Ninety-year-old Gur-Arieh is a non-stop innovator not only of foods, but of himself. He’s lived on three continents and pursued three distinct careers. Born in Istanbul, Turkey to a family that traces its roots there to the 1500s, he moved on his own at 14 to Israel. A high school dropout, his hopes of a life in the Israeli army ended when an explosion caused a hearing loss. Undeterred, he returned to school and earned a B.S. in chemical engineering.

In Israel, Chaim changed his last name from Mizrachi, a common name there, to Gur-Arieh, meaning “lion cub.” But this wasn’t the only change he made. After working at a rubber factory, Gur-Arieh decided chemical engineering wasn’t for him, he explained in a recent interview. So, he reinvented himself once more. He moved to the U.S., earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Food Science at the University of Illinois, and became a food technologist.

His first job was at Quaker Oats Company in the Midwest. It was there Cap’n Crunch was born. At the time, Quaker Oats had another cereal on the market. It also had a problem. That cereal, Life, was infringing on a patent owned by Ralston Purina Company, according to Gur-Arieh. So, Quaker Oats needed an alternative manufacturing method, and while working on one, came the idea of developing a sweet cereal for children, namely Cap’n Crunch.

While Cap’n Crunch is famed for its sugary taste and distinctive cartoon character, Gur-Arieh’s contribution was technical and industry trend setting. He co-developed the cereal’s manufacturing process called extrusion, the mechanical process when grain is forced to flow — under one or more varieties of conditions of mixing, heating and cutting — through a mold which shapes and/or puff-dries the grain. Before extrusion became the most common method of processing cereal, grains were typically rolled.

In the six decades since its introduction by Quaker Oats (now a subsidiary of PepsiCo), the popular corn and oat cereal has spun off into numerous flavors and seasonal variations, including ones with berries, “vanilly,” peanut butter” and “choco.” 

As for Gur-Arieh, he too spun off into multiple ventures. He worked for Del Monte Foods and a company developing food for astronauts. After that, he ran his own companies and along the way hit another gastronomical home run — developing Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing or more accurately the dressing as we dip and devour it today. Years before, ranch dressing had gone to market in dry mix packets, but Gur-Arieh created the bottled liquid formula convenience-loving consumers didn’t know they craved. 

About this time, Gur-Arieh took on a partner-for-life, his wife Elisheva. After 35 years in the food business, at an age when many people might consider retirement, Chaim and Elisheva opted to fulfill a longtime dream of opening a winery. Their Di Arie Vineyard & Winery, located in the Sierra foothills outside of Sacramento, CA, grows 11 varietals of grapes. In addition to the vineyard, there’s a tasting room and a wine club. Chaim makes the wine, while Elisheva, a nationally exhibited artist, oversees sales and marketing. 

Now, 24 years into operating the winery and having just celebrated his 90^th birthday, you might ask when does the man behind Cap’n Crunch start resting on his laurels — or at least on his vineyard? The answer: Not yet.

Since COVID, the vineyard faces new challenges and Gur-Arieh is innovating once again to meet them. Sales are down and consumer tastes are changing, he explained. 

“First, there’s a general decrease in the amount of wine people are drinking. It’s partially an economic decision, but it’s also generational,” he said. “Younger drinkers are turning away from wine and back to hard liquor and that’s having an impact.”

To combat the downturn, this nonagenarian inventor has created three wines that pair with sushi. This new Hikari line is being marketed to money-spending younger foodie fans to win them back to wine. It has three offerings including a specially formulated chilled red wine blend and comes in bottles and cans – again, a nod to a younger demographic. Hikari is already sold in supermarkets in the West and Gur-Arieh is negotiating with a major Midwest chain to place Hikari there.

And with that update on his business, our interview concluded. The man who never lost his stride, be it during relocation from country to country (or continent to continent) or industry to industry, put on his floppy hat and headed out the door. There were grapes to tend to, watered and watched. Another day of work for this constantly innovating continually enterprising food scientist-turned-vintner.

The post The Sweet Jewish History of Cap’n Crunch appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Chopped liver is an organ meat, rather than a muscle, thus placing it in the category of offal, or “variety meats.” This alone is not peculiar. Offal has historically been significant in worldwide Jewish cuisine. Oddly, however, chopped liver is still commonly eaten today while most other organ meats are not. Obviously, this is not universal. Some people still love offal, and eating habits vary by location, as well. But in much of the Western world, organ meats have generally fallen out of favor. People long ago stopped eating calf spleens, lamb brains or turkey testicles, but for some reason they still eat chopped liver! Why?

Liver is not unique. There are a few other types of offal that are also still consumed, even in America. Tongue, for example, remains popular as a cold-cut deli meat for sandwiches. Sweetbreads (which, contrary to many people’s beliefs are not brains, but pancreas or thymus) are less popular than they were a few decades ago, but still can be found in fancy restaurants and at catered affairs. But, neither of these are remotely as popular as chopped liver. Its beloved place in the American Jewish kitchen has even been cemented by a popular idiom. No one says, “What am I, p’tcha?!”

Furthermore, liver stands out; it is called by the organ’s name, rather than by a euphemism like sweetbreads. It’s also the only offal dish that I can think of that people make imitation versions of! I’ve never come across “mock tongue” or “imitation oxtail.”

Interestingly, while offal is common in Mizrachi and North African Jewish cuisines, liver on its own was never very popular for these communities. At best it was part of the stuffing for spleen, tripe, or intestines. So what explains its unique popularity among Ashkenazi Jews?

When I first raised this question of chopped liver’s unique persistence, many people explained it simply by claiming, “because it tastes delicious.” While I can’t dispute this opinion (there is no arguing with taste), it doesn’t hold water for me as an explanation. Taste is subjective. Some people love chopped liver, but many others hate, or are indifferent to it. I’m certain many people passionately proclaimed that lungen (cow lung stew) or miltz (spleen) were delicious, too. So why does liver remain popular while other offal dishes have gone the way of Roman garum?

I can only speculate, but to me the explanation reflects the dish’s origins in Europe, and the American contexts in which it was eaten. For starters, let’s not underestimate the French connection. Pâté de foie gras is recognized as the most likely ancestor of Ashkenazi chopped liver. Jews were very familiar with foie gras; in Alsace (the Ashkenazi heartland), Jews were among the experts in its creation. They fattened geese to create more schmaltz for their cooking, then sold the livers to non-Jews once foie gras had become popular and commanded a high price.

This may also explain liver’s lower popularity among non-Ashkenazi Jews. Schmaltz was the primary cooking fat in the colder parts of Europe, while olive oil was more popular elsewhere. So those Jews who didn’t fatten their poultry to get more schmaltz would find smaller livers in their slaughtered animals. But for the Ashkenazim, not only were their poultry’s livers larger, they were the only organ meat in the birds of any decent size on their own.

Yoskowitz sees the French aspect as even more significant. In America, French cuisine was seen as the ultimate in class. And as he says, “If the American Jews were anything, they were aspirational.” So an Ashkenazi classic that resembled a French delicacy would appeal to American Jews as something they would want to eat, and proudly.

Beyond that, chopped liver’s place in the American delicatessen setting is also significant. Among offal, chopped liver and tongue are the only ones normally served in a sandwich — the main type of deli food. Since the deli became the most iconic of American Jewish eateries, its most popular foods also came to define American-Jewish cuisine. While I have not yet researched this deeply, I think most other offal dishes were more commonly eaten at home, rather than in delis.

This aspect might also explain why of all the Jewish American staples, chopped liver is one of the few that is called by its English name. We commonly eat challah, kishke, gefilte fish, knishes, kugel and cholent. But we don’t order gehakte leber. The deli was where our cuisine became Americanized. Similarly, another popular deli food was “chicken soup with matzah balls,” not goldene yoich mit kneidlach.

Chopped liver’s persistence as an Ashkenazi delicacy can best be explained by its European origins as a by-product of producing schmaltz, combined with certain aspects of American Jewish life (growing affluence, the popularity of the deli, etc.). As Yoskowitz also points out, it was a significant feature of the Jewish holiday table. All of this helped solidify chopped liver’s place in the American Jewish food canon.

