by Gil Marks
Through the early twentieth century, delicatessens were an intrinsic part of the fabric of life in New York City and increasingly in other American cities with any sizable Jewish community. At that time, delicatessens were still primarily small grocery stores. Then the nature of American food and its distribution radically changed and, in response, so did the delicatessen. After World War I, the concept of the American large self-service supermarket began to spread and the rudimentary Jewish delicatessens either went out of business or evolved. A few of these establishments survived as larger versions of delicatessens. These neighborhood markets differentiated themselves from the huge chains by offering some of the old-fashioned Jewish fare along with other desirable items; one such store is Manhattan's Zabar's, which started in 1934 with Louis Zabar selling smoked fish and now advertises itself as a "gourmet epicurean emporium."
However, most delicatessens changed from grocery stores to homey (heimish) restaurants offering some takeout foods. The Jewish deli—the shortened name was first recorded in 1954—is the accumulation of a large variety of culinary innovations arising from the mingling masses of immigrants in Manhattan in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Some delicatessens specialized in fish or dairy fare, such as Ratner's Delicatessen on Delancey Street, which closed its doors in 2002 after ninety-seven years in business, and two years after it first sold nonkosher food. Most, however, focused on meat. A sort of uniformity increasingly developed as well, with many competing delis offering nearly the same core menu, a conglomeration of foods from various ethnic groups. The superstars of any true deli are corned beef and pastrami. Slicing is a special and necessary talent—too thick and the meat is chewy, too thin and it crumbles. Mustard, of course, was the predominant condiment. As the hot dog grew popular, and then French fries, they became mainstays as well. Delis also adopted the Italian beef salami; during the decades before World War II, many posted a sign stating, "a nickel a shtickel," meaning that the ends of salamis were available for five cents each.
American turkey eventually joined the ranks of meats. Various Ashkenazic standards, based on poverty food, also emerged as ubiquitous deli fare, including chopped liver, brisket, tongue, roast chicken, gefilte fish, stuffed cabbage, kishke (stuffed derma), matza ball soup, kugels, massive knishes, and potato pancakes. Among the other contributions of New York delis were the Reuben sandwich, celery soda, and New York cheesecake.
Pickles maintain their popularity in America partially because of the deli. After all, what would a pastrami or corn beef sandwich be without a pickle? Yet even more important then the flavor of the pickle is something that ancient cultures understood—the pickle's ability to clear the palate. With each successive bite of fatty and zesty meat, the flavors begin to dull and eventually we hardly taste anything as the taste buds get coated with fat or zapped with spices. A pickle cuts through the residue in the mouth, restoring the taste buds to their original state and allowing the diner to once again savor the food.
The twentieth-century proliferation of Jewish entertainers and artists maintaining an affiliation to their ethnic gastronomy helped to bring Jewish food and delicatessens into the mainstream American consciousness. Singer Eddie Cantor's first job was as a delivery boy for Isaac Gellis Wurst Works, and he remained a lifelong devotee of Jewish deli. Besides the food and homey ethnic milieu, Jewish delis became known for their character wisecracking owners, surly waiters, sandwiches named after celebrities, and walls lined with photographs of celebrities. Among the New York theater crowd, it became common to frequent a midtown deli before or after a show.
Indeed, a deli, Lindy's (it was called Mindy's in the show) was one of the stars of the 1950 Broadway musical Guys and Dolls, a show filled with Yinglish phrases and New York Jewish cadences and ambiance. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) estimated that in 1936, at the height of the deli's heyday, there were about five thousand Jewish-style delicatessens in the New York metropolitan area. There was even a Greater New York Delicatessen Dealers' Association. As New York Jews moved throughout the country, they not only took their love for deli with them, but they took the business concept, opening restaurants in various cities. The Jewish deli emerged as one of America's most relished culinary traditions.
For more than a century, Americans frequented traditional delicatessens. Then toward the end of the twentieth century, in the era of fat-fear, carb-consciousness, and Atkins dieting, many people objected to the hearty, old-fashioned fare of the traditional delicatessen. In addition, high food and labor costs, along with rising rents, particularly affected the delis that cooked, cured, and sliced their meats.
The Jewish population of New York City fell from 2.1 million in 1950 to 1 million by 1990. Meanwhile, Jews' education levels and income rose, and their living styles changed. Plus, the quality of the products in many delicatessens declined, resulting in humdrum meats and breads. Consequently, in the United States toward the end of the twentieth century, individual delicatessens tended to suffer, and many even went under. In the 1960s, there were still more than three hundred Jewish-style delis in the New York metropolitan area. By 2000, however, only about thirty-five remained, about a dozen survivors in Manhattan, most of them not kosher.
