Ribs… At a Jewish food festival?

[Mosca]

Heading up to Scranton today for the Jewish Food Festival! Never been to it. When I was working, it always fell on days I worked.

Looking at the website, there is a lot of overlap between Jewish food and BBQ, which I’ve noticed before, which has been discussed in a lot of food history books, and which makes sense.

But what doesn’t make sense is… THIS.



I don’t associate pork with Jewish food. (I don’t associate Buffalo wings with Jewish food, either, but it isn’t as much of a stretch.)

We will find out soon enough. What I expect is that a website designer went looking for an image of ribs, and found pork spare ribs when what is really going to be offered are beef ribs, or (fingers crossed) lamb ribs.

Food festivals are a big deal in NEPA. Folks here are a true melting pot, and I’ve never felt that there was a regional food that I could say was unique to the area; but everyone really gets together and goes to whoever organizes the Kielbasa Fest, Festa Italiana, the church bazaars, any of that stuff. Community likes to gather around the table.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Beef ribs maybe?

[Mosca]

Gotta be. If not, someone has some explaining to do, and will get tired of answering the same question every minute of the four day festival. But that photo sure looks like pork ribs.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Mosca the US Air Force has a dedicated career field that takes photos for advertisements and news... and yet the number of times they mislabel an aircraft, or even better, use a non US aircraft in a promotion is ridiculous

[dubob]

A Kielbasa Fest would - indeed - be worth attending from my point of view.

And yes, I really don't see pork ribs being an acceptable offering at a Jewish Food Festival.

[Mosca]

Every year for the past 25!

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/pitmaster-general-discussion/1632920-plymouth-kielbasa-festival-mucho-pix

[Alan Brice]

Gotta be Beef Wibs.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Oy vey!

[Draznnl]

Go large - beef ribs or small - lamb ribs. Sorry, those pork ribs in the middle aren’t quite kosher.

[Spinaker]

Well, judging by their "brisket" I'd say you have more of a "mystery meat festival"

[Mosca]

It’s Jewish brisket, like you’d get at Katz’ or Carnegie deli.

[Spinaker]

Been there many times, looks nothing like what is pictured above. LOL. Mosca This looks a lot more like a plastic tub of pulled pork from the frozen section.

[Donw]

A search for “BBQ Ribs” on PhotoStock or the like probably brings up mostly pork rib photos. How is a vegan copy editor supposed to know the difference between those and beef or lamb ribs?

[gboss]

Looks like they're beef back ribs

[Mosca]

Nice. That should be pretty excellent, I hope.

[Spinaker]

Beef back ribs are always good. It would be great if they could cure it first and make pastrami ribs.

[Uncle Bob]

Bubbe would be shocked...........shocked I say! Now brisket? We got plenty o' brisket...

[Mosca]

It was nice. Small. I was expecting something more like La Festa Italiana, or the Pittston Tomato Festival, but it was more like a church bazaar. Central ordering, everything prepared in one pavilion.




The menu. Beef ribs.




It’s been ages since I’ve had falafel! I ordered a falafel platter. And just so nobody would think I was vegan (like it indicates on the menu), I also ordered a Moroccan Burger.




The falafel was, eh. Overcooked and dry. The tahini was good, though, and same for the hummus. The fries were excellent, I was surprised! The cucumber salad was… curious. I didn’t understand it. It was just diced cucumber and red pepper. No salt, no dressing.


The Moroccan Burger, though:




This was pretty damn good. There was some onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, maybe turmeric, and the mint mayo was really nice. I’d eat that again. But non-USA cultures need to get on the “don’t mix the spices in with the ground meat” train. The texture was tough. If you’re going to do that, add eggs and bread crumbs. Otherwise, put that stuff on right before grilling.

I picked up a couple pastrami sandwiches, a cabbage roll, some knishes, and a strudel and a babka to go, for later this evening. The kids ordered a babka this afternoon, and I had a bite: that home made babka is OFF THE CHART. Commercially available babka is already incredible. Home made babka came down from heaven on the hand of Jehovah.

[FireMan]

Well at least someone is prayin!

[surfdog]

How does one screw up falafel? SMH

[Mosca]

Okay. This pastrami is INCREDIBLE. This is OBVIOUSLY home cured and home smoked. The smoke profile is unbelievably sweet. It’s very smoky, but not like Texas smoke at all. I can’t place it.




Covered back up. Good slaw. And a potato knish! A knish is mashed potato filled pastry. It’s crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.




A strudel. This is exactly the way you would imagine strudel. It’s got a touch of crispiness on the shell, followed by chewy, pillowy dough and a wonderfully sweet fruit filling. Perfect.

[Jfrosty27]

I would sell my soul for a proper pastrami sandwich. Nearly impossible to find around here. At least w haven’t found one yet!

[Draznnl]

Jfrosty27 Kaufman’s deli is only about 80 miles away from you. That’s a lot cheaper than selling your soul.

[randy.56]

Cool plates

[Bkhuna]

A good percentage of Jews do not follow strict dietary laws and consume pork.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Mosca I know a Muslim that makes an exeption for bacon. He also drinks some craft beers. I forget his reasoning, but I recall it made sense to me.

[negolien]

As a non observant Jew I concur lol. I eat the shizzle outta some pork. I think we're broken down into two categories. Religious Jews and those of Jewish decent or Israelis.

[surfdog]

Oh the stories I could tell. LOL

[Northofchicago]

Meathead pointed out that it's amazing how many pit masters are Jewish. Some of the best Chinese ribs that I had were beef ribs at Bernsteins Kosher Restaurant/Deli in New York. And, what about Steven Raichlen filming his show during covid at the Jewish Camp he attended as a kid outside of Baltimore?