Can the Jewish Deli change?
Or must it always stay the same to be good and authentic?
Anthony Bourdain opposes change in the Deli:
It’s a classic refrain of Deli Mavens.
Here are some changes to Deli that Saul’s has made over the years. They’ve been a bit controversial . . .
Smaller sandwiches – not twelve or [...]
Many beloved delis have disappeared over the last few decades.
Believe it or not, the huge pastrami sandwich is a big reason why. It is no longer a profitable business model.
Here’s an excerpt from Save the Deli by David Sax on the subject:
Pastrami is most commonly made from a cut of beef known as the [...]
We’ve stopped serving salami until we know where the beef comes from.
99% of meat in this country is produced by factory farms.
Help us find salami that is:
Humanely raised – Let’s not support confined animal feeding operations.
Sustainably raised – Protect our air, water and soil from pollution. Reduce petroleum use in agriculture.
Hormone and antibiotic free [...]
What is authentic Jewish deli rye? White flour flecked with a few caraway seeds, or colored a darker brown, with rye flour? A bit sour, made slowly from starter? Artisanal? Cheap in a hedonistic, guilt-free gluttony and unhealthy-just-today-late-night-at-the-diner kind of way?
Like it or not, we delis aren’t just expected to serve good (Jewish) comfort food. [...]
We loved selling locally grown, locally cured pickles out the back of a pick-up truck at the Eat Real Festival!
Pickle plates for $1. Half-sour, pickled green tomatoes, sauerkraut, bread and butter style. Drawing together artisanal producers in the deli again. David Ehreth of Alexander Valley crafts our pickles.
We took turns exploring and bringing back amazing food [...]
We were so honored to provide a space for People’s Grocery to raise awareness about the need to create self-reliant, socially just and sustainable food systems.
Brahm Ahmadi, Executive Director of People’s Grocery, spoke on how income should not dictate people’s access to healthy food. On how health disparities and access to healthy food are directly [...]
Our summertime and autumn pickles are now locally grown, locally cured cukes, pesticide-free, salt-brined, not pasteurized. Handmade in small batches by David Ehreth of Alexander Valley Gourmet. Saul’s pickle money now stays in the local economy.
The Story
Peter and Karen, owners of Saul’s, loved the tradition of serving pickles straightaway. It represented a shared appreciation [...]
Two weeks ago, we were finally able to switch our brisket, steak, hamburger and cabbage roll sourcing to 100% grass-fed beef. From Marin Sun Farms. Extremely local.
It’s so much more flavorful, the texture more real. It’s amazing. Higher in omega 3 fatty acids, beta carotene and CLA, another “good” fat, and Vitamin E. It’s leaner, [...]
In 1936, there were an estimated 5,000 delis in New York City. Today, only a few still exist.
The Jewish deli will not survive on nostalgia alone.
To stay relevant, Jewish deli cuisine cannot be frozen in time. Our culinary direction/choices must:
Value local commerce and local economies
Revive local food security
Provide for contemporary tastes: greater appetite for [...]
What is an authentic Jewish deli? At Saul’s, we believe it is much more than a mountain of pastrami. Saul’s is engaging in a larger story than one generation’s mid-20th century New York experience, which is only one stage in the evolution of our cuisine.
Saul’s connects to our Jewish roots all along the timeline of [...]
