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Submit ReviewWe’re on the tail end of summer and if you are reluctant to let it go OR if you are already planning your next great trip I know you’ll enjoy this new episode of The Big Schmear. I’m off to Yidstock 2022 in Western Massachusetts at The Yiddish Book Center on the campus of Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Through my conversation with Lisa Newman and Seth Rogovoy you’ll learn about the Yiddish Book Center and Yidstock, The Festival of New Yiddish Music. I hope you enjoy this taste of Yiddish culture and contemplate a trip to The Book Center. It’s a beauitiful spot anytime of year but it’s spectacular in the fall!
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Need to spice up your meals? Here’s an easy fix that can be used as your new basic ‘everything spice’ to change up, well everything: fish, chicken, french toast…it’s limitless and so easy. And we have some recipes to share too.
Let’s close out 2020 in the best way possible by continuing to share meals and the experience of cooking together in as many ways that we can – in person and via the internet. What matters is staying close.
Thank you for listening. Happy Eating and Best Wishes for a healthy and fun filled 2021
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If you are in the mood for fun this Hanukkah then you have to give this episode a listen. Helpful note: you may want to have your own cocktail at the ready. I’ve invited back mixologist Cheryl Rich Heisler to talk about cocktail ideas for Hanukkah and she did not disappoint! We’ve got lots of ideas for you from the ‘so simple’ to getting out your shaker for a bit of chocolate and whipped cream to touch off that special drink.
I wish you all a very Happy Hanukkah and may you have all the fried foods you desire.
Happy Eating!
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I decided to push the envelope a bit on this Thanksgiving holiday episode. I knew everyone would be stressed with holiday plans, menus and figuring out ways to celebrate the holiday despite all the compromises to put in place to be safe. I assumed the last thing you needed were more recipes to think about so…why not think about how Jewish America is connected to this holiday. I invited Professor Beth S. Wenger, an expert in the field of Jewish American history to talk with me about just that. I hope you find our conversation interesting.
I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Eating!
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Talking about kitchen safety isn’t the sexiest of topics but I thought it would be a great review for all of us as we embark on holiday cooking – whatever that’s going to look like this year. I always have fun chatting with Chef Laura who knows her way around the kitchen– so I thought it would be a good way to talk about the subject without getting too bogged down on boring details. Hope you find our conversation fun and helpful.
As always, wishing you Happy Eating!
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This episode is all about Shabbat. OneTable is an amazing organization that provides resources for everything it takes to prepare your meal. Their website includes so much valuable information; recipes, ideas for meal themes, cool ways to present your meal and everything in between. And there are videos too – and new programs being developed as I write this post. OneTable is here to help us all navigate Jewish food and the meaning it can bring to each of us during this stressful time. To find out more about OneTable go to: onetable.org.
Happy Eating!
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We are in the midst of fall and Jewish holidays; my favorite time of year. I loved having a conversation with Whitney Fisch – she’s all about Jewish food and family. Whitney has a great instagram account that you can follow, it always has lots of wonderful photos of her family and of course, lots of food pics. We talked about the holidays coming up and those just passed. She even provided me with a cheesy dinner recipe to share with all of you, called Skillet Pasta. Perfect for serving in the sukkah or anytime this fall. Total comfort food! You can find it on my site.
Wishing all of you a healthy and happy beginning to the New Year. And most of all, Happy Eating!
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I love learning about bees. I think bees are amazing and I find their life’s work nothing short of fascinating. With Rosh Hashanah coming up I finally had the perfect reason to get int touch with bee keeper, Ted Dennard from Savannah Bee Company. I had so much fun talking with Ted. He was so generous to share his bee expertise and so enthusiastic about every aspect of bees and honey that we touched on in our conversation. I hope you’ll have a chance to try some honey from Savannah Bee Company. Please do check out their website: https://savannahbee.com/rosh-hashanah/. I don’t have to tell you that honey goes well with challah, apples AND your favorite cup of tea. You might say we are going a bit overboard to experience a sweet New Year at my house this year. We decided to have a honey tasting and serve honey cake, baked and decorated by my daughter, Sara Robinson, at our Rosh Hashanah dinner. Bee sure to check out Sara’s honey cake on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEPFL4-nx0_/.
Happy New Year!
