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W E â€™ R E

W E L L

D O N E

M E D I U M

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER Vacation is a state of mind.

TRENDS A review of the newest kosher products released during this years Kosherfest show.

DESTINATION WEDDING

A trend slowly gathering steam as kosher options expand to exotic locations like Cancun, Thailand and Italy.

EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS

Top 5 under-the-radar cities to visit this year.

THE EXPERT Traveling to cities without much kosher? Food personality Naomi Nachman shares her top tips.

BUTCHER’S CUT This month, meat expert Naftali Hanau shares everything you need to know about skirt steak. DANI KLEIN, founder of YeahThatsKosher, is passionate about global travel, good kosher restaurants, social media, technology, digital marketing and spending time with his friends & family. Dani has an MBA in Marketing and works in the Social Media Marketing field for a large media agency. You can follow along on Dani’s trips and kosher restaurant excursions on Instagram (@YeahThatsKosher) and on his well-researched site www.YeahThatsKosher.com.

Disclaimer: Due to the ever-changing landscape of the travel industry, names, locations and even kashrut can change on a dime. Consult with your local Rabbi to determine which hashgacha works with your lifestyle. Fleishigs does not take responsibility for the kashrut standards of the restaurants listed in this issue. NOVEMBER 2019

SUPPLIES The plastic with perks. Get the inside scoop on using credit cards strategically.

GUEST EDITOR The trip to Iceland that propelled the creation of guest editor Dani Klein’s iconic website www.yeahthatskosher.com.

Chef Isaac Bernstein shares his ultimate no-knead pizza dough and gourmet toppings using basic ingredients.

Fleishigs

ROMAN PIZZA

CULINARY SCHOOL Make the perfect French fry — super crispy on the outside, fluffy texture on the inside.

AHEAD OF THE (BACK)PACK A complete guide on backpacking your way around the globe.

TOP 5 Gabriel Boxer aka the Kosher Guru shares 5 kosher cruise options.

INTERVIEW What is Nachum Segal’s favorite international food?

THE CELLAR Kosher wineries worth visiting.

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SUPPLIES

The Plastic with Perks By Dani Klein

ver the past decade, I’ve made it my mission to travel whenever possible, with international destinations often on my itinerary. Personally, I believe that bringing my family to new places is worth infinitely more than vacations that rely on amusement parks. The sole issue I had to overcome, however, was budget. Travel isn’t cheap, but it can be if you know what you’re doing.

• Accrue flexible credit card points, airline miles and hotel points via credit cards. Combining these tactics has enabled me to use relatively few points on already cheap fares, which has allowed me to fly my entire family abroad — and still have points leftover.

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• Know which cards can earn you the maximum amount of points for each purchase you make. Certain cards give you extra points for traveling and dining out at restaurants, while other cards reward you when used at gas stations, grocery stores and others deliver bonus points when used via Apple Pay. It runs the gamut. • Get the best possible sign-up bonuses. Banks will entice you to sign up for their credit cards with various sign-up offers, which can range from 10,000 to 100,000 points. Understanding the value of the points being offered, how flexible they are for travel usage and what you need to do to earn the points after signing up are key to unlocking inexpensive, or even free, travel.

REACH OUT TO AN EXPERT

• Be flexible with where you’re willing to go and always look for the best deals. Sites such as DansDeals. com, TheFlightDeal.com and others are great at uncovering inexpensive flight deals to destinations around the globe. That’s how I’ve been able to visit Buenos Aires ($287 round trip) and Tel Aviv multiple times (best fare for $315 round trip). I'm also heading soon to Iceland ($330 round trip) and Madrid ($230 round trip).

