THE KOSHER NEXUS
A Publication of the Union For Traditional Judaism
Copyright © 2002-2003 The Union for Traditional Judaism
2002 Vol. 9 No.5 Autumn
Hot town, summer in the city.
Yes, it was that time once again. Time to head into the Big Apple, to the Jacob Javits Center for the Fancy Food Show, the Goliath of all food shows. The one they call Big Momma. Many have tried to see it all, but few have succeeded. The bodies of broken and tired reporters, buyers, and samplers can be found lying on the floor, too pooped to pop outside even. Yet, there we were with a whole new cast of characters.
For many years now, Deborah Wenger has labored in the editorial back offices of the UTJ slaving over our turgid prose, blue pencil in hand, dictionary on stand-by, an ever-ready "Aha, gotcha" perched on her lips. We have spent years patiently teaching our devoted Production Editor the finer and more subtle points of food show attending, food sampling and food reporting. (Pub. Ed.'s note: Eating lots of good food. What a hardshipÉ) And now she steps up to the plate, taking her maiden voyage at the one they call Big Momma. (We are also very pleased to note that Deborah has been named Publications Editor for all of the UTJ's publications. Mazal Tov!) So, Rabbotai U'Gvirotai, ladies and gents, boys and girls, please welcome our newest columnist to our pages. Look for Deborah's column inside.
Also along for the ride were "Uncle" Marty (he's everybody's uncle) and the lovely and talented Cheryl, his eishet chayil (woman of valor). Marty and Cheryl used to be in the deli business so little training was necessary. We took them on a practice run back in February to the New York Food Service and Restaurant show, and they did just fine. In fact, Cheryl and I were in awe of Uncle Marty's prowess at the bargaining table... and his uncanny ability to meet and greet every single exhibitor in the whole place and to "schmooze" them all.
Once again, then, it's show time. Put on your walking shoes, wear comfortable clothes, and get ready for some really fine news from the wonderful world of gourmet foods. Here we go!
We begin simply enough: These were the things that wowed us the most. And, out of the literally thousands and thousands of products, that is really something!
From MRS. PRINDABLE'S comes some of the most beautiful and tasty product we have ever seen. Ms.Wenger was heard to ooh and ah. Unc' Marty and Cheryl stood in respectful silence before these babies. Your Editor in Chief pretended that he was totally blasé about the whole thing, but truth be told, even he was mightily impressed. Nu? What is it already? Well, simply put these are chocolate covered candy apples. But these are way, way upscale products. Each apple in the Premium Designer Collection is a work of art, and they come in either milk chocolate pecan or triple chocolate. The apples are huge, and are covered in a most gorgeous drip of brown and white chocolate or solid chocolate with nuts. Each is capped with a keepsake ornament. The Signature Collection is no less eye-catching, but the apples are topped with ribbons. You could serve one of these as a dessert for the entire table! Certification is by the Triangle cRc, and they are all dairy. On the web you can find them at www.mrsprindables.com (as we go to print, the web site is still under development). They are located at Affy Tapple, LLC 6300 Gross Point Road, Niles, IL 60714. The phone number is 847-588-2900. Folks, these are seriously beautiful products; true eye candy. And oh yes, they taste great, too!
As we strolled the aisles, Marty suddenly said to me, "Hey, wanna see me read that sushi box?" For as long as I have known Marty, he has never once shown any indication of knowing how to read Japanese. I looked at a box and said, "Yeah, right!" He said, "It says, Sushi Amiti." I had looked at a box on the left; the boxes on the right had Hebrew writing below the Japanese and I never saw it. He was right! It did say "real" Kosher Sushi. From MARCO POLO FOODS comes Kosher Sushi. Packed in ten-piece boxes, the sushi comes with soy sauce, wasabi and a pair of chopsticks. Certification is by the OU and Rav Rottenberg of Paris. The company can be reached at www.marcopolo.fr (Warning: The web page is in French) or at 139 Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, La Courneuve, France 93126. You can phone them at 33 (0) 1 48 37 74 00.
