Yes, it's interesting, a Reuben, which is so commonly associated with NY deli culture, is not kosher. It has meat and cheese on the same sandwich. Wish there was a way to make it kosher. Maybe omit the cheese and add extra Russian Dressing?
I like the idea of "glue" holding a culture together. I've used that term before. The "glue" that has once held our culture together (as well as other cultural/religious groups over the last century) has disintegrated. The coherent, cohesive communities of the past are no longer here. :(
I see a similar trend amongst non-Jews as well. Growing up in upstate NY, everyone was Catholic. Catholic culture was strong. So was the culture of mainline Protestant churches, of which my mother's family were a part. My grandparents were from Staunton, and were a part of that culture. As I've grown up (I'm a millennial), I've watched that cultural glue fall apart as well. I've watched the old timers pass on.
Last month, my cousin and his wife came to visit with their girls. They, too, are a mixed marriage, but both are non-religious. When we were out driving around, I pointed to the synagogue where we used to attend, and where my dad's family used to attend. The little girl said, "what's a synagogue?"
I'd never heard of Nosh-a-Nooga, but I'm also not from the South. I'm curious to know more about "southern Kosher" and what that might look like. How you could adapt southern cooking to the kosher dietary laws. I think that this would be hard, given that pork is so much a part of the southern diet. But I often think of yellow squash and onions. There's squash casserole, but that would be dairy. I think of Brunswick Stew which is very not kosher, but the recipe attributed to my great-grandmother didn't include pork (or possum), only chicken, tomatoes, potatoes, lima beans and corn. I guess you could still use smoked turkey or chicken necks?
I'm also curious about the diets of Jews in colonial America.
I look forward to reading this book.
Yes, it's interesting, a Reuben, which is so commonly associated with NY deli culture, is not kosher. It has meat and cheese on the same sandwich. Wish there was a way to make it kosher. Maybe omit the cheese and add extra Russian Dressing?
I like the idea of "glue" holding a culture together. I've used that term before. The "glue" that has once held our culture together (as well as other cultural/religious groups over the last century) has disintegrated. The coherent, cohesive communities of the past are no longer here. :(
I see a similar trend amongst non-Jews as well. Growing up in upstate NY, everyone was Catholic. Catholic culture was strong. So was the culture of mainline Protestant churches, of which my mother's family were a part. My grandparents were from Staunton, and were a part of that culture. As I've grown up (I'm a millennial), I've watched that cultural glue fall apart as well. I've watched the old timers pass on.
Last month, my cousin and his wife came to visit with their girls. They, too, are a mixed marriage, but both are non-religious. When we were out driving around, I pointed to the synagogue where we used to attend, and where my dad's family used to attend. The little girl said, "what's a synagogue?"
This absolutely is one of my favorite essays on the topic of being a Jew. Good natured humor…
Your mama is proud.
Thank you for never making cinnamon and sugar matzah balls!
I'd never heard of Nosh-a-Nooga, but I'm also not from the South. I'm curious to know more about "southern Kosher" and what that might look like. How you could adapt southern cooking to the kosher dietary laws. I think that this would be hard, given that pork is so much a part of the southern diet. But I often think of yellow squash and onions. There's squash casserole, but that would be dairy. I think of Brunswick Stew which is very not kosher, but the recipe attributed to my great-grandmother didn't include pork (or possum), only chicken, tomatoes, potatoes, lima beans and corn. I guess you could still use smoked turkey or chicken necks?
I'm also curious about the diets of Jews in colonial America.