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Kosher Articles
Articles about Industrial Kosher Supervision.
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Baker’s Cheese: On the Crossroads Between Acid Cheese and Rennet Cheese
Leaf through any cookbook and you will be convinced that baker’s cheese is crucial for gourmet dining. I have heard it said that a cheesecake made with anything other than baker's cheese is just simply not worth the calories. With its soft, spongy consistency, baker’s cheese fills the gap between rennet cheeses (such as mozzarella and cheddar) and acid set cheeses (such as cottage cheese and cream cheese). As its name implies, it is often the baker’s cheese of choice for creating real cheese fillings for pies and cakes. Although fundamentally an acid set cheese, because baker’s cheese is made with a touch of rennet, it has the proper degree of firmness that gives cheese cake its proper texture. Baker’s cheese lies on the crossroads between acid cheese and rennet cheese, and as we will see, exactly how it is classified will have important ramifications on its kosher status.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Ask the Rabbi
Dear Rabbi: While visiting the Summer 2009 Fancy Food Show in New York it was indeed impressive to see more OU certified companies than ever before featuring baked goods, chocolates, olive oils from all around the globe, condiments from Turkey, rice from India, tea from Australia and the list goes on. But I did not notice too many exhibits featuring OU certified cheeses, soft or hard cheeses produced in Italy, Spain, Chile... Why is that? Are there special kosher laws for cheeses? Someone told me that it was more difficult to kosher certify cheeses than chocolate chip cookies. Is that true? Awaiting your response, with thanks.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Baker’s Cheese: On the Crossroads Between Acid Cheese and Rennet Cheese
A discussion of the Kosher status and rules of Baker's Cheese.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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The Fascinating Story of Kosher Gelatin, or How a Product from Beef Can Be Used in Dairy Delicacies
An explanation of how pareve gelatin can be manufactured from beef and therefore be used in dairy products.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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The Tasty Muffin: Starting off Your Day the OU Way
A discussion of the Kosher certification of muffins.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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It’s Anchovy Time
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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OU Kosher Kidz Video Reveals the Cold Facts about How to Make Kosher Ice Cream
All across North America this winter students and their teachers in Jewish schools have been entertained and enlightened by OU Kosher’s Kosher Kidz video, which takes them behind the scenes at an ice cream factory to learn what makes a product kosher and to see Jewish law put into practice in the manufacture of every kid’s’ favorite food.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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It’s Not Greek to Him
It’s Not Greek to Him: An OU RFR Hits the Road to See the Nuances of Olive Production in an Ancient Land One of the great pleasures of working for the OU is the opportunity to occasionally step away from my desk and travel into the field. While there is always a sense of thrill and adventure involved in seeing the world, these are far from pleasure jaunts. Most importantly, these journeys provide critical insight into the real world workings of kosher. As the saying goes, “Hearing (or reading) is nothing like seeing!”
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Tanks for the Memories: OU and Transport Companies Work Together to Make Sure that Kosher Products
A few weeks ago I was attending a wedding reception, sitting at a round table with a number of other guests. An older gentleman, an interested kosher consumer but not, himself, involved in the kosher industry, turned to me. He asked me what I do, and I told him I work at the OU. “Tell me what it is you do at the OU,” he said. I told him that, among some other things, I am involved in making sure that the transport of kosher commodities from one site to the next is on vehicles that are dedicated to kosher products. He seemed uncertain about what I meant.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Tanks for the Memories: OU and Transport Companies Work Together to Make Sure that Kosher Products
A few weeks ago I was attending a wedding reception, sitting at a round table with a number of other guests. An older gentleman, an interested kosher consumer but not, himself, involved in the kosher industry, turned to me. He asked me what I do, and I told him I work at the OU. “Tell me what it is you do at the OU,” he said. I told him that, among some other things, I am involved in making sure that the transport of kosher commodities from one site to the next is on vehicles that are dedicated to kosher products. He seemed uncertain about what I meant.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Passover 2008: A Blend of the Old and the New
When Jews sit down to the seder on April 19 and 20, chances are that the set table will have a very traditional look. There will be the seder plates, the cups for the wine, the elegant flatware and dishes and so forth. But when the meal begins, the foods that are served may be reflecting some of the new products that have been introduced in recent years. For example, even the Kedem grape juice could be a dietetic version that has far less sugar than the traditional grape juice. The matzos may be spelt or whole wheat, the gefilte fish without sugar, and, of course, Diet Coke.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Certification of Vodka
Dear Rabbi, What is involved in the OU certification of vodka? The Orthodox Union receives many inquiries about certification of vodka. This is a typical response, as written by Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Dear Rabbi, How Do You Make Kosher Wine?
The Orthodox Union receives many inquiries about certification of wine. This is a typical response, as written by Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Everything’s Popping! (With the OU and Popcorn)
According to www.popcorn.org, Americans consume in excess of 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually – or about 54 quarts for every man, woman and child. The world’s primary popcorn producing region is the Midwestern United States and an entire food industry has grown up around it. Why is popcorn so popular? Because it is nutritional, versatile and delicious! Popcorn is an easily prepared whole grain snack. Without butter or other additions, popcorn is about 31 – 55 calories per cup. It goes with almost anything, and can accept a wide variety of flavor enhancements. Today, you don’t have to do much work to enjoy this treat. While of course one can still purchase raw popcorn and either air or oil pop it, microwave popcorn has become ubiquitous. In fact, the first test of the microwave on food in the 1940’s was popcorn. By the 1990’s this product niche had over $240 million in sales. And while salt and butter remain the most popular flavors, today’s marketplace is full of gourmet popcorns -- and not only caramel. There are cheese flavors, chocolate covered, nut balls and new flavor trends like jalapeno, too.
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries
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Here’s Something to Chew On: How Granola Brings Benefits to Health-Conscious Consumers
Americans today are looking for alternatives. This trend has manifested itself in many different areas but is perhaps the most pronounced in the health sector. How often do we hear about alternative medicine? As a result, more and more Americans are electing to have a homeopath, chiropractor, or kinesiologist be their primary care physician in place of the more conventional medical doctor. In a word, Americans are looking to lead a more ‘natural’ lifestyle. After all, what can be better than what nature itself has to offer?
Category: The Certification of Specific Industries