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Manhattan Delis and the Art of Knish

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A couple of weeks ago, I took a business trip to New York City for all kinds of exciting Shiksa-related meetings. On the trip, I also made it my mission to explore the Manhattan Jewish deli scene. The history of Jewish deli food is totally fascinating. To prepare for my trip, I read the book “Save the Deli” by David Sax. David gives an in-depth history of Jewish delicatessen, explaining the historical roots of Yiddish Jewish cuisine and America’s deli culture. The book is a must-read for anybody interested in Jewish deli food. The book’s descriptive, delicious prose left me primed and ready to enjoy some tasty deli treats.

One thing I have learned in my years of researching Jewish food is that Jewish delis are rarely kosher. In Save the Deli, Sax explains that the expense of keeping a restaurant kosher and the politics of kosher certification turned many deli owners away from the kosher standard:

Though kosher Jews will say, with unwavering conviction, that the only true delicatessen is a kosher delicatessen, what predominate in New York today are Jewish-owned, Jewish-operated, Jewish-patronized, non-kosher delicatessens. Among them are some of New York’s best-known delis, including Junior’s, Katz’s, Carnegie, and the Stage. Some kosher-style delis may have stopped being kosher for economic reasons; some were simply never kosher. They were opened by those who wanted no part of the complicated, expensive, and often hypocritical world of kosher certification.

I was only able to visit seven delis on this trip (including all of those listed by Sax in the paragraph above). I was pretty busy with meetings and events, so I missed out on some crowd favorites like Russ and Daughters and Yonah Schimmel’s Knishes Bakery— tragic, considering this is a knish blog. Unfortunately I had to stick to Manhattan and the neighborhoods I was already visiting for other reasons, and my time was  limited. I didn’t have a chance to make it out to Brooklyn, even though I know some of the best East Coast delis are out there. If your favorite deli is not on my list, fear not—I will certainly visit it in the future!

I decided to try a knish in each deli to compare the different ways Jewish cooks approach the Art of Knish. I’m excited to tell you about my experiences! But first, a little history…

The Lower East Side tenement district, early 1900’s

Between 1880 and 1920, roughly 2 millions Jews immigrated to the United States from Eastern Europe and Russia. In his book, Sax explains that knishes became popular fare for these new American Yiddish communities:

Suddenly, the foods of a people dispersed for nearly two thousand years came together in one corner of Manhattan. Romanians tasted the dishes of Poles and Litvaks, Russians cooked for Ukranians and Germans. Early on, the preferred vehicle for Yiddish food was the pushcart. In many cases, the wife would pickle, bake, or cook in the cramped tenement apartment at night, and the husband would sell the food all day. Soon, enterprising shopkeepers and suppliers began making bulk amounts of foods in their stores, selling them to armies of pushcart peddlers to distribute around the neighborhood. Foods needed to be cheap, preserved (because there wasn’t refrigeration), and easily eaten by hand. Most customers were garment workers, who are at their sewing machines or on the street. The most popular items were knishes, black breads, ryes and bagels, pickled herring (wrapped in newspaper), salamis, other cold cured meats, and pickles.

I’ve made and tasted knishes many times over the years, sharing recipes with family and friends and modifying my own recipes as I go along. One thing I’ve learned is that everybody makes a knish differently. There is no “one way” to make a knish—you’ll see that in the pictures I’m posting here. Some people like doughy knishes, some flaky, some biscuit-y. Some people like small bite-sized knishes, while others prefer big, overstuffed pastries. The most popular filling is potato, with kasha as a close second. I’ve seen knishes filled with meat, cheese, spinach, liver, and even sweet fillings like fruit. Knishes are a creative way to use up leftovers; indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised if the first knish was invented for just this purpose. In other words, if you have some extra brisket from Shabbat dinner and you’re not sure how to use it—why not stuff a knish with it? Get creative. If you can imagine an ingredient tasting good encased in a savory pastry, it will make a great knish!

Here are the delis I was able to visit on my trip:

Carnegie Deli
Ben Ash

Stage Deli

Juniors
Zabar’s
The 2nd Avenue Deli
Katz’s Deli

I also visitied Sammy’s Romanian, another famous Jewish food landmark—but that experience deserves its own blog.  😉

As you might guess, I came back from my deli trip two pounds heavier. But it was totally worth it. While I’ve made and tasted knishes many times over the years, this was my first experience comparing deli-style knishes. I can safely say I ended my trip with a broader understanding of knish. Now I’d like to share what I learned with you!

First stop…

CARNEGIE DELI

Me outside Carnegie Deli

For my first breakfast in Manhattan, I visited the famous Carnegie Deli on 7th Avenue. The Carnegie opened in 1937 and has been serving hungry Manhattan natives and tourists for over 70 years. I’ve been to Carnegie many times, but this visit was different. I was on a mission.

I ordered my favorite deli breakfast—a toasted egg bagel with cream cheese and lox. On the side I ordered two knishes, one potato and one kasha.

Did I over-order? Of course. But I dug in with gusto.

