Haredi Rabbi Bans Cholent on Weekdays, Causing a Stir in Yeshiva Circles, Then Reverses Ruling

It all started with a question posed by a group of Yeshiva students in Israel to a weekly bulletin on Jewish law. They expressed their concern about whether weekday consumption of cholent, the beef stew traditionally eaten on Shabbat, diminishes the sanctity of the day.

Feasting on cholent on Thursday nights has become a popular activity among Yeshiva students in Israel, and also in Yeshiva communities in the United States. 

A charedi rabbi, Yitzchok Zilberstein, responded to the question with what appeared to be a ruling that the practice is forbidden.

 

As Deborah Danan and Philissa Cramer wrote in a report for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA):

Citing Talmudic, Kabbalistic and later rabbinic sources, Zilberstein wrote that it is “very appropriate not to eat [cholent] on weekdays, so that one can delight in it on Shabbat as is proper.” He went on to note that cholent is not only spiritually designated for Shabbat, but that its heavy ingredients may even pose a health risk when eaten without the merit of the holy day.

The ruling was quickly picked up by haredi news outlets, with some dramatic headlines interpreting the text as a formal prohibition.

The simmering public response about Zilberstein’s ruling was enough to provoke a partial retraction. His grandson, Rabbi Chaim Malin, emphasized that the original response was not meant to impose a universal ban, but was rather intended as a recommendation for those seeking to elevate the uniqueness of Shabbat.

The statement noted that cholent served at mitzvah meals — weddings, bar mitzvahs and other religious celebrations — is fully permitted, as is the Thursday-night practice of serving it in yeshivas, with the rabbi clarifying that students should follow the guidance of their yeshiva leadership. The statement concluded: “Let the humble eat and be satisfied.”

If you want to check out the best cholent spots in Israel, there's a YouTube channel called Cholent and Chill that rates the many restaurants that feature cholent in all of its varieties on Thursday nights.

Enjoy!

Jewish Food: More Than Just Matzo Ball Soup

Talking about Jewish food is both mouth-wateringly delicious and just a little complicated.

While Ashkenazi Jews (Jews from Eastern Europe) are used to foods like gefilte fish and matzah ball soup, these dishes would be foreign to a Jew from The Middle East, North Africa or Ethiopia who would prefer to chow down pkaila, shakshuka, t’bit or doro wat. 

What connects Jewish foods, apart from being delicious, is that they developed from economic necessity and were often a way for poor communities to create something tasty from very little. 

While some of these dishes have been forgotten over time, others are enjoying a culinary renaissance and gaining new generations of fans. So pull up a seat and join us on this delicious culinary journey as we take the lid off the culinary melting pot of Jewish food.

Yasher Koach to Unpacked (formerly Jerusalem U) for this enlightening video.

Enjoy!
 
A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

EXCLUSIVE On-Site Report! Best In Show and Unusual New Products From Kosherfest 2018 - Part 2

 

Today we're bringing you part two of our report from Kosherfest 2018.

On Tuesday, the first day of the show, we interviewed representatives of companies exhibiting a variety of products, some of which were prize winners and others that just appealed to us as being unusual or of special interest. We posted four segments yesterday and we're posting another five today.

The products are Israeli style shwarma sausage, Kosher Cook kitchen utensils, a prize winning wine, cured smoked salmon, and a lightbulb designed for Shabbat use.

More than 400 exhibitors lined both sides of seven aisles to vie for the attention of visitors (trade only -- but some kiddush aficionados seem to have found their way into the hall) who tried to manage noshing and stuffing literature into the bags provided by some vendors (and rolling suitcases brought by attendees).  And there was plenty to nosh and to stuff.

Some of the samples were meat, some were dairy, and some were pareve.  But all three types were scattered around the show floor, so anyone trying to keep kosher had to make careful choices.

We apologize for the loud background noise from the 6,000 attendees milling about the exhibit space while we were conducting the interviews. Use of earbuds or headphones is recommended.

 
Enjoy!

