Sights to See on a Glatt Kosher Cruise through the Douro Valley

 The Douro Valley, in Northwest Portugal, is the ultimate destination for those who want to discover not only the country’s rich history but also its magnificent wine. In this case, there’s also a refreshing twist – the entire experience of touring the Douro Valley can be explored aboard a Glatt Kosher cruise. Here’s what you can expect:

Delicious Wine

The Douro Valley is a premiere wine region in Portugal. Home to a variety of vineyards and wine making facilities, this wondrous locale is sure to bring out your inner wine connoisseur. With the advent of Jewish travel tours in the Iberian Peninsula, you can also be assured to have great kosher wine options along the way!

Beautiful Weather

We’re all yearning for a chance to bask in the sunshine of other places, so why not the Douro? The way the light reflects against the waters of the riverway is nothing short of majestic. The temperate climate of the valley during peak travel months is also something that you shouldn’t miss. 

Rich Jewish History

The Douro Valley is not without its long history, as evident in its Museu de Doro. However, it is also the home of Sephardi Jewish heritage, from Visigothic to Muslim to post-Expulsion times. Places like Lamego, Belmonte and even the great city of Porto are full of rich Jewish heritage. If there’s any place that’s perfect for an educational kosher river cruise, it’s the Douro. 

Anyone who has been to Portugal knows that the Portuguese have a lot of pride in their tradition and preserving their history, but they also have great cuisine (and wine). One thing many people don’t realize is that a good number of their food is very kosher-approved, so finding kosher food in Portugal should be no problem. If you want a travel cruise experience along the Douro River, contact Kosher River Cruises! 

Middle Eastern Kosher Recipes for Warmer Times

Can you feel the cold receding, the warmth returning, and the good vibes reverberating in the coming spring air? Well, we know we do! Celebrate the coming clean days with some festive food and great indoor events. Who says that you have to rely on constant exposure to technology to be happy (which is quite ironic, because you’re reading this through your phone.) Regardless, taking a break from the digital world to work on your physical hobbies like gardening, painting or even preparing dishes can be quite relaxing. 

Anticipate your future kosher Europe tours by exploring the physical world around you right now. There’s a lot of negativity in the internet these days, so savoring great meals and spending time with the family can do wonders in the long run. 

Why don’t we try something exciting and unexpected for dinner? for example, the Middle East is the birth of many great pieces of cuisine.With the world still reeling from the coronavirus, why not instead try some tasty Middle Eastern kosher cuisine while you’re at home? 

Lahmacun Turkish Pizza  by Samantha Ferraro via My Jewish Learning (Beef)

While pizza is often associated with Italy, there are other parts of the world that have perfected their own pizza-esque pastry delights. Take the Lahmacun, for example, a Middle Eastern flatbread dish with delicious ingredients like red pepper, cumin and tomatoes. 

Savor its unique taste here:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/lahmacun-turkish-pizza-with-chopped-salad-and-herb-tahini-recipe/ 

Falafel by Tori Avey

Falafel is a well-known Middle Eastern dish, a balled fritter made of chickpeas and other flavorful ingredients that can be found easily in Israel. With spices and herbs and a fast way to prepare them, falafels are common enough to serve as quick bites for busy people. You might even be interested in bringing a few portable ones on your future kosher cruises. 

For that, check out this recipe:
https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/falafel/ 

Another Round of Tasty Pareve Kosher Recipes!

When you’re on Glatt kosher holidays, you can expect to dine on delightful kosher cuisine as you explore the world and all its wonders. With the world at the moment still recovering from the pandemic, great kosher cuisine has to be experienced at home, whether you’re cooking for yourself and your family or you’re supporting a local kosher bistro by ordering from them.  Being versatile and dynamic with your food recipes can really spice up your indoor culinary life. One of the best ways to do this is to try gathering a lot of pareve recipes online. Since you can pair your pareve recipes with meat or dairy dishes, you don’t have to worry too much about when you can serve them, since they work well with either. Here are some delicious pareve recipes that you might like. 

Vegan Falafel Burgers from BBC Good Food

Ah, vegan food. Most plant-based dishes are quite kosher, as its basic ingredients has no prohibited products in their ingredients. Take this delicious vegan falafel burger recipe, for example. It has all the great textures and flavors of a burger, with a Middle-Eastern taste and a healthy green composition! 

Get the recipe here: 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/falafel-burgers-0 

Tori Avey’s Mediterranean Sardine Lemon Pasta

Pasta is a great canvas for new and exciting kosher recipes, from aglio olio to rich lasagna. In this case, pasta is used to create this delightful Mediterranean sardine dish, along with capers and chilli flakes. While we have to wait a bit longer before we can go on Jewish travels regularly, you can savor the cuisine of other places at home. 

Check the recipe out here: 

https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/mediterranean-sardine-lemon-pasta/ 

Jewish Pastries To Master

 As you’ll observe with any kosher tour, Jewish cuisine has a long and complex history that varies from region to region, country to country, and continent to continent. One important aspect of Jewish cuisine is the pastries, and different locations around the world each have their own special pastry connected to a long-held tradition.

Despite the varied nature of these delicacies, they are actually possible to recreate in your own home kitchen! 

Rugelach

An absolute classic among Jewish Americans, rugelach is delightfully buttery, flakey pastry filled with sweet jam, mostly fruit or chocolate. Traditionally linked to the Viennese pastry Kipfel, it was originally filled with nuts and/or seed paste when it was originally created in Poland. Today, lots of different spins on it are popular especially during the holiday season, with flavors varying from cinnamon, apricot preserves, and even seasonal products like cherry.

Hamantaschen

Known to originate in Israel, Hamantaschen is another dried fruit and/or sweet jam-filled treat that is typically enjoyed on the Jewish holiday known as Purim, which is significant in marking the  Persian Jewish population escaping genocide. Again, similar to Rugelach, it is typically filled with seed paste, particularly Poppy seed paste. Today, it is widely enjoyed as a special cookie that’s well known to be named after the historical character of Haman, owing to his three-cornered hat.

Babka

Babkas are a widely enjoyed rich and eggy bread that’s often cited as originating from Eastern Europe, namely Ukraine, although the name “babka” literally translates to “grandma” in Polish. A popular bakery choice along with cinnamon buns, Babkas are often chocolate-filled, although it’s common to find experimental recipes opting for fillings like Speculoos and Nutella to suit the more modern palate.

Matzo Cake

Matzo cake is another well-loved dessert among Jewish families, especially popular during Passover as it consists of several layers of flat bread free of any leavening agents. It is also well-known to be a dessert that’s easy to make, since you’ll simply be layering the matzo. These days, many recipe developers add sophisticated elements such as dark chocolate and kosher wine to bring this old-school favorite to new heights.

While European kosher travel is still out of the question for most of us, there is still so much you can do to further explore your culinary heritage at home! Try out these fantastic dessert recipes and enjoy the wonderful world of Jewish pastries.