Jewish dairy restaurant

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about 1928, sign for Ratner's in background, Lower East Side Silver's Dress Suits To Hire -- about 1928 (49806672831).jpg
about 1928, sign for Ratner's in background, Lower East Side

A Jewish dairy restaurant, Kosher dairy restaurant [1] [2] , dairy lunchroom or dairy deli (milkhik or milchig restaurant) is a type of vegetarian kosher restaurant, luncheonette or eat-in diner in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, particularly American Jewish cuisine and the cuisine of New York City.

Contents

Overview

Due to the strict rules for separating milk and meat in Jewish law, dairy restaurants evolved as an alternative to Jewish delicatessens which specialized in meat (fleischig). [3] Descended from the milchhallen or "milk pavilions" of Europe, they began appearing in the Jewish immigrant community of the Lower East Side in the late 19th and early 20th century, where there were at one time hundreds of dairy restaurants. [4] [5] [6] They were also found in Chicago and Toronto. [7] [8]

Dairy restaurant menus include items such as potato latkes, gefilte fish, matzo brei, vegetarian (milkhiker) borscht, kugel, protose (a synthetic vegetable meat substitute), pierogies, milk toast, poppy cakes, buttermilk, cheese blintzes and kreplach, as well as American dishes such as scrambled eggs or tuna salad. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [ excessive citations ] Notable examples frequented by Jewish immigrants and American Jews, among others, include B&H Dairy and Ratner's. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [ excessive citations ] Leon Trotsky was said to be particularly fond of a restaurant called Triangle Dairy in the Bronx, whose waiters were Russian emigrés, but refused to tip, leading to verbal abuse, intentionally poor service, and an incident that caused him to be burned by hot soup. [19] [20] A restaurant known as Steinberg's on the Upper West Side was beloved by writers and theater people and a refuge for Zero Mostel when he was blacklisted. [21] Isaac Bashevis Singer, a noted Jewish vegetarian, was said to favor the Famous Dairy Restaurant on West 72nd St. [22] [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

Kashrut is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the term that in Sephardi or Modern Hebrew is pronounced kashér, meaning "fit". Food that may not be consumed, however, is deemed treif, also spelled treyf. In case of objects the opposite of kosher is pasúl

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reuben sandwich</span> Type of sandwich with meat and sauerkraut

The Reuben sandwich is a North American grilled sandwich composed of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread. It is associated with kosher-style delicatessens but is not kosher, as it combines meat and cheese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schmaltz</span> Rendered chicken or goose fat

Schmaltz is rendered (clarified) chicken or goose fat. It is an integral part of traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, where it has been used for centuries in a wide array of dishes, such as chicken soup, latkes, matzah brei, chopped liver, matzah balls, fried chicken, and many others, as a cooking fat, spread, or flavor enhancer.

Kosher foods are foods that conform to the Jewish dietary regulations of kashrut. The laws of kashrut apply to food derived from living creatures and kosher foods are restricted to certain types of mammals, birds and fish meeting specific criteria; the flesh of any animals that do not meet these criteria is forbidden by the dietary laws. Furthermore, kosher mammals and birds must be slaughtered according to a process known as shechita and their blood may never be consumed and must be removed from the meat by a process of salting and soaking in water for the meat to be permissible for use. All plant-based products, including fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs and spices, are intrinsically kosher, although certain produce grown in the Land of Israel is subjected to other requirements, such as tithing, before it may be consumed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Jewish communities around the world

Jewish cuisine refers to the worldwide cooking traditions of the Jewish people. During its evolution over the course of many centuries, it has been shaped by Jewish dietary laws (kashrut), Jewish festivals and holidays, and traditions centred around Shabbat. Jewish cuisine is influenced by the economics, agriculture, and culinary traditions of the many countries where Jewish communities have settled and varies widely throughout the entire world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pareve</span> Kashrut classification of foods free from dairy and meat

In kashrut, the dietary laws of Judaism, pareve or parve is a classification of edible substances that contain neither dairy nor meat ingredients. Food in this category includes all items that grow from the ground, fish, eggs, and non-biological edible items.

