9 May 2013 - Our Next Rosh Chodesh Gathering

A Jewish Cooking/Cookbook "Retreat" Our next Rosh Chodesh will be a sharing of Jewish cooking. What does that mean? Is there even a way to define Jewish cooking? According to Judaism 101 (and specifically see http://www.jewfaq.org/food.htm), "Jewish cooking is a unique synthesis of cooking styles from the many places that Jews have lived throughout the centuries. Jewish cooking shows the influence of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Spanish, German and Eastern European styles of cooking, all influenced by the unique dietary constraints of kashrut and other Jewish laws. Many of the foods that we think of as Jewish are not unique to Jewish culture. Stuffed cabbage, a traditional Jewish dish, is common in Eastern Europe. Blintzes and knishes are familiar to all Germans, not just Jewish ones. Falafel and hummus, increasingly thought of as Israeli-Jewish foods, can be found in any Greek restaurant. But the combination of these varied foods into one style of cooking, along with our own innovations, is uniquely Jewish." So during our next Rosh Chodesh gathering on May 9 from 7 - 9, we will have our own "retreat" on Jewish cooking. Come and schmooze and nosh, listen in, bring a favorite Jewish cookbook and perhaps even a snack from that cookbook, share a favorite Jewish cooking website or blog, and give us your opinions on what constitutes Jewish cooking.