HEALTH, TRAVEL, SPORTS, FOOD

More Inside:

Health: Seniors, fiimilies
face tough driving decisions.

Sports: Maccabi teams use
Red Wings' precedent.

This Week's focus:

Food

Lights, Camera, Nosh!

Trying out for a new
kosher cooking show
is a nerve-wracking
experience.

JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR

Special to The Jewish News

une 14, 1998
admit it. I am intrigued and tantalized.
I read an ad three weeks ago in The Jewish
News about a brand new kosher cooking
show to be produced by MediaOne. "Every-
thing's Kosher" is going to be produced locally and
eventually distributed nationally. And they need a
host and co-host for the show.
Hey, that could be me. I know kashrut. I wrote
about it as my unofficial beat at The Jewish News
for two years. I started a taste-test column for
ready-made foods called "Kosher Bites." I won a
national Jewish writing award for my series on
cleanliness and kashrut.
But I can't cook. After all, that_was the point of
my food column, trying pre-packaged, easy-to-
assemble food products for families on the go.
Aside from feeding hungry co-workers and trying
new and exciting food products, the point of the
column was that I worked full-time, had zero cook-
ing skills and no time to prepare dinner for my
husband and son.
After some goading from my husband, I decide
to apply for the position of side dish. "They are
going to need someone who knows kosher and can
talk," he said. "And if there is anyone who can talk,
it's you."
Charming.
Perhaps I will be the perfect student of cook-
ing, one who knows a lot about trivial and
important aspects of kashrut but nothing about
technique or the art of cooking. But I think my
real strength would be in the areas of informa-
tion, such as in interviews with specialists in
wine, inspection, slaughter and other food sub-
jects or in doing little info spots on particular
subjects.
Considering all of this, I set about the task of

At

–_!--
1410-*MMATM-Igw
Editor's Note: The Jewish News is thrilled to be co-sponsoring a new Media0ne cable TV show "Evegthing's
Kosher, a program that showcases prat kosher cooking. Produced by Mindy Soble and Mort Meissner, the
. .
weekly show will reach 700, 000 homes in metro Detroit. It is expected to begin airing
ng i n the fill. We sent out
a would-be co-hostfbr the program to share her hopes and dreams for a slot on the show. Bon appetie

applying, first redoing my resume to highlight my
meeting me. Although I am sure they say this to
kosher knowledge. I convince the judges of the
everyone, somehow I feel flattered.
American Jewish Press Association Rockower
June 29, 1998
Awards into telling me prior to the formal
I received notification this weekend of
announcement that I won the top inves-
Mindy Soble my impending audition. On July 17, at
tigative award for my series on kosher in
and Molly
10:40 a.m., I will begin my 10-minute shot
Detroit just so I can impress the producers
Resnick discuss at fame, fortune, and a co-host's slot on
of the show.
an audition as Everything's Kosher.
Then I rifled through a box of my
crew members
They have given me directions to the
"Kosher Bites" taste-test columns, chuck-
ready the set.
show as well as what the test will be:
ling at the memories of some of these food
For those trying for the chef's position,
fiascos and foibles. It is noweasy to recall
they
will
be
given three ingredients — milk, eggs
just how I gained almost 20 pounds working at
and
challah
—
and have been told to make a
The Jewish News, a paper I once said should carry
milchig
meal
without
the use of a heating element.
the tag line, "You'll never go hungry working here."
Although they won't exactly be able to cook, the
Finally, I gathered my nerve and wrote my cover
applicants will be able to bring in the finished
letter, including a line about how I have never
product to show their adeptness at display of the
bothered to learn how to cook. I let my husband
final product.
read it.
Thank goodness I am not trying for that posi-
"Why are you telling them this?" he asks.
tion.
What would I make? French toast? Too obvi-
"I have to be honest," I say.
ous. But without any other ingredient, those poor
June 18, 1998
souls will have to make something like scrambled
I received confirmation of their acceptance of
eggs or an omelet with toast. I can't wait to see
my materials. They say they are looking forward to
what they will do.