Limmud

Yesterday I had a chance to talk about my favorite subject, food, of course, at Limmud FSU www.limmudfsuusa.com. Surprisingly, about twenty people showed up, although, I was expecting a much smaller number given the caliber of the presenters at the event. I was really happy to see so many young people eager to listen.

So for those of you who missed it, here are some interesting food history facts worth knowing:

Seven Products of the Land of Israel from the Torah:
“Wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; olive-trees and honey” (Devarim 8:8)

Up until the beginning of the last century olive oil constituted 20%-30% of the daily caloric intake of the inhabitants of Israel.

The Jews in Alsace specialized in breeding fat geese whose livers they chopped and made into a paste (chopped liver) and out of which Jean-Pierre Close, the chef of one of Loius XIV’s commanders in 17th century developed ‘pate de fois gras.’

The art of making Stuffed Cabbage was developed for the dish to be served on Simchat Torah as the rolled cabbage reminds us of the Torah scrolls.

The earliest recipe for gefilte fish (stuffed pike) appeared in a manuscript written in Germany in 1350.