Kosher Food Products Kosher Drink Reviews

Recanati

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Allan Scher) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:57:57 +0000

An Artisan Winery

We are longtime fans of Israel's Recanati Winery, which offers very fine, highly rated reserve selections as well as several satisfying simpler table wines. The Recanati Winery was founded in 2000 by a group of wine lovers led by Lenny Recanati. Their goal was to create a new winery for the production of quality Israeli wines at reasonable consumer prices.

Two of our favorites are Yasmin white and Yasmin red; both appealing selections to keep on hand because they are terrific table wines at value prices. Added to our suggestions are several mid?priced exceptional wines as well as a few in the luxury category. What better time for a wine splurge than at the Seder table? Whichever of these kosher for Passover wines you choose, we hope that you sip your four glasses surrounded by family and friends.

Recanati Yasmin White 2012
Yasmin White is a stylish light blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Emerald Riesling and French Colombard grapes harvested in the winery's vineyards in Binyamin and the Jezreel Valley. ?Lovely as an aperitif or with chicken, fish and vegetarian dishes. Best served well chilled. $11.00

Recanati Yasmin Red 2012
Yasmin Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz grapes grown in the winery's vineyards in the Galilee and the Ella Valley. This light-bodied wine has rich fruity flavors and can be enjoyed young. Yasmin Red is a wonderful accompaniment to a wide variety of dishes including meat and poultry. $11.00

Sauvignon Blanc 2011
This crispy, fruity Sauvignon is made from grapes grown in a single vineyard in the Upper Galilee ?? This white wine's aroma is one of grapefruit and tropical fruits with shades of passion fruit and green apple. Especially lovely with appetizers, poultry and fish. $15.00

Shiraz 2011
A lively, heavily scented red wine with grapes harvested in two vineyards - Israel's Jezreel Valley and the Lachish region providing a wine with a wide spectrum of flavors. Suggested to complement roasted meats, meat casseroles, pastas with rich sauces and smoked, savory cheeses. $17.00

Petite Sirah- Zinfandel Reserve 2011
A blend of Petite Sirah with some Zinfandel grapes, this wine is deep purple in color with aromas of forest berries, chocolate and walnuts.? The Petite Sirah grapes come from the Lower Galilee while the Zinfandel grapes are grown in the Upper Galilee. The result is a combination of the best of both regions

De La Rosa Real Foods

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Lois Held) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 08:48:41 +0000

Organic, Kosher for Passover Oil & Vinegar

At Kosherfest 2012 we found a wonderful selection of oils and vinegars by De La Rosa Real Foods. What a treat ? their products are from Italy and are OU certified kosher and kosher for Passover. Founded 28 years ago by Rabbi Asher Devere Girshberg, the company focused predominantly on Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil, and Balsamic Vinegar. Two years ago they saw the need and opportunity to expand their product line and in January 2013 introduced several new organic products. From Yehudith Girshberg, " The objective of the company is to enhance and promote principles of environmental responsibilities... We want to help to educate people to eat healthier products. Our goal is to make AFFORDABLE Organic Products - or at least natural products - available to the marketplace, including the neglected kosher marketplace."

The Oils:
Olive oil is a fat obtained from the olive, the fruit of the olive tree (fruit of Olea europaea; family Oleaceae), which is native to the Mediterranean basin countries. Olive oil is considered by many to be one of the healthy oils. Italy is the second largest country in both production and consumption of olive oil. The De La Rosa Oils are imported from Italy and have no GMO or additives are added.

De La Rosa 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Obtained from the first cold pressing of the olives, which are individually handpicked and harvested at their earliest and peak stage of ripeness to provide a special fruity and full bodied flavor. Made from a specially selected blend of Italian and other Mediterranean Olives

Passover Wines from Hagafen Cellars

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Lois Held) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:37:15 +0000

Fill Your 4 Cups with Hagafen

By Guest Columnist Eileen Goltz

For those for whom purchasing wine makes them feel like the simple son, the uncomplicated explanation for the difference in wines is:

? Red wines are made from black (red) grapes fermented with the skin in the mix. The red skin is what gives the red color to the red wine.