Reprinted with permission from The Taste of Jewish Culture. Find “18 Jewish Foods” wherever you stream podcasts, or here.

The post What Makes Chopped Liver So Special? appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

“That idea of chicken,” Nigella told The Australian Jewish News, “I think it is essentially a Jewish thing.” In her TV shows, she’s often shown whipping up a chicken dinner, throwing ingredients into a roasting tin, emphasizing how easy it is to do, while a jazzy riff plays in the background.

With a famous love of Italy dating back to her adolescence, Lawson also explores dishes from the Italian Jewish kitchen, including a recipe for Venetian haroset. We’ve rounded up Nigella’s seven best Jewish recipes for you to enjoy:

1. Chicken Soup and Matzah Balls

“When it comes to comfort food, this is it. The real McCoy — or the real Mc-Oy,” says Nigella, with a wry smile in the accompanying TV show to her cookbook “Nigella Bites.”

Lawson uses a whole broiling chicken (aka stewing hen, an older bird with tougher but more flavorful meat) — feet and all — in addition to carrots, onion, bay leaves, celery, parsley stalks and peppercorns. The secret to her fluffy matzah balls (which she calls by the Yiddish name “kneidlach”), is to thoroughly whisk the egg — and use schmaltz, for flavor. 

“You just have to taste this, even just look at it, to know that it’s going to do you good,” she says of chicken soup’s healing properties. Giving her bowl of golden soup a lovestruck stare, she digs in. 

2. Venetian Haroset 

Chestnuts, sultanas, dates, apricots and pine nuts are some of the more unusual ingredients in this “rich and sumptuous” haroset recipe from Venice, Italy, featured in “Feast: Food that Celebrates Life.” If you’re seeking to add intrigue to your seder plate this year — Passover is, after all, the holiday of asking questions — give this a try. 

3. Coconut Macaroons 

These large, generous macaroons from “How To Be a Domestic Goddess” are regaled by reviewers due to their light-yet-still-dense-enough texture. Bookmark for Passover, or whenever you have a gluten-free guest.

4. Noodle Kugel

“The recipe comes from Ellen Fishman in San Francisco — I demanded it — and is her Grandma Judy’s. In keeping with the spirit of things, I have kept the vast quantities. Besides, I love it cold and so do my children, wrapped up to take to school for their break,” Nigella writes in “Feast: Food that Celebrates Life.” 

5. Cinnamon Rugelach 

Nigella calls her rugelach “scuffles,” a puzzling choice rigorously dissected in this article. Name aside, this easy recipe doesn’t even require a mixer — and involves a genius hack to take your cookies to the next level. (Spoiler: Nigella rolls her rugelach out in cinnamon-sugar rather than flour.) 

6. Tagliatelle with Chicken from the Venetian Ghetto 

Nigella attributes this easy, comforting pasta made with shredded roast chicken, sultanas, pine nuts and herbs to the godmother of Jewish culinary wisdom, Claudia Roden. “My gratitude is immeasurable. It is such a crucial part of my life,” she writes in “How to Eat.”

7. Honey cake with Dates and Apples

Nigella has two honey cake recipes for Rosh Hashanah, though the first, which appeared in “Feast” does not actually contain any honey, but rather the very British Golden Syrup — a light treacle. The second version is more explicitly Rosh Hashanah coded: “a symbolic expression of most urgent hopes for a sweet year ahead,” writes Nigella, of this “cake of seductive squidginess.”

The post Nigella Lawson’s 7 Best Jewish Recipes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

But over time I developed a taste for it, much like for strong coffee or red wine. And a true appreciation for the subtleties of flavor, the balance of bitterness and creaminess, its nutritional value, and its versatility. 

These days raw tahini paste is an indispensable ingredient in my pantry, and rarely am I without tahini sauce in my fridge. Both my kids were weaned on it, and when they insist on dipping their schnitzel into tahini instead of ketchup it makes me proud.

It’s increasingly easy to find excellent raw tahini in the U.S. — both made locally or from the Levant via Amazon. There’s really no need to buy ready-made tahini sauce when it takes five minutes to make it yourself, and is much better when it comes to taste and nutrition. 

I’ve rounded up six of the best-tasting tahini brands available, so you never have to be disappointed again.

Note: Excellent tahini may or may not have a layer of oil on top of the jar — I’m not knocking any points off for needing to shake or stir the jar, which is simply a practicality.

Available on Amazon

1. Har Bracha Tahini

Widely considered to be one of the best-tasting tahini brands on the market. Or, as one Amazon reviewer put it: “Gold standard tahini.”

2. Al Arz Tahini

Mild, smooth and creamy, let the natural nutty flavors of this tahini paste elevate any dish you drizzle it on.

3. Baron’s Tahini

“We buy a 12 pack of Baron’s tahini from Amazon every few months,” shared a trusted colleague, but you can also find this excellent tahini paste at Walmart. 

Locally Produced

1. Seed + Mill Organic Tahini

This female-owned, New York-based artisanal tahini brand has been celebrated by the U.S. press and chefs alike since it burst onto the scene in 2016. 

2. Soom Premium Tahini

The brainchild of three entrepreneurial sisters dedicated to bringing Israel-standard tahini to the American market, this Philadelphia-based brand is one of the smoothest around.

3. Mighty Sesame Co. Tahini 

Roasty, toasty flavor available in classic tub form or in a squeezy bottle for ease. 

3 Tahini Recipes To Try ASAP

1. For breakfast: Start your day off right with Adeena Sussman’s tahini and olive oil granola. Adding extra nutty notes into the mix just makes sense.

2. For dinner: Roast vegetables don’t need more than a generous drizzle of extra-lemony tahini sauce to turn them into a treat.  

3. For dessert: Classic coffee cake gets a sweet tahini upgrade and a welcome nutty backnote that perfectly balances the dark sugar swirl running through it.

The post Where to Buy the Best Tahini In the U.S. appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Read more about the black tahini trend here.

Note: Don’t throw out the charred eggplant flesh; use it to make Alon Shaya’s baba ganoush recipe.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Black Tahini 

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Inbal Baum of Delicious Israel uses charred eggplant skin to turn regular tahini black and give it a smoky flavor.

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 large eggplant
• 2–4 cloves garlic
• ¾ cup tahini, divided, plus more for drizzling
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp honey
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large whole cauliflower, with leaves
• 1 cup olive oil
• coarse sea salt

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Instructions

1. Char the eggplant over an open gas flame until the eggplant softens, turning it using tongs. Remove and let cool slightly. Peel and set aside the charred skin.
2. In a food processor or strong blender, process eggplant skin with 2-4 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup of the tahini, drizzle of lemon juice and honey, then add water gradually until creamy. Mix with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400°F. Fill a large pot that will fit the whole cauliflower with salted water, and bring to a boil.
4. Once the water is boiling, add cauliflower (white side down) and boil for 8 minutes or until fork tender.
5. Carefully remove from water and transfer to baking sheet. Allow cauliflower to cool and dry.
6. Coat blanched cauliflower generously with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven until the cauliflower is golden, about 30-40 minutes.
7. Spread black tahini on a platter and place whole roasted cauliflower on top. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup tahini and sea salt. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t throw out the charred eggplant flesh; use it to make Alon Shaya’s baba ganoush recipe.

• Author: Inbal Baum
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: Israeli

The post Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Smoky Black Tahini  appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Mendelson also makes a guilt-free, low-sugar, vegan black tahini truffle that is exceptionally rich, nutty and creamy, which she shared with us below.

Read more about black tahini and how to use it here.

Black Tahini Truffles

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Lisa Mendelson says this is an Asian twist on Seed + Mill’s classic tahini truffle recipe. The nuttiness of the black sesame is perfect with intense dark chocolate.

• Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 cup black tahini
• 1 cup chopped dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
• black sesame seeds
• pink Himalayan salt

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Instructions

1. Line a small loaf pan with plastic wrap.
2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a pan set over very low heat.
3. Add black tahini to melted chocolate and stir well.
4. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and salt.
5. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares.

