After sacrificing last year’s event due to the pandemic, Kosherfest returned last week to the excitement of thousands in the kosher food world. Hundreds of booths yielded tons of samples for all to enjoy.
Unfortunately, you probably weren’t able to attend because Kosherfest is only for people in the kosher food industry. Luckily for you (and, let’s face it, me), I was allowed into the extremely full belly of the beast where I tasted some truly amazing things.
Did I do this for my own good? Of course not. (Just ask my waistline.)
No, I did it for you. Not only do I now know which products are the best, I also found out where they can be obtained. You’re welcome.
With that said, let’s get to the countdown.
- Four-Year Aged Parmesan, The Cheese Guy (Yonkers, NY)
Most people have had parmesan cheese before. But this is not the kind of cheese you have lying around your house. Shaved from a block of cheese about the size of a small microwave oven, the cheese had such a complicated flavor that I’d rather leave the description up to the professional.
“I’d say it has a complex flavor of nutty, sweet, savory, and sharp, with an umami taste to finish,” said Brent “The Cheese Guy” Delman.
Now a household name, The Cheese Guy has products in most supermarkets where kosher food can be found. Offering an ever-growing variety of products, Delman said his goal is to “make artisan cheeses from around the world available to the kosher palate.”
I’d say he’s succeeding.
- Gochujang Rice Noodles, KOKO Kosher Korean (Lakewood, NJ)
Ziporah Rothkopf was born in South Korea. After making her way to the United States early in life, she converted to Judaism and started keeping kosher. The only thing she really missed about her native country was the food. Once she was old enough to retire, she went to work and founded her company.
“I’m trying to make Korean food available to the kosher audience,” she said. To accomplish that goal she started a restaurant in Yerushalayim (Seoul House) and KOKO, her company that makes packaged items like gochujang that are sold both to restaurants and in supermarkets.
Gochujang is a spicy red pepper paste made with fermented soybean powder and rice syrup. It’s the top condiment in South Korea and the dish I tasted is the most common street food there. Pieces of thick and chewy rice noodles with an incredible and unique spicy sauce, I felt like I was across the Pacific with every bite.
“Gochujang is versatile and can be used to cook so many things and make them better,” she told me. And after eating those rice noodles, I believe her.
- Cajun Bresaola, Ben’s Best Charcuterie (Miami Beach, FL)
Honestly, this might have been the toughest choice of them all because Ben’s Best took home the Best Packaged Meat award at Kosherfest 2021 with good reason. They make 12 types of meat and I tasted all six types that were available at the booth.
I ended up choosing the cajun bresaola. “We make it by curing whole muscle beef in sugar, salt, and pepper and then drying it with cajun seasoning for seven weeks,” said Ben Lapin, owner and head charcutier. “That gives it the proper delicacy and texture.”
He explained to me that non-kosher charcuterie is often produced using very modern food science techniques. “I want to bring the science of artisanal charcuterie making into the kosher world,” he said.
I can certainly see what he meant about the delicacy. Each bite was packed with flavor and the cajun spice profile was deep enough to savor, but not overpowering enough to mask the inherent taste of the beef.
As the company is still fairly new, the only place to get these meats is on their website at BensBestCharcuterie.com.
- White Chocolate Salted Caramel Gelato, Miele Kosher Gelato & Sorbet (Norwood, NJ)
For those who’ve never been, there’s a fairly basic strategy at Kosherfest to practice restraint on the meat until you’ve tasted all the dairy you’d like to try. Dessert doesn’t usually complicate things because almost all of them are pareve.
Enter Danny Mizrahi, owner of Miele. His gelato made people think twice about taking a bite of meat. There were times when the line in front of his freezer made all of the surrounding vendors jealous. Several of his flavors were gone by the end of each day.
I was able to get my hands on some of his white chocolate salted caramel gelato. It took every bit of will power for me to not ask for another cup. Every spoonful had a rich taste of white chocolate with the sweet and salty caramel flavor to back it up.
His company is just four years old, but is growing quickly. “I want to bring a great taste of Italy to the kosher world,” he said.
His sorbets (pareve) are available in many restaurants, but the gelato is a little bit harder to find since high-end dairy places are less common. Try Cork & Slice in Cedarhurst, New York.
- White Truffle Pizza, Aqua e Grano (Brooklyn, NY)
Aqua e Grano (Italian for water and wheat) is a company that does private parties in the tri-state area. They always make their pizza fresh wherever they go, so Kosherfest was no problem.
“Uncompromising quality with basic recipes will yield amazing results,” said owner Fredrick Bijou.
His pizza was probably the best pizza I’ve ever had. Like all of his pizzas, the base was a homemade sourdough crust that came out crispy and flavorful. An amazing combination of cheeses melted together (mozzarella, gouda and two-year aged parmesan reggiano) made for a great texture in the middle. The toppings provided a rich umami profile, courtesy of the blend of white truffle oil with cremini and shiitake mushrooms.
Bijou said his goal is to make private parties simple and enjoyable for everybody by focusing on both the host and the guests.
You can book an event with them at AquaeGrano.com.