Liz Alpern shows how to cook matzo ball soup. Image by Youtube

Call this one Fressing with the Foodies.

The latest in a series of online courses from YIVO will spotlight Ashkenazi food, with cooking demonstrations by luminaries like Katz’s Deli owner Jake Dell, bestselling author Michael Wex, culinary scholar and chef Michael Twitty, and cookbook authors and Forward contributors Joan Nathan, Adeena Sussman, and Leah Koenig.

‘A Seat the Table: A Journey Into Jewish Food’ is the fourth class in YIVO’s Shine Online Educational Series, which explores “the story of Ashkenazi civilization”. With social distancing in mind, YIVO’s offering the classes free of charge.

“What defines Ashkenazi Jewish food? Like any great Jewish debate, the arguments are endless: Gefilte fish, sweet or peppery? Borsht, hot or cold, creamy or not? While these questions might seem trivial, they carry deep emotional and historical resonance,” Ben Kaplan, YIVO’s director of education, said in a press release.

In a sneak-peek video, Gefilteria founders Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz prepare Classic Chicken Soup and Rustic Matzoh Balls from The Gefilte Manifesto, their 2016 cookbook. While they offer step-by-step instructions on preparation, the pair also debates floaters vs. sinkers, sings the praises of schmaltz, and swaps handy kitchen tips – don’t over-stir that matzoh-ball mix!

The courses launch May 1 at yivo.org/food.

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