• Author: Seed + Mill
• Prep Time: 5 minutes + 3 hours chill time
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

The post These Black Tahini Truffles Are the Perfect Vegan Dessert appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

This beloved and seemingly simple dish, like so much food, has a complex history. The Moors introduced rice to Spain in the 8^th century, making it part of the cuisine that the Jews shared. In the early 16^th century, conquistadores brought the tomato back from the New World to Spain. From there it spread eastward across Europe, reaching the Ottoman Empire and beyond, although when is disputed, ranging from the 16^th to the 19^th century. 

Since all the modern countries that were part of the Ottoman Empire — including Turkey, Greece and the rest of the Balkans, Lebanon, Iran and Italy – have some form of rice with tomato as part of their cuisine, I’m with those that say the tomato traveled eastward from Spain with the conversos or secret Jews who fled Spain in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. In fact, when the tomato reached Italy later in the 16^th century, one name for it was “the Jew’s apple.”

So it’s no wonder that tomato rice, most often called arroz kon tomat in Ladino, is very much a part of Sephardic cuisines. Jews were welcomed into and thrived in the Ottoman Empire as they fled Spanish persecution beginning in the 14^th century and in great numbers following the expulsion in 1492. Stella Cohen, writing about Jewish food from the island of Rhodes in “Stella’s Sephardic Table,” notes that “for the Sephardim in Turkey this pilaf made with ripe fresh tomatoes is also known as arrosito a la Judia (rice the Jewish way).

There are variations, of course, from country to country and family to family. Fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce? If using fresh, are they chopped, crushed or grated? Onions or no onions? Peppers or no peppers? 

Versions of the Italian recipe are made with tomato paste, sauce or crushed fresh tomatoes and might add garlic, bell peppers, fennel seeds and/or capers. A Persian version called “dami gojeh firangi” is made with diced potatoes and turmeric in addition to crushed fresh tomatoes. Turkey’s iconic dish of tomato pilaf is often made with medium or coarse bulgur instead of rice. And then there’s the recipe in Vefa Alexiadis’ “Greek Cooking Kitchen” that uses fresh tomatoes and ketchup, clearly an Americanized version.   

For Aylin Edelman, who grew up in Izmir on Turkey’s western coast, it’s her favorite comfort food. Her mother uses grated fresh tomatoes cooked oil to intensify their flavor before adding the rice.

“It’s a dish that brings back childhood memories of hot summers with juicy tomatoes grown under the Aegean sun. Whenever I go back to Turkey, this is the dish I ask my mother to make.” 

Ninety-year-old Paulette Nehama also has fond memories of the dish they called “summer rice” in her childhood in Volos, Greece. 

“It was most often served cold or at room temperature in late spring, summer and early fall. although my family ate it year-round.”   

In my family, too, tomato rice was always in season, warm in winter but cold or room temperature the rest of the year, making it perfect for summer cookouts and picnics. It’s a dish that makes me feel connected to my family’s Sephardic heritage, with both of my father’s parents coming from the Ottoman Empire. 

Recently I decided to try making an updated version of the dish incorporating roasted tomatoes because I so love them, along with onions and roasted garlic. Instead of the tomato sauce of my childhood, I use tomato paste cooked a bit for richer flavor. I also added cardamom, a popular ingredient in many rice dishes, and thyme for a more complex flavor. In fact, it has so much flavor, I recommend making it with water instead of broth so you can really taste the tomatoes and other ingredients. 

As good as this dish is freshly made, it is delicious leftover and will last in the refrigerator for five or six days, so make the full recipe even if you’re not serving eight people.

Arroz kon Tomat

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This simple dish works year-round.

• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 ½ –2 lbs grape tomatoes
• 8–10 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 ¼ tsp salt, divided
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 10–12 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
• 2 cups long-grain rice, preferably basmati
• 1 medium onion, diced in ¼-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 tsp ground cardamom

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. The baking sheet should be large enough to hold the tomatoes in a single layer.
2. Put the tomatoes and unpeeled cloves of garlic on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt and drizzle with 2 Tbsp oil. Use your hands to mix the tomatoes and garlic, making sure everything is coated in oil, then spread out on the parchment. Tuck sprigs of thyme around the mixture. Roast for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are very soft and charred a little. Set aside to cool. 
3. Remove extra starch from the rice by putting it in a fine mesh strainer. Set the strainer over a bowl and fill with tepid water, covering the rice with a few extra inches of water at the top. Let soak for 15-20 minutes, then rinse under cold water and set aside to drain.
4. Once the tomatoes are cool, take a few minutes to peel each one, which will mostly slip easily from their skins. Discard the skins. Run your thumb and forefinger from the top to bottom of each stem of thyme to remove the leaves, letting them fall onto the peeled tomatoes. Scrape the tomatoes into a bowl with all the juices from the pan and set aside.
5. Gently squeeze each clove of roasted garlic out of its skin. Mash well on a small plate and set aside. 
6. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat in a 4- or 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add diced onion with a couple pinches of salt and cook about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, but not brown.
7. Add tomato paste and mashed garlic to the pot and mix together. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often, as the tomato paste darkens a bit in color. Be careful not to burn the mixture.
8. Add the rice to the pot, stirring the mixture together very well to incorporate. Let cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom to keep from browning.
9. Add water, cardamom and remaining 1 tsp of salt to the pot. Turn up the heat to bring to a boil, stir, turn the heat down to low and cover. Simmer gently for 12-14 minutes until all the water is absorbed. The rice cooking time will need to be adjusted if other kinds of rice are used.
10. Remove from heat and let stand, still covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing gently with a fork. Gently stir in about 2/3 of the roasted tomatoes.
11. Spoon the rice onto a rimmed platter or into a wide bowl. Add the remaining tomatoes to the top of the rice and drizzle with the pan juices. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature. 

Notes

This dish keeps in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

• Author: Susan Barocas
• Prep Time: 20 minutes + 20 minutes soaking time
• Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Quick
• Cuisine: Sephardi

The post This Easy Rice Dish Is a Sephardi Staple appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Mochi, a traditional Japanese rice cake, has been enjoyed with sweet and savory fillings in Japan for centuries. Traditionally, mochi is made by pounding steamed glutinous rice until it congeals into a sticky, stretchy dough. This labor-intensive process, called mochitsuki, requires strength, rhythm and teamwork reminiscent of a well-coordinated dance. During New Year celebrations, mochi is eaten to symbolize health, happiness and prosperity. First introduced to America in the late 19^th century by Japanese immigrants, mochi became a staple in confectionaries across Hawaii and the Pacific Coast, including in downtown Los Angeles’ vibrant Little Tokyo neighborhood. It was here that the sweet rice dough found its cool and creamy match. But before mochi and ice cream got together, a real-life love story would take place. 

The daughter of mochi-making masters, Frances Hashimoto was destined to overcome the odds and live a life of sweet success. After her early childhood in Arizona’s Poston War Relocation Center, a Japanese internment camp, during World War II, Hashimoto and her parents returned to their Los Angeles home to rebuild the traditional Japanese confectionery businesses they’d operated since 1910. Hashimoto grew up in nearby Boyle Heights, a culturally-diverse neighborhood and the home of LA’s original Jewish community. After pursuing a career as an elementary school teacher, Hashimoto returned to her roots to continue the family business alongside her Jewish-American husband, Joel Friedman. Together, the pair oversaw Mikawaya’s continued success as a local institution and cultural mainstay for several decades.

But everything changed on a family trip to Japan in the 1980s. Hashimoto introduced Friedman to mochi made the traditional Japanese way — filled and decorated with red bean paste and fruit — but he didn’t really like it that much. This sparked an idea that would redefine mochi for American consumers, as Friedman brainstormed ways to introduce mochi — a foreign delicacy little-known outside the Japanese community — to a broader audience in a way that would be accessible and palatable to the average American. His solution? Stuff mochi, the classic Japanese treat, with ice cream, a quintessentially American dessert. Both he and Hashimoto were thrilled about the concept, but execution proved challenging.

