One of the magazines devoted to “kashrus” sees the kosher world in apocalyptic terms. For that august journal, everything is a crisis: The Kiddush Crisis, The Lukshen Kugel Crisis, The Sheitel Crisis, The Flatbush Eruv Crisis, The NYC Tap Water Crisis, The Holes in Swiss Cheese Crisis (apparently they do not conform to post halachic requirements as to uniformity of size), The Pizza Crisis,The Cost of Kosher Meat Crisis and on and on ad nauseum.

We suspect that were a week to to go by without a crisis, they would have to report about the Crisis Crisis! In fact, we can imagine the consternation that would cause: “Stop the presses, stop the presses. What’s the Crisis of the Week? What? There is no crisis this week? That’s, takeh, a crisis!”

We need to ratchet the discourse down a few decibels. One source said that although some rabbis have dismissed the NYC Tap Water Crisis as not a crisis at all, others wisely continue to look into it, do research, and find solutions.

We suspect that if you ask the rabbis who feel that there is no crisis, they would question the supposed wisdom of those who continue to look into it and come up with solutions. After all, if is not a problem, what solution needs to be found? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

There are plenty of crises in modern life. And in Kashruth we certainly have our fair share, but let’s tone it down and instead of “schrying gevalt” let’s see what needs to be done, and let’s do it. Quietly.

(RJR)

Is Triaminic your choice for treating a cold? You’re in luck. Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., a NJ-based Novartis company, announced June 10 that the company’s Triaminic brand pediatric cold/cough/allergy liquid medications have been certified as kosher and pareve by the OU. The eight varieties of Triaminic liquid are: Cold & Cough, cherry; Cough, berry; Chest & Nasal Congestion, tropical; Cough & Nasal Congestion, orange-strawberry; Flu, Cough & Fever, bubble gum; Cold & Allergy, orange; Night Time Cough & Cold, grape; and Cough & Sore Throat, grape.

If you prefer something a little, er, stronger to treat your cold/sore throat, you’ll also be happy to know that Drambuie has obtained kosher certification from the London Beth Din (no kashrut symbol is required, according to the London Beth Din).

(DW)

Now that summer is upon us (hot and heavy), it’s salad season again.

WALDEN FARMS (800-229-1706) has a large selection of salad dressings, certified by the OU. And they’re pretty healthful, too!

In the refrigerated section of the supermarket, you can find fat-free, sugar-free, carb-free dressings (OK, they’re not chemical-free, but you can’t have everything; at least they’re not taste-free!). Pareve dressings include Oriental, Ranch, Italian, Italian with sun-dried tomatoes, Creamy Bacon (obviously also bacon-free), Bacon Ranch, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Honey Dijon, and Russian. There’s also a dairy bleu cheese dressing.

Non-refrigerated dressings are also fat-free, and are low-calorie and advertise “with soy protein,” for those of you who want to increase your soy intake. There are pareve Raspberry Vinaigrette, Italian, Italian with sun-dried tomatoes, Creamy Italian, Thousand Island, Russian, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Honey Dijon. Dairy dressings include bleu cheese, Ranch, and Caesar.

Some of the zero-calorie dressings also come in individual packets – great for traveling! Pareve packets: Italian, Thousand Island, Creamy Bacon, Honey Dijon; Ranch dressing is dairy.

(DW)

When I was in Texas a few weeks back, I had occasion to read Southern Living magazine. I totally forgot that I had cut a recipe out of the mag and brought it home. Well, I found the recipe the other day and I tried it out. It was wonderful. I suspect you will like it, too!

OVEN BAKED BRISKET
From Southern Living

1 cup chili sauce
2 cups ketchup
1 1/4 cups cola soft drink
1 package onion soup mix

1 (3- to 4-pound) beef brisket, trimmed

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.

Place brisket in an aluminum foil-lined 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour chili sauce mixture over brisket. Cover with foil, and seal.

Bake at 350? for 3 hours. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Slice meat, and pour sauce over slices.
(RJR)

Here is another recipe from Hickory House, a famous trefe restaurant that seems to have an ample supply of recipes that work in Kosher homes, too!

6 eggs
1 medium red-skin boiling potato, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
1 Tbspn salt
2 Tbspn sweet pickle relish
2 Tbspn mayonnaise
1 Tbspn prepared yellow mustard

Put eggs and potato pieces into a pot. Cover with water. Water should be one inch higher than the eggs and potato pieces. Add salt and simmer over medium/high heat for 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium to medium/low and gently simmer for 9 more minutes.

Put the potatoes, relish, mayo and mustard in a bowl and thoroughly mush it all together. Meanwhile, the eggs should be cooling down in a cascade of cold water.

Cut the cooled off eggs in half lenghtwise. Carefully scoop out the yolks and add them to the mishmash in the bowl. Mish it all some more until it is thoroughly mished.

Spoon it into the hardened whites. Hickory House suggests that you cover the entire top of the egg with the filling, not just put it in the cavity. Garnish with chopped chives. Chill. Serve. Enjoy.

(RJR)