CREDIT CARD POINTS

TRAVEL ON A BUDGET

Taking advantage of the credit card points strategy is not for everyone. For starters, you must have decent credit to be eligible for the right cards that can earn you the most points/miles. You must be diligent about paying off bills in full, otherwise the interest payments on your cards will not make the strategies worthwhile because you’ll be paying more to the banks than the points you’ll be earning. These are my primary strategies: • If you are interested in using credit card points but don’t have the time to deal with the logistics, there are experts you can reach out to. PEYD is one such company. PEYD is a leading credit card rewards and travel management provider, serving tens of thousands of clients and hundreds of businesses throughout the United States and Canada. Their mantra is to help customers navigate the credit card industry by advising them through the redemption of miles and points associated with the sea of rewards programs out there. They help clients understand what credit cards to utilize when making purchasing decisions for their company and the best ways to maximize those rewards based on their business type and travel needs. • PEYD also offers full-service travel agency services, specializing in discounted airfare and hotels. For more information visit www.getpeyd.com or call at (888) 404-PEYD (7393).

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MY TOP CHOICES

For now, I’ll highlight a few of the top credit cards for travel purposes and why I recommend them. As always, do your own research before signing up for any card.

2. Free checked baggage. Holding one of these cards typically covers each flyer with at least 1 free checked bag, which can easily cover the card’s annual fee after a single flight. CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED CARD/CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE CARD Anyone who has been collecting credit card points has one of these cards in their wallet. The Chase Ultimate Rewards® points system allows for flexible use of points, so you can redeem points for travel purchases at a discount or transfer them to a travel partner, such as a hotel or airline. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: • $95 annual fee • Earns 2x points on travel and restaurants • Get 25% more value when redeemed on airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises • Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months after account opens Chase Sapphire Reserve Card: • $450 annual fee

Note: The opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not reflect those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain. The information provided has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

• Earns 3x points on travel and restaurants • Get 50% more value when redeemed on airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises • Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months after account opens • $300 annual credit toward travel purchases These Chase cards also provide a slew of other perks, including travel and purchase protections that I encourage you to investigate. It’s good to know what the card can help you with down the road. Visit https://creditcards.chase. com/airline-credit-cards to learn more about these Chase cards.

AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD CARD Similar to the Chase cards, the American Express Membership Rewards® points system is also flexible with travel redemptions. The Gold Card is great for travelers and foodies alike, with the card earning 4x points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets as well as 3x points when booking flights directly with the airline. • $250 annual fee • Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months after account opens • Annual airline fee credit up to $100 Although I value Chase’s points slightly more than Amex’s, I love American Express for the consumer protections I receive when using their cards to make important purchases like travel. It’s for that reason that I always keep both Chase and Amex cards in my wallet.

United Explorer: • $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, $95 thereafter • Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months after account opens • $100 Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check fee credit • First checked bag is free

Visit https://www.theexplorercard.com/ to learn more about the United Explorer card.

Visit https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/ card/gold-card/ to learn more about the Amex Gold Card. UNITED EXPLORER or JETBLUE PLUS Although airline credit cards are less flexible (you’re forced to use their airline with their points), they do have value in your wallet. I generally use airline credit cards for the following reasons: 1. Rich sign up bonuses. The points earned via signing up can help pay for multiple flights in one shot.

JetBlue Plus Card: • $95 annual fee • Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months after account opens • First checked bag is free Visit https://www.jetbluepluscard.com/ to learn more about the JetBlue Plus Card

NOVEMBER 2019

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TRAVEL

a ci el nd The trip to Iceland that propelled the creation of 'YeahThat'sKosher'. BY DANI KLEIN

NOVEMBER 2019

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Kosher Destination

weddings BY CHANA ZELDA WEISS

Wedding of Chaya S. & Noach Tanenbaum Photo by Sebi Messina Photography @sebimessinaphotography

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y sister Chaya always dreamed of an extraordinary and memorable wedding, but when Noach proposed last winter, the price tag of a large, extravagant

wedding was out of the question for the young couple. Getting married in Mexico seemed like a crazy idea at first, but slowly the thought of an intimate affair on a beautiful beach became more and more appealing.

opening photo

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Fleishigs

Panama

RECIPES INSPIRED BY PANAMA GRAPEFRUIT CEVICHE Serves: 4 This refreshing, nutritious dish comes together in minutes and also serves as an excellent kiddush option, since it can prepared fresh in the morning but is also good when made in advance.

