Instead of attending Kosherfest in New York last November, I chose to go to the west coast in February to investigate new and interesting things Los Angeles had to offer. This year Joel came with me. We took a dietary course in Kashrut while we were there. Although the exhibits were limited compared to those at the Javitts Center in Manhattan, we still managed to get some fresh and innovative ideas to bring home to our members.

 

We were introduced to the world of soy products, which means that we can now cook appetizers and entrees in very healthy and delicious ways. This is exciting news to us, as the products simulate meat, but are low in both fat and carbohydrates, and can be mixed with dairy. Another finding was that of white fish that simulates seafood, and it is not only delicious, but also low in fat. Joel and I have incorporated these products on our sushi bars. The first time we used it was at the Purim Gala and it was received with rave reviews.

 

We took a day to explore the city and checked out Pink’s, an awesome (but not Kosher) hot dog stand with way too many choices. It’s touted as a great place for celebrity spotting, but all we spotted were the pictures on the walls. We stood in line for 20 minutes, and then sat outside in the glorious sunshine and ate our chili dogs with cheese (don’t gag!). They were fabulous and well worth the wait!

 

After Kosher World 2005 ended and Joel had flown home, I took a few days to tour around and see what else I could find. I visited Italian and Spanish markets, picking up great, funky pastas and olives. And I now have Marco Deluca trying to find the label “Kosher Sisters” for me.

 

It is so inspiring for me to see how delicious the world of Kosher can be … with the right products. Living in Winnipeg is frustrating because we are so limited in product. However! It was great to have had the opportunity to see, learn and get ideas. It is trips like these that enable us to keep our menus fresh and trendy while still maintaining Kashrut. Who knew?

 

Thanks for keeping the faith in us, and for believing that we do high quality work. We take honour in doing so. My biggest task now is finding my next travel destination. Perhaps I’ll check out the catering departments of other larger synagogues and see how we compare. That would be interesting, don’t you think? We shall see.

 

Purim was a huge success this year. WOW. Kudos to Shira. You work too hard, mate! Thanks must also go to Robert and Rose for all their contributions. Special thanks must be extended to Carrie Ransby and her committee. They all worked so hard, as well as forfeited their spare to time to make the first annual Purim Gala a dynamic success. I don’t know about the rest of the people who were in attendance, but I can attest that the Chocolate Martinis were … well … Yummy! Cheers to a bigger and better Purim Gala next year!

 

Oh, and thanks to all of you who were in support of my articles. XOXO

 

Till next time,

Shelley