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It was a treat to spend time with cookbook author Leah Koenig to talk about Rosh Hashanah meals and prep for this very different Rosh Hashana. Leah will even share a great roast chicken recipe with us. You can find out more about Leah @leahkoenig and Leahkoenig.com. Wishing all of you a very Healthy and Happy New Year.
Happy Eating!
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It turns out August is National Deli month so …find your favorite local deli and treat yourself to a bagel and SCHMEAR while supporting a very important cultural institution. No deli nearby? Many delis now ship overnight to just about anywhere in the country. If all else fails you can make yourself a kugel to enjoy with a cup of tea. My guest for this episode is Dr. Lara Rabinovitch. You’ll learn lots about the history of Jewish delis in North American because we focus our conversation on the food and the cultural impact of Jewish delis. And last but not least, it turns out that some of the most celebrated delis in North America are located outside of New York City so be sure to check out delis in Montreal, Canada, Ann Arbor, Michigan and even Houston, Texas! Yum.
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It’s March, the start of the pandemic in the U.S. with lock-downs in most all major cities. Food and preparing meals for yourself, your family and those in your bubble become a monumental activity. You are nurturing your body and your soul. What could be better? Here’s an idea – you could join with Jews from all over the world to cook together and talk about Jewish food! A small team of people lead by Lisa Colton and her good friend and Co-Executive Producer Jeffrey Yoskowitz put together an amazing on-line event in record time. Even if you were unable to attend when it was live, you can learn about it here and then check out the content for yourself.
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What better way to spend an interview than talking about cocktails? It was total fun talking with Cheryl about her path to becoming a mixologist and starting her company called Mixed metaPours. It turns out you can have your own personalized cocktail developed – now that sounds like a fun summer activity! All that said, Cheryl is pretty serious about her life as a mixologist and how she discovered her passion. You have to listen to our conversation to learn more of her story but in addition to becoming a mixologist she also helps others find their passion too. A remarkable lady and one we’ll hear more from as time goes on. You can find more about Cheryl here: business-card-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169">
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Photo Credit: Stephanie Kaltsas
Boris Fishman is a wonderful writer providing a unique immigrant perspective to his work. My new favorite book by Boris is: Three Generations, Two Continents, and a Dinner Table SAVAGE FEAST, A Memoir with Recipes. Even from the prologue you are drawn into the book by the character profiles and of course, the food. He was so generous with his time for our interview that we talk about lots in addition to food. Our conversation moves from his early life in the USSR to his youth in NY with a lot of insight into his family and his grandfather’s home aid — the inspiration for Boris’s cooking life and for SAVAGE FEAST. I hope you enjoy listening in. BTW, the recipes in his book are mouthwatering for sure. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in need of cooking up some Russian cuisine while reading this book.
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Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn, Executive Director
rotated.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640"> Caitlin Arens, Food Education Support Manager
I had a great time talking with Alexandra and Caitlin of Pilot Light in Chicago. It’s an amazing food education organization founded by a team of chefs in Chicago. They share many food resources for families and teachers that we can use anytime but especially now. Please do check out their website and find out more at: pilotlightchefs.org.
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Who knew there would be so much to say about the history of the dairy restaurant? Ben Katchor begins the story for us during biblical times in the Garden of Eden (the first restaurant) and takes us on an amazing world-wide ride through his new book, The Diary Restaurant. Our conversation is the perfect way to dig into the holiday; so sit down with a pot of tea, some cheesecake and listen while Ben gives me insight into his book and the world of dairy. Chag Sameach to all.
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My guest on this episode is Amanda Dell, Program Director from The Jewish Food Society. The work they are doing to capture and archive Jewish family recipes and recipe stories from around the globe is critical to our understanding of our history. Amanda talks here about the many programs available through The Jewish Food Society and includes information on the pivot they’ve done since COVID-19. A great example is this program with Hila Alpert for Shavout: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-the-kibbutz-to-tel-aviv-conversation-shavuot-cooking-w-hila-alpert-tickets-104987873556.
I hope you enjoy the episode AND the recipe which is accessible through the link above.