1 pound Chilean sea bass, cut into ½-inch chunks 1 grapefruit, supremed ⅓ cup lime juice ¼ cup grapefruit juice 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 jalapeño, finely diced ⅓ cup finely minced fresh cilantro, parsley or mint (plus more for garnish) 1 teaspoon kosher salt Plantain chips, for serving Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 4-12 hours. Garnish with more herbs and serve chilled with plantain chips.

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Serve with plantain chips, tortilla chips or crackers.

DE NADA FOR THESE EMPANADAS. BEEF EMPANADAS Serves: 12 Popular in South American countries like Panama and Buenos Aires, these empanadas are great as a snack, side dish or dinner. Serve them with tahini, ranch, chimichurri (see pg. 72) or barbecue sauce. We suggest making a large batch, freezing and baking when the time is right.

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil 1 pound ground beef 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 medium red onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon sweet paprika ½ tablespoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock or broth 2 teaspoons sugar ½ cup green olives, finely chopped 24 mini puff pastry squares or rounds, defrosted

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned but not completely cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in the pan as possible. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion and bell pepper; stir until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add cumin, paprika, oregano and cayenne and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock and reserved beef along with any accumulated

juices to the pan. Stir in the sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 15-20 minutes; taste and season with more salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in olives. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover and chill for about 3 hours. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove 6 puff pastry rounds from the package and arrange on a work surface. Place 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round, making sure not to overfill.

Fold the dough over the filling and pinch edges to seal. Using a fork, crimp edges. Transfer empanadas to a parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving 1-inch of space between each empanada. Repeat with remaining dough (you can fit about 12 empanadas on each pan). Bake empanadas, rotating pan halfway through, until they’re golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, about 25-35 minutes.

NOVEMBER 2019

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new orleans GUMBO Serves: 12 Gumbo is the official dish of Louisiana. Traditionally made with andouille sausage, shellfish broth and roux (a thickening mixture of flour and butter), it’s not exactly a dish you’d imagine could be made kosher — but we were up for the challenge. As andouille is harder to find, we used Polish sausage with smoked paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes to mimic the bold flavors of andouille. You can, however, find uncured andouille sausage from Abeles & Heymann.

Beef Fry Roux: 1 (4-ounce) package beef fry ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup shmaltz Gumbo: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided 4 smoked Andouille or Polish sausages (12-ounce package), sliced into ½-inch rounds 1 large onion, chopped 3 stalks celery, finely chopped 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cups chicken broth 4 cups water 3 tablespoons hot sauce

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4 bay leaves ½ teaspoon dried thyme 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 1 pound okra, chopped 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 6 cups prepared long- grain white rice, for serving Fresh parsley, for garnish

Make the roux: Cook beef fry in a frying pan over medium heat until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate to cool (making sure to leave as much bacon fat in the pan as possible). Add the schmaltz and flour, whisking continuously to create a smooth mixture. Continue to cook, stirring continuously, up to an hour. The color will turn from a creamy off-white, to a light caramel, to a dark brown color. Watch your heat to avoid burning the roux. Once the roux has reached the desired texture, remove from heat.

RECIPE BY: ROSA SEIDENWAR (@LILYROSE_BAKERSBOX) Yields: 32 beignets Smothered in confectioners’ sugar, these beignets (French for donuts) are famously served in cafés throughout New Orleans, usually accompanied by very strong coffee. Best served warm, these airy pillows of fried dough rarely make it to the table; they’re devoured straight from the fryer. ½ cup warm non-dairy milk ½ cup warm water ¼ cup sugar 2½ teaspoons instant yeast 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 large egg 1½ teaspoon salt 4 cups all-purpose flour

5-6 cups canola oil, for frying (depending on the size of the pot you use) 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, for dusting In a large bowl, combine milk, water, sugar and yeast; stir gently. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to proof. Add oil, egg, salt and flour and mix by hand or with a stand mixer set to low speed, until a smooth dough forms. Coat the dough very lightly in oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and/or a towel. Let rise for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, refrigerate the bowl with the dough for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. On a floured surface, divide the dough into 2 balls and roll

out each ball of dough to form a large rectangle approximately ½-inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, slice each rectangle into 16 even squares. To fry the dough, heat the oil to 360°F in a large pot, keeping track of the temperature with a candy thermometer. Fry the dough in batches of 3-4 at a time. After a few seconds in the oil, the dough will float to the top of the pot and puff up. Continue to fry for 1 minute on each side and remove with a slotted spoon to a tray lined with paper towels. Sift confectioners’ sugar on top of beignets. Enjoy hot with a cup of café au lait! Local Tip: Try and wear white or light-colored clothing before enjoying beignets, as you may end up covered in powdered sugar.

