Moufletta is eaten by Moroccan Jews at the holiday of Mimouna, that immediately follows Passover. It reflects the relatively good relations the two communities shared there. This episode looks at this crepe’s Jewish bonafides, discusses other similar examples from around the world, and reveals how the tradition changed (but also stayed similar) in Israel. Interview: The Sephardic Spice Girls — […]
Episode 4 – Charoset: And Other Symbolic Holiday Foods
Charoset is eaten at the Passover Seder, but unlike many other foods, its origins are a bit less clear. It is certainly ancient, but it isn’t mandated in the Torah, as is matzah. Furthermore, we know that it is a symbolic food, but what EXACTLY is it a symbol of? By exploring charoset, as well as many other symbolic foods […]
What Is Kitniyot?
Before I even get into the discussion explaining what kitniyot is, I need to express a caveat. The very topic I am about to explore is one that often leads to heated discussions and debate full of emotion and passion. I will not be making suggestions about what any person should or should not do or believe, nor about the […]
Episode 3 – Chulent/Hamin: The Dish That Embodies Jewish Culture
The Shabbat Stew — chulent, hamin, dafina, and so many more — is eaten by Jews from around the world every Saturday, and I consider it the most Jewish Food in the world. Even more than the matzah of the previous episode. Here I explore the diversity of this dish, and trace its migrations through the Jewish Diaspora. I also […]
Episode 2 – Matzah: The Food That Sustained Us
Matzah (or matzo) is arguably the most Jewish Food there is, eaten annually for Passover, especially at the seder, the formal Passover meal. This episode explores the origins of matzah, what differentiates it from other flatbreads, how it has changed over the millennia, how important it was throughout Jewish history, and what are some of the popular Jewish Foods that […]
Episode 1 – Intro: What Do I Mean by 18 Jewish Foods?
In this first episode of “18 Jewish Foods,” I describe the method, idea, and scope of this podcast series. What is a Jewish Food? Why 18? And what can you expect moving forward? Episode Notes Links: The Taste of Jewish Culture Marci Heit – voiceover artist Rebbe Soul – theme music
Spring 2024 Updates
It has been some time since I’ve posted here, so I figured I should write this update post to both explain why, and tell you what is new around here. I’ve thankfully been very busy, and I hope that it will bring good things here and to you! I recently completed my fourth lecture tour in the States. It was […]
Winter 2024 Tour Schedule
I’m heading back to the States next week for a short winter lecture tour. Here is my basic schedule: Tuesday, February 27 – Hartford Sunday, March 3 – Manhattan Tuesday, March 5 – Baltimore Thursday, March 7 – Denver For complete details of topics, locations, times, and registration links, please check my events page. I hope to see many of […]
What is T’bit?
With the specific history of Jews in the Arab world, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century, but also over the preceding century, it is easy to overlook the fact that masses of Jews lived throughout the Middle East for millennia. This is of course reflected in the third major classification category of Jews, afer Ashkenazi and Sephardi: […]
Old Wine in New Barrels? (Podcasts)
Hey there! One of my hopes for the new year ahead is to expand into a new medium with the work I do. I am in the very early phases of planning to launch a podcast about Jewish Food History. And while I know that the phrase I used in the title of this post actually had negative connotations, I […]