? White wines are made from either black (red) or white (green) grapes, fermented without the skin in the mix.

? Sparkling wines (which can be made with either white or red grapes) like Asti and Champagne contain carbon dioxide that add the bubbles that we all expect in a sparkling wine. The preferences as to which you will prefer takes time and tasting. Lots and lots of tastings.

A few weeks ago I was able to spend some time with Ernie Weir and his staff, touring and tasting at his Napa Valley, CA winery, Hagafen Cellars. Let me be perfectly clear ? this talented vintner doesn

There are dozens of distinctive wines created at the Hagafen winery and they are sold under three different and distinct labels. They are Hagafen, Prix, and Don Ernesto. I can say, without hesitation or reservation, that every single wine I tasted was wonderful. In the end, after 3 hours of tasting and touring I had to pare my favorites down from 7 to 4 but the 4 wines I

Matzolah

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Allan Scher) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 12:49:36 +0000

Trail Mix of the Exodus!

Sometimes a holiday recipe is treasured, kept close, and enjoyed year after year by family and friends. A recipe truly can become a cherished family jewel. Matzolah is actually one of these jewels. It was born as a family favorite, nurtured over a ten year period and finally brought to market for Passover 2013. It is a labor of love, created from an old Silverman family recipe, and it can be enjoyed as a cereal for breakfast; as a topping or mix-in for yogurt, ice cream or fruit; as a baking ingredient; or of course, as a take-along snack.

Created by Wayne and Laura Silverman and their daughter, Amber Lawson, Matzolah is now part of Foodman LLC , a specialty kosher food manufacturer, dedicated to providing innovative, contemporary foods to the kosher consumer.

Wayne Silverman, Foodman president, is a lifelong health focused foodie, educator and non-profit administrator. His Matzolah team includes some leaders of the food industry: Scott Gantwerker, former foods research & development executive for Quaker Oats, Pepperidge Farm and Pepsi-Cola, and Mike Schall, previously of Guiltless Gourmet and Manischewitz.

So what is Maple Nut Matzola? It is a sweet, wholesome mix of matzoh, Vermont maple syrup, coconut, granola, fruits and nuts, and was named the official best new Passover product in the Kosherfest 2012 show competition. KosherEye thinks that this honor is well-deserved since Matzolah is delicious, nutritious (sodium and cholesterol free, and a good source of fiber and vitamins) and all natural ? a triple plus - especially for a Passover product. It is kosher certified Kof-KP.

Matzolah is currently being distributed to U.S. grocery stores by the Streit's

Amoretti Olive Oil Trio

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Lois Held) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:31:19 +0000

Delicious Dipping ? Great Glazing ? Salad Perfection

There are several items that are always on our "hunting" list

Premium Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is infused with the natural flavor and aroma of Kalamata Olives. This is a cold pressed, flavorful finishing oil, made from Tunisian extra?virgin olive oil that has the distinctive taste of the Kalamata olive without the sodium typically found when cooking with olives. Use it for dipping, drizzling, brushing and finishing bread, focaccia, pizza, pasta and salad. Enjoy the taste of olives without the salt. It

Tofu University

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Lois Held) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:48:10 +0000

Starring Nasoya

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is an age

How is Tofu made?
Tofu is made by curding soymilk, much in the same way cheese is made from dairy milk. Making tofu starts with grinding soybeans with water and heating. The soymilk is separated from the solids, stirred, and a natural firming agent known as a coagulant is added. Curds form, they are poured into a forming box and the liquid (whey) is pressed out. The pressing action forms the curd into a tofu block

What about the textures?
Tofu is available in different textures, depending on the amounts of natural coagulants, which are used. The texture also varies depending on how much water is used for each type. Simple as that! Tofu U explains which texture of tofu works best for each use:

Stir

Talenti Gelato

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Becky Sher) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:04:33 +0000

The Sweet Scoop

While living in Buenos Aires, Josh Hochschuler became a fan of the handmade helado he tasted in local ice cream shops. Helado is similar in consistency to artisanal Italian gelato. The culinary similarity is historically traced to the influx of Italian immigrants to Argentina in the early 20th century.