 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

EXCLUSIVE On-Site Report! Best In Show and Unusual New Products From Kosherfest 2018 - Part 1 (Watch For Part 2 Tomorrow)

Mediterranean Crisp Tortas from Spain, healthy mini fruit pops, kosher barbecue, and Israeli craft beer.
  
These are some of the prize winning and unusual products on display yesterday and today for the thousands of visitors representing all aspects of the food industry at Kosherfest 2018 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
 
More than 400 exhibitors lining both sides of seven aisles are vying  for the attention of visitors (trade only -- but some kiddush aficionados seem to have found their way into the hall) who try to manage noshing and stuffing literature into the bags provided by some vendors (and rolling suitcases brought by attendees).  And there's plenty to nosh and to stuff.

Some of the samples are meat, some are dairy, and some are pareve.  But all three types are scattered around the show floor, so anyone trying to keep kosher has to make careful choices.

The vendors are hoping that visitors will make bulk purchases, and some of the newer, smaller, and foreign companies exhibiting for the first time are hoping to find distributors who will bring their wares to your local supermarket.

If you love kiddush, can make a case for being in some kind of food-related business, have a few hours to spare and don't mind walking a a quarter mile to a parking lot, this is the place for you.  It's still open all day today, Wednesday, from 10 am to 4 pm.  The on-site registration fee is $110.

We interviewed a few of the exhibitors and got closeups of some of the more unusual delicacies in this video for you to savor.  We're presenting them in two parts today and tomorrow.

We apologize for the loud background noise from the 6,000 attendees milling about the exhibit space while we were conducting the interviews. Listening with earbuds or headphones is recommended.

Enjoy!
  
A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

OU Certifies Kosher Impossible Cheeseburger, But Where Can You Find It?

According to the website of the Orthodox Union, the kosher certification agency has given its certification to the Impossible Burger, a meatless creation that mimics the taste and look of a beefburger and even "bleeds" like the real thing.

The OU website says:

As kosher Jews, the cheese burger, or even eating dairy following a burger, have always been off limits. That is, until Tuesday, May 22, when Impossible Foods partnered with the OU to certify their Impossible Burgers as OU Kosher’s newest kosher products.
The Impossible Foods Company differentiates itself from other vegetarian companies by making especially authentic tasting meat, cheese and fish that can fool even the sharpest tongues.

The Impossible Burger, their first kosher product, is made using wheat, coconut oil, potatoes, and special ingredient, Heme, a molecule that gives the burger its meaty taste. Heme contains iron and can be found in every single plant and animal. The Heme molecule in plant based Heme is identical to the Heme molecule found in meat. That’s what allows for the richness of the Impossible Burger.

What chefs say differentiates the Impossible Burger from other veggie burgers is simple: the Impossible Burger really does bleed like a meat-based burger.

“Getting Kosher certification is an important milestone,” said Impossible Foods CEO and Founder Dr. Patrick O. Brown. “We want the Impossible Burger to be ubiquitous, and that means it must be affordable and accessible to everyone–including people who have food restrictions for religious reasons.”

With this meat free technology, kosher Jews can finally enjoy a burger with whatever toppings they want, including cheese!

It sounds great, but where can you find it? It's not yet available in supermarkets -- only in select (so far not kosher) restaurants. According to Dani Klein, creator of the YeahThat'sKosher website, the only kosher restaurant that carries the product is Shilo's in Los Angeles.

The downside?
Shiloh’s is a meat restaurant.

Much of the excitement for the Impossible Burger was to mimic the taste and texture of real meat and add real cheese for a near-authentic cheeseburger. Shiloh’s can’t offer that unfortunately.

Numerous kosher restaurants around the country are testing the Impossible Burger in their restaurants, and YeahThatsKosher will be updated as more kosher places add this hot new item to the menu.

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

U.S. Diplomats at Tel Aviv Embassy Taste Rosh Hashanah Foods for the First Time

Every year new American diplomats arrive in Israel to serve at the American Embassy. This year the embassy staff decided to test their "guts" with a couple of dishes that are most closely associated with Rosh Hashanah. 

These reactions you don't want to miss. US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman makes an appearance at the end of the tasting.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

EXCLUSIVE On-Site Report! Best In Show and Unusual New Products From Kosherfest 2016 - Part 2

Today we're bringing you part two of our report from Kosherfest 2016.  

