The section of Jewish food at Tesco isn't labelled as such. It's only when you examine the small print of a seemingly-random assortment of normal groceries (plus such speciality items as borscht, and such giveaway trade names as Geffen) that you realise that they were all "prepared under the supervision of a rabbi" or whatever. I find this interesting. Every other section at Tesco, from 'Asian' to 'Gluten-free', is clearly signposted. With the Jewish section, it's just left to the passer-by to 'get' what it's all about. There must have been a policy meeting to decide this. I wanna know what was said in this meeting, and what the reasons were for Jewish food to be given this special, un-signposted status. Really. These tiny things fascinate me.
-
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
It's not labelled as kosher?
American supermarkets tend to have one aisle of Mexican and various Asian goods, and the kosher stuff is usually in there also. The big sign hanging above the aisle usually says "Ethnic" or if it has multiple listings, it will list "Kosher" as one of the things in the aisle. -
The Jewish section at Tesco
No. Not 'Jewish', not 'Kosher', not 'Israeli', nothing. The other sections have big overhead cardboard signs sticking out, but you could walk straight past this one and not notice it.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
An explanation I can imagine is that people that aren't Mexican or Asian, or whatever other ethnicity that has goods that are labeled in the market, are somewhat likely to buy those goods anyway, whereas someone that doesn't keep kosher isn't likely to go to the grocery store and look to buy some Manischewitz, or think to themselves "we're out of matzoh--where is that aisle?"
In other words, it's an "in" thing. People that are looking for it know where to look, and all the rest of us just walk past and don't care.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
It goes along with the general policy of invisibility of Jewishness in British public life which except on special occasions tends like gays in the Clinton military way to be a don't ask, don't tell basis.
There's a fundamental difference between the Asian, ethnic, gluten free labelling, whcich is mostly there to appeal to or stimulate the passing trade. Let's reproduce at home the sushi we had at that restaurant the other night. Let's try and cook paella. Let's cook like Madhur Jaffrey.
The point about the food in that little enclae you discovered is not that it's "Jewish" and It's definitely not Israeli - it's kosher, i.e. it;s been prepared according to the laws of Leviticus and no mater how religious you are you can eat it safely.
No one is likely to buy it on the grounds of its taste or to experiment with a celebrated cuisine.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
One of the supermarkets around here has a separate room for the Kosher stuff. It's clearly marked.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
I buy matza (motza?) sometimes.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
I suppose Tesco has to be particularly sensitive about attracting attention from nutters (I think it's had blackmail attempts in the past from people claiming to have put poisons in certain food items), as it's history makes it the obvious choice for your anti-semite.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Round my way, Tesco used to label under the heading "ethnic" all foodstuffs that were from outside Europe. Which made me wonder what their definition of ethnicity was.
Now, the local store has a section which is labelled as "European specialities" or something (must check), which is restricted to Polish items.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
M'lovely wife wrote a letter of complaint to a national supermarket chain a few years ago because their 'ethnic' foodstuffs aisle was labelled 'FOREIGN FOODS'.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Hmm, interesting theories from Inca and Nefertiti, but I don't think it really holds water.
I mean, I don't think "Gluten-Free" is flagged up to attract passing trade either: do people really, on a whim, think "Ooh, I feel like being allergic to wheat today"?
Also, if I was Jewish, I'd be pretty pissed off that the flour-dodgers get to find what they're looking for at a glance, whereas I'd have to scour every single aisle looking for the culinary promised land.
Like I say, meetings must have been held. These things don't just happen passively. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
What I'm saying is that the subset of Jews-who-keep-kosher who live in Hove are probably not pissed off at all. They know where the kosher food enclave is- an if not someone who knows will show them. There's no fuss. There's no possibility of an unpleasant incident. Least said soonest mended.
And no-one looking for an ethnic culinary thrill is going to choose the kosher salami.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Now you mention it, SR, I don't think Sainsbury's have the kosher stuff seperately either. Certainly not in Bath but I don'tthink in Ladbroke Grove either.
They don't do matzo meal either which means I have to reduce matzo crackers to dust with a food processor to makean adequate coating for my fishcakes.
They do, however, sell Welsh Cakes all year round.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
I can't decide if this is a mixed metaphor or not...looking for the culinary promised land.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Matzoh. And what in fuck's name for? Are you often desperate to self-induce dry mouth?I buy matza (motza?) sometimes.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
fnarchoose the kosher salamiComment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
It's clearly labelled in the Salisbury's in Dulwich. I know this as I stumbled across it on Friday morning, whilst, somewhat ironically, buying loads and loads of pork products.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
whilst i'd like to believe one would need a secret handshake and password to find the kosher section, in shitty old real life it's clearly labelled on regent road in salford.
i bought some candles from there once (they were very cheap), and it felt a bit odd. like someone would quiz my jewish credentials.
so, yeah. why isn't there more jewish cuisine about? conversely, why is it the only religious dietary proscription to have its own little section in the supermarket?Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Antonio Gramsci wrote:
They used to do mazto (that was how they spelled it) batter in Bankers fish and chip shop in Hove and it was delicious, but alas the jewish family that owned it moved on and now they matzo is no more.Matzoh. And what in fuck's name for? Are you often desperate to self-induce dry mouth?I buy matza (motza?) sometimes.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Inca wrote:
My Safeway in Northern California kept UK goods listed under "Ethnic".The big sign hanging above the aisle usually says "Ethnic"Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Bored Of The Dance wrote:
They do in the London Colney one, but again, it's just in one of the aisles, thoughtfully at the end next to the deli counter, heaving with all those pig products.Now you mention it, SR, I don't think Sainsbury's have the kosher stuff seperately either. Certainly not in Bath but I don'tthink in Ladbroke Grove either.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
I like the kosher section very much. They have some good vegetarian things.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
I think nefertiti has it right. There's definitely a bit of a "Keep your heads down" habit among Jews in this country, which surely stems from a certain nervousness about what European, ethnically-based nations have shown themselves capable of. It's different in "immigrant nations" like the US and Canada.
It would be wrong to exaggerate this nervous feeling, but I think it's there.
Away from your Golders Greens and Stamford Hills, a good place for Jewish grub is Gaby's Deli on Charing Cross Road, which I think is Israeli-owned. They do a fantastic hot salt beef on rye, and cheesecake to follow, plus you can get all the Levantine dishes like falafel as well. It's not kosher, I was reliably told by a disappointed colleague who went there on my recommendation only to find he couldn't eat the food after all. Israelis mostly don't give a toss about kosher, according to my mate.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Good call on Gaby's.
They did a Jewish pantomime at my nephew's school last Christmas. He played the principal goy.Comment
-
The Jewish section at Tesco
Has anyone taken the radical step of actually emailing a national supermarket chain with this query?Comment
Comment