What would the Food Show be without a visit to our great friend Sandi Ford of BONE SUCKIN' SAUCE? As always, Sandi, Momma, Pebbles, Patrick and the rest of the crew all wore huge smiles as they watched as hundreds of fans stopped by to worship at the Shrine of Sauce! This year, Sandi introduced a brand new product, one that had Deborah literally licking her fingers as she enjoyed taste after taste In fact she proclaimed it to be exactly what the market has needed all these years. What was this new product? Bone Suckin' Rib Rub, that's what. You rub this mixture on your chicken, beef, pasta, veggies, fish, beans... it's mmmm good on everything! (Yes, it's great on ribs, too.) Certification is by Rabbi Mendelson of Kansas City. The rub is pareve (duh!). This is a really welcome new addition to the amazing Bone Suckin' line. You can find BSS at www.bonesuckin.com or you can write to them at Ford's Fancy Foods, 1109 Agriculture Street. Raleigh, NC 27603. Be sure to tell them you read all about them in the KN! The phone number is 800-446-0947.
You're gonna laugh at this one, but believe it or not, frozen French fries can be gourmet if they try hard enough. Or if they come from ALEXIA FOODS. This company makes really good fries. These are not your average pop Ôem in the oven and wait for them to get soggy and hot fries. No sir. These are amazing examples of gourmet style and convenience all rolled into one. These oven fries come in four varieties: Julienne Fries with Sea Salt, Rissole Potatoes with Garden Herbs, Russet Potatoes with Olive Oil and Sea Salt, and Russet Potatoes with Olive Oil, Rosemary and Garlic. We tried the first and the last, and they were spectacular. There are no words to describe them. It is possible that our feet left the floor as we gently experienced a taste bud delight that lifted us out of the realm of the mundane and into the rarefied atmosphere of gustatory delight. If you think fries are just kid stuff, you ain't seen nuthin' yet! (We admit it, we are a fries freak. Except in Amsterdam where they eat them with mayo. There we took a pass.) Certification is by the OK and the product is pareve. You can find them at www.alexiafoods.com. You can write to them at Alexia Foods, P.O. Box 229018, Brooklyn, NY 11222. Their phone number is 718-609-5665.
Those were some of the fanciest of the Fancy Foods, but, now, let's get on with the rest of the show!
From NIKKI'S COOKIES come some really fine, OK-certified, dairy cookies. These cookies taste homemade. They contain no preservatives and are all natural. In fact, you can find them in gourmet stores as well as in health food stores. Check these out: In the shortbread line there are: Regular, Key Lime, Pecan and Amaretto. There are chocolate-covered Key Lime Shortbread cookies, English Toffee Cookies, and Cranberry Orange cookies with Walnuts. There are Raspberry and Peanut Butter Ladybugs. There are the Hanukkah, Xmas and Valentine's Day cookies, too. (OK, so one out of three ain't bad!) All are delicious and all are a treat to eat. Nikki's Cookies is located at 2018 South 1st Street, Milwaukee, WI 53207. The phone number is 800-776-7107.
Remember Aunt Gussie's cookies? We've written about them in the past. Well, it seems that the Tante (aunt) has been very busy of late. She now offers spelt sugar-free cookies, wheat sugar-free cookies, wheat flour classics (contains sugar), and both wheat and spelt Cracker Flats. All of the products we tasted were quite tasty. We tried the spelt and it was quite good, but of course nothing compares to full-fledged sugar and wheat cookies (unless, of course, you can't have them, in which case we apologize for our cavalier attitude.) By the way, Gussie uses only organic wheat and organic spelt.
Go visit your Aunt Gussie...she always has some awesome baked goods on hand! Their phone number is 973-340-4480. You can find Gussie on the web at www.auntgussies.com. You can write to them at 141 Lanza Ave, Building 8, Garfield, NJ 07026.
DANCING DEER BAKING COMPANY is a Star-D certified cookie company. They make some really great-tasting dairy cookies. We tried the Chocolate Tangerine with some trepidation, but it was really quite tasty... real chocolate flavor with a citrusy tang. They also offer Maple Oatmeal, Molasses Clove, Peanut Butter Honey, Sugar Cane Lime and more. You can find them on the web at www.dancingdeer.com. You can write to them at 77 Shirley St, Boston, MA 02119. You can phone them at 617-442-7300.
The most jovial and outgoing person we met at the show had to be Joseph Semprevivo, owner of JOSEPH'S LITE COOKIES. Joe's cookies are approved for diabetics by the National Diabetes Outreach. They are also on the Weight Watchers and Atkins lists. So, what could be bad? Available in eight flavors, these cookies have no salt, no cholesterol, no sugar, no preservatives, and they are all natural to boot. We tried several and they were really quite yummy. In fact, we tried a whole lot of the cookies and enjoyed all of them. We told ourselves it was okay because those cookies are on the Atkins diet. So what if we had a six-day supply in the span of about five minutes?