On Tuesday, the first day of the show, we interviewed representatives of companies exhibiting a variety of products, some of which were prize winners and others that just appealed to us as being unusual or of special interest. We posted five segments yesterday and another four today.

The products are Unorthodox Wines from South Africa, Cheesecake cones, Kosher Sake from Japan, Asian Meals in a Box, Seaweed Chips, Dyna-Sea Surimi Imitation Crab Cakes, Kosher Korean Kimchi, Smartfruit drinks, Manischewitz Matzo S'mores and Matzo Pizza Kits for Kids.

More than 400 exhibitors lined both sides of seven aisles to vie for the attention of visitors (trade only -- but some kiddush aficionados seem to have found their way into the hall) who tried to manage noshing and stuffing literature into the bags provided by some vendors (and rolling suitcases brought by attendees).  And there was plenty to nosh and to stuff.

Some of the samples were meat, some were dairy, and some were pareve.  But all three types were scattered around the show floor, so anyone trying to keep kosher had to make careful choices.

We apologize for the loud background noise from the 6,000 attendees milling about the exhibit space while we were conducting the interviews.
Enjoy!  

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

EXCLUSIVE On-Site Report! Best In Show and Unusual New Products From Kosherfest 2016 - Part 1 (Watch For Part 2 Tomorrow)

Unorthodox Wines from South Africa, Cheesecake cones, Kosher sake, Asian meals in a box, Seaweed chips, Pareve chocolate spreads, Matzo S'mores, Matzo Pizza, Smart Fruit juices, and Kosher Korean Kimchi.
These are some of the prize winning and unusual products on display yesterday and today for the thousands of visitors representing all aspects of the food industry at Kosherfest 2016 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.

More than 400 exhibitors lining both sides of seven aisles are vying  for the attention of visitors (trade only -- but some kiddush aficionados seem to have found their way into the hall) who try to manage noshing and stuffing literature into the bags provided by some vendors (and rolling suitcases brought by attendees).  And there's plenty to nosh and to stuff.

 
Some of the samples are meat, some are dairy, and some are pareve.  But all three types are scattered around the show floor, so anyone trying to keep kosher has to make careful choices.

 

The vendors are hoping that visitors will make bulk purchases, and some of the newer, smaller, and foreign companies exhibiting for the first time are hoping to find distributors who will bring their wares to your local supermarket.

 
If you love kiddush, can make a case for being in some kind of food-related business, have a few hours to spare and don't mind walking a a quarter mile to a parking lot, this is the place for you.  It's still open all day today, Wednesday, from 10 am to 4 pm.  The on-site registration fee is $100.
 

We interviewed a few of the exhibitors and got closeups of some of the more unusual delicacies in this video for you to savor.  We're presenting them in two parts today and tomorrow. 

 

We apologize for the loud background noise from the 6,000 attendees milling about the exhibit space while we were conducting the interviews.

 

Enjoy!  

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

EXCLUSIVE On-Site Report! Best In Show and Unusual New Products From Kosherfest 2015 - Part 2

Today we're bringing you part two of our report from Kosherfest 2015.  On Monday, the first day of the show, we interviewed representatives of eight companies exhibiting a variety of products, some of which were prize winners and others that just appealed to us as being unusual or of special interest. We posted four segments yesterday and another four today.

The eight products are BBQ Pulled Beef Brisket, Chocolate Leather, Fancy Desserts, Black Bean and Chickpea Brownies, Double Ale Cheddar Cheese, Caramel Corn, EZ-Prep Gefilte Fish, and a Do-it-Yourself Vanilla Cookie Chanukah House. 

More than 400 exhibitors lined both sides of seven aisles to vie for the attention of visitors (trade only -- but some kiddush aficionados seem to have found their way into the hall) who tried to manage noshing and stuffing literature into the bags provided by some vendors (and rolling suitcases brought by attendees).  And there was plenty to nosh and to stuff.

Some of the samples were meat, some were dairy, and some were pareve.  But all three types were scattered around the show floor, so anyone trying to keep kosher had to make careful choices.

