Move aside, latkes and sufganiyot. Your dominance this time of year was shifted to the back burner during the second annual Kugel Nosh Down held Dec. 14 at Congregation Sha’ar Zahav in San Francisco.
More than 100 people attended the event, which friends Rebecca Weiner and Julia Weber started last year as a tribute to what Food Network Magazine called “the underdog of Hanukkah staples” in a recent feature about the event. The two women “have launched a full-on kugel craze in San Francisco,” the piece noted.Perhaps that’s overstating things a bit, but 10 people did enter the competition, whipping up their best savory or sweet creations — and providing bite-size pieces for both the judges and attendees who paid $25 each, $30 at the door.
In the people’s choice category, there was a tie for first place between Martin Rawlings-Fein for “Southern Peach Noodle Kugel” and Dr. Vanessa Jacoby for “Nana Lil’s Kugel.”
The judges’ voting also resulted in a first-place tie: Roberta Fudim for “Sylvia’s (Soon to be Famous Throwback) Lokshen Kugel (with fruit cocktail!)” and Rachel Breuer for “Miriam Wolf’s Matzah Kugel.” Karen Friedlander took second place for a kugel with caramelized onions, goat cheese and dates.
“It was a rousing success,” Weber said. “A lot of creativity and l’dor v’dor — people sharing their stories about their parents and grandparents and proudly serving recipes that meant a lot to them.”
The event raised money for Beit Sefer Phyllis Mintzer, the congregation’s Hebrew and religious school. — j. staff