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I am talking with Sonat Birnecker from my favorite distillery, Koval. These days they aren’t just producing their excellent whiskeys – they’ve pivoted; big time. They are now in the new business of producing hand sanitizer! It turns out that helping in a crisis is not such a simple matter. Sonat describes this new focus in a most humble and thoughtful way. I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation.225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300">
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As most of us continue with the stay-in-place orders I decided to invite Gabrielle Spatt of The Blue Dove Foundation to talk with me about Mental Health Awareness Month. The Blue Dove Foundation focuses its resources on the Jewish community to help us work through mental health and substance abuse issues. In this episode Gabby and I talk about the importance of sharing a Shabbat meal. It’s a great opportunity to check-in with those we love and share stories about how we are meeting the challenges of preparing healthy meals and keeping up our spirits. Gabrielle has some easy and helpful food suggestions to give us. And their website has lots more resources at: thebluedovefoundation.org.
I hope you find this episode helpful. Wishing all of you good health.
The post Sharing A Shabbat Meal – May is Mental Health Awareness Month appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Brunch-Bloody-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200">I had great fun talking with Carolyn Sherman Gutierrez of ISH. Who knew horseradish could be so versatile? Or come in so many flavors? I’ve had fun experimenting at home (too much time) and even got my husband on-board! But that’s really only part of the story. What is so cool is that Carolyn took this hobby of her dad’s and made it into a serious business on her own. Hope you enjoy the episode. AND if you are the first two people to email me at: beth@thebigschmear.com Carolyn will send you a package of 4 jars (they’ll go way faster than you think) so you’ll get to sample all four flavors! I hope to hear from you soon 🙂 Happy Listening!
The post What’s Your Go-To Condiment? (#52) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
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Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz, co-founders of Gefilteria join me to talk about creative ways to think about Passover during this time of Covid-19. Passover will be a challenge for sure but maybe we can find a silver lining.
The post A New Passover for 2020 with Gefilteria (#51) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Meet Amy Zitleman, Co-Founder and CEO of Soom. Haven’t heard of them yet? Soom is a tahini manufacturer located in Philadelphia founded and owned by three sisters, Amy, Shelby and Jackie (she lives in Israel). In addition to the best tasting tahini ever, they also make Silan (date syrup) and Chocolate Sweet Tahini Halva Spread!
I had a lot of fun talking with Amy about Soom and all their products. Not only did I expand my knowledge of tahini as a healthful and versatile ingredient; as we chatted Amy suggested all kinds of easy ways to include tahini in your everyday healthy snacking. So settle back and listen to a fun episode. Alert: after hearing this episode you’ll have lots of ways to get to the bottom of that jar of tahini in your fridge! Oh, and be prepared to really want some tahini…now.
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The post Is Tahini the New Peanut Butter in Your Kitchen Yet? (#50) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
On this special episode we pay tribute to Canada’s Jewish Julia Child, Norene Gilletz who passed away last month. She leaves us with an amazing Jewish food legacy. She published 12 cookbooks, has a huge following on Nornene’s Kitchen (her facebook page) and she shares recipes and stories on her website.
Please join me as I talk with Nina Glick, a close friend of Norene Gilletz, as she tells us about this very special lady.
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Norene Gilletz
The post A Tribute to the Queen of Kosher Cuisine, Norene Gilletz (#49) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Photo Credit: MIchelle Ishay
The-100-Most-Jewish-Foods-245x300.jpg" alt="" width="245" height="300">I love the book, and I think you will too. It’s full of history, stories and of course, recipes! Imagine deciding to compile a book of the 100 Most Jewish Foods! Where would you start? How would you decide what foods didn’t qualify? My guest for this episode is Alana Newhouse, editor of this book and editor-in-chief of Tablet Magazine. Alana and I talk about the book, of course. She gives us a behind-the-scenes view of how it all came together. We even manage to have a few minutes to talk about Tablet, the contemporary on-line Jewish Magazine that covers news, events, arts and of course, food. I hope you enjoy the episode.
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I loved talking with Cindy about this new Bed-and-Breakfast in Havana, Cuba featuring Kosher food. What a great way to encourage Jewish tourism. And Cindy’s company stateside will help plan your entire itinerary while in Cuba including a tour of Jewish Havana! Be sure to check out the family recipe she’s shared. If you can’t go to Cuba this year at least you can bring some of those tropical flavors into your own kitchen.
