Archive for March, 2013

The Jewish religion requires its followers to adhere to a very specific set of rules regarding food consumption. Acceptable foods and preparation practices are known as kosher. The book of Leviticus provides information as to the types of foods that can freely be eaten and how they should be prepared and cooked. The rules and laws are specific enough that Jews have to be especially careful to buy foods labeled as kosher. How an observant Jew cooks and eats is similarly regulated. Read on to learn about why people keep kosher and how to do so.

History of Kosher

People have been keeping kosher for as far back as Biblical times, or around 3,500 to 4,000 years ago. The practice increased significantly in the West when large numbers of Jews migrated to the United States. The first known instance of kosher food in the U.S. dates back to the mid-1600s. The most basic reason for keeping kosher is simply because the Torah outlines that it should be followed. However, many rabbis also further encourage it by suggesting that this type of diet helps to increase one’s spirituality and discipline, as well as furthering Jewish customs. Many also cite the practice’s stringent sanitary laws as a reason to eat foods that are prepared in a very hygienic manner.

• Nineteenth Century Kosher Cooking (PDF)
• Kosher History and Definitions (PDF)
• A History of Keeping Kosher
• An Explanation of Kosher
• Why Do People Keep Kosher?

General Rules of Being Kosher

The main rules of keeping kosher outline a number of foods that may or may not be consumed. Kosher laws also specify that animals and birds that are slaughtered for food must be killed according to ritual. Before cooking, all of the creature’s blood needs to be drained, and only some parts can be consumed. Mixing categories of foods is also regulated. Dairy products cannot be mixed with meats, while pareve (non-meat or dairy products) cannot be eaten with meats or dairy. For example, vegetables or fruit cannot be eaten with meat or dairy. These practices extend to food preparation and cooking as well, so that separate containers and utensils have to be used for each category of food. Some families color-code their kitchen tools according to food categories to prevent accidentally using them wrongly.

• Kosher Supervision, Laws, and More
• An Overview of Kosher Laws
• Kosher Rules and Practices (DOC)
• Main Kashrut Laws
• Creative Ideas for Kosher Recipes

Specifics of a Kosher Diet

In the meat category, Jews are allowed to eat common domestic farm animals that include cows, goats, and sheep, as well as more exotic creatures such as giraffe, ibex, and gazelle. Similarly, common farm-bred poultry such as ducks, geese, and chickens are acceptable. Technically turkey is a kosher meat, but because it was never specifically referred to in the Torah, some sects do not permit it. Standard fish such as tuna or salmon are safe for kosher diets. Jews are only allowed to consume the meat of creatures when a shochet (a Jew who is specially trained and licensed to butcher animals for food) kills the beast with a single slash to the throat. The knife that is used must be very sharp, and as the process very quick and painless, it is recognized as the cleanest and is the most humane way to slaughter the animal. Fruit and vegetables can be freely consumed as long as they are first checked for insects. Eggs from kosher animals are also acceptable, and this even includes caviar if it is obtained from kosher fish. Dairy foods include anything that contains milk. Dairy products are only allowed if they are derived from kosher animals and do not include any type of meat by-products or substances. Other items such as bread and cereal (which are considered as pareve) can be eaten if it does not contain dairy.

• Kosher Meat
• Meat, Dairy, and Pareve
• A Guide to Kosher Food Labeling
• Examples of Kosher Foods
• Kosher Meat and Dairy Consumption

Foods Forbidden in a Kosher Diet

Foods that are not allowed within the kosher guidelines are known as treif. When it comes to meat, Jews are not allowed to eat meat from animals that bear cloven hoofs or those that do not chew cud. Furthermore, while they can eat fish, they cannot consume water creatures that lack fins or scales, which eliminates shellfish and squid. Insects, scavenging creatures, reptiles, and amphibians are all excluded from a kosher diet. Since consumption of blood is prohibited, the shochet needs to ensure that recently killed animals are fully drained of their blood before the meat is available for consumption. Since eggs may sometimes contain bloodspots, they need to be carefully checked before eating and discarded if any blood is found.

• Distinguishing Between Kosher and Forbidden Foods
• Prohibited Food Preparation Practices
• Main Prohibited Foods
• Reference List of Kosher and Non-Kosher Foods
• Detailed Notes on Forbidden and Acceptable Foods

Everyone knows that eating healthy is the best option available for making a positive impact on your health. It can help you maintain a healthy weight, stay fit and just feel better overall. Knowing that you need to make good food choices is different from actually making those choices. When you are ready to change your eating habits, you need to take the time to evaluate all of your habits and to take the necessary steps so that you can embrace a healthy lifestyle. You need to think about the food that you are eating, where it comes from and how it helps you. Once you begin to make conscious choices about your eating habits, it will be easier to make the changes you need to succeed.

The government and various other nutrition agencies have outlined the basic guidelines for healthy eating. As a child, you may have learned about the Food Pyramid or heard about the My Plate initiative. The basic guidelines instruct an adult to eat about two cups of fruit a day. You should strive to eat between two and a half to three cups of vegetables each day. You should limit your grains to between six to eight ounces each day. Protein is an important part of any diet, and you should aim for between five to eight ounces each day. If you do not want to eat meat, there are plenty of healthy plant based proteins options available. Dairy is another important food group, and you should make sure you are getting about three cups each day. You also need to make sure you are choosing healthy fats and oils such as the oils found in nuts or certain vegetables. You need between five to seven teaspoons of oils each day.

