Monday, January 18, 2016

Kosher Meals And The Jewish Law

By Dorothy Taylor


People love to eat. It is a favorite past time for many. However, everyone has a preference for the type of meal that they would enjoy. Whether it be based upon diet, individual tastes, or even religious customs. Kosher meals are prepared in accordance with Jewish customs.

Kosher meals must meet Jewish dietary laws. It is known as kashrut. It is a Hebrew word that means "proper." Jewish dietary laws can be found listed in the Torah. A national Jewish population survey conducted in 2010 shows that 21% of all Jewish Americans say that they keep kosher in their homes.

Under Jewish law there are some foods that are permitted and some that are not. For example, a pig is an animal that should not be consumed. Mammals that have cloven hooves and chew cud are not allowed. Although shellfish are not permitted, some types of fish are. Certain types of birds are allowed for consumption while others are not.

Meals that are considered kosher often require that animals be slaughtered a certain way. They cannot die of natural causes or be killed by another animal in order to be considered clean. Also, all blood must be drained from the animal before it is consumed.

Meal preparation consists of carefully separating meat from dairy products. The two should not be eaten together. It is okay to serve dairy products and eggs together. Some restaurants are in such strict observance of these laws, that they exclusively only serve either milk or dairy, or just meat. That way, cross contamination would not occur.

Foods that can be eaten with either dairy or meats are vegetables, eggs, fish, and grain. Poultry, although included in what is permitted may have some restrictions. For example, chicken fried in a milk-based batter is not allowable, where fish fried in the same batter may be.

Meal preparation is extremely important. Kosher kitchens are usually ones where separate sets of dishes, pots, or utensils are often used when is comes into contact with meat or milk. Separation is also key because these items are not to be washed together. A Jewish home may have two sinks in their home just to prevent cross contamination from occurring. Separate towels and dish racks are also encouraged. This is of utmost importance when preparing a meal.

Consumers need to be careful, especially when purchasing what is considered kosher food. They should look for a certification which usually has a symbol located on the packaging or has the word pareve. However one should be aware that there are different types of symbols that can be used depending upon the certifying agency.

Formally the use of this Hebrew word usually means something that is fit or pure. It means it has been prepared in accordance to the proper custom. However when informally used in the American English language it now refers to something that is considered legitimate, proper, or genuine. When one says that "something is not right" they tend to say, "that is not kosher."




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