Dim Sum usually has a lot of meat and shellfish, but here are a few ideas to keep it vegetarian.

Vegetable Satay

Indonesian Tofu Satay

Sesame Scallion Lomein Pancakes

Enjoy!

As the end of Yom Kippur can bring about a great sense of inner peace and rejuvenation of the soul, it seems only appropriate that Break the Fast should follow a similar theme… bringing about a rejuvenation of the body.  To present a delicious dish that is warm and comforting is a lovely way to mirror the feelings of the warmth and comfort shared by those sitting down to this special meal.

Suitable in the morning, afternoon, or as an evening dessert, these sticky sweet spirals may resemble cinnamon rolls, but they require none of the tedious and time consuming rolling out and folding necessary for puff pastry cinnamon rolls. And, while many cinnamon roll recipes tend to turn out far too sugary sweet, the flavors (and the dough!) of these sticky buns are completely fool-proof and allow for beautiful, scrumptious buns every time.  A delectable and simple addition to your Yom Kippur feast, these homemade Sticky Fig Sweet Buns combine all the elements necessary in a Break Fast treat in order to replenish, rejuvenate and satisfy.

These Sticky Fig Buns are delicately sweetened with a medley of seasonal dried fruits and slightly spiced dark brown sugar, rich in molasses with a hint of cinnamon and clove.  The sweetly fragrant date and currant filling is rolled into a spiral of fluffy buttermilk biscuit dough to create an exciting and unexpected combination of savory, sweet, light and rich.  The buns are smothered with and baked in an ooey-gooey fig infused caramel, providing the perfect sticky canvas for crunchy topping of toasted sliced almonds or pecans, if desired.

While the fruits and flavors used in these sticky buns are perfect for Fall, the versatile buttermilk biscuit base of the buns allows for much creative interpretation of the recipe.  Try different combinations of dried fruits, nuts, and chocolate for use in the filling of the buns for fun variations suited specifically for your family or for the occasion.  The caramel topping would be delicious with a splash of bourbon or a touch of jam in place of the fig, or can easily and deliciously stand alone without added fruit or flavor infusions of any kind.

Regardless of whether or not the recipe is followed exactly, or if the flavors are tweaked a touch, the heartfelt gesture of lovingly preparing this special (and delicious) dish for your family will, in the end, bring the perfect warmth and sweetness to the table this Yom Kippur.

Here’s a very nice, simple way to make beautiful round braided challahs. It comes out much nicer than a simple ‘snail’ shape as so many do, and really takes only minutes to put together. Anyone who can braid three strands can make this challah easily. Plus it rises and bakes nicer than a simpler knot or twist does.  You can also watch Jamie’s video of the same technique.

Begin by taking three long strands and braiding them into a very long havdalah–candle-shaped log.

After this long ‘candle’ has been braided, carefully tie it up as if you are making one large knot out of it, and leave it to rise.

It will come out different than a simple round knot, and although not quite as extravagant as the woven round challah, it is still quite pretty.

To find out why we make round challahs this time of year read Rabbi Lawrence’s Ask the Rabbi here.

Look for symmetrical unblemished melons, without flat sides, that have a creamy yellow spot on the bottom indicating ripeness. At 92% water, this fruit should feel heavy when you heft it.

Compete! Find out how you can show off your recipe creations and win cash. (more…)

This month we feature 6 Passover desserts from Chef Laura Frankel.   Click here for more. (more…)

Earlier this month, an article of mine talking about the amazing changes that have come about in online kosher food circles was featured in the Jewish Press.  Even in the brief time since I published Quick & Kosher – Recipes from the Bride Who Knew Nothing in 2007, there has been a revolution in the way people cook, eat and learn about food. Food is now online.  But I have to say, I’m not really surprised. The Web has widened people’s horizons in all kinds of ways, why not food? With so much out there, though, it’s hard to know what’s what. As demand for reliable info has grown, online stores like Kosher.com have become lifestyle destinations. Websites are the new gatekeepers of kosher cooking, filling a role that was once the exclusive domain of bubbies and, later, kosher cookbooks. Now I know some argue that these changes will be “bad for the Jews,” but  I believe that the Internet will actually help us keep traditions while moving us forward into an exciting and tasty future.