The crust of both knishes was thin and slightly chewy with the attractive sheen of a yellow egg wash. The potato knish had been reheated a bit too long—a piece of the crust was tough and overdone. The filling was fluffy, salty and oniony—in other words, yummy. I noticed that there were a few sesame seeds sprinkled on top, which is something I do when making burekas, not knishes. But as I said, everybody does this knish thing differently.

The kasha knish was very similar to the potato one—same crust, same color, same texture. But the filling, a mix of whole grain kasha and mashed potatoes, was totally unappealing to me. A kasha knish can be great if it’s done right. This kasha knish tasted old and stale, somehow. Not great.

I’m happy to report that the bagel and lox were delicious! The portions were enormous. My fiance and I enjoyed potato knish and bagel leftovers for a midnight snack.  🙂

BEN ASH

storefront

Ben Ash sits right across the street from Carnegie Deli, luring in unsuspecting tourists when Carnegie is too busy to seat them. I had tried Ben Ash once before years ago and hadn’t been impressed. But it was just around the corner from our hotel, so I figured I’d give it another shot.

I should have turned around when I saw only three customers there at the breakfast hour. Now I can say with certainty I will never go back. The round knish they gave me tasted stale and flavorless—the filling was bland, the crust was rubbery, and it was totally greasy. It wouldn’t be worth mentioning here, but this is a knish blog, so I thought I’d give you a heads up.

If you’re checking out delis in NY, skip Ben Ash. It’s overpriced and underwhelming. Thank goodness I didn’t go for the $26 “Ben Ash Reuben Giant Knish” topped with pastrami and sauerkraut, I can only imagine how awful that might have been.

STAGE DELI

Just down the street from Carnegie is another New York landmark, Stage Deli. Like Carnegie, it opened in 1937 and quickly became a favorite with the Broadway crowd because of its proximity to Times Square. From their website:

The Stage Deli began its ascent to gastronomic fame in 1937 when Max Asnas, a Russian émigré, opened a modest little delicatessen on the corner of Broadway and 48th Street. Mr. Asnas stocked his deli with the foods of his native land—blintzes, salamis, smoked fish and thick loaves of Russian rye bread. Because of his quick wit and despite what some may have considered a “slightly gruff” manner, Max Asnas soon became the toast of Broadway. Actors from the nearby theaters strolled into The Stage in between rehearsals. Vaudeville comedians partook of his gargantuan corned beef sandwiches and The Stage Deli soon became known as the place to be—and the place to be seen.

I decided to try a square fried knish at the Stage. Here’s a pic:

It was decent—a simple potato filling encased in thick, biscuit-like dough, baked and then fried. The filling could have used more seasoning to my taste, but it wasn’t bad…just slightly boring. I was still in search of a truly satisfying knish.

JUNIORS


I was told by some friends that I shouldn’t miss Juniors, a huge deli-like restaurant in the heart of Times Square. I say deli-like because Junior’s isn’t really a deli, though they do serve some Jewish dishes on the menu like latkes, blintzes, and chopped liver (they call the latkes “potato pancakes”—oy vey). I stopped by to check it out, and was told by the friendly host that they don’t have knishes on the menu. He convinced me to try one of their “famous cheesecake” slices instead. I ordered it to go, stuck it in the hotel mini fridge, and ate it in my room that evening. It was too rich and overly sweet for my taste, though I’m sure others might disagree. Cheesecake is what made Junior’s famous, after all.

I left Juniors feeling annoyed that my deli experience so far had been pretty underwhelming.

ZABAR’S

Here’s where the trip takes a definite turn in the RIGHT direction. I headed over to Zabar’s on the Upper West Side, hoping against hope that my knish experience would improve. Thankfully, it did!

Zabar’s is an incredible gourmet shop located on Broadway and 80th for over 70 years. Though not quite a “deli” per say, it has been owned by a Jewish family for generations. From their website:

In 1934 Louis and Lillian Zabar started Zabar’s by renting an Appetizing Counter in a Daitch Market. Louis had a philosophy. He would sell only the highest quality smoked fish at a fair price. He wanted his customers to trust him and he wanted them to become “regulars.” He traveled to the smokehouses and sampled the smoked fish himself. He refused much more than he accepted. He developed a reputation of being hard to please. Over the years Lillian and Louis took over the Daitch Market – and Zabar’s was born. Louis worked long hours; he roasted his own coffee. He hand selected every item that Zabar’s sold – always wanting to give his customers the best available at a “fair” price. The store was his life.

Louis Zabar’s hard work paid off. Over the years the store flourished, expanding and taking over an entire city block. A family run affair, their website claims there is “always a Zabar in the store.” The store now sells all kinds of Jewish favorites, from lox to bagels to—you guessed it—knishes! Zabar’s knish selection is the largest I’ve ever seen. They are truly “gourmet” knishes. Here’s a pic of their knish and strudel wall:

I wanted to try one of everything, but I settled for a spinach potato knish because I had to pace myself (I had three deli stops to make in one day)! Here’s the knish I enjoyed.

It was flaky, delicious, divine—the perfect pastry, a flavorful filling, a wonderful way to start my deli day.

For those of you who don’t live in an area that has great knishes, Zabar’s has a mail order service. Yummy! Highly recommended.

