Kosher Food

Kosher food just isn't kosher anymore for some members of the Jewish faith. Concerns about worker abuse at kosher slaughterhouses have led Conservative Jews to develop standards to ensure that producers pay fair wages and benefits and are sensitive to animals and the environment. A proposed certificate of righteousness, called hekhsher tzedek (pronounced HECK-shur ZED-ick) and an identifying seal, are likened to fair trade coffee. The idea is producing a rift between Conservative and Orthodox Jews.

Seven Mile Market, a kosher supermarket in Pikesville that has drawn Jewish residents and others from around the region, plans to move and double in size - likely making it the largest operation of its kind in the nation. The market, which opened in 1988, is moving to a Safeway store on Reisterstown Road near its current location on Seven Mile Lane. Already known for offering a wide variety of meat, fish, baked goods and other foods, the market will expand its product offerings as it moves into 55,000 square feet from its current 28,000-square-foot location.

George Barghout, who wants to sell kosher hot dogs that aren't, got no satisfaction from Maryland's highest court this week.The owner of several eateries in the Baltimore area, Mr. Barghout had asked the Court of Appeals to strike down Baltimore's kosher food ordinance for unconstitutionally creating a religious body within city government.But the Maryland court ruled that the state's constitution does not offer protection from the imposition of religion practices by government.The case will return to the U.S. District Court, where a federal judge will now evaluate the city's ordinance by the differing standards of the U.S. Constitution.

Kosher food just isn't kosher anymore for some members of the Jewish faith. Concerns about worker abuse at kosher slaughterhouses have led Conservative Jews to develop standards to ensure that producers pay fair wages and benefits and are sensitive to animals and the environment. A proposed certificate of righteousness, called hekhsher tzedek (pronounced HECK-shur ZED-ick) and an identifying seal, are likened to fair trade coffee. The idea is producing a rift between Conservative and Orthodox Jews.

NEW YORK -- Kosher fast food is really cooking these days.Empire Kosher Poultry, the 50-year-old producer of kosher chicken, has got such good feedback on its two cafeteria-style restaurants, it is about to franchise the idea.If it flies, there will be about 28 Empire Kosher Chicken Restaurants in the New York area in three years, says Ezra Douek, Empire's partner in this venture. The chain will be the first kosher fast-food franchise ever, says Steve Ostrow, an expert on the kosher food scene.

Baltimore City has lost a second, significant round in its legal fight to ban the fraudulent sale of kosher food.The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week agreed with a Baltimore judge who struck down the law as unconstitutional, saying it entangles the city in religious matters.The decision by a three-judge panel marks a shifting trend in such laws, which until two years ago generally were supported by the courts. City officials say at least 21 states have enacted laws prohibiting the mislabeling of kosher foods.

The quality of the matzo ball soup can tell a lot about a kosher deli, just as good crab dip can set a high standard for a sports bar and hot, fresh tortilla chips can make a strong first impression at a Mexican restaurant. The matzo ball soup at the recently opened Accents Grill in the Greenspring Shopping Center got our meal off to a terrific start. The steaming bowl of salty broth, studded with soft slivers of carrots and celery and large pieces of white-meat chicken, was dominated by a matzo ball so feather-light it hardly required chewing and swallowing -- it seemed to just dissolve in the mouth.

Hunger among the needy is on the rise in the Jewish community of Northwest Baltimore, according to Jewish Family Services.At this time last year, the Kosher Food Pantry distributed 400 grocery bags of food a month to 150 families. This year, 600 bags of food are going to 220 families each month.To aid the pantry's work, JFS is holding its second Hanukkah for the Hungry food drive Dec. 6-20. The first night of Hanukkah is Dec. 14.The hundreds of recipients will include the elderly, individuals with mental or physical disabilities, the unemployed, the homeless, single-parent families with low income and immigrants.

Seven Mile Market, a kosher supermarket in Pikesville that has drawn Jewish residents and others from around the region, plans to move and double in size - likely making it the largest operation of its kind in the nation. The market, which opened in 1988, is moving to a Safeway store on Reisterstown Road near its current location on Seven Mile Lane. Already known for offering a wide variety of meat, fish, baked goods and other foods, the market will expand its product offerings as it moves into 55,000 square feet from its current 28,000-square-foot location.

Two food drives, one new and one old, gathered far more groceries than expected for the poor and needy of Northwest Baltimore and Maryland, drive officials said yesterday.In the first Hanukkah for the Hungry drive, students at 29 preschools, Hebrew schools and day schools collected about 5,000 pounds of food, said a representative of Kosher Food Pantry of Jewish Family Services.Donors also gave $2,500 in the December drive. Of all participating schools in the Baltimore area, Annapolis and Frederick, Beth Israel's Congregation School in Baltimore gave the most: $500 as well as several hundred pounds of food.