If you haven’t seen the article, I hope you’ll check it out. You can find the article here.

What do you think? How has the Web changed the way you cook and eat?

Galil kosher chocolate products at Kosherfest 2009—it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it! Watch now.

This Year We’re Giving the Gift of Sanity!

When I was a kid, Chanukah was pretty simple gift-wise. I’d get a couple of bucks—and by a couple I mean 2—Chanukah gelt from my zayde (z”l) and a bit more from my parents. These days, kids expect eight nights of full-on presents. We’re talking dolls, video games, bikes, even iPods. It got so bad last year that my kids spent most nights fighting and crying over presents and my wife and I tore out our hair in frustration over the seemingly endless avarice of our offspring. I know what you’re thinking, “Wow, what a pack of greedy little rug rats.” But the truth is my kids aren’t especially greedy. They’re just early-21st-century American children. Between what they see their friends getting, what they see in stores, what they see on the little bit of commercial television we allow them and the sheer volume of presents coming in from the various grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc., it is pretty hard for them not to think that Chanukah is just an eight-day gift gorge fest. Still, it was intensely mortifying when my daughter dismissed one of her bubbie’s gifts—a donation to an international organization that promotes kids’ soccer in poor countries—as “Boooring!”

If anything, Chanukah is really a story of  sacrifice not excess. So this year, my wife and I decided to do something to make Chanukah more meaningful and less commercial. Historically, Chanukah is a relatively minor Jewish festival. And the giving of small gifts in the form of Chanukah gelt only came into vogue in the 17th century. In the last 100 years or so, Chanukah has grown in importance because of its national implications (the victory of the plucky Maccabees against great odds) and in its approximation of commercialized aspects of Christmas.

Will there be presents  at my house this year? Yes, but we’re thinking about having only one night of presents so the evenings’ focus can be menorah lighting rather than present opening. Chanukah gelt will be modest (but slightly more than the $2 I used to get). We’ll also be starting Chanukah preparations a bit early. We’re spending Thanksgiving weekend going through our stuff  to choose items to give to charity. That will clear out some clutter and make way for the inevitable onslaught of gifts. We might even volunteer at our local food pantry or soup kitchen.

The miracle of Chanukah was that there was enough oil to last eight days. I want my kids to recognize the Chanukah miracle and, especially in this time of economic distress, the miracle of having more than enough in our daily lives.

Happy Chanukah!

How do you make Chanukah meaningful?

Go to Chanukah Central on Kosher.com

The grand prize for this year’s 18th Annual NCSY Auction is a year of free food delivered right to your door from Kosher.com, a $12,000 value. Read more …

Watch the fellas from NCSY sing (and dance) their way into your heart in this hilarious video.

In addition to the Grand Prize, there is also a Platinum Prize and sixty other great prizes that make up the main auction. The drawing will be held on Saturday Night, December 5 at Kingsway Jewish Center in Brooklyn, and will feature a hot meat buffet, live music, and interactive prize tables. For cost and ticket information and information about these events, or to place a bid, go to www.ncsyauction.com or call 516.569.6279.

Kosher.com Donates a Year’s Worth of Free Kosher Groceries to NCSY’s 18th Annual Chinese Auction

Grand Prize Winner to Receive Shopping Spree Worth $12,000 at the World’s Largest Online Kosher Supermarket
Cedarhurst, NY – - November 17, 2009 – Kosher.com, the world’s largest online kosher supermarket, will be providing the Grand Prize at NCSY’s 18th Annual Chinese Auction, it was announced today. The Grand Prize winner will be able to shop online at kosher.com and receive a year’s worth of free kosher groceries, delivered to their door, valued at $12,000. The drawing will take place on Saturday Night, December 5, 2009 at Kingsway Jewish Center in Brooklyn, with tickets on sale throughout the month of November.

In light of today’s challenging economic times, the items at this year’s auction are affordable necessities crucial to the Jewish family, as opposed to the luxury items that were auctioned off in years past. Given this theme, Kosher.com was a natural fit, as kosher food is the bedrock of the Jewish home and family.