Jews have long been ice cream innovators in the United States. Twenty years earlier, another Jewish husband-and-wife duo founded Häagen-Dazs as an ode to Denmark’s loyalty to Jews during World War II and to a love of ice cream that knows no borders. However, the challenge before Friedman and Hashimoto was unique. Due to mochi’s particular texture and chemical makeup, it was difficult to keep the ice cream from melting or the mochi from becoming too hard. To fuse mochi and ice cream, they’d have to hit the temperature sweet spot — a challenge their culinary consultants warned would be to “defy the very laws of physics.” But Jews have a knack for overcoming the odds through hard work and dedication. After a full decade of culinary research and experimentation, Friedman and Hashimoto managed to crack the case by inventing their own style of ice cream uniquely suited to mochi’s needs. With three original flavors —  mango, red bean and green tea — it was time to bring their creation to market. 

Mikawaya first launched their creation in Hawaii, confident that it would resonate with the high concentration of Japanese Americans. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and from there, it took off — selling out of Mikawaya’s storefront in Little Tokyo and expanding to restaurants and grocery stores nationwide. Mikawaya mochi ice cream even acquired a kosher certification, further bridging cultural divides and ensuring that Jews everywhere could enjoy the unique gastronomical magic of mochi ice cream.

After Hashimoto passed away in 2012, Friedman became the first non-Japanese owner of Mikawaya. He continued making mochi ice cream until 2015, at which point he sold the company to a private equity firm and closed the storefront in favor of the retail market. Today, the treat remains in freezer aisles everywhere, with traditional Japanese flavors sold under the original Mikawaya label and innovative new ones, like guava, dulce de leche and apple pie a la mode mochi ice cream under a new brand name, My/Mochi Ice Cream. 

These days, Mikawaya isn’t the only mochi ice cream brand on the market — nor the only one with kosher labels and Jewish roots. Bubbies brand, a Hawaii-born ice cream company named in honor of founder Keith Robbin’s Jewish grandmother, now competes with Mikawaya for shelf space with its own collection of premium, single-serve, and plant-based mochi ice creams. As they say: two Jews, three opinions, 43 flavors of mochi ice cream…

Fusing cultures, textures and tastes, Friedman and Hashimoto stretched the limits of the imagination to introduce America to a new culinary creation. In doing so, they built a growing mochi ice cream industry and fostered cross-cultural connection — following in the footsteps of, and paving the way for, ice cream’s commercial history as a Jewish-rooted product with global reach. 

The post The Sweet Jewish History of Mochi Ice Cream appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The flagpole was in front of the Mess Hall, so every morning and evening before eating, staff and campers gathered to raise and lower the flag and sing that summer’s camp favorites like “Joy to the World — Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog” (talk about an ear-worm) and “Four Dead in Ohio” (which was somehow deemed appropriate a year after Kent State). Then we headed into the large, noisy Mess Hall for camp food eaten at rows of picnic tables grouped by cabin.

The food was kosher, which seemed to make it even less appealing than the typical bland, overcooked camp food. Thankfully, on Friday nights, there was a challah on every table, and grape juice took the place of “bug” juice (as we called the watered-down pitchers of Kool Aid served at every other meal). 

Still, the fresh air and physical activity (Swimming! Hiking! Horseback riding!) produced healthy appetites. But not for me. That summer I was well on my way to becoming a full-fledged vegetarian, so my mealtime options were limited. Let’s just say I ate a lot of processed cheese and peanut butter. But what really kept me going food-wise? In a word, granola.

Lucky for me, there was one other staff member who was vegetarian. I don’t remember her name or where she came from, but I can picture her in a skinny-striped white and red t-shirt under her oversized, well-worn denim overalls. She had kind blue eyes, a sincerely sweet smile and wild, almost white-blond hair that, in the right light, created a sort of halo around her head, making her look like the angel she became to me because she saved me with her granola. 

My granola angel shared my mealtime vegetarian pain and also some of the granola “stash” she brought with her to camp. It became my food obsession that summer. I wrote down her recipe and began making it every time I headed home to my parents’ house in Denver for a day off. Such satisfaction from a simple mixture of warm honey and oil coating the different grains that were baked until golden, cooled and eaten with nuts, seeds and raisins added. I brought back big batches of granola to share around camp, always saving enough for my angel and to get me through until my next day off.

It’s hard to believe with all the shelves of granola choices in stores today, but in 1971, granola hadn’t achieved mass production, recognition or consumption even though it had been around as a breakfast cereal for over a century. It was first created in 1863 as “granula” at a health spa in upstate New York. A few years later, when Mr. Kellog looked at the mixture and saw dollar signs, he changed the name to “granola” to avoid any legal issues for his marketing campaign. So, granola was around under the public’s radar for quite a while, but then came the hippies.

To quote Wikipedia: “The food and name were revived in the 1960s… a health food popular with the health and nature-oriented hippie movement.” And so, we have the hippie movement to thank for all the granola choices today along with the wonderfully descriptive term “crunchy-granola.”

After camp ended in August, I went back to college in Boston. I continued to make large batches of granola in borrowed ovens, always trying to keep a stash for myself and for friends because dorm food wasn’t much better than camp food. Added to my vegetarian options of overcooked vegetables, peanut butter and processed cheese, however, was pineapple cottage cheese, which tasted great with some of my healthy granola. 

These days, when I make my granola still using the same recipe, I see myself standing at the camp flag pole with long dark hair waving down my back, faded bell-bottom jeans sitting low on my hips, singing my heart out, secure knowing that I would get through coming mealtime with the small bag of survival granola tucked into my pocket.

Craving granola now? Check out Adeena Sussman’s recipe for tahini and olive oil granola, or try this pina colada granola recipe by Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox.

The post This Food Will Always Remind Me of Jewish Summer Camp appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

As is the case with many foods, there are multiple purported inventors of the flagel.  According to the Village Voice, the flagel was invented in 1994 at Tasty Bagels, an Italian-owned bagel store in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Food historian Francine Segan claims it was the product of the low-carb craze of the time. If this is giving you traumatic flashbacks to scooped bagels, perhaps there’s an upside: Though flagels are thinner than traditional bagels, they’re not made with any less dough than traditional bagels. The only difference is that they’ve been flattened, so they have the same nutritional content. 

New York-based bagel chain Bagel Boss also takes credit for the creation, trademarking the term in 2010. Their website theflagel.com (yes, that does exist, along with a dedicated Instagram account), includes a quote by Bagel Boss CEO Adam Rosner about how he invented the flat bagel in 1999:

“There was storm [sic] the night before which lead [sic] us to lose power. We had a refrigerator full of thousands of bagels that became over proofed and were not going to be able to be used for bagels. After playing around with the over proofed bagels and a few trial runs later, I figured out that if you flattened the bagels, seeded them, and baked with a specific bake time, the end result would be a flatter, crunchier bagel or as we know it, The Flagel. That night, the Flagel was born.”

Social media has its fair share of flagel content. A handful of bagel store accounts on TikTok and Instagram have posted videos showing off their flagel offerings, as well as some users posting flagel recipes and videos that generally introduce the concept. All those posting seem to be pro-flagel, like one video in 2022 by popular cooking TikToker @aldentediva, who remarked how she likes the flagel because it provides a larger surface than a traditional bagel for cream cheese.

Could the flagel be the next social media food craze? It’s possible, given one surprising fan who’s been giving it attention recently: reality star Bethany Frankel of “Real Housewives” fame. Since May, Frankel has uploaded three videos on TikTok showing herself preparing and eating flagels. 

“A flagel is just like a flat bagel, but, for whatever reason, the ratio of everything-bagel seasoning to the bread is better,” she says in one video. 

She appears to purchase everything-bagel seasoned flagels from the Hamptons and Long Island-based bagel chain Goldberg’s, pairing them with admittedly “weird” combinations of toppings like tuna salad with marmite. 

