Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine

1 ashkenazi

1.1 origins
1.2 fish
1.3 soups
1.4 bread , cake
1.5 meat , fats
1.6 sweets , confections
1.7 side dishes

ashkenazi
origins

while ashkenazi cuisine known today largely based within context of american-jewish , ashkenazi-israeli food, of culinary tradition of ashkenazi jews springs central , eastern europe. after having been expelled western europe in middle ages, jews forced live in poverty , limited in terms of ingredients. dishes made fewer components; weren t heavily spiced , ingredients more flavorful had used sparingly. why dishes in ashkenazic cuisine known being blander dishes in sephardic or mizrahi cuisine.

fish

gefilte fish carrot slices , chrain

with kosher meat not available, fish became important staple of jewish diet. in eastern europe reserved shabbat. fish not considered meat in same way beef or poultry are, can eaten dairy products (although sephardim not mix fish , dairy). though fish parve, when served @ same meal, orthodox jews eat them during separate courses, , wash (or replace) dishes in between. gefilte fish , lox popular in ashkenazi cuisine.

gefilte fish (from german gefüllte stuffed fish) traditionally made skinning fish steaks, german carp, de-boning flesh, mincing , mixing finely chopped browned onions (3:1), eggs, salt, pepper, , vegetable oil. fish skin , head stuffed mixture , poached. religious reason boneless fish dish sabbath prohibition of separating bones food while eating [the prohibition of borer , separating]

vorschmack / gehakte herring spread on rye bread

a more common commercially packaged product found today polish gefilte fish patties or balls, similar quenelles, sugar added broth, resulting in sweet taste. strictly speaking fish filling, rather complete filled fish. method of serving evolved tradition of removing stuffing skin, rather portioning entire fish slices before serving.

while traditionally made carp, gefilte fish may made large fish: cod, haddock, or hake in united kingdom, carp or pike in france. in united states whitefish added above mince.

the combination of lox, smoked salmon, or whitefish bagels , cream cheese traditional breakfast or brunch in american jewish cuisine, made famous @ new york city delicatessens.

vorschmack or gehakte hering (chopped herring), popular appetizer on shabbat, made chopping skinned, boned herrings hard-boiled eggs, onions, apples, sugar, pepper, , dash of vinegar.

soups

borscht sour cream

a number of soups characteristically ashkenazi, 1 of common of chicken soup (יױך, yoykh), traditionally served on shabbat, holidays, , special occasions. soup may served noodles (lokshen in yiddish) or rice. served shkedei marak (lit. soup almonds  – croutons popular in israel), called mandlen or mandlach in yiddish. other popular ingredients kreplach (dumplings) , kneidlach (matzo balls) – mixture of matzo meal, eggs, water, melted fat, pepper , salt. reserve kneidlach passover , kreplach other special occasions.

in preparation of number of soups, neither meat nor fat used. such soups formed food of poor classes. expression among jews of eastern europe, soup mit nisht (soup nothing), owes origin soups of kind. soups such borsht considered staple in ukraine. soups krupnik made of oatmeal, potatoes, , fat. staple food of poor students of yeshivot; in richer families, meat added soup.

at weddings, golden chicken soup served. reason name yellow circles of molten chicken fat floating on surface. today, chicken soup referred (not among jews) in jest jewish penicillin, , hailed cure common cold.

there number of sour soups in borscht category. 1 kraut or cabbage borscht, made cooking cabbage, meat, bones, onions, raisins, sour salt (citric acid), sugar, , tomatoes. beet borsht served hot or cold. in cold version, beaten egg yolk may added before serving, , each bowl topped dollop of sour cream. last process called farweissen (to make white).

bread , cake

challah bread

the dough of challah (called barkhes in western yiddish) shaped forms having symbolical meanings; on rosh hashanah rings , coins imitated, indicating may new year round , complete these ; hosha na rabbah, bread baked in form of key, meaning may door of heaven open admit our prayers. hamentash, triangular cookie or turnover filled fruit preserves (lekvar) or honey , black poppy seed paste, eaten on feast of purim. said shaped hat of haman tyrant. mohn kihel circular or rectangular wafer sprinkled poppy seed. pirushkes, or turnovers, little cakes fried in honey or dipped in molasses after baked. strudel served dessert. kugels prepared rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.

in eastern europe, jews baked black ( proster, or ordinary ) bread, white bread, , challah. common form twist ( koilitch or kidke romanian word încolăci means twist ). koilitch oval in form, , 1 , half feet in length. on special occasions, such weddings, koilitch increased length of 2 , half feet. bagel, originated eastern europe bublik, popular ashkenazi food.

meat , fats

gebratenes (roasted meat), chopped meat, , essig-fleisch (vinegar meat) favorite meat recipes. essig or, called, honig or sauerbraten, made adding meat has been partially roasted sugar, bay-leaves, pepper, raisins, salt , little vinegar. knish snack food consisting of meat or potato filling covered dough either baked, grilled, or deep fried.

a popular dish among ashkenazim, amongst eastern-europeans, pierogi (which related distinct kreplach), filled minced beef. kishka popular ashkenazi dish traditionally made beef intestine (casing) stuffed flour or matzo meal, schmaltz , spices.

the rendered fat of geese , chickens, known schmaltz, kept in readiness cooking use when needed. geribenes or scraps, called griven, cracklings left rendering process 1 of favorite foods in eastern europe. geribenes eaten spread on bread.

a spread of chopped liver, prepared onions , including gribenes, popular appetizer, side dish, or snack, among jews on eastern coast of north america. served rye bread or crackers.

holishkes, stuffed cabbage, known cabbage roll, european jewish dish emerged more impoverished times jews. because having live cow more valuable eat meat in middle ages, jews used fillers such breadcrumbs , vegetables mix ground beef. gave effect of more meat stuffed cabbage leaves.

sweets , confections

teiglach

teiglach, traditionally served on rosh hashanah, jewish new year, consists of little balls of dough (about size of marble) drenched in honey syrup. ingberlach ginger candies shaped small sticks or rectangles.

in europe, jellies , preserves made fruit juice used pastry filling or served tea. among poor, jelly reserved invalids, hence practice of reciting yiddish saying alevay zol men dos nit darfen (may not have occasion use it) before storing away.

because easy prepare, made inexpensive ingredients , contained no dairy products, compote became staple dessert in jewish households throughout europe , considered part of jewish cuisine.

side dishes

carrot tzimmes

tzimmes consists of cooked vegetables or fruits, meat added. popular vegetable carrot (mehren tzimes), sliced. turnips used tzimmes, particularly in lithuania. in southern russia, galicia, , romania tzimmes made of pears, apples, figs, prunes or plums (floymn tzimes).

kreplach, similar russian pelmeni ravioli-like dumplings made flour , eggs mixed dough, rolled sheets, cut squares , filled finely chopped, seasoned meat or cheese. served in soup, may fried. kreplech eaten on various holidays, among them purim , hosha na rabbah.