plastic surgeon and then to Germany to perfect the art of making vodka.
Marc’s mission was to have the Golds produce vodka out of the seven species of the land of Israel (i.e. figs, dates, pomegranate, wheat, barley, olives, grapes) so that Jews who wish to make a blessing over the original seven species could do so, and even a non-practicing Jew or non-Jew could feel some spirituality in making a toast. He even imported sand from Israel to put a handful into every fancy bottle of Aviv. The water is from the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee.
Vodka is made from 40% alcohol and 60% water. There is even symbolism in the triangular shape of the bottle, representing body, mind and spirit. “The bottom is bigger,” says Marc, “representing kindness. Aviv was launched on Thanksgiving 2013 and in its first year stacked up well against such brands as Grey Goose, Ciroc and Belvedere. It is selling well in such wine and spirit chains as Lund’s and Byerly in Marc’s hometown in Minneapolis. It is also distributed by Royal Wine in many areas and is certified kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU).
Prime Grills Moves Out of Sony Building, Taking Over Butterfish
(Yeahthatskosher) The Prime Group announced today that they are moving their flagship restaurant, The Prime Grill, from their current location to the Sony building which has been bought by a development group who are planning to turn the space into a hotel, condominium and shopping destination. The restaurant will replace Butterfish which opened as a kosher omakase/fish restaurant last year, next door to their popular kosher pizza take-out shop, Pizza da Solo. Butterfish closed its doors on Tuesday, June 23rd to prepare for the Prime Grill’s arrival at the Sony Building.
The change will bring the closure of Butterfish and have Chef David Kolotkin (of The Prime Grill) and Chef Hitoshi (of Butterfish) cooking under the same roof. With Chef Kolotkin still in place as executive chef, Chef Hitoshi, Butterfish’s renowned new age Japanese sushi chef, will continue to weave his culinary magic at the Prime Grill, and the new menu will include Chef Hitoshi’s authentic creations.
Teaneck Bids Farewell to Two West Englewood Ave Restaurants
(JLNJ and combined sources) Vegetarians and dairy enthusiasts alike lamented the closing last week of Veggie Bistro & Cafe, which opened only six months ago to rave reviews. Fans of the all-day breakfasts, creative salads, pastas and smoothies will not soon forget it. The restaurant, at the corner of West Englewood and Queen Anne Roads, is currently for sale.
After many years on West Englewood Avenue, Royal Persian Grill has also closed. A community favorite for years, Royan Persian served authentic Persian and Mediterranean food, as well as steaks, burgers and kid-friendly fare. Sushi Metsuyan in Teaneck reportedly has bought the store and the owner will be creating something new and exciting. According to Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine, “His vision for the new restaurant brings something never-before-seen to kosher cuisine.”
