It may come as a surprise that food bloggers like to get to know…other food bloggers. Who else can relate to the frustration of food photography, keen interest in food trends and a generally obsessive interest level in, well, food?
I love getting to meet other food bloggers, and a few weeks ago I had the chance to sit down at NYC’s midtown Macaron Café (a favorite spot of mine, and not just because the macarons are delicious and kosher) with fellow food blogger Liz Rueven of Kosher Like Me.
What was the inspiration for starting to write Kosher Like Me?
Not everyone keeps kosher quite the same way. Many Americans keep “kosher like me,” meaning, they will eat in non-kosher restaurants, but only strictly vegetarian dishes. And so I wanted to share the research I was already finding about non-Kosher restaurants that had vegetarian-friendly dishes and menus. In the past I would tell waiters at restaurants that I was vegetarian. But when I wrote this blog, I didn’t want to write about being vegetarian – I wanted to write my “Kosher Like Me” truth. About one third of my readers are vegetarian, also looking for veggie-friendly restaurants and recipes; one third of my readers are “Kosher Like Me” eaters; and one third are just health-conscience people.
What has been the most exciting thing to occur as a result of blogging?
Last year I was invited to speak on a panel at the Hazon Food Conference. It was exciting to be surrounded by people passionate about about kashrut and food grounded in Jewish tradition and a sustainable approach to the land and animals.
What has been the most surprising thing about writing your blog?
I never expected to encounter so many personal stories about kashrut and food, especially in unexpected places. Restaurant chefs often have a story that surprises me, including the owner of Macaron Café. When I met her I asked, “why did you make your macarons kosher?’ She explained that when she first had a business it was located in the garment district of New York City, where a lot of Orthodox Jews also work. She had many requests to make her Parisian macarons kosher, and so she did.
What is your favorite NYC-area restaurant that you keep coming back to?
Like-minded eaters have the easiest time facing a menu where all is fair game, and that means any of the great vegetarian restaurants in NYC. Candle Cafe is close to my apartment so we order in from there or I eat at the counter if I am solo. I love Dirt Candy for Amanda Cohen’s more refined and innovative treatment of veggies, too. I also love Hangawi, which is Korean and vegan.
My favorite non-vegetarian restaurant is Rouge Tomate on the Upper East Side of New York City. The food is always inventive and exquisitely plated but be prepared for smaller portions. They have plenty of vegetarian and fish choices and most often use veggie broth . The waiters are well trained to answer honestly and patiently when questioned about ingredients.
Got any advice for someone who wants to start their own food blog?
If you are thinking about starting your own blog, you should start by reading the blogs that interest you regularly and consider why you admire them or find them useful. Ask the editor of one of those blogs if you might contribute. Suggest a few ideas or an area of that blog’s content that you would like to add to. Editors are always looking for content and will likely welcome your inquiry. It’s a great way to check out what a blogger’s world is really about.
What’s on the horizon for Kosher Like Me?
I am on the verge of re-designing the blog in order to make it more user-friendly. After two and a half years, a lot has changed about what I want to share with my readers!
You can read more about Liz Rueven here and check back tomorrow for her recipe for hearty lentil soup.
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kashrut
Pronounced: kahsh-ROOT, Origin: Hebrew, the Jewish dietary laws.
kosher
Pronounced: KOH-sher, Origin: Hebrew, adhering to kashrut, the traditional Jewish dietary laws.