As we said before, we met Joseph at the show. What an amazing person. After just a few minutes with him, we felt as if we had known him for years. The man is as real as it gets... he not only sells the product; he created it to meet a personal need. As he will tell you, Joe is diabetic, and his cookies are his way of meeting the world. Thank you, Joe! Next year we are going to get Marty and Joe together. Now, that will be some meeting!
You can reach the company at Joseph's Lite Cookies, 3700 J St., Deming, NJ 88030. You can phone them at 505-546-2839. Certification is Triangle-K.
WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?
Back in 1999, we reported on the one of the best discoveries we made in New Orleans: ZAPP'S Potato Chips. At the time, we told you that these were some of the best chips we have ever had. In fact, we order them via the Internet all the time!
While we were schmoozing with the people at the booth, we found out something very interesting: The good people at Zapp's raised money and sent a brand new fire truck to NYC to help replace one of the many pieces of equipment destroyed in the 9/11 tragedy.
Zapp's chips are kettle cooked in 100% peanut oil and contain no cholesterol. Certification is by the Kof-K. Since we last wrote, they have added some new flavors to the line: XXX Hot Salsa Habenero chips, Dill Gatortators and Mesquite BBQ. Do yourself a favor: buy tix to see Buckwheat Zydeco, and take a few bags of these Bayou babies with you. You can find Zapp's on the web at www.zapps.com. You can phone them at 800-349-2447. You can write to them at 307E Airline Hwy, P.O. Box 1533, Gramercy, LA 70052.
Ride any New York subway, go to any ball park, stop in any corner bodega, grocery, deli, etc., and you are bound to come upon those wonderful bags and tins from BAZZINI'S. This OU-certified company is the king, the absolute king, of nuts. At the food show, they had a bowl of the largest cashews we had ever seen. We asked what they were called, and with a straight face, the man said, "Jumbo Cashews." Jumbo indeed...these were the biggest and best cashews we have ever tasted. Bazzini... we're just nuts about them! The company is located at 200 Food Center Drive, Hunts Point Market, Bronx, NY 10474. The phone number is 718-842-8644. Outside New York State, the number is 800-228-0172.
One of our favorite stops at the various food shows we attend each year is the MOM ÔN POPS booth. This OU-certified company is famous for their beautiful chocolate lollipops. They do all of the American, Christian and Jewish holidays, and they do them the way they should be done: immortalized in chocolate pops. We love schmoozing with Barbara (aka Mom) and seeing what new stuff she has come up with each time we see her. Barbara told us at this show that they will soon introduce a pareve line of goods to supplement their extensive dairy offerings.
Meanwhile, they introduced a beautiful new product at the summer show: WORLD CLASS CANDY ROSES. These babies are as cute as can be, and most delicious, too. Tell your local candy store, bakery, supermarket to contact the company at Mom Ôn Pops Inc., 834 Brooks St., New Windsor, NY 12553. The phone number there is 845-567-0640.
When we were in Vegas (see the last issue of the KN) walking the walk, talking the talk, seeing the shows, finding places to eat and write about (it is true, there is no rest for the weary!), we came upon a new (for us anyway) candy company called ETHEL M. It turns out that Ethel was Mr. M&M's mom, and the company that uses her name (a subsidiary of M&M Mars) uses her original recipes, too. Ethel M just now became OU-certified (except for chocolates containing liqueurs). Watch for Ethel M products in a store near you! Ethel M is located at One Sunset Way, Henderson, NV 89014. The phone number is 702-547-0736. They also publish a mail-order catalog. We tried one candy and it was ta'am gan eden! Our knees buckled and we grew weak. This was some piece of chocolate! Hey, Ethel... you go, girl!
As we rounded a corner at the show, what should catch our eye but a big sign for PRICE'S FINE CHOCOLATES. We thought that this was a new and rather unusual way to make money for the UTJ, and, frankly, we were quite taken aback thinking that he had kept it to himself for so long, but then we realized ... it wasn't Rabbi Price's chocolates at all. Too bad for us, for these were really tasty candies. We tried a white chocolate truffle and a brown chocolate truffle, and we discovered that we don't care what color the truffle is, we just love truffles.