Some people do not eat various specific foods and beverages in conformity with various religious, cultural, legal or other societal prohibitions. Many of these prohibitions constitute taboos. Many food taboos and other prohibitions forbid the meat of a particular animal, including mammals, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, fish, molluscs, crustaceans and insects, which may relate to a disgust response being more often associated with meats than plant-based foods. Some prohibitions are specific to a particular part or excretion of an animal, while others forgo the consumption of plants or fungi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosher style</span>

Kosher style refers to Jewish cuisine—most often that of Ashkenazi Jews—which may or may not actually be kosher. It is a stylistic designation rather than one based on the laws of kashrut. In some U.S. states, the use of this term in advertising is illegal as a misleading term under consumer protection laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sindhi cuisine</span> Cuisine of the Sindh, Pakistan

Sindhi cuisine refers to the distinct native cuisine of the Sindhi people from Sindh, Pakistan. Sindhi cuisine has been influenced by Central Asian, Iranian, Mughal food traditions. It is mostly a non-vegetarian cuisine, with even Sindhi Hindus widely accepting of meat consumption. The daily food in most Sindhi households consists of wheat-based flat-bread (Mani) or rice accompanied by two dishes, one gravy and one dry with curd, papad or pickle. Freshwater fish and a wide variety of vegetables are usually used in Sindhi cuisine. Restaurants specializing in Sindhi cuisine are rare, although it is found at truck stops in rural areas of Sindh province, and in a few restaurants in urban Sindh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vegetarianism by country</span>

Vegetarian and vegan dietary practices vary among countries. Differences include food standards, laws, and general cultural attitudes toward vegetarian diets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Israel

Israeli cuisine primarily comprises dishes brought from the Jewish diaspora, and has more recently been defined by the development of a notable fusion cuisine characterized by the mixing of Jewish cuisine and Arab cuisine. It also blends together the culinary traditions of the various diaspora groups, namely those of Middle Eastern Jews with roots in Southwest Asia and North Africa, Sephardi Jews from Iberia, and Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosher restaurant</span> Restaurant serving food permissible in Jewish dietary law

A kosher restaurant or kosher deli is an establishment that serves food that complies with Jewish dietary laws (kashrut). These businesses, which also include diners, cafés, pizzerias, fast food, and cafeterias, and are frequently in listings together with kosher bakeries, butchers, caterers, and other similar places, differ from kosher-style businesses in that they operate under rabbinical supervision, which requires the observance of the laws of kashrut, as well as certain other Jewish laws, including the separation of meat and dairy.

The mixture of meat and dairy is forbidden according to Jewish law. This dietary law, basic to kashrut, is based on two verses in the Book of Exodus, which forbid "boiling a (goat) kid in its mother's milk" and a third repetition of this prohibition in Deuteronomy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pescetarianism</span> Dietary practice of incorporating seafood into an otherwise vegetarian diet

Pescetarianism is a dietary practice in which seafood is the only source of meat in an otherwise vegetarian diet. The inclusion of other animal products, such as eggs and dairy, is optional. According to research conducted from 2017 to 2018, approximately 3% of adults worldwide are pescetarian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish-American patronage of Chinese restaurants</span> American Jews amity for Chinese food as part of their culture

The Jewish-American patronage of Chinese restaurants became prominent in the 20th century, especially among Jewish New Yorkers. It has received attention as a paradoxical form of assimilation by embracing an unfamiliar cuisine that eased the consumption of non-kosher foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Jewish cuisine</span> Food, cooking, and dining customs associated with American Jews

American Jewish cuisine comprises the food, cooking, and dining customs associated with American Jews. It was heavily influenced by the cuisine of Jewish immigrants who came to the United States from Eastern Europe around the turn of the 20th century. It was further developed in unique ways by the immigrants and their descendants, especially in New York City and other large metropolitan areas of the northeastern U.S.