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I couldn’t think of a better way to begin 2020 on The Big Schmear than with the topic of Marijuana and Jewish food. So many states have now legalized recreational pot that it seemed a timely topic. I went to my go-to expert on all things kosher in the kitchen, Chef Laura Frankel and she even provided two recipes for this episode. In honor of The Big Schmear we now have a recipe for Mixed Green Olive-Cannabis Schmear AND Chicken Soup with Potza Balls. So have a listen to the episode and then, if marijuana is legal where you live, try one of these edible cannabis recipes and let me know what you think.
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I took a bit of a jaunt off topic to introduce you to the musicians of Cavatina Duo- the theme music for The Big Schmear. i think you’ll enjoy meeting them and hearing about their story behind the music. I hope you enjoy the episode.
Happy Hanukkah and I’ll be back with some fun surprises in 2020!
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There is this iconic cafe in Skokie, IL. It’s called Emma’s and it’s a favorite place for those wanting a great selection of Kosher food from bagels and lox to wraps and soups. And this is where I caught up with Naomi Nachman. Just off the plane from NY, she was in Chicago for a private food event she was heading up. Naomi has more energy than you can imagine. After Chicago she was heading back to NY to attend Kosherfest. And if you don’t know about Kosherfest please check out my episode when I attended back in 2017. It’s really something else.
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I couldn’t resist searching out more information on this new book Feasting and Fasting! I hope you’ll find my conversation with Dr. Aaron S. Gross, co-editor as intriguing as I did. The book delves into Jewish food as a key component to exploring our history, culture, politics, and more. I know it’s going to be my next book purchase. And Aaron offers us a 30% discount if you order your book directly through New York University Press. It comes out in December, just in time for Hanukkah!
The post Feasting and Fasting: The History and Ethics of Jewish Food (#43) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Are you thinking about seasonal menus for fall? Don’t forget to include mushrooms on your search. After listening to my conversation with Maxim D. Shrayer you’ll find yourself hunting in your favorite grocery store for some not so common varieties to try. And do check out his new book: A Russian Immigrant: Three Novellas. You can find out more about Maxim and his book here: http://www.shrayer.com and http://www.shrayer.com/russimm.html.
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Chef Laura Frankel and I talk about holiday food prep and planning for Yom Kippur. She shares some great ideas that will be helpful for menu selection through break-the-fast. We even get a chance to talk about Chef’s favorite holiday, Sukkot.
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I’m at Ras Dashen, a wonderful cozy Ethiopian restaurant in my own neighborhood in Chicago. I’m talking with owner and chef Zenash and her granddaughter Nebbe. She tells an amazing story of how she comes to Chicago and starts her own restaurant. She’s one of the most passionate food people I’ve ever met. To say she puts her whole self into everything she prepares does not do her food or her story justice. I’m sure you’ll find her as engaging and endearing as I did.
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Hi Fellow Big Schmear listeners! I can’t believe the summer is coming to a close so soon and it’s already time to start thinking about the holidays. AND, I’ve been doing just that. I’ve got some interesting episodes planned that I think you are going to enjoy. I don’t want to spill the beans on all but I do give you a few minutes of what I’ve been up to lately on this brief episode so give it a listen. You’ll be hearing more from me in September – with more recipes to share.
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While on a dream vacation in Greece I got a call about a Kosher food company focused on bringing kosher food from the Balkans to the US and Israel and around the world. What a crazy coincidence. Once back home I decided to follow up on that call and bring that information back to you. There’s nothing like olives and wine from Greece experienced in Greece but the next best thing is to try some of that at your own kitchen table.
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On this episode you’ll meet Moran Birman, Consul for Public Diplomacy with the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. I met Moran a little over a year ago when he connected me with Gil Hovav, Israeli food critic and entrepreneur. This time I had the opportunity to talk with Moran about a food topic of special interest to me, Food Diplomacy. It can be a weighty subject and Moran and I barely scratched the surface. It’s so interesting to think about food as a creative art, as a critical human need and at the same time, the important role it can play in world politics, I hope you enjoy our conversation in this episode. Be sure to check out the recipe for Moran’s favorite Israeli go-to snack: M’sabacha.
