Authentic vs. Sustainable Deli

Does this look like a ecologically sustainable meal?

Like most regional or ethnic cuisines, Jewish deli is often judged by its "authenticity". Diners critique their meal in accordance with childhood memories of hometown cooking and the presence of the traditional hallmarks of the cuisine.

In a deli this means towering pastrami sandwiches, Hebrew National, menus the length of a short novel, and - in some West Coast delis - products imported from NYC. But these fundamentals may not conform with the concepts of sustainable food production and preparation which has become a central concern to many eaters in recent year.

The enormous sandwich is a relict of a perhaps bygone era when the energy resources required to produce large quantities of meat was of no concern. Traditional favorite Hebrew National is now owned by food behemoth ConAgra. And the something-for-everyone menu limits the restaurant's ability to stick to local and seasonal ingredients.

But would Jewish deli eaters accept a deli which sheds these so-called authentic features and committed itself to sustainable, local, and seasonal products and practices? Saul's Restaurant & Deli, from its perch in the Gourmet Getto in Berkeley, has tried to do just that. It has slimmed its menu, gotten rid of Hebrew National, and has worked to integrate local and season products into its offerings.  It's even experimenting with grass-fed corned beef. By it's own admission the reaction from deli purists has been mixed. Many have bemoaned the removal of favorite menu items when they go out-of-season, or the replacement of traditional but fructose laden Dr. Brown's root beer with hand crafted sodas made with cane sugar and seltzer.

In response on February 9 Saul's hosted a panel discussion called "Referendum on The Deli Menu". Panel members included professor-slash-best selling author Michael Pollan, City Slicker Farms founder Willow Rosenthal, and author Gil Friend, along with the owners of Saul's. The discussion was moderated by radio host Evan Kleiman.

You can watch the video below. The conversation was quite illuminating. Of particular interest, Michael Pollan - a regular at Saul's - revealed his favorite Jewish deli dish: Chicken in a Pot!



Also carrying this torch is recently opened Mile End in Brooklyn, New York, which is doing a succinct menu of house cured vegetable and meats, Montreal style. We will definitely be visiting Mile End at first opportunity.

This conversation is very relevant to us at Pearl's Kitchen. While we are trying to emulate grandma Pearl's cooking, we are also seeking to support sustainable production practices and use high quality ingredients, including seasonal and local products. We are making as many of our products from scratch, using fresh ingredients obtained locally.