THE SECOND AVENUE DELI


The 2nd Avenue Deli holds a special place in my heart. Of all the delis I visited on my trip, 2nd Avenue manages to maintain a wonderful old-fashioned neighborhood deli feeling. From the time I entered to the time I left, I was made to feel welcome—like one of the family. There’s a sense of nostalgia in the place, even though it recently opened in a new location (so it’s technically no longer on 2nd Avenue).

The history of the 2nd Avenue is well known to most New Yorkers. If you’re unfamiliar with the story of Abe Lebewohl, the legendary deli owner and Mensch whose life ended far too soon, please read the following article from the New York Times:

A Counter History

The food—what can I say? It was authentic, delicious. You could feel the love and care that went into making these dishes. 2nd Avenue is a kosher deli—no real dairy products are served on the premises. They maintain their kosher tradition proudly, and I can’t say I missed the dairy one bit. The food at 2nd Avenue was the best I’d had on my trip so far. And they didn’t certainly didn’t want me to leave hungry! Before I’d left, they’d served me samples of their famous cholent, some sweet chopped liver on toasted rye crackers, and a little chocolate soda. Delish!

Brad, the counterman, told me that the 2nd Avenue Deli makes their knishes both round and square. Traditionally round knishes are baked and square knishes are fried. I tried one of each, both stuffed with potato. The round was my favorite, but both were excellent. The Zabar’s knish was more sophisticated in terms of pastry quality, but the 2nd Avenue knishes had an authenticity you couldn’t replicate. They’re the real deal; biscuit style dough, tasty soft and fluffy potato filling, perfectly warmed. They tasted fresh, not like they’d been tossed from the freezer to the microwave. Add to that a Dr. Brown’s cream soda and I was in knish heaven.

I left the deli feeling full and happy in both body and spirit. It was by far my favorite deli on the trip, and I plan to make it a regular stop on my future trips to New York. You should, too—in honor of Abe Lebewohl. If you stop there, have a knish for me.  🙂

KATZ’S DELI

I ended my trip with a self-guided tour of the Lower East Side tenement district and a visit to Katz’s Deli. Katz’s is the oldest deli in New York City, and I’m guessing it might be the oldest in the world, too. It was opened in 1888 by the Lustig family, not long after Jewish immigrants began flooding Ellis Island. In 1916 it was bought by Benny and Harry Katz, two German Jewish brothers. They changed the name to Katz’s Deli and moved it across the street to the location where it remains today. You’ve probably seen the inside of Katz’s deli, even if you don’t realize it. The famous “I’ll have what she’s having” scene from When Harry Met Sally took place at Katz’s. From presidents to celebrities to heads of state, everybody who’s anybody has eaten at Katz’s. It’s an experience not to be missed.

I’d done my research. I knew exactly what I wanted to order—a pastrami on rye with spicy mustard. I ordered the meat “juicy lucy” style, meaning I asked for the fatty cut (not lean). I normally eat pretty healthy, but how often do you have an opportunity to eat at Katz’s? I wanted the real deal. And boy, did I get it.

The meat was moist and tender, melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The bread was soft and fluffy. The pickles were some of the best I’ve had. I smothered the meat in spicy mustard, just as it should be. Here I am enjoying my sandwich and my life!

My fiance had the corned beef sandwich. It was great, too… but we both had to agree that the pastrami was really something special.

Of course, I had to order a knish too; a round one (baked) on the advice of our waiter. It was pretty good—on par with the Stage and Carnegie Deli knishes. But 2nd Avenue and Zabar’s definitely had the Katz knish beat.

For those of you familiar with Katz’s, you might enjoy knowing that I sent a salami to my boy in the army. Actually, I don’t have a boy in the army, so I asked them to send one out to a deserving soldier. Somewhere out there, a soldier received a salami from the Shiksa in the Kitchen. I hope they enjoyed it half as much as I enjoyed my pastrami on rye.

Katz’s Deli marked the end of my week in Manhattan and my knish adventure. I can’t wait to go back and try more amazing Jewish delis!


Paris, Part 1

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A little over a week ago, I embarked on a five week culinary journey.  The trip is part vacation, part Shiksa research–I’ll be studying Biblical foods and the history of Jewish cuisine while abroad.

THE ITINERARY:

Paris, Israel, London

THE GOAL:

To sample Jewish food in different parts of the world, with a focus on Israeli food and Biblical cuisine.

The bulk of my trip will be spent in Israel. But first I planned a stop in Paris, so I could sleep off my jetlag in one of the most beautiful and food-centric cities in the world. It’s my fourth time visiting France, and I was very excited to revisit the spectacular Parisian food scene. I’m traveling with my family; they were obviously eager to join me on my foodie adventures. I’ll be sharing our most interesting travel food experiences with you here on the Shiksa blog.

