The Manischewitz Experience – 3 Day Pop Up at Chelsea Market

Manischewitz just had a three day Pop Up at Manhattan’s Chelsea Market. It opened to the public this past Thursday and continued through Friday and yesterday (Sunday). Though I wanted very much to see and taste Jamie Geller‘s demos, work did not allow it, but I managed to make it there yesterday.

I arrived just in time for Chef Katsuji Watanabe‘s cooking demo. Chef Watanabe not only is superb at what he does, but also has a winning personality!

With humor, and lots of patience, the Chef proved himself quite a showman

Sake, Mirin Soy Braised Winter Root Vegetables & Shizito Peppers Over Fine Egg Noodles

Chef Katsuji Watanabe, pouring in the Sake…

Ingredients

• 1 cup Manischewitz® Vegetable Broth
• 1 pkg. Manischewitz® Fine Egg Noodles
• 1 cup Cubed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup Cubed blue potatoes
• 1 cup Cubed heirloom carrots
• 1 cup cubed red onions
• 1 cup Cubed red onions 1/2 cup Chopped Shizito peppers
• 1 cup Chopped shitake mushroom
• 1/4 cup Chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup Soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Mirin
• 1 cup Sake

Almost done…

Directions

1. In heavy pot add all vegetables. Add the garlic and sauté for three minutes. Add the soy sauce, Mirin, sake, and Manischewitz® Vegetable Broth and cook to reduce.
2. Cook Manischewitz® Fine Egg Noodles according to package instructions.
3. Serve over steamed noodles and garnish with shizito peppers.

Ladling it out…

The pop up was divided into several serving stations, my favorites were Manni’s Pizzeria where just like Elizabeth Bland (The Cheese Mistress) I thought – as did Meyer Harroch, as well – that the matzoh pizza was surprisingly good.

Detail of photo by Elizabeth Bland at: https://cheesemistress.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/matzo-pizza-at-the-manischewitz-experience-2015/

Also the soup with crackers was nice, hot and delicious, the potato latkes were extremely tasty (in spite of being made from a mix in a box!).

All in all, I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours enjoying the serving stations, the demos and meeting old friends.

CS

6th Annual Man-O-Manischewitz LIVE Cook-Off

Yesterday, at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan (334 Amsterdam Avenue @76th Street, New York, NY), Manischewitz held the finals for this year’s LIVE Cook-Off.

The trophy presented to the winner...

Five finalists battled it out, cooking up their winning recipes from 12:15 to 1:15 pm:

• Jennifer Daskevich, from Los Angeles, CA – Crispy Chicken with Cherries
• Jacquie Serebranie Kessler, from Lexington, MA – Gnocchi
• Ronna Farley, from Rockville, MD – Chicken Puff Sandwiches
• Andrew Dorsch, Scotch Plains, NJ  Torte Vegetali
• Eric Silberman, Lincolnwood, IL – ‘Mod’ Matza Ball Soup

There were five judges with celebrity Chef Claire Robinson, from the Food Network, as the acting Host and Head Judge, the judges came from such diverse publications as Family Circle, Ladies’ Home Journal, Joy of Kosher, etc…

Jamie Geller, from Joy of Kosher, grading one of the contestants.

Each contestant walked up to the panel and explained what he or she made. Then the judges were served and each graded the dish according to various criteria as I did, when I was in the panel of judges at Kosherfest 2011.

Chicken Puff Sandwiches... ohh, the aroma!

I actually got to taste a Chicken Puff Sandwich, as Ms. Farley had made some extras. Wooow, was it good!

But the top honor went to none other than Eric Silberman, a 20 year old student at Princeton University in NJ, who won the grand prize for his ‘Mod’ Matza Ball Soup. Among his many talents he plays the oboe and piano, he enjoys creative writing and volunteering for various activities.

Eric Silberman, Grand Prize Winner, interviewed by New York's Channel 1...

He walked away with the trophy and $25,000.00. Not bad for a young student who loves what he does!

CS

A conversation with Paul Bensabat

Tomorrow evening at 8:00 pm (Eastern Time) we host Paul Bensabat, co-CEO of The Manischewitz Company on BlogTalkRadio.  Manischewitz, the biggest gefilte fish (that quintessential Ashkenazic Shabbos appetizer!) purveyor, is now run by two Moroccan Jews: Co-CEOs Paul Bensabat and Alain Bankier. The Manischewitz Company owns many of the kosher brands most Jewish baby boomers grew up with, such as: Manischewitz, Mrs. Adler’s, Goodman’s, Season, Cohen’s, Barney’s, Rokeach, Mother’s, Horowitz Margareten, Tradition, Goodman’s and more. What makes Paul Bensabat tick? Why would a Sephardic Jew acquire so many Ashkenazic brands? In a 2009 interviewhe said:

“Being Jewish is something very special, regardless of how religious you are. I am not Orthodox, butI am extremely proud of being Jewish and I have extremely strong feelings about being part of the community. My dad inspired me about the importance of being Jewish from the very beginning of my existence. I grew up in Casablanca in Morocco, so being a Jew in America I certainly appreciate the freedom and pride of being Jewish without fear of consequence. Being Jewish is not just respecting the religion but also having the privilege of being part of The Chosen People, of an amazing community with a special bond and pact with God. We are unique and one-of-a kind and should always be proud to be Jewish.”