DONUTS WITH A B.

For the gumbo: Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the chicken and season with smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side (it’s okay if the chicken isn’t fully cooked). Transfer to a clean plate and set aside. Add the sausage in a single layer and brown 1-2 minutes on each side. Transfer to the plate with the chicken. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Stir in peppers and continue to sauté for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and sauté for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to mediumlow and add the roux to the mixture. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and water. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the hot sauce, bay leaves, remaining 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and dried thyme. Mix well to combine. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken and sausage to the pot. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. As the gumbo simmers, heat grapeseed oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped okra and white vinegar and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add to the gumbo a few minutes before serving. Serve with rice and chopped fresh parsley.

BEIGNETS

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5 T

IN BRIEF:

Montreal Yet another destination city that is often compared to Paris, Montreal is so much

 Just across the Canadian border, only a 5-6 hour drive from most of the NY metro areas and Boston, Montreal is home to a thriving Jewish community (and many kosher restaurants), a beautiful landscape and happening nightlife.  It’s best to visit during the summertime, when temperatures are warm but not oppressive, versus other seasons when the city can be extremely cold.

more accessible, especially for those in the

NOT TO BE MISSED

northeast.

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Mount Royal, located in the center of the city, is a wonderful hiking opportunity for the whole family. Mount Royal Park offers many affordable and even free activities for all ages.

Explore Old Montreal, which showcases many European influences and traces Montreal’s history back to 1642, when European settlers first arrived.

NOVEMBER 2019

3 If traveling in July, make sure to check out the world’s largest international comedy festival, “Just for Laughs.”

WHERE TO EAT:  Make sure to check out Yakimono Sushi Bar, an excellent pareve Asian restaurant that is often my first stop when visiting Montreal— they have the city’s best sushi.  Chops Resto Bar is one of the city’s highend steakhouses, great for a nice night out.  Pizza Pita is the city’s largest kosher pizzeria and has been open for 30 years; they serve pizza, pasta and cheesy poutine made with their signature pareve gravy.  Sampling the city’s bagels is a pastime for locals and visitors, which native Montrealers believe are superior to New York’s variety (in our humble opinion, they’re wrong— but it’s still worth trying). Check out Côte St-Luc Bagel Kosher Inc. or District Bagel to decide for yourself. An unexpected surprise at District Bagel are the cheese blintzes, which are some of the best we’ve tasted worldwide.

ESTHER KADOCH (@ESTHERKADOCH) SHARES HER RECOMMENDATIONS

 As a lifetime Montreal resident, lifestyle blogger Esther Kadoch shares her favorite spots. Sababa is a new, modern Israeli restaurant. They have fluffy laffas that are so good with the lamb merguez and hummus. They also have a solid steak with fries. At Yakimono, I recommend the Salmon Teriyaki entrée and for sushi we always get the Mendy Roll and the Bamboo Roll. The Chocolate Cigars are everything you would want in a fried dessert. For a nice night out, Chops is our go-to. We always like to start out with sushi (try the Shogun Roll and the Slim Roll) and the Crispy Beef and Chicken Corn Soup appetizer menu are musts. For an entrée, we tend to alternate between the Korean or Entrecôte Steak options and the Sizzling Beef Noodles are an excellent choice as well.

to appeal to the kosher, Shabbat-observant traveler.  Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Montreal, for example, has a kosher meat restaurant on premises, Luzzatto. It offers kosher breakfast options and Shabbat keys as well.

