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Kosher Principles Ten Rules
Kosher Basics MEAT AND DAIRY Kosher foods are divided into three categories: meat, dairy and parve. THE SEPARATION BETWEEN MEAT AND DAIRY Meat and dairy foods may not be cooked together or eaten together. One may not even derive benefit from a combination of meat and dairy foods; for example, selling such a combined product or feeding it to a pet To ensure this total separation, the Kosher kitchen requires the use of separate utensils, accessories and appliances for meat and dairy. FRIDGE/ FREEZER The same fridge or freezer can be used for both meat and milk. However, care should be taken to ensure that the foods themselves should not come into contact with one another. It is useful to mark food put in the freezer to avoid mistakes when it is defrosted. THE WAITING TIME BETWEEN EATING MILK AND MEAT The laws of Kashrut require that we wait a period of time between eating meat and eating dairy. The Shulchan Aruch, the Code of Jewish Law, actually records two traditions, one of waiting for one hour (which the Dutch still adhere to) and one for six hours. The prevailing Anglo-Jewish custom is to wait for three hours. In the case of eating meat after milk, the same interval applies only after eating hard cheese. When eating meat after other dairy foods, it is not necessary to wait but one should clean out the mouth by rinsing or taking a drink and eating something Parve. PARVE Foods that are neither meat nor dairy are called parve. This means they contain no meat or dairy derivatives, and have not been cooked or mixed with any meat or dairy foods . Eggs, fish, fruit, vegetables, grains, and juices in their natural, unprocessed state are common parve foods. Other parve foods include pasta, soft drinks, coffee and tea, and many types of sweets and snacks. However, one point must be kept in mind: parve food can lose its parve status if it comes in contact with meat or dairy food. COOKING AND SERVING PARVE FOODS Parve food can generally be served with either meat or dairy meals. Some kitchens have serving and mixing bowls, pots, and knives used exclusively for parve food. These are always washed separately from meat and dairy dishes. One should also have separate dish sponges, dish towels, and draining boards. PARVE FOODS PROCESSED USING MEAT OR DAIRY UTENSILS When a parve food has been cooked in a meat pot, one should serve that food only on meat dishes. Similarly, parve food cooked in a dairy pot should be served only on dairy dishes. However, a waiting time before eating foods of the opposite time is not required. Similarly sharp and spicy foods such as onions, garlic, lemons, and pickles which are cut with a meaty knife are considered as meaty and may not be used with dairy foods, and vice versa or if cooked in meat or dairy equipment. COOKING AND SERVING PARVE FOODS Parve food can generally be served with either meat or dairy meals. Some kitchens have serving and mixing bowls, pots, and knives used exclusively for parve food. These are always washed separately from meat and dairy dishes. One should also have separate dish sponges, dish towels, and draining boards. PARVE FOODS PROCESSED USING MEAT OR DAIRY UTENSILS When a parve food has been cooked in a meat pot, one should serve that food only on meat dishes. Similarly, parve food cooked in a dairy pot should be served only on dairy dishes. However, a waiting time before eating foods of the opposite time is not required. Similarly sharp and spicy foods such as onions, garlic, lemons, and pickles which are cut with a meaty knife are considered as meaty and may not be used with dairy foods, and vice versa. |
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