2016 was an epic year for Jewish food–there were rainbow bagels, plenty of new-school Jewish delis, reimagined gefilte fish and matzah brei, and so much babka. What good noshings will 2017 bring?
Baum + Whiteman, Brooklyn-based food and restaurant consultants, were the ones who predicted last year’s obsession with New-ish Jew-ish food. This year, the report is peppered with buzzwords that signal that 2017 will be yet another good year for Jewish food, and there’s one clear message: “vegetables are the new comfort foods.” If that’s the case, we’re certain that there’s a talented chef who will figure out how to make a mostly-vegetable brisket.
A photo posted by Chef Alon Shaya (@alonshaya) on
1. Whole Roasted Cauliflower
This year’s star vegetable will be cauliflower. Think: roasted, breaded and fried, or mashed. Roasted whole cauliflower might just become as iconic as 2014’s avocado toast. This humble, yet stunning dish, was invented by Israeli chef Eyal Shani, in 2007. Shani told Ha’aretz that the technique comes from his business partner, whose Israeli mother frequently roasted whole cauliflower for Shabbat. From there, it became a huge hit at Shani’s Tel Aviv restaurant, North Abraxas. Israeli-American chef, Alon Shaya, popularized it in his New Orleans restaurant, Shaya, and the rest is history. Simple, visually-striking vegetable dishes like this one are bound to make heads turn.
You’re making a sandwich with our #vegan pastrami. What else do you put on it?? ???? #veganbutcher
A photo posted by Herbivorous Butcher (@theherbivorousb) on
2. Vegan Pastrami
Along those lines, vegetable butcher shops are on the rise. More than just slicing and chopping happens here — think smoked, cured, and brined. With veganism and sustainable cooking on the rise, there’s huge demand for vegetable-based sausage, pâté, and even cured vegetables. We expect to see plenty of Ashkenazi twists here, like mushroom “chopped liver”, vegan sweet potato kishke, and brisket.
A photo posted by Marina Scott (@marinakatura) on
3. Vegan Cheese
Nothing goes better with vegetable charcuterie than vegan cheese. Creamy, nut-based cheese and dairy products have come a long way from their uninspired tofu-based predecessors. We expect that the recent discovery of aquafaba — liquid from cooking chickpeas — will make vegan cheese easier to make, and way more delicious. Moreover, non-dairy cheese means great things for anyone who keeps kosher and wants to enjoy some melty “cheese” on their burger.
4. More Horseradish
Horseradish will appear on more than just the seder plate — this year you’ll see it in cocktails, sandwiches, and hummus. Other notable key players include “sophisticated sodas,” pickled vegetables, and plenty of bold spices, like turmeric, saffron, and caraway.
5. Over-the-Top Ice Cream
For dessert, we can expect more innovative, over-the-top ice cream desserts, in the likeness of the milkshake above from Black Tap NYC. Look out for innovative sweet and savory concoctions, like tahini goat milk ice cream from NYC’s Seed + Mill, or even beet or turmeric ice creams.
Ashkenazi
Pronounced: AHSH-ken-AH-zee, Origin: Hebrew, Jews of Central and Eastern European origin.
kosher
Pronounced: KOH-sher, Origin: Hebrew, adhering to kashrut, the traditional Jewish dietary laws.