We apologize for the loud background noise from the 6,000 attendees milling about the exhibit space while we were conducting the interviews.

Enjoy!  

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

EXCLUSIVE On-Site Report! Best In Show and Unusual New Products From Kosherfest 2015 - Part 1 (Watch For Part 2 Tomorrow)

BBQ Pulled Beef Brisket, Chocolate Leather, Fancy Desserts, Black Bean and Chickpea Brownies, Double Ale Cheddar Cheese, Caramel Corn, EZ-Prep Gefilte Fish, and a Do-it-Yourself Vanilla Cookie Chanukah House.

These are some of the prize winning and unusual products on display yesterday and today for the thousands of visitors representing all aspects of the food industry at Kosherfest 2015 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.

More than 400 exhibitors lining both sides of seven aisles are vying  for the attention of visitors (trade only -- but some kiddush aficionados seem to have found their way into the hall) who try to manage noshing and stuffing literature into the bags provided by some vendors (and rolling suitcases brought by attendees).  And there's plenty to nosh and to stuff.

 
Some of the samples are meat, some are dairy, and some are pareve.  But all three types are scattered around the show floor, so anyone trying to keep kosher has to make careful choices.

 
The vendors are hoping that visitors will make bulk purchases, and some of the newer, smaller, and foreign companies exhibiting for the first time are hoping to find distributors who will bring their wares to your local supermarket.

 
If you love kiddush, can make a case for being in some kind of food-related business, have a few hours to spare and don't mind walking half a mile to a parking lot, this is the place for you.  It's still open all day today, Wednesday, from 10 am to 4 pm.  The on-site registration fee is $90.
 

We interviewed a few of the exhibitors and got closeups of some of the more unusual delicacies in this video for you to savor.  We're presenting them in two parts -- four products today and four products tomorrow. 

We apologize for the loud background noise from the 6,000 attendees milling about the exhibit space while we were conducting the interviews.

Enjoy!  

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

Americans Try Snacks From Israel and React to Their Taste

Two Americans from the midwest have been posting videos of their reviews of a service that sends monthly boxes of local snacks from countries around the world.

In this video they taste products for the first time that we and many of our readers have tasted on visits to Israel or in the Israeli products aisle in local supermarkets. 

Bamba, Bissli, Elite, Pesek Zman...Yum!

These two are obviously not regular visitors to Israel or shopping in local stores that carry Israeli products. Their reactions are fresh (like the food, we hope) and candid.

Do you agree with their love of Bamba with hazelnut filling and distaste for halvah?

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 

A Higher Authority? Hebrew National Posts Videos Combining Its Kosher Franks With Bacon, Cheese, and Mussels

JTA reports that Hebrew National, makers of hot dogs that generally win consumer contests for best tasting frankfurters, but are eschewed by many Orthodox Jews who don't trust their triangle K kosher certification, has been running short videos on its home page that show its hot dogs on skewers with cheese and shaved bacon.

As Uriel Heilman writes in the JTA article,

Dan Skinner, a public relations manager for Hebrew National, told JTA he doesn’t see any problem with the videos, which were produced in partnership with Tasting Table, which produces content for food companies and runs a culinary website.

“Our hot dogs follow very strict kosher standards in terms of the preparation of the hot dogs themselves, and keeping that kosher process is very important to us,” Skinner said. “But our consumers eat the hot dogs for a number of reasons. Some stick to our hot dogs for kosher reasons, and some eat our hot dogs for reasons of taste and preference. For those consumers we have presented recipe options that are not necessarily kosher recipes in the strictest sense.

The article cites a survey that shows that only 14 percent of consumers polled in that survey said they seek out kosher for religious reasons. 

Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of the kosher division of the Orthodox Union, told JTA that in general there is no inherent problem with companies advertising the use of their kosher products in non-kosher recipes — but there are some exceptions.

“It depends on the context,” Genack said. “A kosher product that’s sold to the general population, if it’s not confusing in any way, that would be OK. If it’s a company that’s selling kosher meat and there’s a real potential for confusion, that would be a problem.”Granting of O.U. certification is not dependent only on the food, Genack said.

