I don't buy everything I need from the kosher market or the kosher section of the grocery stores around me, but some things are simply essential. Here's what I saw, liked, and picked up this week and why.
Cholent season is pretty much here. Although it's technically still summer, where I live there is a chill in the air. For whatever reason, this classic shabbat stew is controversial in some circles. I love it and consider it a comfort food but if you don't like food that's been cooking overnight, it might not be your thing.
That's why I suggest trying it with "soup mandel," or mini croutons. They're crunchy so they add a a nice texture. Use a little or a lot.
Kosher gummies are such a treat if you love candy as much as I do. A lot of gummies these days are made with pectin to give it that classic bouncy texture, but a few holdouts are still made with gelatin (like Starbursts *weeps*). I know Starbursts aren't technically a gummy, but still wanted to get in that public complaint.
For kosher children and adults who are children at heart, being able to get their favorite gummy candies with no worries about what animal that gelatin came from is treat. Yes, you pay a bit more but keep an eye out for sales.
Spices. People sometimes wonder why anyone bothers buying kosher spices (or any pantry item that is obviously vegetarian). It's because government health departments of almost all countries allow for a certain amount of *cough* insect parts in their products. I'm not trying to ruin your day, it's just a fact. Kosher eating means no bugs, hence why many opt for certified kosher spices, cereals, chips, crackers, etc. That said, we still eat many mainstream products. Every household is different and kosher doesn't necessarily mean "cleaner" it means Torah specifications were followed.
Hanukkah is a ways off, but don't sleep on pre-packaged latke mixes. Last year I made both fresh and boxed mix latkes and my audience liked both! The textures are very different, but with such a long holiday, you might get tired of grating potatoes and need a night off. I won't tell. I used a Manischewitz brand but this one looks interesting.
I didn't buy these but loved the can design. It made me think of life on a kibbutz. I've never lived on one but it's one of my dreams. I may get them next time and do an olive review post. Canned vs. jarred?
Here's what I ended up getting. I did my regular shopping earlier in the week and only needed items for Shabbat and hummus.
Regular marshmallows contain gelatin. If you don't mind them not containing a certification, you can also get vegan marshmallows at the health foods store although they're typically more expensive and come in a smaller packages. Marshmallows are an essential part of my diet so these were a need not a want.
Honestly, any grape juice for Shabbat will do for us, but there's something special about having Kedem on the table, am I right? It just adds that little extra specialness on a very special night.
Isn't it awesome how Shabbat never gets old? It's never, "Oh Shabbat again." It's always, "OH MY GOSH SHABBAT IS COMING SOON I CAN'T WAIT." The day truly is blessed and holy. Thank you, HaShem.
Osem chicken flavor. Ok so I'm 99.99% sure this contains MSG but we don't talk about that. This very popular Israeli brand is a staple in Ashkenazi homes and gets sprinkled in everything from kugel to our good friend cholent. It's very popular because it's parve so it can go in a dairy meal for those who don't mix.
It adds a little je ne sais quoi to anything from rice to beans. The "said quoi" is probably the MSG but again, we don't talk about that. It tastes good. I like using it in rice. It's like Jewish sazon (which also contains the m-word). I love using it in rice with chicken and vegetables. Very yummy.
Also is MSG bad or does it just need a good PR rep?
I bought these by accident. I picked up a non-kosher brand of chickpeas which is fine for me but forgot to put these back. They were already getting scanned by the time I noticed and I was too shy to say anything. The non-kosher ones aren't in the photo but it's a bigger bag for a bit less.
Tahini is a staple in Middle Eastern cooking and tomorrow I'm making hummus Hashem willing. At the time of writing, I've been soaking the chickpeas for two days which is too much, but it should be fine. This tahini was organic and a bit cheaper the non-organic which made it a no brainer. It's also kosher.
Last but not least, I bought a Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah honey cake for the freezer. It's a Jewish tradition to keep a lot of food in the freezer because we like to prepare for catastrophes and never waste food. In this case, the emergency I'm anticipating is unexpected guests.
I'd pop it in the oven to defrost and warm and serve it with tea or coffee. One could pretend that they made it but they might ask you for the recipe. Anyway, "thou shalt not pretend store bought honey cake is homemade" isn't an official commandment but it's probably implied. This cake was only $2.99 so I had to get one. It would have been wrong not to.
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for my next kosher market trip!
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