The post An Israeli Perspective on Food Diplomacy (#37) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
e1560107001889-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150">I’ve heard about Eli’s Cheesecake for years, and not because I live in Chicago. When I knew Shavout was coming up I thought it would be the perfect time to see if I could get an interview with Marc Schulman, President of Eli’s Cheesecake. It turned into a great conversation with Marc, learning more about this company and their cheesecakes. I even had the opportunity to talk with Maureen, his wife and co-creator of their amazing cookbook: Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook- Remarkable Recipes from a Chicago Legend. Warning: you might want to have some cheesecake handy, it will be difficult to listen to the episode and not have some at the ready … just saying.
Check out the giant cheesecake below- it was made in Chicago and traveled all the way to Washington DC for President Obama’s Inauguration in 2013.
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Passover is here and what better way to get into the season of matzo than time to talk with writer and cookbook author, chef and inventor of Matzo Crack, Marcy Goldman! Marcy is my first Big Schmear guest from Canada. We had a great time talking about Jewish food in Montreal and of course learning more about Marcy and her new cookbook: The Newish Jewish Cookbook. Be sure to listen to the end of the episode so you can hear about the many things Marcy does that are food related (she has a lot more cookbooks you’ll want to check out) and some other interests she has that you might find quite interesting. I love discovering new people with a passion for Jewish food and it’s great fun to share it with all of you.EBOOK-COVER-NEWISH-JEWISH-e1555384579412.jpg" alt="Newish Jewish Cookbook" width="1253" height="2000">
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Whenever I’m in the Boston area to visit with family one of my new favorite restaurant stops is Mamaleh’s Deli in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I made a promise to myself after my visit in December that whenever my next trip to Boston would take place I would find a way to be more than a diner at Mamahleh’s. My goal was to manage to get an interview with one of the co-owners so I could get the inside story on this wonderful place. I managed to do just that in March. I had the opportunity to talk with Alon Munzer and it was great fun. Alon was generous with his time and was a wonderful host and even better we had a great conversation about Mamaleh’s. I hope you enjoy the episode and if you get a chance to stop in let them know you heard about their deli from The Big Schmear! I also encourage you to try out his family recipe for Chopped Liver.
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I had a great time talking with Sarah Klegman, co-founder of Challah Hub. This is another virtual challah story taking place in Los Angeles. Sarah and I talked a lot about challah and about Sarah’s life outside of baking. At the very least you owe it to yourself to check out Challah Hub’s website for amazing photos of what’s possible with Challah. They are so generous with recipes, baking and braiding instructions and innovative ideas of what makes a great challah. Give the show a listen and check out their amazing vegan challah recipe they’ve shared with me.
The photo above is Sara Klegman and co-founder Elina Tilipman. Photo by Sally Claire.
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It’s all about a very cool virtual bakery in Chicago’s PIlson neighborhood. The story starts with two college friends from Mexico City that discover they both like to bake. Fast forward a few years and they find each other a few years later in Chicago, both still baking. They decide to do this for real and start a company called Masa Madre. They sell their amazing and unique babkas, challahs and much more. Be sure to listen to their story on this episode. One of the perks of doing this podcast episode? I had the opportunity to sample a slice of still warm challah with Alicia’s Mexican Za’atar and olive oil. The bread melted in my mouth- a crisp flaky crust and a soft, ever so tasty middle. OMG! A special thank you to Chicago Magazine for the use of this great shot of Tamar and Elena in the kitchen.1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200">
The post Mexican Jewish Flavors: Masa Madre (#32) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300">Who thought baking Challah could be so magical? Well, it is and especially as seen through the eyes of my guest this week Dr. Beth Ricanati. We talk about Challah and how it can connect with you, through Jewish history, as a way to think about your own well-being and of course all about baking Challah. I can guarantee you that before you finish listening to this episode you’ll want to have your own Challah baking in your oven… and you can! Check out the recipe section for the ‘how to’ and have a wonderful time with me as we think about bread as the staff of Jewish life.
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Happy 2019 one and all! It’s been awhile since my last new episode. In the interim I decided to branch out a bit and take the opportunity to talk with many more guests located all over the country. There are so many people with a real passion for Jewish food and could be more fun than sharing their stories with you. In my first episode for the new year I talk with Shannon Sarna, a name you’ll want to remember. Shannon and I cover food trends to watch for in 2019, her cookbook, The Modern Jewish Baker and her new podcast beginning this February. It’s an extra long episode, I hope you enjoy it.
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Chef Zach joins me in Part 2 to talk about his new restaurant endeavor in Chicago – building Galit, his first restaurant from the bottom up. The goal: to bring fine dining, as in Israeli Cuisine to Chicago.