Not everyone is team flagel though. “Why??? A flat bagel is a bad bagel,” one user commented on a flagel video by Jersey Girls Bagels, a bagel store in Bradenton, Florida. The store stitched the comment, replying “Some people love the crust of the bagel. A flagel is almost all crust,” over a video showcasing a flat everything flagel with scallion cream cheese. “Lol then they don’t like bagels they like crackers,” another user retorted, to which the store made one final stitch. “I’m done talking to you about the merits of flagels,” they said, following up by nudging the user to try one of their traditional everything bagels instead. 

It’s not hard to see why there’s pushback. Though the name tells you exactly what it is, it’s still shocking to see how the flagel looks as if someone ran over a perfectly good bagel with their car. The glorious, fluffy interior is gone — or rather, flattened to a thin surface. While visually there is a beauty to the standard bagel, the flagel looks like someone made a mistake.

“I’ve always thought it should be called a ‘finagle,’” Frankel says in a TikTok showing herself spreading cottage cheese and caviar on a flat bagel. “Like you finagle the bagel.”

This article was produced as part of The Nosher’s Jewish Food Fellows Program, which aims to diversify the voices telling Jewish food stories in media spaces. 

The post What Actually Is a Flagel? appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

My grandmother called them “marinated peppers” and they were a staple dish in her home. She served these peppers at the first course of every dinner, and they always managed to stay on the table throughout the meal. They add bright acidity and strong flavors to complement staple blander foods. I especially loved to have them along with chicken schnitzel and potatoes. The tangy vinegar-based marinade for the peppers would also be excellent with mushrooms.

Note: These peppers last in the fridge for about a week.

Russian-Style Pickled Bell Peppers

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These tangy marinated peppers will add a burst of flavor to any meal.

• Total Time: 24 hours
• Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Units USM

• 4 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers
• 1 clove of garlic, sliced thin (optional)
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp sugar or honey
• ½ –¾ cup white vinegar (depending how much you need to cover the peppers)
• ¼ cup water
• 3 Tbsp good extra-virgin olive oil

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Lay your peppers out on a lined sheet tray or baking dish. Place the peppers in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until blackened, softened, and until the skin gets wrinkly and starts to peel off. It helps to flip the peppers over halfway through the cooking process. You can also do this directly over a gas flame or on a grill, turning the peppers until they are blackened and cooked on all sides.
3. Once cooked, transfer the peppers to a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to continue to steam and cool for 20-30 minutes.
4. At this point, the peppers should peel easily. Over a bowl, peel the peppers, and remove the stems and seeds. If any juice escapes while you are peeling the peppers, save the juice. It is gold.
5. Slice the peeled peppers into strips, about an inch thick, or however you prefer. Add the peppers to the bowl of their reserved juices. Add the sliced garlic if using, peppercorns, salt and sugar to the peppers. (If you do not like strong garlic flavor, omit the garlic entirely.) Mix everything together gently. Cover the peppers with white vinegar and water. Add the olive oil. Let the peppers marinate in the fridge overnight before serving.

Notes

Peppers last in the fridge for about a week.

• Author: Sonya Sanford
• Prep Time: 45 minutes + marinating overnight
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Quick
• Cuisine: Ashkenazi

The post These Russian Pickled Peppers Go With Everything appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Sour cherries only show up for a short time every year, and I try to get a big bag whenever I see them available. They are great for pie or for compote, as a filling for vareniki (Ukranian half-moon shaped dumplings) and in baked goods, like this one-bowl sour cherry cake.

But I love them pickled with a little cardamom. The practicality of preserving summer food for the winter is clear, but these pickled fruits are equally refreshing on a hot summer day, preferably eaten with a meal outdoors. They end up tasting like an elevated maraschino cherry — tart, not too sweet, and complex. They’re fantastic in a cocktail, and just as good as a side to BBQ. The sweeter brine for the sour cherries would also be great with plums or peaches.

Enjoy alongside a zakuski spread, with salad Olivier (Russian potato salad), cured meats, pickled watermelon and marinated bell peppers.

Notes:

• The pickled cherries are ready to serve after 24 hours in the fridge, but they will develop deeper flavor the longer they sit.
• These pickles last for months stored in the fridge — though they rarely last that long at my house.

Russian-Style Pickled Sour Cherries

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An elevated maraschino-style cherry that’s easy to make at home and lasts for months.

• Total Time: 24 hours

Ingredients

Units USM

• 4 cups pitted sour cherries
• ¾ cup white vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 6–7 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

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Instructions

1. Place pitted cherries in clean jars.
2. Combine the vinegar, sugar, water, salt and cardamom in a small pot. Bring to a simmer and heat until the sugar is just fully dissolved. Pour the brine over the cherries. Allow the mixture to fully cool, then securely cover the jars and refrigerate.
3. They are ready to serve after 24 hours in the fridge, but they will develop deeper flavor the longer they sit.

Notes

• The pickled cherries are ready to serve after 24 hours in the fridge, but they will develop deeper flavor the longer they sit.
• These pickles last for months stored in the fridge — though they rarely last that long at my house.

• Author: Sonya Sanford
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: One-Pot
• Cuisine: Ashkenazi

The post Your Cocktail Needs These Russian-Style Pickled Cherries appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Grass Fed is a vegan butcher shop in Rochester, NY, part of a growing movement across the U.S., from the Herbivorous Butcher in Minneapolis to The Butcher’s Son in California and “Eat Meati” products in grocery stores nationwide. At vegan butcher shops, you can expect meat available by the pound, with one important distinction: The meat is not meat at all, but made of plant-based proteins like seitan, tempeh and vital wheat gluten. 

But Grass Fed has gone beyond just selling meat. Following the opening of their storefront in 2021, Grass Fed expanded into a deli concept, offering vegan takes on Jewish deli staples, like their “Back in the U.S.S. Reuben” and “Pastrami, Myself, and I.”

Rob Nipe (“The Butcher”) and Nora Rubel (“The Butcher’s Wife”), a Jewish studies professor at the University of Rochester, say that Grass Fed’s origin story is inspired by Passover and the challenge of knowing what you wanted to eat but needing to make substitutions. Switching to a plant-based diet, Nipe told The Nosher, felt similar. He had to get creative with his cravings. He started with what he most wanted to eat — breakfast sausage — and then continued to create vegan recipes for the products he missed most. 

Nipe calls their sandwiches “training wheels to veganism,” and hopes to prove you don’t have to sacrifice your favorite foods to be vegan.

Rubel says Grass Fed’s variety, carrying everything from turkey slices to brisket and salami, is what sets it apart from other vegan butcher shops. They are also the only vegan butcher shop in New York State.

Nipe grew up in New Jersey, where the classic Jewish deli experience was ingrained in him from a young age. It was “no question” that he and Rubel wanted Grass Fed to be like the delis he grew up around, with sandwiches, big piles of meat and cold salads in the deli case. 

Beyond the food, they want Grass Fed to be a third space for the community, where “you’re a regular, people know you [and] they know what kind of sandwiches you like,” says Rubel. They hope to build a community that brings “ kindness and equity to all corners of our world.”

Nipe and Rubel initially sought a kosher certification when they opened Grass Fed, as they sympathized with the struggle of finding kosher places to eat in Rochester, and because most vegan food is kosher by default. Although (as of January 2024) Grass Fed no longer has kosher certification, Nipe and Rubel say that a broader Jewish community has continued to support them.

I’ve had the pleasure of eating at Grass Fed several times (including one notable occasion when they debuted their sandwich “Knowing Me Cubano-ing You” with an entire playlist of “Knowing Me, Knowing You” covers on repeat).

On my last visit, I wanted to sample the most Jewish sandwiches I could: a pastrami on rye and a classic Reuben. Though I have not had meat in years, I had my mom taste-test with me, and she confirmed that these sandwiches are as much for omnivores as they are for plant-based eaters. The Reuben was satisfying with punchy sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a thick layer of Grass Fed’s corned beef. But by far our favorite was the hot pastrami sandwich. The meat was convincingly smokey and savory, and the mustard cut through the sandwich perfectly.

What’s next for Grass Fed? Nipe is hoping to figure out the logistics to ship Grass Fed products to customers across the country, and continues to develop new recipes and expand their offerings, like filled hand pies.

