By JANET K. KEELER from staff and wire reports
Published September 24, 2003
Knorr Kosher Soup Mix
Broccoli
Bazooka Joe in 1953
Bazooka Joe today.
The word that describes Jewish dietary law comes from the Hebrew word kashrut, which means "proper" or "fit." The guidelines originated in the Bible but over the years have been refined by rabbinic legislation. Though individual communities have adapted the laws to fit their cuisines, the rules are basically the same the world over.
Not all Jews "keep kosher," and much has been written about its pros and cons. Many believe the laws were based on health considerations, but it's more likely that the statutes are more about abiding faith.
According to Susie Fishbein, author of Kosher by Design (Mesorah Publications, 2003), the number of commercial kosher products on the market continues to grow, including internationally recognized wines made with rabbinic supervision. More than $30-billion a year is spent on kosher products, thanks in part to the increased use, among many non-Jews, of kosher salt.
Some of the rules of a kosher kitchen, according to Fishbein:
-- Meat and dairy are cooked separately; using separate utensils, including dishes and flatware.
-- Meat and dairy foods may not be eaten together.
-- All meat must be slaughtered by trained, certified kosher slaughterers.
-- Foods that are neither meat nor dairy, such as vegetables, eggs and grains, are called pareve. They may be eaten with meat or dairy but must be cooked in their own utensils.
-- Only fish with fins and scales are kosher. All other seafood is prohibited.
Cooking class
The best broccoli has compact green florets and moist, tender stalks. Avoid bunches that have yellow tops and hollow stems. Fresh stalks can be pieced easily with a fingernail. Try broccolini, a hybrid that resembles a baby broccoli. The sweet-tasting stalks can be cooked with the tops, and bunches can last for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. It is great coarsely chopped and added to stir-fries or left whole and used as a healthy alternative to chips with dips.
Mesquite meal is a traditional American Indian food made from ripened pods of the mesquite tree. A staple for many centuries, the meal has been used as currency among tribes and also in cooking. A tablespoon mixed in a drink is said to stave off hunger for four to six hours while stabilizing blood sugar levels. Learn about mesquite meal and other products at this site. A 6-ounce package is $6.95, not including shipping. You can also order by calling toll-free 1-877-321-5703.
Slurpee breakthrough
After nearly two decades of research, scientists have finally broken the slush barrier. They have figured out how to make a Slurpee out of diet soda, and now the Diet Pepsi Slurpee can be had at 7-Elevens nationwide. The reason for the long wait? Sugar substitutes, such as NutraSweet, didn't behave like the real thing when subjected to freezing temperatures. Translation: Sugar is what gives it that smooth, semifrozen consistency that can be slurped through a straw.
How's that taste?
A new facility, the Chuck Williams Flavor Discovery Center, is scheduled to open next year on the Greystone campus of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, Calif. The center, named after the founder of Williams-Sonoma, will focus on the study of flavor and the dynamics of flavor development in food and wine. Plans are for students and food and wine professionals to interact with chefs, winemakers and food producers in sessions and tasting panels. Williams gave $1.5-million to fund the project.
Food birthdays
Food history accumulates year by year, as products and companies register significant milestones in their existence.
Some notables mark birthdays this year, among them:
-- Bazooka Joe, cartoon comic kid-bubble gum, has a 50th anniversary.
-- Denny's, restaurant-chain operator, has a 50th anniversary.
-- Kellogg's Rice Krispies marks its 75th anniversary.
-- Kraft Cheese has its 100th anniversary.
-- Gevalia Kaffe, European coffee blender, marks its 150th anniversary.
we love seafood
According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, 2002 was a record year for eating seafood. Consumption was up 7.1 percent to 4.5-billion pounds, an average of 15.6 pounds per person. That 15.6 pounds included 3.7 of shrimp. After shrimp and tuna, the most popular seafood was salmon, pollock, catfish, cod, crab and tilapia.
