HELPING JEWISH FAMILIES GROW
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1gr
Gone
(Gefilte) Fishing
A traditiona dish that ushers
and debate
In romance
about servinc it.
Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor
his is a fish tale that starts literally at the beginning and
goes all the way to the end.
In the first chapters of Beresheet, Genesis, we read of
God's creation of man, the Sabbath and fish. "And God blessed
them," it says, referring specifically to these three.
According to tradition, when at last Moshiach, the messiah,
arrives, Jews will feast on the leviathan, a mysterious creature
from the depths of the sea perhaps a kind of giant fish.
Throughout history the Jews have had a love affair with the
gefilte fish. The word gefilte is Yiddish for "filled." A dish created
by Jews, gefilte fish comprises any number of different fish —
some combination of carp, whitefish, trout or pike — mixed with
matzoh meal and eggs and spices and onions (usually onions).
Back in the old days, women actually made their own gefilte fish
though today most families prefer one of the simpler varieties:
served straight out of the jar or con.
Everyone agrees that gefilte fish should be served on Shabbat,
and there are reasons for this. The first, of course, is the Torah's
description of God's blessing fish, man and the Sabbath. Another
is that Jewish tradition associates fish with procreation — a per-
fect appetizer for romantic relations between a husband and wife
on Friday night.
What is up for debate is exactly how gefilte fish should be
served. For many, this is a very sensitive issue. German Jews like
theirs with mayonnaise, while Russian Jews prefer horseradish.
Polish Jews generally serve theirs unadorned, except for a touch
of gel or broth.
However it's served, gefilte fish has a unique taste and smell;
often recipes have been passed from generation to generation,
making this dish an especially nostalgic one for many Jewish fami-
lies. Here, our readers share their stories and recipes:
Gram orzi^rin is Fish
by Carole Kaftan of Bloomfield Hills
Grandma Gloria Kaftan was the premiere gefilte-fish maker in our
family. It was a staple at every holiday meal for all of my married
life. Her fish was so special, the females in our family knew this
recipe had to be passed down through the generations. So short-
ly before Grandma Gloria died, all of the Kaftan women gath-
ered at her house for the "Great Gefilte Fish Fest."
We measured and recorded each ingredient as it was added,
including the tasting (and spitting out) of raw fish to correct the
salt. All the techniques were documented and recorded on video-
tape — including watching Grandma Gloria do it all, which was
the best part.
So we have not missed a beat in including Grandma Gloria's
gefilte fish on holidays, and this recipe is part of our family
Haggadah.
THE BIG STORY on page 54
12/18
1998
Detroit Jewish News
53