When he returned to the U.S., Hochschuler combined his passion for helado (Argentinian Ice cream) with an entrepreneurial spirit, and in 2003 opened a single store, Talenti Gelateria in Dallas, Texas. Talenti Gelato is now the best-selling gelato in the US, offering 19 flavors!

Following strict Argentinean-Italian helado guidelines, everything is regularly produced from scratch. Talenti products are made without shortcuts, using hormone-free pasteurized milk, pure cane sugar and no high fructose corn syrup. The company operates with a commitment to quality and artisanship, adhering to an "olde world" approach. The ingredients are sourced locally, regionally, and from around the world, using only the finest Belgian Chocolate, whole Tahitian vanilla beans from Papua New Guinea, select coconuts from the Philippines, Argentinian dulce de leche etc.

And more good news, many consider gelato a healthful alternative to premium ice cream because it has 30 percent less fat than most premium ice creams. All flavors except Caramel Cookie Crunch, are gluten-free. Talenti products are certified kosher dairy, OU-D.

Even the packaging is unique; we especially like the see through jars with their screw top lids, which in the founder's words "keeps freezer burn out and keeps freshness in". We love the idea that the jars can be reused. In fact there is a Facebook page and Pinterest board on Pint-Cycling, where Talenti gelato users share their creative re-purposing ideas for empty Talenti jars.

And now the toughest part of our job ? the scoop on Talenti Gelato. What can we say

Presidential Election 2012

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Lois Held) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 22:55:43 +0000

October is National Cookie Month and 2012 is a presidential election year. What a perfect combination for a cookie bake-off!

Since 1992, when Hillary Clinton and Barbara Bush

Torie & Howard

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Lois Held) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:26:56 +0000

Dandy Candy

Howard Slatkin was an interior design specialist and Torie Burke was a color consultant. Two separate careers eventually merged and Torie & Howard emerged. Both had traveled the world in their respective professions, tasting and enjoying global local cuisine, culminating their journeys with a new joint venture into the world of specialty food.

Along the way, each partner faced some of life

These tasty sweet hard candies are all natural and organic. They are kosher certified parve by Kof-K, and free of any preservatives, additives, artificial flavors, chemicals and dyes. And, they are allergy friendly. Torie & Howard is also focused on the environment.

Toasting the Holidays, 5773, with Wine

ContactUs@KosherEye.com (Lois Held) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:31:47 +0000

Kosher Wines to Enjoy!

The New Year holiday season, which starts with Rosh Hashanah and culminates with Sukkot, is a time where we place emphasis on meals shared with family and friends. Not that we don't place emphasis on good meals all year long!

When serving our Yom Tov or Shabbos guests, we try to be both creatively traditional and seasonal in our menus. To complement our food and toast the New Year, we select our wines carefully. And, there are so many from which to choose! Our panel of tasters has enjoyed the following kosher wine selections, which reflect varying types and price ranges.

Hagafen Estate Bottled Napa Valley Syrah, 2008: On the nose, this Syrah shows aromas of red and black fruits. This inky, dark red wine fills the mouth with firm, meaty tannins, complementing a rich mix of cherry, black cherry, chocolate, and leather. With an extremely long finish, this well-structured Syrah begs for the accompaniment of food--anything roasted and in need of a wine able to accent and deepen the experience of hearty meat dishes. $32

Hagafen, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir, 2011: This full-bodied wine has a soft and silky structure coupled with spicy and complex strawberry, black cherry, and boysenberry that finishes with notes of roasted coffee and toasty cocoa. A blend of two vineyards, this wine reflects a passion for site-specific Pinot Noir that has evolved with each successive vintage release since 1999. Its Old World structure combined with New World integration will age well for many years to come. $32

Don Ernesto Clarinet Table Red: From winemaker Ernie Weir, Hagafen Wine Cellars, this wine is all about bright times: open it and open your life to its fruity red goodness. Its nose of smoky cherry and vanilla and its mouth of red fruits and silky tannins will make you want to finish the bottle and open another. Put a smile on your face: enjoy Don Ernesto