Price's Fine Chocolates are OU-D certified. They are located at 2000 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76107. The phone number there is 800-222-2269.
Of course, all of the above leads us to ask, "So why didn't we think of this before?" With all of our contacts, we could put out Price's Chips, Price's Cookies, Price's BBQ Sauce, Price's Blueberry Pancake Mix, and Price's Pride of the Farm All Natural Marinades and Sauces. It would be all natural (no MSG, no artificial anything, no sugars, no cholesterol, no caffeine, no wheat, etc.). The only question is, could the UTJ grow from low Price'd products? Or would we have to Price our product high? Would our Prices be competitive? And would we have Pride in our Price'y Products? But the toughest question of all would be: Whose hashgacha would we use? Oy, the politics! No wonder it wasn't "his" chocolates!
We don't know about you, but we're thirsty. Let's stop for a drink!
Remember that drink called MANHATTAN SPECIAL? That soda brand is still around (or at least it is around here in the Metro NYC area). They have come out with a new drink: ICED COFFEE DRINKS.
These OU-certified drinks contain 100% Colombian coffee (Juan Yaacov Valdezowitz would be so proud), contain no preservatives, and are ready to drink. Just chill and serve. Flavors include Cappuccino, Hazelnut, French Vanilla and Mocha. We tried the Mocha and found it rather appealing. Try it for yourself! Manhattan Special Bottling Co. is located at 342 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211. (Yes, it's true: Manhattan Ave. is in Brooklyn.) The phone number there is 718-388-4144.
DA VINCI GOURMET makes incredible products. They make flavored syrups that you can add to beverages, as well as concentrated teas (just add water to the concentrate). Best of all, all of their products are Kof-K kosher and pareve. Just about any flavor you can think of, they make. We tried the Spiced Chai, the Lemon Tea and the sugar-free Green Tea. We liked all of them, but we loved the Green Tea. We also tried some of their incredible syrups and we were amazed at the tastes. Da Vinci Gourmet is located at 7224 1st Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98108. You can phone them at 800-640-6779. On the web, you can find them at www.davincigourmet.com.
ROBERT ROTHSCHILD FARM makes some of the most wonderful, amazing products on the face of the earth. Their catalogue's motto is "Experience simple elegance," and those words truly express what this company's products are all about. Here is just a short list of some of their products: Raspberry Wasabi, Blackberry Honey Mustard, Raspberry Salsa, Cinnamon Peach Butter, Apricot and Ginger Oven and Grill Sauce and much more. This company makes nonkosher as well as kosher products, so make sure to look for the Q-Kof on the label. We have enjoyed several of these products in our home and have found all of them to be a most welcome addition to our kitchen.
You can find this company on the web at www.RobertRothschild.com. You can write to them at P.O. Box 767, Urbana, OH 43078. The phone number is 800-356-8933.
From WILD GARDEN comes a new product: HUMMUS DIP. This company markets an OU-certified dip that is hummus-based, or as they say on their label: "creamy garbanzo bean dip." (Hummus by any other name!) Flavors include: Traditional, 2 Pepper, Jalapeno, Fire Roasted Red Pepper, Sun-Dried Tomato, Black Olive, Roasted Garlic and Red Hot Chili Pepper. The whole trick here is that this hummus is "thin" enough to dip chips in. Wow, gotta tell you, that will fill a void at our next party!
You can reach Wild Garden at ZBI, Inc, 5400 West 35th Street, Cicero, IL 60804. On the web, you can find them at www.WildGarden.biz. Their phone number is 708-222-8330.
OLDE CAPE COD puts out several products under the heading of OUT OF THE ORDINARY. There are marinades, sauces, mustards, and salad dressings. This company makes many products and only some of them are kosher, so check each label for an appropriate kosher symbol. In addition, their products carry different certifications. We got to try the Grilling Sauces (Kof-K), which were quite good: Sweet and Fruity Cranberry, Toasted Sesame Soy and Ginger, Lemon Ginger, Sweet and Bold, Black Angus and Honey Orange. We found each sauce to be fresh and zingy. Contact the company at P.O. Box 630, Yarmouth, MA 02675. Their phone number is 508-362-1355.
And so another foodfest comes to an end.