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What’s it like to be a young Chef with a dream to open your own restaurant? I thought it would be interesting to get inside the process and to hear first hand about what it takes to find yourself in a new city about to open your own place. I talk with James Beard winner Chef Zach Engel about his path to Gailit, his new restaurant opening in Chicago in early 2019. This is Part 1.
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I’m back with culinary writer Stacey Ballis. It’s time to talk about Jewish food and for Stacey that means Kugel. Now you can choose to make your favorite family recipe OR you can try Stacey’s favorite. She is kind enough to provide some essential kugel pointers too! Be sure to listen till the end of the episode when Stacey discusses her kitchen re-do and all the things you’d want to consider if you were redesigning your own dream kitchen.
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I’m in conversation with author Stacey Ballis of culinary literature fame. In this episode I learn about Stacey’s most important food mentor and how she managed to publish her first novel seemingly with little effort. Who does this? And she shares a great recipe for Tomato Pudding with me. All in all a fun conversation.
Tomato PuddingServes 8
2 cups dried bread cubes, crusts removed1 stick melted butter3/4 cup brown sugar1/2 cup tomato paste1/2 cup tomato puree1/4 cup orange juice1 large beefsteak tomato or 3 roma tomatoes, sliced thinlyHeat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the dried bread cubes in a casserole dish. Pour melted butter over them; toss to combine. Combine brown sugar, tomato puree, orange juice in a saucepan. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.Pour hot mixture over bread cubes. Layer a thin layer of tomatoes over the top, and sprinkle with salt. Bake until puffy and the corners of the bread cubes are browned, 35-40 minutes..
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The Big Schmear turned 1 this month! I’m celebrating by sharing some great moments from a year’s worth of fun episodes. Join me for a trip down memory lane…and thank you all for listening. It’s been a great year.
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August marks The Big Schmear’s 1 Year Anniversary. Why not celebrate by sharing some great moments from a year’s worth of fun episodes with all of you. Join me for a trip down memory lane…and thank you all for listening. I’ll have more to share later in the month too. It’s been a great year.
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The post Happy Anniversary to The Big Schmear! (#24) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
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Emily has been such a fun guest. In this next episode she talks with me in more detail about making preserves and then she shares the story of her other food projects -the food swap and her very excellent food blog.
The photos above are from a preserving class I attended with Emily as instructor. I got so excited about making preserves after my conversation with Emily that I decided to sign up for one of her classes to find out more about preserving foods in a hands on situation. I had a great time- she’s a super teacher. I even brought home some pickled carrots that I made in class. They were a huge hit! The next step is buying a few basic supplies and then I’ll pick out a recipe -that’s the fun part- I’m really going to try my hand at making preserves. Wish me luck!
The post In a Jam? (#23) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
I can’t think of a better time to find out about preserving foods than summer when farmer’s markets are teaming with beautiful produce. Emily Paster has so much enthusiasm and passion about canning you can’t help but get caught up in her story.3-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200">
She explains preserving from a Jewish food history perspective and gives us the down low on canning methods. And of course she shares a great recipe with us. I think I might even try this myself at home!
The post Preserving Foods with Emily Paster Part 1 (#22) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
I had a super time talking with President of Koval Distillery, Sonat Birnecker Hart. I’ve known about Koval Distillery and Sonat for probably close to 8 years and I’ve had fun watching the company grow. They have an amazing story and I think you’ll enjoy learning about them as much as you will love experiencing their product first hand. Koval’s spirits are available everywhere.
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The post Part 2 with Sonat Birnecker Hart on Koval Distillery (#21) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
I had a super time talking with President of Koval Distillery, Sonat Birnecker Hart. I’ve known about Koval Distillery and Sonat for probably close to 8 years and I’ve had fun watching the company grow. They have an amazing story and I think you’ll enjoy learning about them as much as you will love experiencing their product first hand. Koval’s spirits are available everywhere.
The post It’s 5 PM Someplace, Right? (#20) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
2.jpg" alt="" width="1071" height="803">It’s MILT’s and here I am in the very secret interview room along with Milt’s owner Jeff Aeder (center) and Chef Bryan Gryka (right).