Fortunately, in the twenty-first century, the obsession with no-fat and no-carb eased, while interest in comfort food and ethnic fare returned. People once again began frequenting delicatessens. The seventy-five-year-old Canter's Deli from Los Angeles opened a branch in Las Vegas, while New York's Stage Deli aligned with Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Junior's from Brooklyn opened a second location in midtown Manhattan. The Second Avenue Deli returned from oblivion, though it is no longer on Second Avenue. Like the Jewish people, the deli endures. Only "a man of stone and without heart" could not appreciate the delicatessen and its place in American Jewish life.
(See also Corned Beef, Hot Dog, Mustard, Pastrami, Pickle, Rye, and Salami)
Delkel
Delkel is a version of cheese Danish.
Origin: Hungary
Other names: delkelekh, delkli, túrós delkli, túrós táska.
Delkel, probably from the Turkish adjective deliki (holey/hollowed out), is a delicate filled yeast pastry that gets its flakiness from layers of butter that are rolled into the dough. Like Danish, it is based on techniques that originated in Austria. There are also several easier versions that incorporate the butter in pieces into the dough and substitute baking powder for yeast. Some cooks even make these from commercial puff pastry. The filling was originally made with túró, the thicker Hungarian version of the Teutonic quark, but farmer and pot cheese are commonly substituted. Many versions also contain a sprinkling of golden raisins. Delkel is a popular Hanukkah and Shavuot treat, but also a favorite morning bun.
Hungarian Cheese Buns (Delkelekh/Delkli)
10 buns
[DAIRY]
Dough:
½ package (1 1/8 teaspoons) active dry yeast or ½ (0.6-ounce) cake fresh yeast
6 tablespoons warm milk (105 to 115°F for dry yeast; 80 to 85°F for fresh yeast), or ¼ cup milk and 2 tablespoons sour cream
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
¾ teaspoon table salt or 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
About 2¼ cups (11.25 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened
Filling:
2 cups (16 ounces) farmer, pot, or cream cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream or gevina levana (Israeli white cheese)
¼ to ½ cup sugar or prune lekvar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or bread crumbs (optional)
Egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon cream, milk, or water)
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling (optional)
1. To make the dough: Dissolv
e the yeast in the milk and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, sugar, butter, egg, and salt, and 1 cup flour. Add enough of the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, to make a mixture that holds together.
2. On a lightly floured surface or in an electric mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking, until smooth and springy, about 5 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in bulk, 1½ to 2 hours, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3. Punch down the dough. Fold over and press together several times. Let stand for 10 minutes.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-10-inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Spread with the butter. Bring the right and left sides of the dough together to meet in the center, then bring the top and bottom together to meet in the center. Wrap in plastic wrap and let stand in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, then roll out and fold twice more, making sure the seam is on the top, and allowing the dough to rest for 20 minutes between each rolling.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease the sheet.
6. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine all the filling ingredients. Add the flour or bread crumbs if the mixture is too loose.
7. Roll the dough into a 25-by-10-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into ten 5-inch squares. Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each dough square. Bring the 4 corners together in the center over the filling and pinch to seal.
8. Place the filled dough pieces, seam side up, on the prepared baking sheet, about 1½ inches apart. Brush with the egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. If desired, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Store, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Desayuno
The Spanish noun ayuno means a "fast." By adding the prefix des, which indicates the opposite meaning of the word it modifies, the combination literally becomes "un-fast" or, more precisely, "breakfast." However, in the Sephardic sense, desayuno connotes a special "brunch."
Historically, morning prayer services were conducted very early in the day, even on the Sabbath and holidays. And since it is traditional not to eat before services, the first meal of the day is truly a break-the-fast. However, when worshippers returned home from synagogue, it was generally too early for lunch—typically the heaviest meal of the day—yet too late for a usual breakfast.
Instead, following Sabbath and festival morning synagogue services and also on Sundays, particularly in summer, Sephardim enjoy a desayuno, a casual dairy meal consisting primarily of finger foods, including cheeses (kashkaval and feta), yogurt, fritadas (vegetable omelets), rice pudding, olives, jams, fresh fruit, and raki (anise liqueur). Some serve the classic Se- phardi dish peshkado frito (fried fish). Ubiquitous to the desayunos of Turkish and Balkan Sephardim are a trio of pastries, "the three Bs"—borekas, boyos, and bulemas. Since these pastries require assembly, what Ashkenazim call potchke (fuss or a slow, time-consuming handmade process), they are typically prepared by a group of relatives or friends on Thursday, during which time there is much socializing and the young learn and practice venerable culinary techniques.
Among the other popular foods at a contemporary desayuno are huevos haminados (long-cooked eggs), ful medames (Egyptian slow-simmered fava beans), melitzanes tiganites (Greek marinated fried eggplant), almodrote de berengena (Turkish eggplant and cheese casserole), yaprakes finos (stuffed grape leaves), hummus, pastelitos (miniature pies), quesadas (small cheese pies), and biscochos e huevo (egg cookies).