“We are excited and thrilled to play such a significant part in NCSY’s 18th Annual Chinese Auction by providing this year’s Grand Prize,” said Jamie Geller, CMO of Kosher.com. “Our site is the ultimate destination for all your kosher food needs. We have a full service butcher department, fresh bakery, and prepared foods alongside everyday groceries and our prices are supermarket competitive. While most people still need to shop at many different stores in order to get all their kosher food items, at Kosher.com, we have over 15,000 items available for purchase with just a click of the mouse. And, with free delivery in the New York Metro Area, including parts of New Jersey, and FedEx delivery nationwide, there really is no easier, more cost effective way to buy kosher groceries!”

“Kosher.com’s mission is to deliver kosher food to everybody everywhere and NCSY’s mission is to bring the concept of kosher food to everybody,” said Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, Regional Director of New York NCSY. “NCSY reaches out to people everywhere, bringing them closer to Judaism and making it easier for them to do everything from keeping kosher to observing the Sabbath. We teach the importance of keeping kosher always, in the home, outside the home, on the college and high school campus, and on vacation. But while it’s easy to preach in our backyard, it’s particularly challenging for teenagers and college students to keep kosher in those far-flung locations. The Kosher.com grand prize is a fantastic Grand Prize, and it helps us accomplish our goal of helping people observe a kosher, Jewish lifestyle.”

In addition to providing the Grand Prize, Kosher.com will be lending NCSY its14′ tall shopping cart, to promote the upcoming auction. The giant shopping cart on wheels features a V8 engine, steering wheel and pedals accessed from a child’s seat that can hold three adults. The overgrown shopping cart measures 7′ wide, 16′ long and 14′ tall, and will be helping NCSY Auction organizers sell tickets in Brooklyn on Sunday, November 22 from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. on the corner of Avenue J and Coney Island Avenue.

About Kosher.com
The new Kosher.com features over a dozen departments offering more than 15,000 kosher products for delivery, with more products being added daily. The site serves as the only ultimate destination for the best kosher has to offer, coupled with a wide variety of kosher recipes, kosher cooking tips, content and multimedia that are highly informative and helpful for the kosher consumer. Focused on the U.S. Market, Kosher.com offers nationwide delivery via FedEx as well as free delivery in Manhattan, Riverdale, Washington Heights, Brownstone Brooklyn, Bergen County and surrounding communities, with plans to expand its free delivery service to customers in Connecticut and beyond. More information is available at http://www.Kosher.com.

About NCSY 18th Annual Chinese Auction
The grand prize for this year’s auction is a year of free food delivered right to your door from Kosher.com, a $12,000 value. In addition to the Grand Prize, there is also a Platinum Prize and sixty other great prizes that make up the main auction. The drawing will be held on Saturday Night, December 5 at Kingsway Jewish Center in Brooklyn, and will feature a hot meat buffet, live music, and interactive prize tables. There will also be viewing nights, where people can see the prizes and bid, in West Hempstead, New Rochelle, Queens, and the Five Towns throughout the month of November. Tickets can be purchased and items can be bid on by mail, fax, phone and online, at a viewing night, or at the main event. For cost and ticket information and information about these events, or to place a bid, go to www.ncsyauction.com or call 516.569.6279.

Win a $250 shopping spree and become the next internet video star!

The prize will go to the most creative Kosher.com Thanksgiving video.

Here’s how: Upload an original video to Youtube (up to 6 minutes in length), and email editor@kosher.com to let us know when it’s up.

Some sample entry suggestions:
Song, poem, skit, cartoon, drawing, commercial, cooking show, original recipes, taste test contest, shopping spree wish list or a scene from Thanksgiving Day with your family, be creative…

We will feature the winning entry on our site and a post about you on our blog including a link back to your blog, if you have one. We will also feature some of our favorite entries in links and emails to our thousands of subscribers!

The following text must be read or shown in it’s entirety at the beginning of the video to qualify: “This is a submission for the Kosher.com Thanksgiving Video Contest, where I have a chance to win a $250 shopping spree for the most creative video. If you like this video, please forward it to all your friends and favorite it in the link below.”

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void Where Prohibited by Law. Sponsor: Kosher.com.