In this era when Jewish cuisine has embraced most ethnic culinary traditions and shaped them to fit in with the traditional kosher diet, it was perfectly logical for a Moroccan Jew to acquire a company and brands that defined the American Ashkenazi experience for over a hundred years. Mr. Bensabat will talk to us about the company’s history, it’s over 600 products and more.

Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow evening – Wednesday, the 13th of July – at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) on BlogTalkRadio.

Meanwhile, why not give a listen to our previous show? Our guest was Esti Berkowitz of PrimeTimeParenting.com. What is her blog about? Mrs. Berkowitz’ one line description says it best: How I Found Kosher Food, A Husband, and Had Children After 35.

We talked about her blog and its purpose, we also discussed kashrus in Chicago, restaurants, take outs and more. As you will hear, Mrs. Berkowitz was an exciting guest and we’ve already had repeated requests to bring her back.

Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow evening – Wednesday, the 13th of July – at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) on BlogTalkRadio.

CS

It’s Been an Exciting Week! No Radio Show Tonight

It’s been an exciting week, with the first of my granddaughters getting married to a truly fine young man in Baltimore, this past Monday; my youngest son came in from Yerushalayim for 3 days to surprise both his oldest sister and niece. Yes, gentle reader, it’s been very nice but then at the last moment I had a postponement from my scheduled guest; after frantically trying to find a replacement (to no avail!), I feel compelled to cancel this evening’s broadcast. Next week we will be back however with Paul Bensabat, CEO of The Manischewitz Company.

Meanwhile, why not give a listen to last week’s show? Our guest was Esti Berkowitz of PrimeTimeParenting.com. What is her blog about? Mrs. Berkowitz’ one line description says it best: How I Found Kosher Food, A Husband, and Had Children After 35.

We talked about her blog and its purpose, we also discussed kashrus in Chicago, restaurants, take outs and more. As you will hear, Mrs. Berkowitz was an exciting guest and we’ve already had requests to bring her back.

You might also want to listen to something very different from our usual radio style, Jewish Cuisine and Jewish Culture. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions.

CS

Perfect Jewish American!

This past Tuesday morning the Manischewitz Company celebrated the opening of its new corporate headquarters in Newark, NJ.

From left to right: Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker, Co-President and CEO Paul Bensabat, Co-President and CEO Alain Bankier and Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yona Metzger

After both CoCEOs spoke about the company and their vision for the future, Mayor Booker took to the podium. With wit,  with a palpable sincerity – rare in a politician of any political stripe – he interspersed Yiddish words (impeccable pronounced!) in his speech, welcoming the company into the city. Israel’s Chief Rabbi Rav Metzger followed, he remarked on the Mayor’s facility with the Yiddish words and beside speaking of the company products he also blessed Cory Booker to go on to the national scene as a future President.

The affixing of three mezuzos followed…

Affixing the second mezuzah

After the mezuzos were in place we toured the manufacturing facility, which culminated with the baking (from start to finish) the World’s Largest Matzoh (25 feet long, 82 square feet!) ever, baked right in front of our eyes.

Detail of the finished matzoh as it came out on the conveyor belt

After the matzoh baked we all went in to the buffet luncheon in the company’s boardroom.

The Manischewitz Company was founded in Cincinnati in the spring of 1888 as a matzoh factory by Rabbi Dov Manischewitz. In 1932 it moved to its expanded facility in Jersey City and this move paved the way for the introduction of more products. While it is the US largest manufacturer of processed kosher foods, it is also the world’s largest manufacturer of matzoh.

The company today manufactures over 600 products with brands such as:

• Manischewitz
• Season
• Barney’s
• Guiltless Gourmet
• Asian Harvest
• Rokeach
• Mishpacha
• Horowitz Margareten
• Jason
• Mother’s
• Carmel
• Tradition
• Croyden House
• Mrs Adler’s
• Goodman’s

CEO Paul Bensabat interviewed by my good friend Rabbi Yaakov Spivak

On Wednesday past, we posted a cookbook review titled Perfect Jewish… With that title in mind, I wonder what could be more Perfect Jewish American than the Manischewitz Company‘s products? Could a Jew in America have grown up without ever having tasted any of of the company’s products? Absolutely impossible!!

CS