I am not Jewish, but I sure like the food. (Kasha varnishkas haunts my comfort food dreams alongside macaroni and cheese.) And even though I probably won't be giving or receiving any Hanukkah gifts myself this year, I couldn't resist putting a gift guide together based on the pretty cool stuff that's crossed my desk so far this year.
Who knew that standard barbecue sauce isn't kosher? The bottle suggests slathering the tangy sauce on your mother's brisket, or spraying "it over the crowd at your Bar Mitzvah."
I'd suggest giving it to your favorite Jewish Texas barbecue fan and basting a chicken in it (since pork is out, obviously); the citrus punch of the sauce along with whole grain mustard, tamarind and cumin makes for a barbecue sauce that would really complement some breasts and thighs. And the bottle is right: "Even you Goyem BBQ fans will find it work converting to." I'm a fan.
Jamie Geller's Joy of Kosher magazine is like Better Homes & Gardens for the temple set. Get a year-long gift subscription to the magazine for your loved one for $18.
3. Good Kosher Wine
Kosher wine doesn't mean Manischewitz. There are a lot of great kosher wines out there today, and both Epicurious and blogger The Kosher Wine Guy have their own top picks. Here are two of mine:
- Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon if you're keeping things simple this year. It retails for less than $30 at Spec's.
- Domaine du Castel Grand Vin if you want to get spendy. It costs just under $75 at Spec's.
You can't have this. I want it for myself.
Oh, okay, fine. This awesome T-shirt from Rotem Gear is great for your slightly hip cousins -- the ones that aren't opposed to wearing a shirt with a LOLcat on it that says, "I'm in ur kitchen eating ur latkes." And who wouldn't want to wear that shirt?