Our first night, we checked in at our hotel near the Arc de Triomphe, then we walked down the Avenue de la Grande-Armee to our favorite couscous place—Chez Bebert. It’s just next to the Palais des Congres de Paris, a large concert hall and convention center. Chez Bebert serves traditional North African-style Couscous. Here’s a pic of the menu (they were kind enough to offer me an English one):

Couscous is one of my favorite treats. My grandma introduced me to it when I was a child. Back then, couscous was considered pretty exotic to most Americans. My grandparents were world travelers; they had picked up a taste for the dish while traveling through the Middle East. The couscous itself is made from tiny rolled pieces of semolina, flour, water and salt. It’s somewhere between a pasta, rice, and a grain; the tiny, delicate consistency of the couscous pieces allow it to soak up the flavor of whatever dish you add to it. Couscous is typically served with vegetables and legumes (chickpeas, zucchini, carrots) then topped with chicken or meat. The ingredients that top the couscous are slow-simmered to a soft, tender texture.

Here is a picture of our couscous. I ordered mine vegetarian style, so it was served from the main dish in the middle of the table, which contains only vegetable ingredients. The broth in the middle of the plate is poured over the couscous to moisten it and add flavor (couscous on its own is pretty bland). Meats are served ala carte on the side, you add them to a “bed” of couscous on your plate. They also served us a North African red chili sauce called harissa to spice things up. Harissa is another one of my favorites, I plan to blog about it later this year.

Here are some pictures of what my family ordered.

Lemon Chicken with Olives

Lamb with Spicy Green Chili Pepper

Chez Bebert is run by a Tunisian family. Tunisian cuisine is similar to Moroccan cuisine, which I am very familiar with… our extended family includes Moroccan Jews. I have my own recipe for traditional Jewish Moroccan lemon chicken with olives, the recipe for which is included in my upcoming cookbook.

Here I am enjoying my veggie couscous. Please excuse my “schleppy” appearance, I was very jetlagged!

Yummy!

And of course, no couscous meal would be complete without a glass of sweet mint tea.  🙂

The next day, we slept in a bit and missed breakfast (the time change is brutal!). We decided to wander towards the Champs-Elysees and try our luck with a local bistro. When I saw several patrons of the Deloren Café wearing kippahs, I knew I’d found our lunch spot. A kosher French cafe? Count me in!

I chose a fresh crisp nicoise salad (one of my French favorites). Deloren’s version had red bell peppers, capers, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, olives, and of course anchovies. Here’s a pic:

Our friend ordered the cheeseburger with egg. I was a little shocked to see a cheeseburger on the menu, but the waitress assured me the cheese was pareve. Our friend said it tasted like normal American cheese.

Overall, the food at Deloren was descent, but nothing extraordinary.

That night, we dined at a famous French restaurant called La Coupole–a very special dining establishment with a rich history. It’s a traditional French Brasserie that is over 80 years old. From their website:

Much of the legend of Montparnasse was forged in this former wood and coal store, bought in 1927 by Messrs. René Lafon and Ernest Fraux – managers of the Dôme café – to create the largest brasserie in Paris – 1000m² which were to grace the presence of all the rive gauche’s artists of all nationalities. The visitor’s book is a veritable catalogue of modern artists and the vast bar has welcomed great personalities such as Kessel and Hemingway.


Dining at La Coupole is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. The restaurant’s pillars are like a living museum, having been painted decades ago by students of Matisse and Leger. The restaurant has served the likes of Simone de Beauvoir, Salvadore Dali, Josephine Baker, Pablo Picasso, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Even today it attracts celebrities—on our evening out, we dined two tables down from Lakers center Andrew Bynum. Go Lakers! We love LA.  🙂

At our table, we enjoyed several typical French dishes. I ordered lemon sole. It was a simple dish–the presentation wasn’t very pretty, but the meal was perfectly cooked. La Coupole’s fishmonger here really knows how to select a meaty, delicious fish.

La Coupole Lemon Sole

While my dish was on the simple side, I really enjoyed it… especially the white wine they suggested I pair it with.

My family ordered a variety of dishes. T-Bird chose salmon with cream sauce, herbs, and zucchini. J chose a favorite house dish—lamb  curry—which has been on their menu for decades. It was served by a man in traditional Indian garb, whose only job it seemed was serving the curry. I’m told it was quite delicious. I was too shy to ask for a pic of the server, but here’s the lamb:

La Coupole’s legendary lamb curry

My husband had an entrecote steak, a staple on the French menu. He ordered it medium well, but the waiter mistook his order for medium (known in French as “a point”). In France, medium is generally a lot pinker than medium in America, so the steak was too rare for his taste. The server was kind enough to cook it a bit longer for us, but we could tell he was slightly annoyed by the request. No matter—my husband enjoyed the steak much more after the fix. If we annoyed a French waiter in the process, I’m not too worried about it. I also prefer my steak on the well-done side, which I know many people think is sacrilegious. I’ve been told plenty of times that overcooking can ruin a good steak. Call me crazy, I don’t like to see my steak bleeding. My favorite way to cook steak is somewhere between medium and medium well, with a nice bit of pink left inside for tenderness and juice.

My fiance’s steak, done “bien cuit”

In general, the French prefer their steak more rare than most other countries. For Americans and Brits who plan on traveling to Paris, it will help you to know how to order your steak the way you like it. Here are the definitions of the ways you can have your steak cooked (in order of least cooked to most):

bleu – This means the meat is essentially raw, or very rare—only the surface of the meat is cooked/warmed, the inside meat remains at room temperature. The word translates literally as “blue” in French.

saignant – Most of the inside meat inside is rare, similar to how a rare steak is cooked in America. The interior of the steak will be rare, but warm. The word translates literally as “bloody” in French.