I, for one, am eagerly awaiting the day that I can ship Grassfed’s sliced bacon and mushroom pâté right to my door. But until then, if you ever find yourself looking for lunch in Rochester — or in the mood for a food-fuelled road trip — you’ll find all the satisfying plant-based goodness you could want at Grass Fed, with the homey familiarity of a classic Jewish deli.

This article was produced as part of The Nosher’s Jewish Food Fellows Program, which aims to diversify the voices telling Jewish food stories in media spaces. 

The post This Vegan Butcher Makes the Best Pastrami Sandwiches appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The cream is made by slowly boiling raw milk over low heat, then cooling overnight, which results in a thick layer of cream. Water buffalo milk has a very high percentage of fat (about 40-60%) which makes it ideal for this recipe.

Kaymak, a word with Central Asian Turkic origins, meaning “melt,” is a similar type of clotted cream. It is popular in Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, Romania and central Asian countries like Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In Iran, this cream is called sarshir, which means “top of the milk.” 

Water buffalo originated in West India and were domesticated about 6,000 years ago. They were traded from the Indus Valley civilization to Mesopotamia in 2500 BCE. Archeological records even show the the sacrifice of water buffaloes on the seal of the scribes of an Akkadian King. The marshes that dominate the south of Iraq are particularly suitable for the raising of water buffalo. While Saddam Hussein, in his attempts to root out the “March people,” tried to destroy the marsh ecosystem, the marshes of southern Iraq are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the water buffalo continue to thrive there. 

For Iraqi Jews, Shavuot is synonymous with qei’mar and kahi, a flaky layered crepe. When we were younger, my mother would make us kahi from scratch, but it’s an involved process of kneading a dough made with vinegar, allowing it to rest, rolling it out and layering it, then frying it with lots of butter. 

This year for Shavuot, I decided that rather than struggling with the kahi dough I would bake little squares of puff pastry. But what could possibly come close to the thick, rich creamy qei’mar?

Rachel and I hit on a wonderful solution: We strained equal parts sour cream and ricotta cheese. The results were a mouthwatering smooth, thick, rich cream. 

We highly recommend you try this recipe for crispy kahi, clotted cream and silan (date syrup). A typical, traditional Iraqi breakfast food, for Jews and non-Jews alike, it makes a perfectly simple, yet elegant dessert. 

As I enjoy it, I’ll be nostalgic for my childhood home on the Sydney harbor and the happy memories with my parents; but, as always, I will cherish the sweet, new memories.

An Easy Twist on Kahi and Qei’Mar

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Puff pastry is our secret ingredient to an easy, yet nostalgic, take on Iraqi kahi and qei’mar.

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 large sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted and cut into 12 equal squares
• ½ cup full fat ricotta cheese
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 cup organic date syrup (aka silan)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine ricotta and sour cream in a fine strainer and allow to drain for 15 minutes.
3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
4. Place puff pastry on the tray, then poke a few holes in each square with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and puffed.
5. Arrange hot puff pastry on a dish. Serve with ricotta cream and a generous drizzle of silan.

• Author: Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Sheff
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Quick
• Cuisine: Sephardi

The post This Easy Iraqi Jewish Breakfast Is a Family Favorite appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

While there are no Jews left in Libya, the community lives on through beautiful customs, songs and perhaps what we are most famous for: our cuisine. Libyan-Jewish cuisine has Arab, Italian and Mediterranean influence, and is known for rich flavors, slow-cooked stews over couscous, spices such as paprika, cumin, caraway, cinnamon and chilis — and lots of oil (it’s not truly authentic Libyan cuisine if you’re not heavy handed with the oil). Many of our dishes have become an integral part of Israeli cuisine. 

I wanted to share these nine essential Libyan Jewish dishes to introduce you to our beautiful cuisine.

1. Hand-Rolled Couscous

We cannot start the conversation about Libyan Jewish food without mentioning couscous. It’s a staple in our diet and most meals revolve around it. You may have tried instant couscous from the grocery store or even at a restaurant, but this does not compare to the light and delicate texture of hand-rolled couscous made from scratch. This type of couscous is known to be only made by grandmothers due to its “old-school” and time-consuming nature. Trust me, it’s worth the effort, and once you try it you will never go back to instant. 

2. Mafrum

The crown jewel of Libyan Jewish cuisine, mafrum is a packed pan of meat-stuffed vegetables that are fried and then braised for several hours. The most traditional mafrum is potato, but my favorite is eggplant. On special occasions we stuff other vegetables, including delicate cauliflower.

Before adding the fried, stuffed vegetables to the pan, the bottom of the pot is layered with chopped veggies and herbs, which get beautifully charred and are fondly referred to by my dad as “kaar,” an  Arabic term for the end or bottom of something — and is often the best part. Mafrum is a labor of love and a guaranteed mess in the kitchen, but it’s so worth it. There are many mafrum recipes circulating the internet, but secure yourself an invitation to a Libyan Jewish family’s home to try out an authentic version.

3. Tbecha

Tbecha is a general term to refer to a stew and literally means “cooked” in Arabic. There are many variations of tbecha including b’salk (beetroot) or b’tamatem (in tomatoes), and you often see tbechot include meat, potatoes and legumes. These stews are savory, spicy and packed with flavor.

Every Shabbat, my family eats a short-rib tbecha in tomato sauce with peas, string beans and potatoes;it’s the dish that tastes and smells most like home. Make sure to enjoy with couscous!

4. Tershi (aka Chershi)

Tershi is a spicy, garlicky and tangy pumpkin dip that is a staple on all Libyan Jewish tables. A traditional meal revolves around couscous, an accompanying stew, and many dips and salads. In Israel, this collection of mezze-like dips and salads is called “salatim,” and tershi is a common addition.

5. Kukla

Kukla are lamb fat and semolina balls seasoned with garlic, paprika and assorted herbs. Kukla is distinctively Libyan and, while quite unhealthy, it’s worth every artery-clogging bite. You most often see kukla added to stews that are cooked overnight (such as hamim, Sephardi cholent) since these dumplings taste better the longer they cook. They’re an inexpensive and delicious way to feed many mouths and ensure no part of the lamb goes to waste.

6. Chraime

This stewed fish in spicy, tangy and garlicky red sauce is a staple of Libyan Jewish cuisine, and has become popular throughout Israel. My family usually serves this fish as an appetizer for Shabbat dinner, though it can — and should — be served as a main course, it deserves all the limelight! It’s best served with couscous, rice, challah or even matzah on Passover. Really any vessel that allows you to enjoy every last lick of delicious red sauce. I enjoy using salmon but hearty white fish like halibut or sea bass is more traditional. 

7. Sharba

Sharba is essentially a thick tomato-based noodle soup that can be made vegetarian or with chicken or meat. Given Libya’s close historic ties with Italy, it’s no surprise that many Libyan dishes include varieties of noodles. Sharba, while seemingly simple, is packed with heat and deep flavors, perfect for  when you’re feeling under the weather. Sharba can be whipped up in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect winter weeknight meal. 

8. Boulou

Boulou is a bread traditionally eaten during the Yom Kippur break-fast meal. Boulou is mildly sweet and includes honey, dried fruits, nuts, caraway, fennel, sesame and nigella seeds. It’s traditionally made into an oval shape, then sliced before serving and often drizzled with honey. While other countries have their own versions, Libyan boulou includes yeast, which makes it more bread-like (versus closer to a cookie).

9. Saefra

Saefra is a sweet semolina cake that is similar to basbousa (though a bit thinner and crispier). Semolina is a pantry staple in every Libyan home (as it’s the primary ingredient in couscous), so it’s easy to whip up at a moment’s notice. Once the cake is cooked it is soaked in a fragrant rose water (or orange blossom) syrup. Often, saefra includes a date filling and is decorated on top with almonds and sesame seeds. 

This article was produced as part of The Nosher’s Jewish Food Fellows Program, which aims to diversify the voices telling Jewish food stories in media spaces. 

