Gefilte fish.The secret of a good marriage

Ever wondered why your family has some strange, quirky traditions and customs.  Quite often they centre on ways of eating, preparing food. Many stem from hundreds of years of interaction between Jews and non-Jews. These customs themselves derive from ancient religious practices of other religions but over time have been adopted by Jewish communities

I have heard many oft using the term “touch wood” as a form of luck. The origin is unknown, though some writers have pointed to pre-Christian rituals involving the spirits of sacred trees such as the oak, ash, holly or hawthorn. There’s also a belief that the knocking sound prevents the Devil from hearing your unwise comments. Others have sought a meaning in which the wood symbolises the timber of the cross, but this may be a Christianisation of an older ritual.

My father always told me off for throwing keys on a table because it was bad Luck. Go fiqure!

Then there is the story of the woman who cut off the legs before roasting a chicken for Shabbos. Asked by her daughter why she did this, she explained that she was koshering the fowl. This is the way her mother and great-grandmother did it in their day. Not satisfied with the answer she visits her great Aunt to get some understanding. Her Aunt with a wry smile admits that the real reason was because in the shtetl the ovens were only so big and the chickens would never fit.

Director Shelly Kling has produced a charming movie Titled Gefilte Fish. In it we find Gali’s family has long-lasting tradition. Every budding bride must prepare gefilte fish for the wedding party, to guarantee a successful marriage. When Gali’s mother and grandmother give her a living carp to cook, Gali is torn between her need to abide tradition and her sympathies for the fish.

In an interview Kling said

I was looking for an idea for a short comedy and recalled a short story I once wrote about a girl who has to prepare gefilte fish for her family’s Passover feast, and because she was so tired and stressed she thought the fish was talking to her and begging for its life

Keep an eye out for the father. He has some great one liners.

Oh and if you really want to know how to make a great fish, then watch this video “Bubby Chanele makes Gefilte fish In yiddish”

Bubby goes through the process of buying and making the fish. Forget the hygiene classes you took btw. Watch as bubby trials the fish not once but often. I am sure the fish was splendid. Maser Chef has nothing on Bubby Chanele.

I have memories of my grandmother sending me out to the local fish monger to buy fish. She told me to ask for “murrypetch”. Never heard of the fish, but you know when your bubi says something you don’t argue. Luckily the local fishmonger had gotten used to all the various dialects and instantly knew what fish I wanted. It was Murry Perch , a local fish.