Preparing Kosher Meals

When you're in charge of preparing a kosher meal for the holidays or treating Jewish guests to some gourmet food gifts and treats, you'll find dozens of online resources to pull together a bountiful feast. Kosher recipes are readily available from hundreds of seasoned cooks, bakers and gourmet food enthusiasts who only use kosher ingredients for their authentic, traditional recipes. From matza balls and Passover latkas, to soofganiyot and babkas, you'll find many classic recipes for kosher specialties with an online search and can find out if these foods are kosher certified with some basic research.

Finding Kosher Food Online

Many kosher recipes call for specialty ingredients or kosher accompaniments that you can't find at your local grocery store or specialty food market. Kosher food stores and companies online give you a chance to shop for kosher food with ease and have everything delivered to your home within a few days.

If you're looking for food gifts and gourmet food items, you may also consider buying kosher candies and chocolate over the Web. Companies such as Enstrom's, a gourmet toffee and chocolate company, offer a bountiful selection of sweet treats that are perfect for almost any special occasion. You can also track down kosher bakeries online for babkas, mandel bread and even matza balls; just look for indications that they are kosher certified or contact the bakery owner for a confirmation.

Cooking with Kosher Recipes

When you're preparing kosher food for yourself or others, it's important to note the difference between categories of each food type. Dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese are considered kosher when they have met FDA standards, but some families prefer to use only dairy items that are labeled 'Cholov Yisroel' to ensure that the milking has been done under rabbinical supervision. Acceptable dairy foods are those derived from cows, goats and sheep.

Meats include all kosher animals and fowl slaughtered according to Jewish law and prepared under rabbinical supervision. Meat derived from animals that chew their cud and are cloven-hoofed are all considered kosher; this may include beef, lamb, ox, turkey and chicken.

Parve foods are 'neutral' foods and include foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs and tofu. Fish is also considered to be a parve food, and these foods do not fall under the meat or dairy categories.

Making sure your kosher food and recipes are made only with kosher ingredients can take time, but there are many resources available in your local area and online to help you put together a kosher meal. Whether you're cooking for a family feast or rounding up gourmet treats for a special occasion, take the time to confirm that the food source is kosher certified and meets all food standards.

Written by Sabah Karimi

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