To Enter: Visit the YouTube website (www.youtube.com) (the “Entry Site”), and upload an original video, styled as a commercial advertisement or creative video for any type of Thanksgiving product on the Kosher.com website, and especially a whole turkey (an “Entry”)Multiple Entries are welcome. Videos should not exceed 6 minutes in duration. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2009. Please visit blog.kosher.com for additional information about the contest (the “Contest”).

Eligibility: The Contest is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, ages 18 and older. Employees of the Sponsor and its advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate families and members of their households, may enter but are not eligible for prizes. All entrants must be willing to conduct media interviews, and have their names publicized on our website.

All entrants must submit an email link of their video submission/s to editor@kosher.com to be considered eligible for the contest.

All Jewish laws of kosher food preparation must be observed in the creation of the video submission. For example: All Kosher food and products must be used. No meat may be mixed with milk or butter (or any dairy product, or fish products. No use or mention of pork, shellfish, lobster or any other non-kosher item may be used).

The following text must be read or shown in it’s entirety at the beginning of the video to qualify: “This is a submission for the Kosher.com Thanksgiving Video Contest, where I have a chance to win a $250 shopping spree for the most creative video. If you like this video, please forward it to all your friends and favorite it in the link below.”

Judging: The Sponsor, at its sole discretion, will evaluate Entries which will be judged based on creativity, relevant content, usability, and efficacy at conveying creative content. Any Entry which in the sole discretion of the judges is inconsistent with the image or branding of Kosher.com® will be ineligible. Any Entry that fails to comply with and adhere to all terms and conditions set forth herein will be disqualified and deemed ineligible for participation in the Contest.

Prizes: One finalist (the “Finalist”) will receive a one time use grocery shopping spree, shipping in the monetary value of $250 (including Shipping). All expenses not specified herein, including but not limited to taxes and gratuities, are the sole responsibility of the Finalists and the Grand Prize Winner. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible Entries received. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. No substitution, transfer, assignment or cash equivalent of any prize is permitted, except that the Sponsor may substitute any prize of equal or greater value for any reason. Limit one (1) prize per household. All prizes are awarded “as is” with no guarantees, either express or implied. If by reason of a printing, typographical, or other error, more prizes are claimed than the number set forth in these Official Rules, all persons making purportedly valid claims will be included in a random drawing to award the advertised number of prizes available in the prize category in question. No more than the advertised number of prizes will be awarded.
Key Dates: The Contest begins on November 9. Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2009. The Grand Prize Winner will be selected on or about December 15, 2009 and will be notified by email.

Terms and Conditions: The Sponsor, and each of its affiliates, subsidiaries, parent corporations and advertising and promotional agencies, and all of its officers, directors, shareholders, employees, representatives and agents are not responsible for: any incorrect or inaccurate entry information; human errors; technical malfunctions; failures, omissions, interruptions, deletions or defects of any telephone network, computer online systems, computer equipment, servers, providers, or software, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participation in the Contest; inability to access the Entry Site; theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, Entries; data that is processed late or incorrectly, or is incomplete or lost due to telephone, computer or electronic malfunction or traffic congestion on telephone lines or the Internet or any web site (including the Entry Site) or for any other reason whatsoever; printing or other errors; any Entries which are late, lost, incomplete, misdirected, stolen, damaged, indecipherable, or any combination thereof. Indecipherable and incomplete Entries will be disqualified.

Entrants are responsible for any and all costs associated with the production of their video submission and the Sponsor will not reimburse any expenses incurred in the creation, production, filming or submitting of the video for the Contest.

