Enticing Podcast Episodes Celebrating
Jewish Arts, Culture & History!
Our Latest Episode
The Everything Spice for Everyone
Guest: Chef Laura Frankel Need to spice up your meals? Here's an easy fix that can be used as your new basic 'everything spice' to change up, well everything: fish, chicken, french toast...it's limitless and so easy. And we have some recipes to share too. Let's close...
Beth Schenker, Host & Executive Producer
The Big Schmear conversations are with prominent chefs, musicians, authors, visual artists and more talking about their passion for Jewish life.
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Reach out anytime with comments, feedback and special requests to beth@thebigschmear.com.
Happy Listening!
Our Episodes
How Does a Nice Jewish Girl Become a Mixologist?
Guest: Cheryl Rich Heisler What better way to spend an interview than talking about cocktails? It was total fun talking with Cheryl about her path to becoming a mixologist and starting her company called Mixed metaPours. It turns out you can have your own personalized...
Savage Feast
Guest: Boris Fishman Novelist, Memoirist, and Hard-working Home Cook Photo Credit: Stephanie Kaltsas Boris Fishman is a wonderful writer providing a unique immigrant perspective to his work. My new favorite book by Boris is: Three Generations, Two Continents,...
Pilot Light -Shining a Light on Food Education
Guests: Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn & Caitlin Arens Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn, Executive Director Caitlin Arens, Food Education Support Manager I had a great time talking with Alexandra and Caitlin of Pilot Light in Chicago. It's an amazing food education...
The Dairy Restaurant
Guest: Graphic Artist & Writer Ben Katchor Who knew there would be so much to say about the history of the dairy restaurant? Ben Katchor begins the story for us during biblical times in the Garden of Eden (the first restaurant) and takes us on an amazing...
The Jewish Food Society
Guest: Amanda Dell My guest on this episode is Amanda Dell, Program Director from The Jewish Food Society. The work they are doing to capture and archive Jewish family recipes and recipe stories from around the globe is critical to our understanding of our history....
Koval Distillery Shines as a Hero
Guest: Sonat Birnecker, President Koval Distillery I am talking with Sonat Birnecker from my favorite distillery, Koval. These days they aren't just producing their excellent whiskeys - they've pivoted; big time. They are now in the new business of producing hand...
Sharing A Shabbat Meal – May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Guest: Gabrielle Leon Spatt As most of us continue with the stay-in-place orders I decided to invite Gabrielle Spatt of The Blue Dove Foundation to talk with me about Mental Health Awareness Month. The Blue Dove Foundation focuses its resources on the Jewish community...
What’s Your Go-To Condiment? (#52)
Guest: Carolyn Sherman Gutierrez I had great fun talking with Carolyn Sherman Gutierrez of ISH. Who knew horseradish could be so versatile? Or come in so many flavors? I've had fun experimenting at home (too much time) and even got my husband on-board! But that's...
A New Passover for 2020 with Gefilteria (#51)
Guest: Liz Alpern & Jeffrey Yoskowitz Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz, co-founders of Gefilteria join me to talk about creative ways to think about Passover during this time of Covid-19. Passover will be a challenge for sure but maybe we can find a silver lining....
Is Tahini the New Peanut Butter in Your Kitchen Yet? (#50)
Guest: Amy Zitelman Co-founder and CEO of Soom Meet Amy Zitleman, Co-Founder and CEO of Soom. Haven't heard of them yet? Soom is a tahini manufacturer located in Philadelphia founded and owned by three sisters, Amy, Shelby and Jackie (she lives in Israel). In addition...
Our Latest Recipes
Mixed Green Olive-Cannabis Schmear
3 cups Green Olives (Such as Castelvano olives & Cerignola pitted)3 Anchovy filets6 Garlic cloves (crushed)1 tbsp Cannabis infused olive oil *1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 Zest of lemon3 tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juicepinch Crushed red chilies3 tbsp...
Chicken Soup with Potza Balls
Chicken Soup with Potza Balls 4 lbs chicken bones (wings, carcasses, necks, etc.)12 cups water (aprox)1 large spanish onion (chopped)3 large carrots (chopped)3 celery ribs (chopped)5 Parsley sprigs3 fresh thyme sprigs1 bay leaf1 whole clove1 tsp whole black...
Kasha Varnishkes-A Modernized Classic
Kasha Varnishkes-A Modernized Classic 2 cups bowtie pasta 1/2 oz dry porcini mushrooms (Don't skip this ingredient) 1/2 cup schmaltz or extra virgin olive oil (divided) 1 large yellow onion (diced) 1 large leek (sliced thinly) 1/2 lb cremini or button mushrooms...
M’sabacha (no-blend warm hummus)
M'sabacha (No-blend warm hummus) 1 cup dried chickpeas 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 garlic clove (optional) 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 cup tahini Olive Oil (to serve) chilies, pine nuts, cumin, paprika, sumac, cilantro (optional toppings) Tahini...
Salted Caramel Flan Cheesecake
Salted Caramel Flan Cheesecake 1 cup whole skinned almonds (toasted) 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp unsalted butter (melted) Flan Batter 3 8-oz packages cream cheese (room temperature) 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (divided) 1 large egg (room...
Extra Crispy Passover Chicken Cutlets
Extra Crispy Passover Chicken Cutlets 2 lbs skinless chicken breasts (cut into strips) 1 cup potato starch (aprox) 3 cups matzo meal 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 4 eggs vegetable oil for frying salt and pepper (to dust...
Mamaleh’s Chopped Liver
Mamaleh's Chopped Liver 1 lb chicken livers1/3 lb carmelized onions (a little burnt is OK!)3 hard boiled eggs2.5 oz Hellman's Mayonnaisesalt & pepper (to taste) Clean livers, always making sure to keep them cold. Toss with schmaltz (or canola oil) and salt &...
The Original Vegan Challah – Challah Hub Style
The Original Vegan Challah 1 cup warm water 1 pkt rapid rise yeast 3-4 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil flour (extra flour for kneading and braiding) Egg Replacement Mixture 2 tsp baking powder 3 tbsp warm water 3 tbsp vegetable...