à point – Similar to what we in America call “medium rare,” slightly less than what we call “medium.” About half of the meat inside is left red, with the outer parts cooked. The center of the meat is rare, but the inner temperature will be very warm.

bien – This means the steak is cooked medium—the interior is pink, with a touch of red in the center and hot throughout.

bien cuit – Similar to what we would call “medium well.” The meat is almost cooked through, but there will still be a touch of red/pink inside. Translates literally to “well cooked” in French.

très bien cuit – Meat is cooked thoroughly, with little or no pink/red left in the middle. What we would call “well done” in America. Translates to “very well cooked” in French.

If you like your meat well done, be sure to make your choice clear to your server. Don’t worry if they give you a funny look. You’re entitled to have your steak well done, if that’s the way you like it!

In my next blog, I’ll share with you the highlights from the second half of our stay in Paris, including our visit to a special Yiddish restaurant called Le Train De Vie!

Paris, Part Deux

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Au Revoir Paris!

During our last few days in Paris (see Paris, Part 1 for the first half of the trip), we visited many of the obligatory tourist spots—the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, the Basilique Sacré-Coeur, the Louvre. We seemed to have a chronic case of bad timing when it came to landmarks—we visited Versailles on a Monday, which apparently is the only weekday that the inner palace is closed for cleaning. On Tuesday, we tried the Louvre, only to discover that Tuesday is—you guessed it—the only weekday that the Louvre is closed for cleaning. Oy vey! Next time, we’ll have to plan a little better. Lesson learned!

Traveler’s tip– don’t visit the Louvre on a Tuesday.

Luckily, our culinary adventures were not diminished by these little misfortunes. In fact, we had some pretty fun dining experiences! Here are the highlights…

On the advice of my friend Etti Hadar, we visited a kosher restaurant called Le Train De Vie, or “The Train of Life.” The restaurant resides in the Jewish quarter in the Marais district of Paris, known as the “Pletzl” (a Yiddish word that means “little place”). The heart of this area is a street called the Rue des Rosiers, which is lined with Jewish restaurants, synagogues, and falafel joints. I even saw a kosher pizza place on one corner!

Me in front of Le Train De Vie

Le Train De Vie is run by a small, enthusiastic, white-haired man named Claude Berger. On the night we dined there, he escorted us down a steep stairwell into a cave-like basement where a few tables were set in front of a small stage area. The friendly waiter served our appetizers—an assortment of Yiddish-style salads including chopped liver, eggplant, cabbage, and some other unrecognizable concoctions along with sliced rye bread and pickles. As we nibbled our way through the mystery salads, the klezmer music began.

Le Train De Vie Appetizers

“Klezmer” is literally the Yiddish word for music, but it has come to describe a distinctive style of music played by Ashkenazi Jews. Klezmer music originated in the shtetls (villages) of Eastern Europe; the klezmer style is strongly influenced by Romanian music as well as Ottoman and Ukranian melodies. At its heart, klezmer is meant to be dance music—which may explain why I couldn’t stop tapping my foot during the performance!

One of the more interesting aspects of klezmer music is the way the instruments are played. Clarinets and strings are used to produce human-like sounds, from laughing to crying to wailing. In this way, the instruments become characters within the drama of the song.

The musical Fiddler on the Roof has many klezmer-inspired melodies—the famous “Bottle Dance” sequence uses a klezmer clarinet to create tension as the men balance glass bottles on their hats. The Yiddish sound has even permeated mainstream pop music. A klezmer melody can be heard in Supertramp’s famous song “Breakfast in America” (this was discovered as we listened to the album on our most recent drive out to Masada!). Here’s a clip of the Bottle Dance from Fiddler:

Click here to view the embedded video.

When we visited Le Train De Vie, the owner Claude performed traditional klezmer music with a two-man clarinet/accordion group called the Balkan Balagan.  I tend to prefer klezmer ensembles with a string player, but the simple combination of clarinet and accordion created some really interesting melodies. The clarinet was played masterfully—it took on a life of its own, becoming a character that laughed and wept on command.

Claude and the Balkan Balagan

Each song they performed was a story, and Claude sang those stories with gusto. He also provided an introduction to each song (in both French and English for our benefit), which explained the deeper meaning and symbolism behind the lyrics. Many of the songs had roots in Ashkenazi Jewish history—some were romantic, some sad, some meant to teach a lesson. The music was filled with emotion.

All of this klezmer music provided an unforgettable entertainment experience—but what about the food? Well, on a scale of 1-10, I’d have to give the food a 4. It was not gourmet fare by any means. I love good Yiddish food, but after savoring the home cooking of many gifted bubbes over the years, I can’t say Le Train De Vie’s fare was all that great.

My fiancé had Le Poulet Farci—chicken with egg stuffing. Here’s a pic:

My stepdaughter J had Le Goulach Mamaliga a la Roumaine (Romanian beef goulash with polenta).

