[Sca-cooks] "Glatt Kosher" and "Ashkanzic Kosher"?

[Susan Fox]

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> Adamantius commented:
> <<< Now, what the place turned out to serve was very different from what
> most Glatt Kosher restaurants in New York serve; it was neither the
> typical Ashkanazic Kosher deli fare, nor pizza or other Italian food,
> nor Chinese nor Japanese, but Persian. I was a little surprised to
> find them, but it was a pretty serious, high-end sort of place. >>>
>
> We've discussed Jewish and other religious food restrictions here 
> before, but I thought Kosher was Kosher.
>
> So what's with this "Glatt Kosher" and "Ashkanzic Kosher" and perhaps 
> others?  I seem to remember that Ashkanzic Jews were those who 
> migrated through eastern Europe? and others, Sepharic? Jews across 
> Africa and up through Spain, but I hadn't realized that the food 
> restrictions were different and hadn't heard of this "Glatt Kosher" 
> before now. An article in today's Austin paper did mention an 
> increasing Jewish community here in Austin, but I haven't had a lot of 
> direct experiences.

"Glatt Kosher" is not a regional designation, but means very very 
strictly Kosher.  The word means "smooth" and technically applies to the 
lungs of butchered meat animals, without lesions, but it has come to 
mark a standard of practice at any food establishment, be it a 
restaurant or grocery.   If they even know enough to use the word, 
chances are good they know how to apply it correctly and if they don't, 
the publicity will shut them down in short order.  Don't we tell the 
rest of our family when something's wrong?  Master A's friends really 
could relax and just enjoy without worrying whether every little detail 
was Kosherly Correct.

Here's a good article about Glatt Kosher meat with details:
http://kosherfood.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=kosherfood&cdn=food&tm=6&f=00&su=p284.8.150.ip_&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.star-k.org/kashrus/kk-beef-glatt.htm

Selene