The post 9 Essential Libyan Jewish Dishes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Kelsones is the calling card of Shavuot, where elaborate celebratory dairy meals are served. Many men in my Syrian community in Brooklyn have the tradition of staying awake throughout the first night of the holiday to learn Torah. As they walk home after morning prayers, the smell of buttery kelsones drifts through the air. This dish is perfect before a long afternoon (or morning!) nap. 

Handmade ravioli is a labor of love. I remember being a little girl, watching my grandmother stretch out huge sheets of dough across her kitchen table. Her battered ravioli cutter flew through the dough, stamping out circles. Each circle was stuffed with a golden cheese mixture, pinched shut and carefully placed on a tray. Cutting and stuffing were reserved for grandma  — but pinching was a task for my small hands. 

Over the years, our community has grown, and the components of the dish have become readily available. Ravioli dough is now available precut and frozen. Muenster cheese can be purchased shredded in large bags. I’ve never met a kid who didn’t like carbs on cheesy carbs — and lucky for them this dish is now served in community schools and is a lunchbox staple.

Something that was so special to me as a child is now a Tuesday lunch for my kids. I still shuttle them over to grandma pre-Shavuot so they can help make the ravioli. But, as a working mom, I’m glad they have my quick version whenever they want it! 

Notes: 

• Mazor’s dough company makes prepared ravioli dough. Defrost slightly before pinching closed to avoid cracks in the dough. Wonton wrappers can be used if these are not available. 
• The ravioli can be prepared ahead of time and frozen on a sheet tray. Once solid, transfer to a Ziploc bag. They’re best boiled from frozen, so no need to defrost them.
• A Pyrex or other 9×13 glass baking dish is preferred so the browning can be monitored. The hallmark of this dish is the super crisp brown bottom! 
• You can prepare the dish (steps 1-5) 1-2 days ahead and reheat tightly covered with aluminium foil.

This article was produced as part of The Nosher’s Jewish Food Fellows Program, which aims to diversify the voices telling Jewish food stories in media spaces. 

Kelsones (Syrian Cheese Ravioli)

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A beloved childhood comfort food made easy with store-bought shortcuts.

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the ravioli: 

• 36 ravioli or wonton wrappers, defrosted
• 1 lb shredded Muenster or mozzarella cheese
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking powder

To assemble: 

• 16 oz wide or extra-wide egg noodles
• 1 stick butter

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Instructions

1. Start by making the ravioli. Crack the egg into a mixing bowl and whisk lightly. Add the cheese, salt and baking powder, and stir to coat.
2. Lay the ravioli or wonton wrappers out on a clean countertop. Place a spoonful of the cheese mixture in the center of each circle of dough. Fold into a half moon shape and pinch to seal, pressing out any air bubbles. (If using wonton wrappers, gently run a damp finger around the edge to make sure the dough sticks to itself.)
3. Partially unwrap the stick of butter and grease a Pyrex or other 9×13 glass baking dish.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
5. Add the egg noodles to the boiling, salted water and stir. When the noodles have 5 minutes left to cook, add in the ravioli. Stir again and cook until ravioli floats, about 5 minutes. Drain and add to the buttered pan. Cube the remaining butter and scatter over the top of the noodles. At this point, the dish can be covered and refrigerated until ready to bake. (You can do this 1-2 days ahead of time and reheat tightly covered with foil.)
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center is warmed through and the edges begin to crisp.
7. Carefully remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes — the sides and top will have dark crispy bits. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Mazor’s dough company makes prepared ravioli dough, available at many kosher grocery stores. Defrost slightly before pinching closed to avoid cracks in the dough. Wonton wrappers can be used if these are not available. 
• The ravioli can be prepared ahead of time and frozen on a sheet tray. Once solid, transfer to a Ziploc bag. 
• A Pyrex or other 9×13 glass baking dish is preferred so the browning can be monitored. The hallmark of this dish is the super crisp brown bottom!
• You can prepare the dish (steps 1-5) 1-2 days ahead and reheat tightly covered with aluminium foil.

• Author: Sylvia Fallas
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Entree
• Method: Quick
• Cuisine: Vegetarian

The post This Syrian Cheese Ravioli Is the Ultimate Jewish Comfort Food appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

King Solomon’s Cake, popular in Libya and attributed to King Solomon himself, is also called saefra (yellow) cake — the yellow comes from saffron. Many versions are studded with raisins, but I prefer this spiced date filling instead. This delicious dairy-free cake was a must for the Sabbath and special occasions. I assume it predates the more elaborate baklava we know today. It was also, according to the late cookbook author Copeland Marks, an aphrodisiac — and, as such, it was served on the eve of the Sabbath to husbands needing help in their conjugal duties.

The following recipe is excerpted from “King Solomon’s Table” with permission from Knopf.

Learn more about King Solomon’s eating habits and the history of this cake here.

Saefra

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This vibrant, zesty cake soaked in syrup is believed to have been King Solomon’s favorite.

• Total Time: 7 hours
• Yield: Serves 8-10

Ingredients

For the date filling:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb pitted dates, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves

For the cake:

• 2 cups (440 g) cream of wheat
• 1 cup (225 g) coarse semolina
• ½ cup (100 g) sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup (235 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (235 ml) orange juice
• grated zest from 1 orange
• ½ cup blanched whole almonds, for garnish
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish

For the syrup:

• 1 ½ cups (300 g) sugar, or ¾ cup (150 g) sugar + ¾ cup (175 ml) honey
• juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ tsp saffron threads

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.
2. To make the filling: Pulse the oil, dates, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in a food processor with a steel blade until a thick paste has formed.
3. To make the cake: In a medium bowl, mix together the cream of wheat, semolina, sugar, baking powder, vegetable oil, orange juice and orange zest to create a thick batter.
4. Spread half the batter into the prepared pan, then top with the date filling, spreading the mixture with a spatula to the edges of the pan. Pour the remaining batter over the top, smooth the surface and score the top of the cake into 2-inch diamond shapes.
5. Gently push one whole almond vertically into the center of each diamond, then scatter the sesame seeds over all. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden on the top.
6. Fifteen minutes before the cake is done, make the syrup. In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, honey (if using), ½ cup (120 ml) of water, and lemon juice to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat, add the saffron and let steep for 5 minutes.
7. Pour the warm syrup over the cake when it is done. Let stand for at least 6 hours or more, so the cake completely absorbs the syrup.

• Author: Joan Nathan
• Prep Time: 15 minutes + 6 hours soak time
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Sephardi

The post Libyan Semolina Cake with Spiced Date Filling appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Today, the U.S. has more cheesecake recipes and varieties than anyplace else in the world. For me, though, after all the many, many recipes for cheesecake, my go-to is an easy, less sweet cheesecake pie, close in taste and consistency to the kind German Jewish immigrants brought to America.

My recipe is a hybrid of American and German versions, using farmers cheese for some curd mixed with cream cheese. Hold the sour cream and use a little yogurt instead for that little extra bit of tang. A graham cracker or cookie crust adds a modern twist. To be more authentic, use a dough pie crust, especially one with yeast. Many of the cheesecakes throughout the centuries used dried fruit, so I like that in this version. But I admit that in summer, I sometimes substitute with fresh blueberries.

Considering how far cheesecake has wandered before finding stardom in this country, it seems yet another reason to enjoy, especially at Shavuot.

Read more about the Jewish history of cheesecake here. 

Note: Once baked and cooled, this cheesecake is also good with your favorite fruit preserve spread gently on top.