The quality of the matzo ball soup can tell a lot about a kosher deli, just as good crab dip can set a high standard for a sports bar and hot, fresh tortilla chips can make a strong first impression at a Mexican restaurant. The matzo ball soup at the recently opened Accents Grill in the Greenspring Shopping Center got our meal off to a terrific start. The steaming bowl of salty broth, studded with soft slivers of carrots and celery and large pieces of white-meat chicken, was dominated by a matzo ball so feather-light it hardly required chewing and swallowing -- it seemed to just dissolve in the mouth.

Allegra B. Carlson, 92, children's librarian Allegra B. Carlson, a former librarian and longtime Carroll County resident, died Sunday of pneumonia at Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville. She was 92. A Charlestown resident since 1994, Mrs. Carlson earlier lived in New Windsor for 20 years. During the 1930s, Mrs. Carlson was a children's librarian at South St. Paul Library in Minnesota. She was born Allegra Bennett in Mankato, Minn., and raised in Watertown, S.D., where she graduated from high school in 1925.

In Baltimore CityCampaign collects more cash, less food for Kosher Food PantryThe second annual Hanukkah for the Hungry food drive in Northwest Baltimore collected more cash and less food in 1998, but the coordinator of the Kosher Food Pantry called it more successful than the previous year's effort.The drive raised $3,750 in cash, compared with $2,500 last year, and 3,000 pounds of food compared with 5,000 last year. Beth Tfiloh Congregation and Beth Israel Congregation and their religious schools contributed the most money of the 31 schools and synagogues taking part.

Hunger among the needy is on the rise in the Jewish community of Northwest Baltimore, according to Jewish Family Services.At this time last year, the Kosher Food Pantry distributed 400 grocery bags of food a month to 150 families. This year, 600 bags of food are going to 220 families each month.To aid the pantry's work, JFS is holding its second Hanukkah for the Hungry food drive Dec. 6-20. The first night of Hanukkah is Dec. 14.The hundreds of recipients will include the elderly, individuals with mental or physical disabilities, the unemployed, the homeless, single-parent families with low income and immigrants.

Those who observe Jewish dietary laws are happy to have a new kosher restaurant, the Brasserie (1700 Reisterstown Road) in Pikesville. Owner Gordon Sugar saw that his kosher Chinese restaurant, Chapps, was doing great while the Brasserie, which served Italian and American food, struggled, so he switched over to a kosher kitchen about a month ago. Business has been booming since the change. Specialties include dishes like rib eye with gourmet mashed potatoes; chicken, eggplant and zucchini over penne; and boneless trout with a mushroom-caper sauce.

For caterer, it's the icing on the cheesecakeRuth Scott has had so much success selling her cheesecakes that she's decided to expand and start her own catering business. To Top It Off Caterers specializes in home cooking and, of course, those cheesecakes. Call 410-462-2315 for more information.A fool for dessertCelebrate today with a strawberry fool, an old-fashioned English dessert that's easy to make.2 cups pureed strawberries, sweetened to taste2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur1 cup heavy creamWhip the cream to soft peaks, fold into strawberry puree and liqueur.

For caterer, it's the icing on the cheesecakeRuth Scott has had so much success selling her cheesecakes that she's decided to expand and start her own catering business. To Top It Off Caterers specializes in home cooking and, of course, those cheesecakes. Call 410-462-2315 for more information.A fool for dessertCelebrate today with a strawberry fool, an old-fashioned English dessert that's easy to make.2 cups pureed strawberries, sweetened to taste2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur1 cup heavy creamWhip the cream to soft peaks, fold into strawberry puree and liqueur.

In Baltimore CityCampaign collects more cash, less food for Kosher Food PantryThe second annual Hanukkah for the Hungry food drive in Northwest Baltimore collected more cash and less food in 1998, but the coordinator of the Kosher Food Pantry called it more successful than the previous year's effort.The drive raised $3,750 in cash, compared with $2,500 last year, and 3,000 pounds of food compared with 5,000 last year. Beth Tfiloh Congregation and Beth Israel Congregation and their religious schools contributed the most money of the 31 schools and synagogues taking part.

Two food drives, one new and one old, gathered far more groceries than expected for the poor and needy of Northwest Baltimore and Maryland, drive officials said yesterday.In the first Hanukkah for the Hungry drive, students at 29 preschools, Hebrew schools and day schools collected about 5,000 pounds of food, said a representative of Kosher Food Pantry of Jewish Family Services.Donors also gave $2,500 in the December drive. Of all participating schools in the Baltimore area, Annapolis and Frederick, Beth Israel's Congregation School in Baltimore gave the most: $500 as well as several hundred pounds of food.

Two new streams of people and food are converging these days at the Kosher Food Pantry.More and more needy families who observe strict Jewish dietary laws are seeking free food.Jewish students at 30 schools are collecting food in the first organized campaign for the Pikesville pantry.Volunteers like Henry and Pauline Hausdorff of Pickwick, Baltimore County, have been busy packing food lately but will get busier when the new drive, Hanukkah for the Hungry, kicks in with gifts from students.