SHABBAT IN MONTREAL:  Shabbat in Montreal is best spent in Côte Saint-Luc, which is home to the most Jews in the city. In fact, many hotels have services

 Another famous Montreal specialty is smoked meat sandwiches. Smoked meat is often compared to pastrami but is its own special product that we find to be beefier than pastrami; many actually prefer it to classic pastrami. A great place to stop for some smoked meat sandwiches is Deli 365. Grab a few extra sandwiches- they travel well. A few doors down is the famous bakery, Boulangerie Cheskie, where you can grab some pastries for dessert. You can actually order amazing smoked meat from www.GrowandBehold.com. They deliver anywhere in the United States.

 Although the Sheraton doesn’t offer kosher on premises, it is another family-friendly (and points friendly!) hotel that is within walking distance to kosher food and shuls.  For those staying downtown, McGill University will be your best bet to be accessible to Shabbat meals and shuls.  L'Escale Chabad du Nord is a rustic, country-style kosher hotel located an hour or so from central Montreal, in the scenic mountains near Sainte-Agathedes-Monts. The food is authentic Moroccan and Israeli cuisine cooked by the owner’s wife, who happens to be a great-grandmother.

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WHEN SUPPER BECOMES DINNER Rivka brushes her

GRILLED SALMON

with Saladmate’s BBQ Sauce Yehuda sautees his

PEPPERS

in Saladmate’s BBQ Sauce

Esther marinades her

CHICKEN BREAST in Saladmate’s BBQ Sauce

Chaya makes her famous

CHOLENT

with Saladmate’s BBQ Sauce

L BITES W

Skirt Steak

BUTCHER'S CUT

F B I G L AV

BY NAFTALI HANAU PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCHNEUR MENAKER

What is skirt steak?

What are striations?

Skirt steak consists

The deep ridges of

of the diaphragm

muscle in skirt steak,

muscles of the steer,

called striations, are

which form a “skirt”

unique to this cut

between the fore

(hanger steaks look

and rear halves of

somewhat similar, but

the animal. It’s long,

are not really the same

narrow, striated and

thing) and they’re a

is a muscle that gets

cook’s secret weapon

a good deal of work

because they give this

since it helps the lungs

steak more absorption

breathe. Each animal

area than other steaks.

has 2 outer skirt steaks

This means more

(¾ inches wide, ½-1

flavor from a marinade,

inch thick), which are

resulting in really deli-

more tender and 2

cious meat. Since this

inner skirt steaks (5-7

steak is great when

inches wide, ¼-½ inch

cut into small pieces,

thick), which tend to

you can season it

be chewier. Both parts

very heavily and each

have flavor, tenderness

bite will deliver a little

and texture unlike any

flavor explosion in your

other steak, which

mouth.

make it perfect for serving in small bites in salads, fajitas, burritos and more.

SKIRT STEAK DOES WELL WHEN COOKED OVER HIGH HEAT TO DEVELOP A CRUST. ONCE SEARED, FINISH OVER INDIRECT OR LOWER HEAT TO TENDERIZE THE MEAT.

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LAST BITE

Thanksgiving Leftovers Poutine Serves: 8 Since this is the November issue, what better way to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers than with another poutine recipe, inspired by the classic Canadian original. Even if you're not celebrating Thanksgiving, the unexpected flavors in this poutine will keep sending you back for more. Délicieux!

1 recipe homemade French fries (see Culinary School feature for stepby-step guide, pg. 12) 1 ½ cups shredded leftover turkey (or chicken), warmed ⅔ cup gravy, warmed ½ cup cranberry sauce ¼ cup thinly sliced onions ⅓ cup thinly sliced apples Grainy Mustard Aioli (recipe follows)

Grainy Mustard Aioli Makes: 1 ¼ cup

Recipe Note: Alternatively, you can use a 32-ounce bag frozen French fries. Cook according to package instructions and proceed with poutine recipe.

¾ cup mayonnaise ⅓ cup whole grain mustard 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon warm water ½ teaspoon kosher salt Whisk ingredients together until combined. If making ahead of time, add up to a tablespoon of water before serving to slightly thin it out to desired consistency.

Place cooked fries on a large serving platter. Top with warm turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, onions and apples. Drizzle some aioli over top. Serve immediately.

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some have well guarded trade secrets we just call them family traditions

HERZOG LINEAGE nine generations of patient winemaking