Jewish Fress

¡? Fruit Leather (Stretch Island Fruit, OK parve)
is a 100% natural snack. 100% natural means no
added sugar, no artificial colors or flavors, no fat and
cholesterol ¡? and great taste. The Wild Apple tastes
like a green apple, the Mucho Mango tastes like a slice
of mango, etc. But you get more than great taste and a
healthy snack. On each package of fruit leather is an
interesting humorous jingle about the flavor you are
about to eat, so you get something to read as well. For
Purim, include Stretch Island Fruit Leather in a box
with a bottle of water, a package of nuts and seeds
and call your Mishloach Manos "A Traveling Snack."

Here is a selection of great kosher products that we came across this summer. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did. Please accept our wishes for a sweet and delicious New Year.

   STAR-K Certification has enjoyed a successful and harmonious relationship with Turkey for over 25 years, providing kosher certification for scores of Turkish companies....

One of the favorite food staples in the Jewish home during the High Holy Day season is honey. Traditionally, from Rosh Hashana until after Succot, honey is served with every major meal. It is smeared on the bread over which we recite the Hamotzi blessing, the sweet apple is dipped into honey on the night of Rosh Hashana, sweet baked goods are baked with honey, and honey is used in the preparation of foods such as glazed carrots and sweet desserts. Aside from the caloric disaster that this custom entails, one is really hard pressed to find a negative thing to say about honey.

I have received numerous inquiries asking me to revisit my freezer tricks.

Hospitals in New York City, as well as hospitals in other major markets, are dealing with an increased demand for kosher food by patients, their families, visitors and staff.

Yes, the search for the perfect snack continues. This week's features are for lovers of potato chips and chocolate. Cookie lovers, be patient.

Post-Pesach many of us begin making promises to ourselves in the hopes of looking and/or feeling better. Some of the most popular wishes people share with me include: Being stricter about eating habits, losing weight, going for a checkup/special exam, and here's a big one, exercising!

Gift-giving has become increasingly popular on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and the lead item is honey, not only those ubiquitous cute honey bear bottles, but more sophisticated and gourmet options.

The recession has hit supermarket shelves in Israel, where November sales were down 12 percent compared to the same month last year.

Few things say summer like a barbecue does. The sounds and smells
of grilling food shout summer so loudly, we think people are crazy if they
barbecue in the winter. So, what do you put on the grill if you want to eat
healthy? Grilled chicken is a great choice if you are looking to cut down on
fat and calories, but believe or not, so are franks. Abeles and Heymann
(OU glatt) has beef franks with less fat and sodium than turkey franks.

Ever since I got my copy of Quick & Kosher, Jamie Geller's first cookbook, I've been hoping for a sequel. And after meeting this adorable, down-to-earth powerhouse (and interviewing her for the Jewish Press) back in 2007-she was working on new recipes even as she was out promoting that debut volume-I was even more eager to see what else she would have in store. Three years in the making, Quick & Kosher: Meals in Minutes hits stores this month.

When a convention of kosher supervisors steps out to dine, you can be sure the restaurant of choice will meet their highest standards of kashrut as well as cuisine.
Le Marais, a French steakhouse that has been under the supervision of OK Laboratories since its opening in 1995, provided the setting for dinner and lively conversation following the OK?s 2nd Annual International Mashgichim Conference in November.

Among the many pieces of advice given to me when I first got married came from a wise family acquaintance. He said, "Always keep the phone number of your local take-out on speed dial."

The blast of the shofar carries loudly and clearly over long distances. Because of that, it was often blown in biblical times as a means of communication - to announce times of danger or the onset of peace. Today the shofar is sounded in connection with the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In fact, the only specific biblical commandment for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah holiday (in these times) is the sounding of the shofar.

Rosh Hashanah is all about new beginnings and self-improvement and kosher wineries all over the world are making a commitment to producing great wines at affordable prices. Here are 10 suggestions for a fresh start on kosher wines.

Gourmet mouth-watering food, top notch cooking classes, a wine and cheese tasting, and exclusive tours of a kosher chocolate factory and Manhattan's premier farmers' market were on the menu and, in its first tour, Kulinary Adventures served up these and more.

Bruce Cohn, manager of the rock band The Doobie Brothers, purchased his Sonoma County winery in 1974, and since then has been equally well known for his olive oil and his philanthropy as for his wine. Cohn seems to have done a fine job of precisely what a family-owned boutique operation should be doing, namely creating high quality wines with a distinct personality. In 2008 Cohn made his first kosher wine, and that wine is well worth the attention of the most devoted of wine lovers. Released in a limited edition of 400 cases (4,800 bottles), the wine is only available directly from the winery and can be ordered by calling 800-330-4064 or by visiting www.brcohn.com. Here's my tasting note for the wine:

Based on the headlines in the daily papers and the sometimes truly disturbing images broadcast from Israel, one might get the impression that the average Israeli must endure a gut-wrenching daily balagan (controlled chaos). However, Kassam missile strikes and suicide attacks have never stopped the average Israeli from working or living life to the fullest.

This past week, our kosher food panel had the pleasure of spending two days in Secaucus, New Jersey at Kosherfest 2002. As always, we were amazed not only at the number of new kosher food products but also at the array of countries from which they are imported.

Cake, The Way Grandpa Used To Make It

In my house, the search for the perfect snack is of utmost importance. In fact, I probably spend more time in the snack aisle then I do searching for the perfect cut of meat.

Does this question sound familiar ? "Mom, what's for dinner?" Are you always looking for new and exciting meals to please yourself and your family? If the answer to these questions is yes, then we have the answer.

As in most homes, candy has a very important place in our family life. Whether it is a snack for the kids to take with them to school, or just something to nosh on when there is nothing else to do, for those of us not "health conscious"-candy is what we look for. Over the past few months some really great nosh has made its way into our office ? here are the four we most enjoyed.

Looking for a great gift for the wine maven in your life? Look no further. Daniel Rogov has what you are looking for with his latest two hardbound, pocket-sized guides: Rogov's Guide to Kosher Wines 2010: The World's 500 Best kosher Wines (The Toby Press; November 1, 2009; 145 pages; $19.95), and Rogov's Guide to Israeli Wines 2010 (The Toby Press; October 1, 2009; 485 pages; $19.95).

As the search for the perfect snack continues, this week we review treats from two different companies with ingredient in common: cheese.

Cheese itself happens to be a great snack. It comes in a wide variety of colors, flavors and sizes and can be eaten alone or with bread and fruit. However, when you add some basic ingredients like bread and sauce, it becomes part of a wonderful treat.

When the weather is beautiful and the days are long, most people like to end their weekend with a barbeque. But if you are trying to watch your weight, big barbeques can spell big trouble! However, grilling does not have to mean a cholesterol and fat overload. Try to enjoy a healthier version of your favorite dishes this season, with tasty burgers and side dishes that are good for both your palate and waistline.

As Pesach draws near and the wine frenzy is at its peak, anyone interested in more than just a glass of Kiddush wine may have a hard time making sense of the literally hundreds of labels available from dozens of countries. As the selection in the liquor store may be a bit overwhelming, most people pick out one or two favorites and drink them on a regular basis.

Kosher in the Kitch (www.kosherinthekitch.com) a recipe-sharing website created by Nina Safar and geared toward the kosher consumer, hosted its first ever tasting party this past Sunday evening in the beautiful Brooklyn home of Yossi and Idii Stern. Six contestants had the opportunity to prepare dessert recipes in the kitchen of The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts and present them at the party to be sampled. The event was open to the public and everyone was able to taste the contestants' creations.

Once upon a time, organic produce and processed foods were found only in health food stores.