Once a year we host a few high-level international military types at our house. It involves providing them with dinner, and generally, there isn’t an issue with what to serve. We have had generals from Muslim countries, where they don’t eat pork, as well as countries where they don’t eat meat at all, without any issues.
This year we are hosting a general from Israel, who has listed his dietary restrictions as “Kosher”. We were planning to serve beef (we would never serve pork) with some usual side dishes (grilled vegetables and potatoes), but I am concerned about violating Kosher rules and norms.
What do I need to do differently to ensure the meal is 100% Kosher? I don’t want to do something wrong and have this person not be able to eat with us.
Any practical advice would be appreciated. For example, if we made mashed potatoes, which have milk in them, and he could choose to put them on his plate of meat or not, would that be okay, as long as we tell him there is milk in them?
Some observant Jews will be fine if there’s a kosher dish or two, while others won’t eat anything from your kitchen no matter what, and there’s no way of knowing in advance unless you ask.
The fleysh and milkhik isn’t supposed to meet in his tummy, either. So he’d have to skip the mashed potatoes (or the beef).
My daughter had a dairy allergy when she was little, and I used to make delicious mashed potatoes with chicken or beef broth and a little chopped onion. It doesn’t come out all white and fluffy like butter/milk mash, but it tastes great.
It depends on how strict he is. The most strict interpretations of Kosher laws require that you keep entirely separate pots and utensils for anything that might come into contact with meat, and anything that might come into contact with dairy. You almost certainly won’t have that, though you might buy disposable cookware for this occasion.
You probably don’t want to serve anything dairy at the same meal as anything meat. To be safest, you’d avoid both dairy and meat. Note that fish doesn’t count as “meat”, for purposes of the kosher laws, which makes it a popular meal in kosher households.
If you do go with meat, remember that there’s more to it than just coming from a clean animal like a cow. The animal also has to be slaughtered in a particular way, and the blood completely drained. Go to a kosher butcher.
And, of course, for any packaged food, look for the little symbol that indicates that it’s certified kosher. This probably won’t be difficult for vegetables, because it’s really easy to keep vegetables kosher.
Seriously Kosher folks maintain two separate kitchens, so that there’s no possibility meat could touch a dairy-infected pot or wooden spoon. If he’s one of those, it’s hopeless. Make sure he has plenty of soda crackers and ice water.
Yeah, ask. If he’s particularly observant, nothing made in your kitchen or even served on your plates will be kosher.
One step down from that would be to make a meal that is entirely kosher. Don’t serve some dishes with meat and some dishes with dairy. Either do a meat meal or do a dairy meal. Dairy is easier because you can serve dessert, have cream for coffee, etc.
One step down from that would be as you described. Just let him know what’s what.
The rules are very complicated. Meals prepared in a non-kosher kitchen with non-kosher utensils will be problematic. Even using only vegetables could be a problem, if you use the same knives for onions as for non-kosher meats or cheeses.
I’d recommend getting a Kosher meal from a Jewish source shipped in ready-made. There appears to be a Chabad House in Kalispell, which is pretty close to your location. Maybe they can do that for you, or give you other forms of help with the Kosher meal.
So I am ordering a Kosher meal for the Israeli General. I going to pick it up and bring it home, about 40-minute drive. Is there a kosher way to re-heat it if it gets cold? Can I use my non-kosher oven or microwave?
For the very observant, if you put kosher food into a non-kosher microwave then the food is no longer kosher. You might want to get a thermal tote to keep the food warm so the issue doesn’t come up. Most grocery stores sell them these days and they don’t cost much.
You could probably ask the place you’re getting the 100% kosher food from for suggestions
Double-wrapping the food will allow you to heat it in a non-kosher oven or microwave without invalidating the kosher status of the food. Saran wrap for microwave, foil for oven.
Correct. But just so you understand, it’s not some sort of “mystical influence” thing we’re talking about. The issue is that steam (containing flavor) from the non-kosher food might have stuck to the wall of the oven, and then that flavor might be imparted to the kosher food. It’s purely a physical matter. I think the need for double rather than single wrapping is just in case there’s a hole in one of the wrapping layers.
I have to say, I can’t imagine why anyone would give such a vague and ambiguous dietary restriction and not seek to give you better instructions.
If I thought for second that my choices were going to give my hosts a headache I’d be bending over backwards to ensure they knew what it meant and would be giving as much advice and be as accommodating as I could be. We faced exactly the same issue with my daughter and a recent exchange visit to Germany and we made certain that the other family knew as much as possible and how to navigate it so that it had the least effect on others, also that even if they made an error, not to worry. And that was regarding a potentially serious medical issue rather than a religious or cultural norm.
What rational human wouldn’t do the same?
In your shoes, absent of any further info, I’d give it my best shot and if you get it wrong and it is a big issue then the fault lies with the Israeli military person and not you (I’m no military man but isn’t clarity and the avoidance of potential confusion seen as a virtue in such circles?).
Obviously possible, but much less likely, and not so likely that that hole is in the same spot. Of course, if you SEE a hole, that’s different, don’t use the double-wrap method if there’s a hole clear through two wrappings that ambient steam could get through. The point is that there might be a tiny hole that you’re unaware of, especially when the wrapping is transparent, like saran wrap. Odds are that an unnoticed hole won’t be in the exact same spot twice.
He’s probably used to checking off “Kosher” as a box on an institutional form, which gets him packaged meals (e.g., on airplanes or in hospitals). He probably didn’t realize that the person on the other end would think to try and prepare a Kosher meal on their own.
Dolphinboy, I hope you’ll get back to us and tell us how this turns out. I think your guest will be astounded and frankly, touched that you went to all the trouble to get a kosher meal from Chabad. And BTW, Shabbat shalom.
Possibly relevant thread. FWIW, everything went as well as could possibly be imagined. He ate everything, praised everything, and a good time was had by all.