Dill
Dill is an aromatic relative of parsley. It is grown for its feathery green leaves (sometimes called dill weed), flowers (dill heads), and seeds. The plant has a flavor akin to anise, but with a subtler, fresher taste and notes of celery and parsley. The word dill comes from the Norse word dilla (to lull/calm), referring to this herb's purported power to sooth stomach problems and headaches and lull babies to sleep. An Egyptian papyrus dating back more than three thousand years testifies to similar properties.
From the Talmud we understand that dill (shevet) was cultivated in Judea two millennia ago; its seeds, leaves, and heads were used as a spice; in modern Hebrew dill is commonly called shamir.
Dill is among the few fresh herbs available in much of northern Europe and appears in signature Ashkenazic items, including chicken soup, potato salad, and Jewish pickles. It is much appreciated in Russia, Poland, Scandinavia, and throughout the Middle East for soups, stews, fish, vegetables, savory pastry fillings, and cucumber dishes. Persians add it to salads, rice, and omelets. Turks and Greeks add dill to cooked and stuffed vegetables, yogurt salads, and sauces. Georgians use it in combination with other fresh herbs, including the classic spice mixture khmeli-suneli. Indians use dill to flavor bean and lentil dishes and give coconut milk with dill seed to nursing mothers.
Dimlama
Dimlama is a stew based on vegetables, although it may also include meat.
Origin: Uzbekistan
Other names: bosma.
Hearty stews and soups are a mainstay of the diet throughout central Asia, and Uzbekistan boasts several important ones. Dimlama is popular during the late spring through early fall, when there are plenty of fresh vegetables. Traditionally, dimlama is prepared in a large clay pot. The lid is sealed to the pot with a strip of dough and the stew is slowly simmered over a low fire. The name and the concept may have derived from a Persian cooking method for meat and vegetables called dum pukht (literally "choke off the steam"). Some dimlama variations include chunks of mutton, sheep bones, or beef. The vegetarian version is called sabzavotli dimlama. Bukharan Jews prepare a special autumn version incorporating quinces and apples. Some cooks layer and steam the vegetables, while others prefer mixing them. Dimlama is usually served with flatbread.
Bukharan Vegetable Stew (Sabzavotli Dimlama)
5 to 6 servings
[PAREVE]
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, thickly sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled, and diced
2 yellow summer squash, chopped, or ½ head green cabbage, shredded
1 small eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
About 2 cups water
2 tablespoons each additional chopped parsley and cilantro for garnish
1. In a large pot, heat the oil oven medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, squash, eggplant, turnip, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté until well coated, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, salt, and, if using, cumin. Add enough water to cover the mixture. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Serve with rice or noodles. Sprinkle with the additional parsley.
Dobos Torte
Dobos torte is a cake consisting of thin layers sandwiched with chocolate buttercream.
Origin: Hungary
Other names: Dobosh torte, seven-layer cake.
The idea of cake layers sandwiched with alternating thin layers of creamy cooked buttercream emerged in southeastern Europe, possibly inspired by Turkish layered pastries, such as baklava. Dobos torte is arguably the most famous of these layer cakes. In 1885, it was created by and named after pastry maker József Dobos of Budapest, Hungary.
This famous seven-layer cake was filled with chocol
ate buttercream and topped with a caramelized sugar glaze. The Dobos torte's fame spread worldwide when its creator found a way to package it for shipment to other countries. In 1906, Dobos donated the original recipe to the Budapest Pastry and Honey Bread Makers' Guild. Subsequently, seven-layer cakes became a regular component of Hungarian Jewish baking and a Sabbath treat. They later became ubiquitous in American Jewish bakeries, although usually without the caramel topping.
Dolma
Dolma is an array of stuffed vegetables.
Origin: Turkey
Other names: Arabic: mahshi, mehshi; Georgia: tolma; Greek: yemista; Hebrew: memulah; Ladino: rellenada; Persia: dolmeh.
Medieval Middle Eastern cooks expanded the concept of stuffing grape and cabbage leaves to hollowing out and filling nearly any type of vegetable and even fruit. Stewing was the usual method of preparing stuffed vegetables before home ovens became available, and baked versions relatively recently became widespread.
Many credit the Ottoman Turks with this innovation; they may have picked up the idea in central Asia, inspired by the Chinese mantou (stuffed pasta). The Turks, who called stuffed vegetables dolma (from the Turkish verb dolmak, "to get filled/to be stuffed"), certainly transformed them from peasant food to a dish befitting upper-class tables, and also developed diverse versions. Technically, the term dolma encompasses hollowed-out vegetables and sarma ("wrap" in Turkish) designates only those leaves filled and rolled, but colloquially dolma is used for both. Turks spread the concept and term dolma throughout the northern part of their empire and to the Persians. The Arabs became fervent stuffed vegetable lovers as well and spread the concept from the Levant through North Africa.