If for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as planned, or the processing of Entries in accordance with these Official Rules, or if infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, actions by entrants, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes, in the Sponsor’s sole opinion, corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, the Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual implicated in such action and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest or any portion thereof. In the event the Contest is canceled, the Sponsor reserves the right to conduct a random drawing to award all remaining prizes from among all eligible, non-suspect on-line Entries received prior to the time of the action or event warranting such cancellation. If such cancellation, termination, modification, or suspension occurs, notification will be posted at the Entry Site. Any attempt by an entrant or any other individual to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and/or civil laws and should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Where a dispute arises about who submitted an on-line Entry, the Entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail account entered. The authorized account holder is deemed the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, service provider, or other online organization that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. A potential winner may be requested to provide the Sponsor with proof that the potential winner is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning Entry and that all eligibility requirements are met.
By entering the Contest, entrants affirm that they have read and accepted these Official Rules. The Contest shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, and the State of New York. By entering the Contest, entrants hereby submit to the jurisdiction and venue of the federal and state courts located in the State of New York, New York County, and waive the right to have disputes arising out of the subject matter hereof adjudicated in any other forum.

All Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. Entrants freely and voluntarily waive any right, claim, or ownership to the video Entries and to the images, copy, and script, contained in the Entries. By submitting an Entry, the entrant warrants, represents, and attests that the contents of the video submission do not include or incorporate any third party’s intellectual property rights, including copyrighted, trademarked, or patented material and that the entrant has the legal right and authority to submit the Entry. Any Entry that includes materials, images, copy, language, or products that unlawfully infringe upon the intellectual property rights of third parties will be deemed ineligible for participation in the Contest.

Entrants agree that they will not violate anyone’s copyright or trademark and that they indemnify Kosher.com from any suits arising from trademark/copyright infringement.

Due to the volume of entries, The Sponsor cannot acknowledge receipt of any Entry and will not otherwise communicate with an entrant except if chosen as a Finalist or Grand Prize Winner.

The Sponsor will not accept Entries that contain profanity, nudity, violence or other explicit content. For guidelines on acceptable content, reference the MPAA rating system for a G-rated film which states that a G rated content is “a film which contains nothing in theme, language, nudity and sex, violence, etc. which would … be offensive to parents whose younger children view the film.”

Except where prohibited by law, a winner’s Entry and acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for the Sponsor to use winner’s name, photograph, likeness, statements, video, essay submission, biographical information, voice and city and state address in all forms of media without further compensation. Winners and entrants also agree to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor and each of its affiliates, subsidiaries, parent corporations and advertising and promotional agencies, and all of its officers, directors, shareholders, employees, representatives and agents from and against any claims, damages or liability due to any injuries, damages, or losses to any person (including death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any prize or participation in any contest-related activity or participation in the Contest.

Winning: The Grand Prize Winner will be chosen by a panel of judges selected by the Sponsor, whose decisions will be final on all matters relating to the Contest. Finalists will be notified by telephone or email, and will be required to execute an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release and (where applicable) a Publicity Release. Finalists and the Grand Prize winner will also be required to make themselves available for media interviews as requested by the Sponsor. The Sponsor reserves the right to post on its website or otherwise share Entries with the general public.

List of Winners: For a list of winners, please send your name and mailing address to the following address between December 1 and December 15, 2009.

Winners List

Kosher.com
PO Box 575
Cedarhurst, NY 11516

or editor@kosher.com

SPONSOR: Kosher.com

Flickr – 43 photos

Twitter – Hundreds of Tweets!

Yeshiva World News- PHOTOS: Thousands Attend KosherFest 2009 (including a number of shots of Kosher.com and our monster size kosher shopping cart!)

The Jewish Week - JInsider: 21st Century Kosher (Part 2)

Vos Iz Neias –

• Photos Highlighting The Best and Brightest
• 4000 at Opening Day of Kosherfest
• Pic of Kosher.com booth

JTA covers the event live (YouTube) - Breaking down the buzz over kosher food

The Cool Jew (includes videos) - TheCoolJew.com at Kosher Fest

Chowhound – 2009 Kosherfest Winners

The Gourmet Retailer – Kosherfest to Showcase Upscale Kosher Products

Slashfood - Innovative Nosh at Kosher Fest 2009

KosherToday – Kosher News from Around the World

The Jewish Journal - U.S. appetite for Israeli food grows

The Paramus Post - 21st Annual Kosherfest 2009

And a few great articles by Jamie Geller:

• Kosherfest: I came, I saw, I ate!
• Kosherfest: 5 New Finds
• Kosherfest: The Best of the Best

Have you seen other articles about Kosherfest that you enjoyed reading? We would love for you to add to the list below!