Kashrut

The humble gefilte fish — the perfunctory seder meal starter long mocked for its blandness — is finally getting some respect.

At Kutsher’s Tribeca it’s made from wild halibut and garnished with micro arugula, while at the Gefilteria it’s crafted from sustainably-raised fish and topped with a freshly prepared horseradish.

Q:  I’ve heard that turkey may actually not be kosher. Is that true?

A:   From a halachic/ethical standpoint, it is 100% kosher.  Or not. 

 Q -  I recently heard reports about the creation of artificial meat, using with animal stem cells.  To this point, it exists only in a Petri dish, but it's time to start asking the tough questions.  As one who keeps kosher and who is a vegetarian, would this kind of meat would be kosher - and would that be true even for pork?  And since no killing would be involved, could a vegetarian eat this meat with a clear conscience?

A- As they say at Citi Field, it’s time to “Meet the Meats.”

Q - I've heard that pets are supposed to keep Passover. I'm fairly traditional regarding Passover and just got a dog. Isn't it cruel to force an innocent animal to change its entire diet for a whole week? It's hard enough for humans!

A- As the proud owner of two adorable standard poodles, one of whom is extremely neurotic, I can sympathize with you.

Yes, once again kosher is not yosher (just)!

Pickles used to be my favorite snack, but now I can't help but think of the workers in a pickle at Flaum Appetizing before taking a bite.

Just a few years ago, Flaum, which also produces Sonny & Joe's and distributes Tnuva and Bodek products, fired seventeen Latino workers who stood up against over a decade of abusive treatment and unlawfully-withheld benefits and overtime pay.

Over the past few decades single-malt Scotch whisky has become one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jewish circles, a fact not lost on whisky producers. According to David Blackmore, the global brand manager for the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg distilleries, “It’s no great secret that the Jewish community in America really loves their single malts.”