Jewish Cuisine

[Pomai]

As you may know, Chanukkah began last night, starting an eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights. In fact, Governor Lingle who is Jewish lit the Menorah at last night's Festival of Lights ceremony at the Gateway Park in Waikiki.

With that comes the foods that are traditionally served during this holiday celebration.

A coworker of mine who is Jewish brought us some Latkes for breakfast this morning for us to try and a first for me. It's similar to a potato hash (hash brown), but also includes grated onions and flour (with an egg binder), fried and served with an apple sauce and sour cream condiment. Really tasty! I like it. Funny though, the other guys were asking where's the ketchup, Portuguese sausage and scrambled eggs to go with it. lol

She and her boyfriend also plan on serving the other traditional Chanukkah dishes over the next week, including Motza Ball Soup, Beef Brisket, Kugel, as well as Jelly Doughnuts.

She raves about this Kosher foods place in Manoa called Yudi's Deli. In fact that's where they'll be getting their Challah bread for the Sabbath this Friday. I'd like to check this place out. Although I'm not Jewish, I can totally get into this kinda' cuisine!

[glossyp]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

For those who want to try their hand at making latkes, we just happen to be featuring them at the site right now. Potato Latkes. They are really tasty.

Pomai, do keep us posted on the various dishes as you try them. I'm particularly interested in the kugel. So many variations and lots of discussion about what constitutes a "true" kugel.

[scrivener]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

A student of mine taught me how to make hamentashen, and it was really fun. I have a fondness for Jewish culture; I really think someday I might join the Messianic church. There used to be a kosher store down at the corner of King and Dillingham, where the KFC is, but it didn't last there for long. Where is this place in Manoa?

[glossyp]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

A student of mine taught me how to make hamentashen, and it was really fun. I have a fondness for Jewish culture; I really think someday I might join the Messianic church. There used to be a kosher store down at the corner of King and Dillingham, where the KFC is, but it didn't last there for long. Where is this place in Manoa?

I didn't recognize the name Hamentash, but I surely knew what it was when I saw the picture. I remember eating apricot ones when I was small. A classmate would bring them and they were delicious. Let me know if you convert!

Yudi's is right next to Boston Pizza on E. Manoa Rd. behind the drive-thru coffee cafe.

[Pomai]

Re: Jewish Cuisine: What is Kosher?

For those who want to try their hand at making latkes, we just happen to be featuring them at the site right now. Potato Latkes. They are really tasty.

Nice photo of the Latkes. Much better looking than the ones I had this morning, but still, they were really good! She didn't serve ours with the cinammon and sugar, but that sounds like a nice touch.

do keep us posted on the various dishes as you try them. I'm particularly interested in the kugel. So many variations and lots of discussion about what constitutes a "true" kugel.

I won't be over their house to try all that yummy sounding stuff, but she did mention she'll be making the Kugel in both the savory and dessert versions. The savory being made with noodles and vegetables like a casserole, and the dessert version she's thinking will be like a carrot cake. I'll let you know next week what exactly she made.

What's interesting is this whole KOSHER thing, which is an adjective title tagged onto foods that adhere to Jewish law.

In fact, there was this bag of Cheerios Snack Mix sitting on my desk, and she pointed out the OU symbol (U inside the O; for Orthodox Union) on the packaging which indicates this food product is approved as "kosher". There's also a D next to that which indicates it includes Dairy, so someone Jewish wouldn't want to eat this snack mix along with, say Beef Jerky. Right?

If it's labeled OU with PAREVE next to it, that means it includes no dairy and is the highest level of "kosher".

Pork and shellfish are considered NOT kosher and forbidden. Most other meats and fish are considered kosher, yet with certain restrictions if you look at the details.

While not common in most supermarkets, you can sometimes find kosher fish such as salmon (from Costco in the freezer section) and meats such as whole turkey; all you need to look for is that OU symbol. Otherwise, Yudi's Deli has Kosher meats flown in from the east coast, albeit at a higher than average price point.

By tradition, these meats and fish have to be approved by the Rabbi. You Jewish folks may want to correct, specify or elaborate on this.

Very interesting indeed.

[Vanguard]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

Perhaps Bernard's Deli would also be a good place to look for certain foods with Jewish influence; although last I heard, they are not Kosher.

[tikiyaki]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

Man, I've only had it once or twice, but real noodle pudding cooked by a Jewish mom is pretty awesome.

When I need to get my kosher on, I go to Canters for matzo Ball Soup. Of course, it's not in Hawaii, tho'

[tutusue]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

[...]When I need to get my kosher on, I go to Canters for matzo Ball Soup. Of course, it's not in Hawaii, tho'

Whatta blast from the past! I used to work across the street from Canters at CBS TV City. Canters and Farmers Market were my regular hangouts! The cheesecake at Canters was to die for! Yum...

[Honoruru]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

Perhaps Bernard's Deli would also be a good place to look for certain foods with Jewish influence; although last I heard, they are not Kosher.

Is Bernard's still around?

[Vanguard]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

Is Bernard's still around?

Good question, I haven't been to Hawai'i in years, I apologize for my dated information

[tikiyaki]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

Whatta blast from the past! I used to work across the street from Canters at CBS TV City. Canters and Farmers Market were my regular hangouts! The cheesecake at Canters was to die for! Yum...

LOTS of yummy stuff at Canters...and open 24 hours too. Still a Hollywood staple for sure.

Sue, you wouldn't recognize the Farmers Market anymore. They built a HUGE Theme Park Shopping monster mall around it called the Grove. You have to pay to park there now, and it's ALWAYS a ZOO. Very sad. Click the link at the bottom of this for my blog and I have a whole entry about it.

Hollywood is just NOT a fun place to be anymore.

[Pomai]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

Pomai, do keep us posted on the various dishes as you try them. I'm particularly interested in the kugel. So many variations and lots of discussion about what constitutes a "true" kugel.

In WRN's Matzo thread, I mentioned trying the Falafel Platter from Yudi's Deli. Here it is...


Falafel Platter from Yudi's Deli, $9.99

It includes 5 Falafel (not 4 as mentioned earlier), which is those meatball (but no meat; I think he uses fava beans and chickpeas) looking things, Babaganoush (how Yudi spells it), Hummus, 2 types of Cole Slaw, an Israeli salad (bottom left) and pita bread....



It shows only one pita here (pretty big and thick), but IIRC, it included two.

You put all that stuff on or inside the pita bread, in a cumbersome sort of way, but the overall combination of all those textures and flavors are fantastic. This is a vegetarian dish, making it a refreshing experience, not heavy.

[AbsolutChaos]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

You put all that stuff on or inside the pita bread, in a cumbersome sort of way, but the overall combination of all those textures and flavors are fantastic. This is a vegetarian dish, making it a refreshing experience, not heavy.

Man, oh man...I miss Mazal's Kosherland's version of that sandwich...they had some kinda hot sauce, which for me is KEY! One of these days I gotta ignore my lack of a sense of direction and brave venturing into Manoa for the version at Yudi's Deli...

Love, love, LOVE Mediterranean food!

[scrivener]

Re: Jewish Cuisine

Oh man, Pomai. That makes me drool. You didn't really rate the individual components, although I'm not sure it matters, because that photo's enough to make me wanna go there anyway.

Dang, only two pitas for that much food? That's one of my problems with places like this: You always have to order an extra pita or two.