The O.U., the largest kosher certifier in the country, does not offer certification to restaurants or caterers that violate the Jewish Sabbath, and it would not certify an establishment whose ambiance does not comport with Orthodox values, such as a strip club, even if the food were strictly kosher. He also noted that the O.U.’s contract with food companies includes a clause that places limits on advertising that might damage the O.U. brand.

“Kosher supervision does not only relate to the kosher food; it’s also the ambiance,” Genack told JTA. “A lot of these things are judgment calls.”

But judgments can be subjective. It didn't take long for us to find a couple of products certified by the O.U. that could give the wrong impression that ham and pork are kosher because Mrs. Schlorer's Ham Glaze and Sauer's Pork Rub are shown with the OU on their labels and described as exclusively seasoning those treif meats. 

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 

The Ultimate Chasidic Food Taste Test

There seems to be a surge of videos showing reactions of non-Jews to eating Jewish food for the first time. 

We've already run a few of them in previous months, but we keep seeing new attempts by different posters to introduce these dishes to people who haven't a clue as to what they are and what they taste like.

Here's one of the latest videos called The Ultimate Chasidic Food Taste Test. We wouldn't categorize schmaltz herring, p'tcha (which they call gala), gribenes (which they call grieven), cholent (which they call yapchik), Yerushalmi kugel, and kishke as Chasidic, but simply as Jewish food from the old country. But if they want to call these delights Chasidic food, it's OK with us.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 

Americans Review Bamba, Bissli, and Other Israeli Snacks

This week the Jerusalem Post featured a report on BuzzFeed's funny video about popular Israeli snack and how typical Americans might react to them. BuzzFeed, a popular US humor website, was creating a sequel to two of their previous hit videos, The Jewish Food Taste Test, and Hanukkah Explained by Christians.

The new video, called Americans Try Israeli Snacks, zeroes in on some of the most popular Israeli snacks and shows young Americans tasting and reviewing them.

The Jerusalem Post reported that:

The brave tasters all marveled over Elite's milk chocolate bar with popping candies, bewildered by the chocolate treat's tendency to "crackle in your mouth!"; One reviewer was reminiscent of Harry Potter eating the treat, saying "Fred and George Weasley would totally think of something like this."

Bamba was received with some hesitation, as some were disappointed to be greeted with a peanut-buttery flavor as opposed to the cheesey cheetoh flavor they expected, a result of the two snack's similar appearance.

Bissli got rave reviews despite it's unappealing shape which reminded one man  of, "some sort of rodent poo."

Crembo got compared to Pokemon's Diglett character, and, more realistically, to a Malomar, another variation of a chocolate covered marshmallow treat popular in America.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

EXCLUSIVE On-Site Report! Best In Show and Unusual New Products From Kosherfest 2014

Carrot cake macaroons, chocolate candy hamantaschen, gluten-free ginger snap cookies, kosher "crab, lobster, scallops, and shrimp", hemp flour and seeds, tea ice pops, and Marzipan rugelach from Jerusalem.
 

These are some of the prize winning and unusual products on display yesterday and today for the thousands of visitors representing all aspects of the food industry at Kosherfest 2014 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.

More than 325 exhibitors lining both sides of seven aisles are vying  for the attention of visitors (trade only -- but some kiddush aficionados seem to have found their way into the hall) who try to manage noshing and stuffing literature into the bags provided by some vendors (and rolling suitcases brought by attendees).  And there's plenty to nosh and to stuff.

Some of the samples are meat, some are dairy, and some are pareve.  But all three types are scattered around the show floor, so anyone trying to keep kosher has to make careful choices.

The vendors are hoping that visitors will make bulk purchases, and some of the newer, smaller, and foreign companies exhibiting for the first time are hoping to find distributors who will bring their wares to your local supermarket.

If you love kiddush, can make a case for being in some kind of food-related business, have a few hours to spare and don't mind walking half a mile to a parking lot, this is the place for you.  It's still open all day today, Wednesday, from 10 am to 4 pm.  The on-site registration fee is $90.

We interviewed a few of the exhibitors and got closeups of some of the more unusual delicacies in this video for you to savor.  Enjoy!  