I had the stuffed bell pepper (I can’t remember what the dish was called in French!).

All of the dishes came with fried latkes, which seem to be a trademark of the restaurant.

Altogether, the food was just okay. That said, I don’t think people really go to Le Train De Vie for the food. They go for the klezmer experience, which I can whole-heartedly recommend for people who are interested in Yiddish history and culture.

I have to mention a couple other food stops in Paris, only because they were super fun!

My husband and I travel a lot. We often find ourselves sleeping in past breakfast because of the jetlag, so we sometimes joke that we’d like to open a chain of restaurants where breakfast is served all day long. On this trip, I discovered that somebody beat us to it!

Twinkie Breakfasts is located in the Saint-Denis area of Paris. Saint-Denis is one of the less savory areas of the city, known for its high crime rate and strip clubs. How did we find ourselves in this Parisian red-light district? We sought out Twinkie Breakfasts because Little J was craving American-style pancakes—nearly impossible to find after 10am in Paris. The café shines like a little beacon of homey cooking in the middle of this strange and wild suburb.

The café is small and quaint, decorated by cartoonish American icons like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Scooby Doo. Twinkie boxes are placed creatively throughout the restaurant. The waiters wear cartoon-inspired t-shirts. The atmosphere is fun, fresh, and whimsical.

The service we received at Twinkie was probably the best of our entire Paris visit. Parisians aren’t known for their hospitality, especially when it comes to tourists. However, the waiters at Twinkie were super friendly and eager to make us happy. They even made me an unsweetened iced tea, which is really hard to find outside of the U.S. Iced tea is my weakness, but I hate sugary tea, and the bottled stuff never tastes right. Our Twinkie waitress made the tea fresh and poured it over ice for me, which started the meal on a very “up” note.

Ahhh, fresh iced tea. It doesn’t take much to keep this Shiksa happy! :)

I can happily give a shining review to the food as well. The menu is very creative, featuring breakfast choices from all over the world. Little J had the American Breakfast, which included her beloved pancakes and hash browns. My fiancé and I had the Frokost breakfast, which I believe was Norwegian inspired. It consisted of eggs benedict with smoked salmon, poached eggs, and hollandaise on toasted English muffins. It also included a generous side of fresh rocket greens.

Frokost Breakfast

T-Bird and J had the Arouhat Boker, an Israeli-style breakfast complete with a cheese omelet and Israeli salad.

Arouhat Boker

There were also French, English, and custom Twinkie-style breakfasts, as well as gluten-free and lactose-free choices. The waitress was eager to make our random little requests happen, substituting tea for juice and putting veggies in an otherwise plain omelet. This may not seem like such a big deal, but in Europe, it can be tough getting anybody to make even the most minor change to a dish. Try asking for sauce on the side, and you’ll be lucky a “sorry” before a curt and uncompromising “no.”  Twinkie Breakfasts had a totally different mentality; they put the customer first and made us feel like valued patrons.

When we were jetlagged and hungry for breakfast, Twinkie gave us a taste of home. If you’re in Paris and feeling homesick for a good old-fashioned American breakfast, or you want to venture out and try some multi-cultural breakfast choices, seek out Twinkie Breakfasts. You won’t be disappointed.

The front window of Twinkie Breakfasts

Our final meal in Paris took place at a Greek restaurant called Le Minotaure. We happened upon the place while wandering through the Montparnasse district. Little J was craving salmon, and the rest of us love Greek food. Le Minotaure seemed like a good choice.

Le Minotaure Greek musicians

I mention Le Minotaure here not because of the food—it was good, but not great. Tony’s Taverna in Malibu, California makes far better Greek food than Le Minotaure despite the geographical difference. I mention it for the experience. Where else can you find a Cesar statue, a disco ball, and live Greek musicians to entertain you while you munch on your taramosalata? The atmosphere was kitschy, crazy, and super fun.

Cesar on the dance floor

As with any good Greek restaurant, the night started with a selection of appetizers—hummus, stuffed grape leaves, salad with feta, and taramosalata (Greek caviar).

Greek appetizers

I had the whole fish with tomato rice and potato.

My meal– it was tasty, but not outstanding.

In all honesty, I can’t remember what everybody else had—I forgot to take pictures. Perhaps the ouzo went to my head! But again, it wasn’t the food that made Le Minotaure memorable. It was the disco ball.

Enjoying my last dinner in Paris– till next time. Opa!!

We visited some other Parisian restaurants on our trip, but these were the most interesting highlights. Next stop—Israel! We’ve been having a FABULOUS time in Israel, and my next few blogs will highlight my many culinary adventures here. I have to say, after spending two weeks in Tel Aviv, I believe it is poised to unseat Paris as the top foodie city in the world! Till next week, Shiksa friends… au revoir!

Au Revoir Paris!

Happy Passover from Israel

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Chag Pesach Sameach friends! I wanted to share a few images from Israel before we start our Seder here in Tel Aviv (I’ll post more next week, promise!). The feeling here is so calm, so quiet– it’s difficult to describe how peaceful the city has suddenly become. It started yesterday, when I visited the old port city of Jaffa. Already I could feel a sense of quiet anticipation in the air as the Seder drew near. Today, after about noon, the beaches slowly emptied till only a few tourists remained. Even the animals I photographed seemed to sense a change in the air.