Quick and Easy Cheesecake Pie 

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Print Recipe

This easy, tangy cheesecake recipe is ready in under 45 minutes.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 graham cracker or other cookie crust, or a regular pie crust
• ⅓ cup superfine sugar
• ⅓ cup (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened to room temperature
• 6 oz farmers cheese, softened to room temperature
• ⅓ cup yogurt
• 2 large eggs, beaten well
• grated zest of 1 large lemon or a small orange
• ½ cup chopped up dried fruit such as apricots, prunes or golden raisins, or ½ cup fresh blueberries (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Follow directions for your favorite graham cracker or cookie crust. If using regular pie crust dough, roll it out and line a greased 8-inch tart or pie pan.
2. Prick the bottom several times with a fork and bake for 10 minutes to crisp the crust. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a bit before filling.
3. Let the cheeses and butter soften to room temperature. If you don’t have superfine sugar, put it in a blender or food processor and pulse until fine.
4. In a food processor, add the butter to the sugar and pulse to cream until light. Add the softened cheeses and yogurt, and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the eggs and process until smooth and creamy. Pulse in the zest just until evenly mixed.
5. If not using a food processor, in a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the softened cheeses and yogurt, and beat together until well blended. Beat in the eggs and mix very well. Stir in the zest and, if using, the dried fruit.
6. Once the filling is ready, fill the cooled pie shell with the mixture. Put the cheesecake into the very hot preheated oven, then immediately turn the heat down to 350°F. Bake until the filling is set, about 25-28 minutes. Let cool.
7. Serve with fresh fruit or berries and whipped cream.

Notes

Once baked and cooled, this cheesecake is also good with your favorite fruit preserve spread gently on top.

• Author: Susan Barocas
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Ashkenazi

The post Quick and Easy Cheesecake Pie  appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

For over a century, the strange, oily gloop has graced kosher restaurants, holiday cookbooks and hand-scribbled recipe cards in Jewish homes across the nation, becoming a (contested) symbol of Jewish American identity and culinary tradition . 

But how did Judaism get to Crisco as America is to apple pie? The answer lies at the intersection of early 20th-century consumerism and Jewish American culture. 

First, we need to take a look at the origins of Crisco itself. Debuted in 1911 as a product of Cincinnati’s Procter & Gamble Co., it started as a strange solution to a strange problem. Textile production skyrocketed during the Industrial Revolution, leaving America with a surplus of leftover cotton seeds. No one could figure out what to do with them — until chemists learned to extract the oil and combine it with hydrogen, which created a cheap alternative to animal-based fats like lard and tallow. Initially, Procter & Gamble intended to use the new substance to make candles. But they ended up selling it as a food product, instead. 

The public wasn’t totally sold on the idea. Aside from sneaky CEOs cutting costs by substituting it for pricier olive oil, cottonseed oil wasn’t typically used in the food business. It was primarily intended for soap, artificial dyes and explosives. There was even some debate over whether cottonseed oil is really a food (spoiler: it isn’t; Procter & Gamble would later switch to other vegetarian oils). 

Eventually it caught on with the help of some clever, if somewhat dishonest, marketing. But sales still weren’t remarkable among established Americans. Given the product’s versatile non-dairy, non-meat nature, Procter & Gamble’s PR team decided to give a hard sell to the nation’s newly minted community of Eastern European Jewish immigrants. One 1913 newspaper advertisement, printed in English and Yiddish and distributed throughout the United States, made the lofty claim that “The Hebrew Race has been waiting 4,000 years for Crisco.” 

4,000 years! 4,000 years spent wandering through deserts and across the globe, all for… non-dairy shortening? Shockingly, the ploy worked; American Jews went wild for Crisco — and haven’t looked back since. 

There are evident perks: It’s kosher, and pareve, too. That means that, when she has Crisco on hand, the good Jewish housewife doesn’t need to buy both schmaltz — for meat — and butter — for dairy — thus saving money and resources. And, a hundred or so years ago, Crisco was considered (or, at least, marketed as) a healthy alternative to traditional animal-based cooking fats. 

But more important was Crisco’s cultural significance. For new immigrants, the feeling of belonging was vital. There was a constant struggle between old and new, religion and nation, and tradition and assimilation. Here was a practical solution that didn’t require compromise. Kosher enough for the rabbi, stylish enough for the all-American woman and economical to boot, Crisco was a tasty, practical reminder that you could be both Jewish and American — and be so with class and tact. 

Procter & Gamble’s 1933 cookbook, “Crisco Recipes for the Jewish Housewife,” cemented the product’s popularity within the Jewish community. Each recipe was printed in both English and Yiddish. Offerings ranged from traditional favorites, like kugel, to American icons such as southern fried chicken and macaroni salad — all, of course, with a generous helping of Crisco. Despite the economic hardship of the Great Depression, sales continued to soar. Over the course of a century, Crisco grew from its resourceful beginnings to the heart of American Jewish cooking. 

In recent years, though, Crisco has amassed slews of controversy. For one thing, it’s been condemned for ruining the magic of traditional (i.e., schmaltzy) Jewish cooking with its sub-par flavor. Perhaps more shocking is the revelation that Crisco, marketed as an “all-vegetable shortening” doesn’t actually include any vegetables — at all. Even though it’s no longer made from cottonseed oil, Crisco’s modern key ingredients, soybean and palm oil, aren’t derived from vegetables, or even fruits, but from grains. They’re not particularly healthy or environmentally friendly, either. So, while definitely a little more edible, modern Crisco is not exactly a huge improvement on its cottonseed predecessor. 

Why do we continue to use Crisco? I think that, like with many Ashkenazi Jewish cultural rites, the answer can be most accurately summed up by Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof”: TRADITION! So next time you bite into a Crisco-coated latke, or hamantaschen, or maybe even fried chicken, you too can follow in the footsteps of our foremothers and savor the unctuous, oily flavor of Jewish American history. 

Get a taste of Jewish American Crisco cooking here. 

The post What Makes Crisco So Jewish? appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

In the seven episodes available on Instagram, each only a few minutes long, Eitan introduces us to the culinary delights, traditions, history and personalities of the Jewish kitchens of Mexico City.

One such personality is chef Estrella Jafif, who guides Bernath around a local outdoor market in Episode 1. After sampling local delicacies like mamey, an orange-fleshed fruit with a creamy interior, and Oaxacan cheese, the pair shop for ingredients for a hamout (sour) Lebanese soup.

In Episode 2, Jafif teaches Bernath to make her sour soup with kibbe (small meatballs made with rice and meat) — but not before they have a shot of tequila. L’chaim!

While they’re cooking on a Friday, this is not the Shabbat dinner many viewers will be familiar with. Jafif’s family celebrate with a pre-Shabbat leisurely lunch known as “sobremesa,” at the end of which they light the Shabbat candles. Carrying their soup across the street, Eitan and Jafif join her family for a delicious, diverse potluck, with dishes from the Lebanese, Cuban, Syrian and Mexican kitchens.

Below, Chef Estrella Jafif shares her recipe:

“Each Lebanese household has their version and variation of this type of soup. It is known as hamout (sour) because it is very lemony. Growing up, I tried the agrio at friends and family members homes, but this is undoubtedly my favorite version because it is very representative of my mother-in-law’s house. 

It is a dish that symbolizes comfort in its entirety and most often, it is cooked on Fridays, which is the day on which the big family meets. Agrio is a dish that withstands reheating very well; in fact, it is a tradition that it is cooked a day before. Grandmothers and mothers do it this way to be able to receive a large number of people.

It is usually accompanied by rice with vermicelli noodles, which we call arroz con fideo.”

Note: If you make the soup a day in advance (Steps 1-2), once you reheat it, the flavors will be deeper.

Kibbe Hamda (Sour Lebanese Soup with Meatballs)

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Print Recipe

This sour soup is a family favorite.

• Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes, cut into medium cubes
• 4 celery branches, chopped into half moons
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 5 cups water
• 8–10 small limes, juiced
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
• 2 Tbsp dried mint
• 1 Tbsp vegetable consomme powder
• 15 pieces of small rice kibbe (known as kibbe hamda)
• salt

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Instructions

1. In a large pot, sauté the potato, celery and carrot. While it’s cooking, in a big bowl, mix the lime juice, garlic, herbs and consomme. Add 4-5 cups of water and season with salt to taste. 
2. Add this mixture to the pot with vegetables and let it simmer for a couple of hours, covered, so it does not reduce. 
3. Half an hour before serving, add the kibbe and let simmer. 
4. Serve with white rice with vermicelli noodles (arroz con fideo).

Notes

If you make the soup a day in advance (Steps 1-2), once you reheat it, the flavors will be deeper.

• Author: Chef Estrella Jafif
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Sephardi

The post This Sour Soup Is a Taste of Mexican Jewish Culture appeared first on My Jewish Learning.