Once you understand what you should be eating to stay healthy, you need to start thinking about how to eat each of the food groups. The fresher the fruits and vegetables you eat, the more nutrients you will receive from them. If possible, you should eat at least a portion of your daily vegetable intake raw. This will give you the most nutrients possible. When you are eating your grains, look for whole grains instead of items that have been overly processed. Choosing to bake or grill your meat will be healthier than frying it. You can choose organic fruits and vegetables to avoid the pesticides that are on other fruit.

Changing your eating habits may come a little bit at a time. You need to make it easy to consume the healthy foods you want to eat. Take the time each week to slice up the vegetables you are planning on snacking on. Take the time get rid of the processed junk food in your house, and at your office. If you put healthy options in their place, it will be easier to make the changes. The more processed food you can remove from your diet, the better off you will be. Cooking from scratch and cutting out fast food will give you more control over the food you eat.

Changing eating habits can be difficult. Food addiction is a real affliction. You may not realize that you are addicted to many of the processed foods that you eat. Some people find that completing a detox diet of eating only fruits and vegetables and lean meats for a few days can help break some of the worst eating habits. If you do this, you will slowly add in whole grains after one or two days. One of the goals is to completely eliminate processed sugar from your diet. Another approach is to only eat sugar on specific days each week. You may slide as you begin to change your eating habits. The key is to not give up when you make a mistake. Resolve to begin eating better again, and then stick to it. Your body will adjust to the healthy foods that you are eating, and soon you will crave fruits and vegetables instead of sugary snacks and potato chips. If you are still having a difficult time, you should consult with a professional nutritionist. Check with your health insurance company to see if they will cover the cost for one or two appointments, especially if you are overweight.

Here is additional information on making healthy food choices.

• Eat Right to Have a Healthy Weight
• Eat Right: What Healthy Food Choices Should I Make?
• Eat Right When Money’s Tight
• Eat Healthy
• How to Eat for Health
• Tips for Eating Healthy When Eating Out
• Guide to Eating Healthy
• Healthy Eating Plate and the Healthy Eating Pyramid
• Healthy Eating and Nutrition
• Eating Healthy as You Age
• Does Eating Healthy Really Cost More?
• Healthy Eating: Make It Happen

One of the most rewarding ways to work is by turning something you already enjoy into a career. For many people, cooking translates to a career path in the culinary arts. This field involves cooking or working with food in many different ways. While people may initially start out by studying a broad-based course, they can later focus on a more specialized field. Culinary school graduates typically find themselves working in a wide variety of jobs, including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and even the military. Read on to discover more about this extremely practical and hands-on career path.

Culinary Schools

There are many culinary schools around the globe, but only a few have gained a prestigious status, akin to the Harvards and Princetons in our world. Some of the most famous ones include Paris’ renowned Le Cordon Bleu, and the Culinary Institute of America. At a culinary school, students can expect to study theoretical courses as well as practical classes in a real kitchen environment. When considering culinary schools in the United States a key factor is ACF accreditation. This accreditation is granted by the American Culinary Federation, a professional group that oversees culinary education all across North America. It is not necessarily true that students have to pay skyhigh fees to obtain a culinary degree. There are several ACF accredited community colleges with lower fee rates that are also able to offer a strong education. Apart from the main tuition, students should also consider the additional costs of uniforms, books, cooking supplies, and their room and board. It is a wise idea for potential students to tour the school and its facilities before accepting any offers. In particular, take note of the facilities and the ratio of students to professors. Students who already have an idea of the culinary field that they wish to specialize in should find out whether the school offers related courses or a degree. Some schools may also have the option of work-study programs, thus allowing students to gain real world experience and potential employer contacts while still in school.

• Culinary Degrees – Learn all about deciding whether to attend a culinary school, finding an appropriate one, and applying to it.
• Culinary Schools – Use an interactive map to locate culinary schools and programs in every state in the country.

Culinary Careers

Many students enter culinary schools with hopes of simply becoming a chef, however there is a wide range of other related careers that they can also pursue as an alternative since it can be somewhat difficult to obtain a well-paying job as a chef. In 2008, chef and cook positions numbered approximately a million in the United States. Keep in mind that popular television cooking shows can be rather misleading. Many culinary students feel discouraged when they view small, cramped kitchen conditions that many restaurants tend to have. Several chefs who do create a highly successful career for themselves do so by opening their own restaurants, which allows them to create their own vision in terms of cooking, as opposed to adhering to another person’s menu. Some other examples of the paths that culinary graduates follow include food science technicians, dieticians, hotel line cooks, nutrition consultants, sous chefs, bakers, demonstration chefs, culinary educators, food researchers, restaurant managers, test kitchen chefs, and much more. Apart from cooking, a typical day for a chef usually also involves creating recipes and menus, food preparation, delegating work to sous chefs and assistants, training staff, and ordering supplies.

A common experience for graduates is to work in a certain job and gain further skills and knowledge through on-the-job experience. Many culinary careers do require a degree or equivalent certification in culinary arts, as well as a certain amount of job experience. For example, an executive chef for an upscale establishment would normally be required to have several years of work experience as well as a formal education. Some careers, such as pastry chefs and culinary educators may also require the candidate to have ACF certification. Younger students need not feel overwhelmed by the breadth of experience that many older chefs seem to have. In fact, around twenty percent of kitchen staff in the United States are in their late teens.

• Chefs and Head Cooks – View a detailed job outlook for chefs and head cooks, including average salaries, education requirements, work experience, and job availability.
• Culinary Related Careers – Read more about working as a cook, a pastry chef, or in restaurants, along with some helpful tips about the types of skills and experience that are needed.