A Jewish Diet for the Ages
By Penina Yaffa Kessler
Reprinted from theJew&thecarrot
When we toast ‘L’Chaim’ (to life), we mean just that.
Cornell Medical College has embarked on a research project to 
determine if there is a genetic reason why Ashkenazi Jews to live so long. Jewcy provided their own dietary plan — grapefruit and an egg for breakfast, sardines and horseradish for lunch — for a healthy Jewish lifestyle.
Perhaps in an effort to promote longevity, they overlooked the age-old cry of the Jewish mother: “Ess! Ess!” (Eat, Eat!). While Jewcy’s diet might help you live the longest life, we will heed Woody Allen’s advice: “After all, there are worse things in life than death. If you’ve ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman, you know what I’m talking about.” We avoid dinners with an insurance salesmen and never shy away from a line up of Jewish culinary delicacies (old and new).
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Kasha Recipes Get a Modern Makeover
By Louisa Shafia
Reprinted from The Jew and the Carrot
What would you do with a one-pound bag of toasted buckwheat groats, a.k.a. kasha? If you’re like most Ashkenazi Jews, you’d probably cook up kasha varnishkes, the Jewish “soul food” side dish made of kasha, sautéed onions, bowtie pasta, and often mushrooms. If you’re not Jewish, well, you probably wouldn’t have the kasha in the first place!
If you’re wondering why buckwheat hasn’t caught on here like other whole grains, try tasting it on its own. It’s bitter and bland, probably why our people resorted to mellowing its flavor with carb-heavy pasta, sweet caramelized onions, and plenty of schmaltz. (It’s worth noting that buckwheat is, in fact, not a grain at all, but a fruit in the same family as rhubarb and sorrel — but who’s keeping track?) But buckwheat is worth a second look, not only for its sentimental value but because it’s high in protein and fiber, and contains a significant amount of manganese, magnesium, and Vitamin B-6. It seems that our time-honored way of preparing kasha could use a twenty-first century makeover.
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