Hmm... the editor-in-chief gets to go to Europe and Israel (see previous issue) while the lowly publications editor goes to New England...rank really does have its privileges! Well, at least I got to take a vacation this summer. Ever dedicated to the KN, your loyal publications editor traveled to Newport, Rhode Island on vacation to check out the kosher scene there. Yes, from what I saw, Newport, Rhode Island has become a haven for observant Jewish tourists. When you think about it, it makes sense: what other vacation spot can boast a synagogue that's a national landmark?
Newport now has something else going for it... one of the few kosher bed-and-breakfasts in the country, the Admiral Weaver Inn. The inn, a house built in 1863, was bought in 1999 by Eugene Twersky, an enterprising Russian immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1990. Trained as an engineer, Mr. Twersky recognized the need for a kosher inn in Newport. With the help of Rabbi Mordechai Eskovitz of the Touro Synagogue, Eugene renovated the inn, installed the kosher kitchen, and opened for business last year. And business is booming...it took me four days to catch up with Eugene, and I actually snapped a picture of him with a phone in each hand and a cell phone clipped to his belt, all of which didn't stop ringing.
Here's the deal: The six-room inn provides kosher dairy breakfasts (under the supervision of Rabbi Eskovitz and the Vaad Hakashruth of Rhode Island) every day. Manager Mary Ellen Newbury, a Catholic Newport native who has managed to master the intricacies of the kosher kitchen, prepares delicious omelettes, pancakes, French toast... and make sure to save room for her cakes. Guests were asking Mary Ellen for baking lessons after tasting some of her delicacies, such as banana nut cake and cranberry coffee cake. As far as other meals go, you can bring your own meals...refrigerators are available in or near each room...and they will heat them up for you, provided that Rabbi Eskovitz approves of the hashgacha. You can eat in your room, in the dining room, or (weather permitting) on one of the three porches, one on each floor of the inn.
The only thing I found somewhat misleading... and several other guests felt the same way... was that when I inquired about Shabbat arrangements, I was told that "Shabbat food is available." A number of us took this to mean that the inn would be preparing and serving Shabbat meals. However, on Friday afternoon we found out that this was not the case. The way they work is that if you wish, Mon Cuisine frozen meals (from MealMart, OU-certified) could be purchased and they would heat them up for you, and keep them warm on the blech until you were ready to eat. This was a bit disappointing, as these were the same frozen meals I could have bought at my local kosher store for less than half the price at which they were being sold. However, if they're not available near you, and/or you don't want to shlep, this is a viable option.
Things are looking up for the future, though: Eugene informed me that he recently purchased the house next door. He is currently renting the house out as one three-bedroom unit; however, during the winter he plans to renovate and expand both buildings, including installing a meat kitchen in addition to the existing dairy kitchen. It will then be possible to prepare "real" Shabbat meals. Judging from the numbers of people waiting to get in, he will have no trouble filling twice the number of rooms he currently has.
Bottom line: This was a truly enjoyable way to spend a long weekend. Shabbat davening at the Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the United States (for you quibblers... you know who you are... the Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue in New York may be the oldest congregation in the country, but it has occupied several different locations; Touro is the oldest synagogue building), was a really moving experience, with Jews of all stripes from all over the world gathering in this 18th-century building, with a bima illuminated by candlelight. Combine this with the convivial atmosphere of a group of diverse people at the inn... although most of the guests while I was there were from the greater New York area, I met folks from as far away as Montreal, Chicago, and Israel, and we whiled away the Shabbat afternoon hours playing "Jewish Geography"...and you have a delightful experience.
The Admiral Weaver Inn is at 28 Weaver Ave., New-port, RI 02840, short walking distance from most of the historical sites (and 0.8 miles from the Touro Synagogue). The phone number is 401-849-0051, and you can check out the inn on the web at www.kosherbedandbreakfast.com (caveat: rates have gone up since they were posted on the web site).
I am finally speechless! I have no words to describe the elation I feel in reaching year ten of the KN. To my editor, DCKW, thanks for somehow always knowing just what I meant, as opposed to what I wrote. To our Rabbi, Ronald D. Price, thanks for giving us the honor of letting us do this. To the Greenblatts, thanks for all the wonderful things you have done for all of the UTJ family over the years. May God bless you both with long life, health, and mitzvot. And, finally, to you...faithful reader... thank you for allowing us into your home. B'tayavon and L'chaim!
Best wishes from all of us at the KN and UTJ for a shanah tovah u'metukah (Happy and Sweet New Year!)