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)\

People Trying Jewish Food for the First Time - Hilarious!

Gefilte Fish. Kugel. Matzah Ball Soup. Chopped Liver. Rugelach. Manischewitz Concord Grape Wine.

Odds are that you ate some or all these foods last week at a Rosh Hashanah or Shabbat meal, and probably didn't think twice about it.

But what would happen if you put these heimishe traditional Jewish foods in front of non-Jews who never heard of them and never tasted them? 

Just a few days ago, BuzzFeed Yellow, the website that posts all sorts of funny videos, posted this one and it already has more than a million page views. So it's likely that you've already seen it, but we couldn't resist posting it on Jewish Humor Central because it's such a perfect fit for our site. It even inspired us to create an hour-long comedy program called Jewish Food Follies to add to the roster of programs and lectures that we're doing around the USA and in Israel.

How did the non-Jewish tasters react when they sampled our delicious dishes? You have to see the video, but here are a few examples:

GEFILTE FISH: "It's like if tuna got pushed into a ball and got compressed for hundreds of years."
KUGEL: "It's like it wants to be macaroni and cheese and also wants to be a cake but doesn't know which one it is yet."
MATZAH BALL SOUP: "I would eat this all day. I would have sex with this."
CHOPPED LIVER: "This is poop. It seriously looks like diarrhea. The consistency is exactly like Fancy Feast."
RUGELACH: "It's real packed in. It has the same consistency as gefilte fish."
MANISCHEWITZ WINE: "I could get wasted off this at a nice Passover or Bar Mitzvah."

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 



(A tip of the kippah to Jack Kustanowitz for first bringing this video to our attention.)

The Forward Chefs Make Gluten-Free Chicken Matzo Ball Soup For Your Seder

Gluten-free matzo balls? Rukhl Schaechter and Eve Jochnowitz, the Yiddish speaking chefs from the Jewish Daily Forward, found a way for gluten-restricted seder participants to enjoy chicken matzo ball soup with ground nuts substituting for matzo meal. Of course, if anyone is allergic to nuts, oh well...

According to the chefs, the resulting product is not going to be as fluffy as traditional matzo balls, but it will be very tasty (geshmack, in Yiddish).

We're posting this a few days before seder night to give you time to incorporate this recipe into your cooking plans.

As usual with our Yiddish recipe sessions (we've posted 20 in the last four years -- see "Est Gezunterheit" in the list of keywords in the left column) we're including a few funny-sounding Yiddish words that are used in this episode. If you're a follower of this series, you've heard most of them already.

Chicken soup = Hindel yoich
Oil = Boimel
Drumsticks = Pulkelach
Vegetables = Grintzen
Parsley = Pasternak
Garlic = Knubble
Parsley = Petrusshka

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 

Guggle-Muggle - The Miracle Concoction of the Shtetl, Broadway Stage, and Synagogue

What did Barbra Streisand, Ed Koch, and cantors preparing to sing Kol Nidre in their synagogue have in common? Guggle-Muggle (or Gogol-Mogol) -- the miracle drink that originated in the shtetls of Eastern Europe and made its way to America.

The guggle-muggle pops up every few years in the Jewish blogosphere as a cure for the common cold, a candidate, along with chicken soup, for the title of "Jewish Penicillin" and as a performance enhancing substance for cantors and choir boys. 

Although there are endless variations on the ingredients used in this concoction, there seems to be a consensus that a guggle-muggle must contain a raw egg, honey, and a shot of whiskey.

This week it surfaced in an article by Zachary Solomon in Jewniverse, a blog published by My Jewish Learning.com. In 2010 Elizabeth Alpern reported on the golden wonder in even more detail in the Forward's Jew and the Carrot blog.

In September, Al Rosen, a World War II Veteran, added his guggle-muggle memories to the Wexler Oral History Project of the Yiddish Book Center. In a short interview segment, Rosen recalls how his father, a cantor, used the elixir to get his throat in shape to deliver a proper version of Kol Nidre.

Enjoy!

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(A tip of the kippah to Esther Kustanowitz for bringing this story to our attention.)