I am looking forward to gathering with my family and friends this evening. It’s my first time celebrating the Seder in Israel, and also the first time I haven’t cooked the meal myself! It’s a bit strange, as I’m used to being in the kitchen all day, but instead I’ve been free to explore the city and see the change that is taking place as the holiday approaches. What a wonderful, blessed experience.

As we share the ancient stories and say the blessings, I can’t help thinking of those who are less fortunate than we are tonight. My heart hurts for the people affected by the terrible tornadoes on the east coast of America. We’re praying here in Israel for those who have lost loved ones, and others who are hurting for any number of reasons around the world. We are so blessed, and I am truly grateful to be able to spend this joyful time in the Holy Land.

Chag Pesach Sameach! Wishing you all Love and Light.

xoxo Tori

A bird lands to take a drink on a fountain in Jaffa

 

Statue of Faith - Jaffa, Israel

Art galleries - Jaffa, Israel

Zodiac Fountain - Jaffa, Israel

This cat is feeling peaceful – Jaffa, Israel

Burning chametz from the cookware - B'nai Berak, Israel

The beach is quiet, the holiday is beginning - Tel Aviv, Israel

Zabar’s New York – Rosh Hashanah Cooking Demo

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Zabar's Logo Featured Pic Crop

L’Shanah Tova New Yorkers! On Sunday, September 25 at 2:00pm and 3:30pm I’ll be cooking up some Rosh Hashanah delights at Zabar’s New York! You can find me in the Housewares mezzanine, where I’ll be demonstrating some of my favorite Rosh Hashanah recipes. This is a free event. Hope to see you there!

BlogHer Food 2012 – I’m Speaking!

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BlogHer Food

This morning I am boarding a plane bound for Seattle, Washington where I’ll be speaking at the 2012 BlogHer Food conference. I’m thrilled to be participating in a panel called Food Bloggers as Storytellers: Telling Your Own Stories, and the Stories of Those at the Table. Those of you who follow my blog regularly know that this topic is right up my alley.

Our panel moderator Rebekah Denn is an award-winning food journalist from Seattle.  I’ll be speaking along with Beth Lee of OMG! Yummy, food photographer Melissa Crane, and Molly Wizenberg of Orangette. A very talented group of ladies, indeed!

Fellow bloggers, if you’ll be at BlogHer Food please let me know. I hope you can check out our panel. Make sure you introduce yourself. I’m excited to meet many of my blogging friends in person for the first time! And to my regular readers, please forgive me if I’m slow to post and respond this weekend. Between BlogHer Food and launching a new site (more info coming soon), there just haven’t been enough hours in the day. I’m hoping to post another recipe before the end of the week… fingers crossed!

IFBC 2012 – I’m Speaking!

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IFBC 2012

Hey fellow food bloggers! I will be speaking as part of a panel at the International Food Blogger Conference in Portland, Oregon on August 25. The topic of the session is, “The Evolution of Food Publication Monetization.” The panel will be moderated by Sarah Stringfellow of SAY Media (my awesome advertising partners!). I’ll be speaking with Gabi Moskowitz of BrokeAss Gourmet. It should be a fun and informative panel. I hope to see some of my fellow food blogging friends there!

For more information on the conference agenda and speaking times, click here. If you’re going to IFBC, give me a shout out and let me know! 🙂

 

On the Road – Phoenix and NYC

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NASCAR - In the Pit

Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. Life is, above all else, a wonderful series of surprises. I end up in the strangest, most amazing places, and I always ask myself how the heck I got there. Beshert? Fate? Is there some master plan? Or am I simply wandering, drifting where the winds take me? One thing is certain, I am truly enjoying the journey.

Last week, I traveled to Phoenix, New York, and New Jersey. Here are a few of the random, funny places I found myself on this trip…

In the pit at a NASCAR race. Our friends Brian and Bati Prince, partners in the new food company Allez Cuisine, invited us to be special guests at one of the biggest NASCAR races of the year in Phoenix, Arizona. I got to stand right in the pit, watching the race cars fly by at over 200 miles per hour. I even got to see the pit crew change out the tires on a car– it took all of 5 seconds. Crazy!

The thing that surprised me most about the race was how incredibly loud it was. I had to wear a pair of orange disposable earplugs, which were handed out to anybody who needed them. Those engines are seriously noisy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

At the Good Morning Arizona studios. I shared a Thanksgiving/Veteran’s Day recipe from “Cooking on a Ration” for The History Kitchen. I love the team at Good Morning Arizona, they are so much fun.

At Kosherfest 2012. It’s hard to describe this annual event– you kind of have to see it to believe it. Each year, a conference hall is filled with all of the new kosher products being introduced this year. Orthodox Jews crowd the aisles. Kosher food samples are passed out freely from each booth. I should have gone there more hungry, I could have made a meal from the samples alone.

This was my first year at Kosherfest, and I had a lot of fun. I met several people who had before been “internet friends”– people like Brigitte from Natural & Kosher Cheese. Brigitte helped me out on a fondue post I wrote last year. It was so great to meet her in person! She has a new cheese/snack line coming out next year, it sounds like it will be awesome.