We had a great time talking all about BBQ, Milt’s, Extra Innings Deli and Jews in Baseball. Both eateries are community focused and enjoyed by lots of hungry folks from the neighborhood and beyond.
The post Talking BBQ with Milt’s BBQ for the Perplexed (#19) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
We all start talking about and planning for Passover months before the holiday is even close. it’s the most celebrated of all Jewish holidays and there are lots of plans that have to be made, not the least of which is planning the menu for the Seder and preparing the ritual foods. The main mean is all about keeping the food memories alive and what better way to do that than to continue to serve family favorites. But what if you want to start your own traditions? Or change it up this one time? Chef Laura gives some great food ideas and she shares a super delicious dessert recipe.
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The post Passover with Chef Laura Frankel (#18) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
It’s my first ever interview with a children’s book author. And not just any children’s book author…she’s the author of a children’s book called: The Knish War on Rivington Street. How could I pass up the opportunity to talk about this? We had a great time together and Joanne even shares two knish recipes with The Big Schmear! Very generous. Now that the episode is finished the only thing I can think about is eating a knish. I’m in a bad way.
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The post The Knish Wars (#17) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
hovav2-359x270-300x226.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="226">Gil Hovav is back for Part 2. He’s a guy who seems to have a never ending supply of energy and creative ideas. He writes cookbooks, but not your ordinary cookbooks. And he develops shows for television, sometimes about food but not your usual cooking show and finally he defines Israeli cuisine as only someone in love with the food of Israel can describe it. Think truth, fresh vegetables and fruit and exotic spices. The best time to listen to this episode? While cooking middle eastern food!
The post Fun Times with Gil Hovav Part 2 (#16) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
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I’ve had a great time talking with Gil Hovav in this episode, learning about his family history, his experience as a food writer, as a TV star and all-around fun guy. His energy and cool ideas don’t quit. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I loved being in conversation with him. And a heads up– you may want to have some hummus on hand because you could find yourself awfully hungry for anything Israeli by the time we are finished with Part 1.
The post Fun Times with Gil Hovav Israeli Food Writer, Part 1 (#15) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
1.jpg" alt="" width="3024" height="4032">It’s Kosherfest! And what is that you ask? It’s the worlds’ biggest event for the business of Kosher foods held annually in November. I had the opportunity to attend this year where it was held in Secaucus, New Jersey. I’ll do my best to give you a tour of this gigantic exhibit space where over 800 vendors participated in this year’s conference. I don’t have any recipes this time around but I do have all kinds of interesting tidbits about Kosher products that you would have never imagined!
The post Kosherfest!! (#14) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Meet Tanya Rosen – star nutritionist and overall health guru. Tanya heads up her own business helping with the care and feeding of your healthy body from workout tapes to nutrition counseling to preparing healthy foods. What better way to start the New Year and take care of your top New Year’s resolution!
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The post Jewish Food The Healthy Way (#13) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Jamie Geller is BAAACK! and Chef Laura Frankel joins in for this episode. We talk about Israeli food and lots about Chanukah latkas and sufganiyot. I think you are going to be so ready for Chanukah and latkes by the time you get to the end of this episode.
Happy Holidays to all. We’ll be back with our next episode of The Big Schmear on January 8. and-Laura.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="360">
The post Let’s Talk Chanukah! (#12) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
I’m excited to talk with Jamie Geller of Joy of Kosher magazine in this episode. She’s an amazing woman with tons of energy and it’s all focused on preparing Jewish food. Join me for learning how Jamie went from American journalist to Jewish Kosher food & Israel; from “The Bride who Knew Nothing” to the head of a Joy of Kosher food magazine.
Although we taped this in September you’ll see our focus on Hanukkah in the recipes she shares.
The post Jamie Geller: The Queen of Kosher (#11) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
It’s Part 2 with Stephanie Goldfarb and we cover lots of ground. You’ll hear about her day job working with amazing high school students, and lots more about food as we learn about Stephanie’s must haves in the kitchen, what it’s like to be in a cooking competition and the down-low about Israeli breakfasts and all the good food that Israel has to offer.
The post Stephanie Goldfarb: Chicago Cook Extraordinaire Part 2 (#10) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Stephanie Goldfarb is a real Renaissance woman finding a way to mesh her passion for food and living a Jewish life in the most extraordinary way. She shares her path to Jewish cooking with me and talks about her wonderful supper club in Chicago, Seven Species. Her life is so jammed packed with Jewish and so many food hats you have to tune in and learn all about her.
