Well, if you dreamed of a Reuben (cheese/corned beef/sauerkraut) it wasn’t a Jewish deli because the combo of meat and cheese is not Kosher.
Since Passover is approaching, a grocery store I frequent had gefilte fish in the *International* section. This is a rare occurrence. I bought two jars, along with a bottle of borscht, for a few indulgent lunches in the coming weeks. Wish I could have also found a jar of pickled green tomatoes.
I can make all these foods myself, but no one else in my family will eat them and they all take time and some take ingredients not easily found out here. I have lived w/o real Jewish delis for decades, so I had to learn how to cook like Bubbeh.
This weekend, I am having guests and will serve a real potato kugel made with schmaltz and gribbens (which I made last week). I have served this before and everyone loves it, but I always make 2x the amount needed so I have the leftovers.
This is real Jewish soul food. I can find a Reuben and even decent corned beef at many restaurants. Chopped liver, gefilte fish and borscht however, is non-existent out here unless I make it. Then I have to eat it all by myself because everyone else is grossed out by it.
Years ago, one of the supermarket delis had real pastrami. My husband bought some and when I went back to purchase more, I couldn’t find it. I asked the deli manager who responded:”Oh, it is over here. We just cut off all that pepper because people wouldn’t eat it.”
All this food was once cooked at home from simple ingredients by people who considered it everyday food for poor people. Search out the recipes, stockpile the ingredients, which are not always common any more, and they can all be homemade.
When you said “Reuben” you reminded me of my favorite deli in town only it’s now the ONLY deli in town. Important to`Support Your Local Deli’, so I’ll go there for lunch this week.
I remember their pastrami was to die for and last time I ate there I was tempted, just tempted, to smuggle some pastrami in my coat pocket, order a sandwich, add the extra pastrami so the sandwich stood half a foot high, and when the owner came by I would point to it & marvel, “What a wonderful sandwich! My compliments to the cooks.” But I demurred.
This actually happened at Lindy’s in New York. When Lindy saw the monster sandwich, he screamed, loped into the kitchen & began throwing plates.
Anyway, too much processed/frozen/microwaveable food, and not enough staples & home cooking. What’s not to understand?
I stand corrected.
Us South Texans think of a deli in the north as a kosher place but since extremely few exist in our area we are ignorant of the facts you present.
The same applies to Yankees who even dare to think what real Mexican food consists of. Northern Mexican food does taste like the real thing down here. For those who think Mexican food is HOT, you are sadly, just plain wrong.
Different cultures/different locations in the United States.