I also met Alan Broner from Jack’s Gourmet deli meats and sausages. During the summer, Alan emailed me and asked if he could send me some Jack’s Gourmet sausages to try. I enjoyed tasting the different varieties. But nothing could have prepared me for their newest product, which I got to sample at Kosherfest. It’s called Facon. As in, fake bacon. Only there’s nothing fake about it… it’s made from all kosher beef. I actually like this Facon better than the real thing! It’s lean, smokey, salty, and awesome. I’m super impressed with Jack’s Gourmet, creating a kosher bacon alternative is not an easy task. Apparently Kosherfest thought so too… their Facon won “Best in Show” for New Products. They’ve done a commendable job. Congrats, Jack’s!

While at the show, I also met with my U.S./Israeli product distributors and found some awesome new organic imports from Israel.

At Ladino restaurant for lunch with my friend Gil Marks. I “met” Gil online several months ago, and I was so excited to finally meet him in person. Gil is quite literally a walking encyclopedia of food knowledge. If you don’t own any of Gil’s books, you must go out and purchase one. He has made culinary history his life’s work, studying the origins and evolution of the foods we eat. Gil is a James Beard Award-winning author of several cookbooks, including Olive Trees and Honey – A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World and The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. His research has made a significant impact on the food history landscape.

When we talked about getting lunch, Gil suggested a new kosher place in Manhattan called Ladino, serving Sephardic tapas. He’d never been there before, and I was excited to try something new.

The food was pretty good, but it couldn’t compare to the company. Gil and I had so much fun chatting about our shared love of food. There are only so many kindred spirits in the world of culinary history. We had plenty to talk about! Gil also brought me copies of his Kosher Gourmet Magazine, which he edited in the 80’s at the beginning of the kosher movement. I’m having a blast going through each issue, I’m sure they will provide a lot of culinary inspiration!

All in all, it was a fantastic trip. That said, it ended on a sad and sombre note. Towards the end of the week, tensions rose in Israel and Gaza as the ongoing conflict became more dangerous. Our prayers continue for a peaceful resolution.

Now I’m back in LA, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mom. She’s coming today to help me start prepping for Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of all. I can’t wait to see her, and the whole family! New recipe posting tomorrow. 🙂


On Vacation in Miami!

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Miami - May 2014. I'm on vacation! Give me your best Miami travel tips, favorite restaurants and attractions.
Miami - May 2014. I'm on vacation! Give me your best Miami travel tips, favorite restaurants and attractions.

The view from our room.

I’m in Miami! I can hardly believe it. After a year of hard work, we are on a much-needed vacation. We’ve kind of been on overdrive for the past 11 months, so it feels really good to get away. Miami is one of my favorite places to visit. There are so many beaches and canals, you’re never too far away from the water. We try to make it out to Miami once every year or two, and it’s starting to feel like a second home to us. I love the people, the climate, the cultural diversity. This city never sleeps. I’m not exactly a night owl, but it is fun having late night dinners and taking walks down Ocean Drive, seeing all of the locals showing off their tricked-out cars to the tourists. The old art deco hotels have been renovated into beautiful boutique inns, and many of them have DJ’s that play music late into the night. Sure, there are mosquitos and the occasional humid tropical downpour. It doesn’t diminish my love for Miami. That’s why God created umbrellas and bug repellant. 🙂

Miami - May 2014. I'm on vacation! Give me your best Miami travel tips, favorite restaurants and attractions.

Española Way, Miami Beach

We’ve got a few local places that we’ve come to know and love… News Cafe, Española Way, Sushi Samba on Lincoln Road… but I feel like there is so much more to explore here. I’d love to hear your recommendations, including favorite restaurants, attractions, etc. I’m sure those of you who know Miami will have some fun suggestions. Restaurants don’t need to be kosher… I have a kosher section on my site out of respect for my Jewish readers, but I do not keep kosher personally. Please share your favorite places in the comments section below!

Miami - May 2014. I'm on vacation! Give me your best Miami travel tips, favorite restaurants and attractions.

Sushi Samba – Yellowtail Taquitos and a martini.

Also, I will be stopping by the BlogHer Food closing night party next weekend to say hi, so if you’re a food blogger and you’re going, please let me know!

Manhattan Delis and the Art of Knish

Paris, Part 1

Paris, Part Deux

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The Louvre is closed, so is Versailles... but Le Train de Vie is open, ready to serve us Ashkenazi delights and copious amounts of klezmer music.... Read More

The post Paris, Part Deux appeared first on Tori Avey.

Happy Passover from Israel

Zabar’s New York – Rosh Hashanah Cooking Demo

BlogHer Food 2012 – I’m Speaking!


IFBC 2012 – I’m Speaking!

On the Road – Phoenix and NYC

On Vacation in Miami!

Collecting Recipes in Israel

Italian Roasted Cauliflower Salad

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Italian Roasted Cauliflower Salad from Calabria, Italy – Tasty, Vegan, Gluten Free. As we head into the weekend, I thought we’d explore Southern Italy aRead More
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