Is the hamster kosher?

Kosher food and kosher cooking seem to be more popular than ever. Many people assume that “kosher” means “healthy.” Actually, the Hebrew word “kosher” means “suitable.” The term refers to ingredients and animals that are determined to be “suitable” according to the Hebrew Bible or “Torah”.

The three criteria established in the Torah that define a kosher land animal are 1) they have split hooves, 2) they chew the cud, and 3) they are slaughtered according to tradition with as little pain as possible. For example, a cow fits this description, but a pig only has one element (split hoof), making it non-kosher. By extension, anything derived from a pig becomes non-kosher, such as ham or pickled pig’s feet.

So the hamster contains “ham” but it is not kosher to eat due to split hoof and rumination. Hamsters are, however, kosher to keep and raise as pets. Other things that can be confused as to their kosher status are “hamstring,” “pygmalion,” and “knives.”

Fish, according to the Torah, are kosher if they also have two elements. 1) points and 2) scales. Sharks are not kosher, but tuna is. Catfish is not kosher, but not because it contains “cat” in the name. Catfish do not have scales.

I’m a vegetarian myself, because I don’t like the idea of ​​something dying unless it absolutely has to. And over the years I have come up with a few recipes that are great substitutes for meat and meat products.

My favorite vegetarian recipe is “Steak Tartar”. First of all, you should know that my steak tartare does not have meat, but it does have tartar sauce. lots. In fact, I usually find a good ramekin dish and fill it with tartar sauce. That is all. Garnish with pepper and serve with a spoon. Simple, elegant and very tasty. If you’re a big meat eater, I guarantee this dish will make you forget why you were drawn to meat in the first place.

Another recipe that I really like is called “Extraordinary Cheeseburger”. For this dish, I remove the burger and replace it with cheese. So, two scones, two slices of cheese (cheddar or muenster) and top with tartar sauce.” I can whip this up for company very quickly. It also works as a lunch or mid-afternoon snack. I have sent this recipe to all the big food restaurants fast in the United States, but none of them have incorporated it into their menus yet.