How to Keep Kosher: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Jewish Dietary Laws

by Lisë Stern

"Traditional Judaism injects sanctification into the ordinary habits of everyday life.Keeping kosher helps us pause and think about what we eat, and how we eat it, and elevates the act of eating." What does it mean to keep kosher? Many may be familiar with the no bacon, no shrimp, no cheeseburgers. But the Jewish dietary laws go deeper than that, and How to Keep Kosher explores the ins and outs. Why are some foods deemed kosher while others are not? Why can't you mix meat and dairy dishes? How do you turn a nonkosher kitchen into a kosher one? Do you really need multiple sets of everything -- dishes, pots, pans, and utensils? How do you keep track of what's what? Whether you are thinking about adopting a kosher lifestyle or already have a kosher home and just want tounderstand what it is all about, Lisë Stern's How to Keep Kosher is essential reading. You will learn about the biblicaland historical origins of keeping kosher, the development of the kosher certification system, specific food preparation requirements for Shabbat, Passover, and otherholidays, and how to actually set up a kosher kitchen. In straightforward language, drawing upon explanations from the Torah and Talmud, along with interviews with rabbis, academics, and laypeople who keep kosher, Lisë explores all aspects of Judaism's ancient dietary traditions as they are carried out in today's kitchen, with its range of modern appliances -- dishwashers, food processors, and microwave ovens. For the first time, one book explains both Conservative and Orthodox perspectives on kashrut, as well as opinions from other Jewish affiliations. When Lisë was nine, her parents decided to make the change -- transform their home to a kosher one -- as a core part of their evolving commitment to Judaism. Because Lisë experienced the transition as a child and keeps a kosher home today, she is uniquely qualified to explain all aspects of this traditional practice. Setting up a kosher kitchen lays the foundation for implementing the tradition; the proof is in the potato pudding. As Lisë notes, the Talmud says, "Room can always be found in one's stomach for sweet things," and the wealth of information is sweetened with more than forty recipes for Shabbat dinners and lunches as well as holiday and festival celebrations. Traditional recipes include Chicken Soup with My Mother's Ethereal Matzo Balls, Sliced Potato–Onion Kugel, and Hamantashen; new classics are Chilled Cucumber–Yogurt Soup, Rosemary Sweet Potato Kugel, Enchilada Lasagna, and Chocolate-Flecked Meringues. Stern's How to Keep Kosher is an inclusive, user-friendly handbook filled with answers to the fundamental who, what, where, when, why, and how questions surrounding the Jewish dietary laws -- making these laws both accessible and appealing.

Genres: Judaism, Food, Jewish, Judaica, Religion, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 17, 2004

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been confused by Jewish dietary laws since I met my dear friend, Gail in 1981. Gail kept a kosher household and did her best to answer my questions before I left Texas. However, most of what she told me just didn't make sense to my Protestant mind. Lise Stern has cleared up a good many of misconceptions I've had. Her book takes the very complex laws of kashrut and explains them so that even this gentile has a basic grasp of the concepts. Written by a Jew for Jews, she still takes care to define any Hebrew or Yiddish words she uses.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful, clear and detailed

This is a very helpful guide for the person wishing to begin keeping kosher. It provides both text based teaching, and logistical guidelines. It manages to be detailed on how to kasher a kitchen without overwhelming. The author covers Orthodox and Conservative approaches to kashrut and explains how they differ in relevant places (such as toiveling or gelatin), as well as mentions of Reform and Reconstructions thoughts on kashrut.

[Melvin Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of this is very obvious discussions about kashrut. I think it would be better for someone who really knows little. There was a little bit that I didn't know. But really this was not a big deal and I probably should not have paid money for it.

[Kaiti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit overwhelming with all the rules and exceptions to the rules and exceptions to the exceptions to the rules and so on, but it's very informative. It would probably take a few read-throughs to fully understand everything (for me at least), but all the same, a helpful read.

[ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains everything you probably ever wanted to know about kashrut. Going in I wanted to know more , but it definitely was a lot .

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow Stern managed to write a comprehensive but approachable and non-judgemental book about Kashrut from the perspectives of all the major Jewish denominations. While she doesn't make transitioning to halachic kashrut seem easy, it does seem more feasible than the approach taken in many books.

[Paulo Reimann]

OK, must review Moses' ado

Great book. No doubt of it. Nevertheless you would become a master of Kosher. Deep, thorough and actually entertaining. But I always remain with a last question:- did Moses crossing the desert had all this vision?

[Natassia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. The authoress breaks this down to the hows, whys, history, commentary, where-froms, and recipes. My copy was damaged by water and I still kept it -- musty mold smell and all.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exhaustive with great recipes