My Jewish New York story is sharing the beauty of NYC with my southern relatives from Memphis, TN and Birmingham, AL when they visit. They get so excited over everything around us and remind me not to take anything here for granted! We can't forget about our Katz's Deli highlight!
Finally met my future husband. Came to New York so my college roommates could meet him. And where was that? Schmulky Bernsteins of course! Best kosher Chinese food ever! With attitude!
For as long as I can remember, my family has used Frosted Flakes instead of Corn Flakes in our Noodle Kugel recipe.
I love mixing H & H bagels with Zabars Nova. Also, Eli's Table is an awesome restaurant experience on the Upper East side. The new kid on the block is Frankel's in Brooklyn. I didn't go there too often but it's sad that Carnegie Deli closed. I went there as a kid and always remembered the massive sandwiches. Best late night craving has to be Katz's. Their pastrami is unreal!
On Friday nights growing up my family and I would meet our friends before synagogue for the Ben's Deli Friday prime rib special. It was so much food we had leftovers to last the rest of the weekend!
My husband knows how important Jewish culture is to me so he took me to Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery on the lower east side. It's been open since 1910 and was such an amazing experience!
On cold winter days, there's nothing better than a cup (or 3) of matzah ball soup. My friends and I love going to B&H, a super narrow, hole-in-the-wall, old school diner that's always filled with regulars -- and boasts a kosher menu. Yum!
My Christian friend wants to be a Jew. I reminded him that Jesus was a Jew and the Bible he reads comes from Judea, making him already kinda Jewish. Shabbat Shalom my friend come over for Friday night dinner so I can tell you more...
Growing up in the Bronx in the 1940s meant a Jewish delicatessen on almost every other corner. This is where Jewish families went for hot pastrami and corn beef sandwiches, while Friday night at home meant chicken soup with matzah balls and roast chicken or brisket. For a treat, the family went to the Lower East Side to Katz’s for their deli and always stopped off next door to Russ and Daughters to bring home lox, herring, white fish, and sturgeon. No one left this appetizing establishment without picking out pickles from the huge barrels stranding up front. Going down on the subway which cost a nickel, was always fun in itself. The Lower East Side was a feast for the senses with kids running around the push carts, and crowds milling around the streets. Back home, we always stopped at the Jewish bakery for fresh seeded rye bread which they sliced to order and cheese danish or apple strudel which smelled like heaven.
When a close friend bakes round challah for Rosh Hashanah, adds a jar of honey, and delivers it to your door, leaving it with your doorman to ensure you have a happy, delicious and sweet new year, you know you must be in New York City.
My favorite memory growing up is our Sunday post-Hebrew school tradition of bagels and lox. Now, I carry on the same tradition (from the same bagel store!) with my kids.
I grew up in Stamford, CT in a culturally Jewish family. Once a month on Sundays, my grandparents who lived in Brooklyn at the time, would drive up in their maroon Lincoln town car, stocked to the gills (no pun intended) with lox, bagels and all the fixings from their local deli. Don't tell my mother but that was my favorite meal of the week.
Twice a year, for Rosh Hashana and Passover, I take out the grinder that was schlepped across the ocean to make my grandmother's gefilte fish. It's a tradition that has been passed down for generations. And can only be eaten with homemade horse radish. YUM!
Knowing my mother loves great New York corned beef, I stopped by Pastrami Queen on the way to the bus to bring me back to Hartford. Midway through the ride, I realized the entire bus smelled of corned beef! My 95-year-old mother enjoyed every morsel.
I spent this Rosh Hashanah at my Persian boyfriend's family's home. As an Ashkenazi Jew, I grew up dipping the apples in the honey - and that was that. This year was completely different. I experienced new rituals, blessings and foods - leeks and dates (and more). It was a unique, beautiful and delicious meal that I'll always remember.