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The post Stephanie Goldfarb: Chicago Cook Extraordinaire Part 1 (#9) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
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Beth meets up with Liz Alpern of The Gefilteria at a fantastic food demo in Detroit, Michigan. It’s part of the 2nd Annual Michigan Jewish Food Festival. The conversation with Liz covers lots about food pivots, her path to becoming a foodie and gefilte fish as an intro into old world Jewish foods.
The post Liz Alpern of The Gefilteria talks Gefilte Fish and More! (#8) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="630">Beth goes to Detroit, Michigan to check-out the 2nd Annual Michigan Jewish Food Festival. The festival is put on by Hazon. The word Hazon means vision. Hazon is an entry point and ongoing resource for individuals and institutions to engage in Jewish life and create a more sustainable world for all through Jewish outdoor, food, farming and environmental education. Hazon aims to point the Jewish community outwards to create change locally and nationally. They welcome participants of all religious backgrounds and none.
The post The 2nd Annual Michigan Jewish Food Festival 007 (#7) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Award winning cookbook author Joan Nathan is back to share some food stories with Beth from her new cookbook King Solomon’s Table. They talk about blueberries and the discovery of a Toronto recipe that had its roots in Poland, Yemenite Shabbat chicken soup, and the latest Jewish food trend- Israeli food.
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The post Traveling through Jewish Food History with Joan Nathan, Continued (#6) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Award winning cookbook author Joan Nathan joins Beth to talk about her path to Jewish food writing with roots in anthropology and Israel. She shares stories about her travels and the research she did about the history of Jewish food for her newest cookbook King Solomon’s Table. Joan even finds time to share a family Passover story.
Joan Nathan is the author of numerous cookbooks including the James Beard and IACP Award winners Jewish Cooking in America and The New American Cooking, which also received the Julia Child Award for Best Cookbook of the Year. She was the host of the nationally syndicated PBS television series Jewish Cooking in America with Joan Nathan, based on the book. A frequent contributor to The New York Times, Tablet magazine, and other publications, Nathan is the recipient of numerous awards, and she received an honorary doctorate from the Spertus institute of Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago. A founding member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, she was also appointed to the Kitchen Cabinet of the National Museum of American History. Nathan graduated from the University of Michigan with a masters degree in French literature and earned a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.
The post Traveling through Jewish Food History with Joan Nathan appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
In this episode, Ina talks about her favorite Jewish foods, including some that are her own guilty pleasures and some that found their way into her restaurant. She also shares what she considers to be absolute necessities to have in her own kitchen. And best of all, Ina reads from her cookbook: the book is not only filled with wonderful recipes from the restaurant and has beautiful photos of her amazing food, it’s also a memoir of her long career in the restaurant business that is filled with personal stories and anecdotes that tell us as much about the food as they do about Ina.
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The post The Breakfast Queen, Continued (#4) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
In this episode of The Big Schmear we meet Ina Pinkney, an amazing entrepreneur and restaurant owner, from her first flourless chocolate cake delivery service to the opening of her iconic breakfast eatery in Chicago. Ina’s made breakfast an entirely new experience in Chicago and it was THE place to go to break the fast, celebrate important life events, family Passover Seders or just enjoy the best breakfast in town.
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The post The Breakfast Queen (#3) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
Chef Laura is back in episode 2 of The Big Schmear to talk with Beth about her new position with Jamie Gelier’s magazine, Joy of Kosher, and what life is like now that she’s testing literally dozens of new recipes for each issue of the magazine while keeping her eye on Google to know what foods are trending from week to week. They show ends with a hilarious conversation about the time Chef Laura and Jamie Geller discussed the fine points of cutting up chicken on Facebook live.
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The post Keeping it Kosher with Chef Laura Frankel pt 2 (#2) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
In the inaugural episode of The Big Schmear, Chef Laura Frankel talks with host Beth Schenker about her definition of Jewish food and her passion for making Kosher recipes. Their conversation ranges from the business of Kosher food with companies like Kraft and Coca-Cola to gefilte fish and cholent and much, much more.
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The post Keeping it Kosher with Chef Laura Frankel pt 1 (#1) appeared first on The Big Schmear Podcast.
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