Ethiopian Jewish cuisine is the cuisine of the Beta Israel. The cuisine of the Ethiopian Jews is similar to the cuisine of other Ethiopians, with some variations.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">B&H Dairy</span> Kosher restaurant in Manhattan, New York

B&H Dairy is a kosher Jewish dairy restaurant or luncheonette in the East Village of Manhattan in New York City. The original owners, Abie Bergson and Jack Heller, later Sol Hausman, opened it in 1938 when the area was known for the Yiddish Theatre District. Bergson was an aspiring actor, and Molly Picon and Maurice Schwartz were patrons. Bergson sold the luncheonette in the 1970s and it went bankrupt in 1978. Bob Sherman, a partner in a construction firm, bought it. A 1940s style lunch counter B&H serves cheese blintzes with sour cream, borscht, matzo brei, and other kosher dairy Jewish cuisine known as milchik. It is owned and operated by an Egyptian Muslim and Catholic Polish couple, Fawzy and Alexandra Abdelwahed. It was closed for a time due to a gas explosion and a fire but reopened. It was noted in an interview by Lily Tomlin.

References

  1. ↑ "Best Kosher Dairy Restaurant in Queens - Cafe Premiata". cafepremiata.com. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  2. ↑ "Cafe Muscat Kosher Restaurant & Catering". muscatcafe. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  3. ↑ Kraemer, David C. (2020-07-24). Jewish Eating and Identity Through the Ages. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-000-15938-7.
  4. ↑ Katchor, Ben (2020-03-10). "How Dairy Lunchrooms Became Alternatives to the NYC Saloon 'Free Lunch.'". Literary Hub. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  5. ↑ Elinsky, Kate (2020-06-30). "The Milchik Way". Jewish Review of Books. Archived from the original on 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  6. ↑ "Add this to your quarantine reading list: 500 pages on Jewish dairy restaurants and the 'milkhideke' personality". The Forward. 2020-05-27. Archived from the original on 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  7. ↑ Haddix, Carol; Kraig, Bruce; Sen, Colleen Taylor (2017-08-16). The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. University of Illinois Press. ISBN   978-0-252-09977-9.
  8. ↑ Rosen, Amy (2019-09-03). Kosher Style: Over 100 Jewish Recipes for the Modern Cook: A Cookbook. Appetite by Random House. ISBN   978-0-525-60990-2.
  9. ↑ Marks, Gil (2010-11-17). Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. HMH. ISBN   978-0-544-18631-6.
  10. ↑ Hersh, June (2023). Iconic New York Jewish Food: A History and Guide with Recipes. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4671-5260-0.
  11. ↑ Katchor, Ben (2020-03-10). The Dairy Restaurant. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN   978-0-8052-4219-5.
  12. ↑ Garner, Dwight (2020-03-16). "An Illustrated Love Song to Jewish Restaurants of Old". The New York Times . Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  13. ↑ Moskin, Julia (2020-04-06). "A Rich (Very Rich) History of the Jewish Dairy Restaurant". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  14. ↑ Rosenberg, David (2009). "HISTORICAL NOTE: Holocaust Behind the Counter: L&G Luncheonette and the Origins of the East Village Poetry Scene". Chicago Review. 54 (3): 176–181. ISSN   0009-3696. JSTOR   25742523.
  15. ↑ Smith, Gary Scott (2020-12-07). American Religious History: Belief and Society through Time [3 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN   978-1-4408-6161-1.
  16. ↑ Halper, Emanuel B. (2001). Shopping Center and Store Leases. Law Journal Press. ISBN   978-1-58852-003-6.
  17. ↑ Stein, Lori; Isaacs, Ronald H. (2023-06-14). Let's Eat: Jewish Food and Faith. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-1-4422-7104-3.
  18. ↑ Sherman, Susan (2014-09-01). Nirvana on Ninth Street. Wings Press. ISBN   978-1-60940-408-6.
  19. ↑ Rubenstein, Joshua (2011-10-15). Leon Trotsky: A Revolutionary's Life. Yale University Press. ISBN   978-0-300-17841-8.
  20. ↑ Giffin, Frederick C. (1968). "Leon Trotsky in New York City". New York History. 49 (4): 391–403. ISSN   0146-437X. JSTOR   23162567.
  21. ↑ "» Mid-Century Style, Black-List & Dairy Restaurants". www.landmarkwest.org. Archived from the original on 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  22. ↑ Berger, Joseph (1991-07-26). "I.B. Singer's New York: Fading, Yes, but Still Here". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  23. ↑ Sider, West (2017-11-09). "Throwback Thursday: Famous Dairy Restaurant". West Side Rag. Archived from the original on 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
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