Schmaltzy

Umber Ahmad’s Superpower

Growing up in Michigan, Umber Ahmad’s family stood out. Immigrants from Pakistan, they were living “1000 Arabian Nights,” she jokes. When Umber brought friends over for playdates, she dreamed there would be Little Debbie Snack Cakes. Her mom had other plans.

From MCATs to Katz’s Deli with Jake Dell

Jake Dell, the owner of Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side, comes from a long legacy of deli owners. So, naturally, he planned to be a doctor. A gap year spent living in his grandfather’s footsteps and a moment with a 94-year-old customer changed all that.

Adam Richman Finds Bagels and His Way Home

“Man v. Food” host Adam Richman grew up as a not so typical Jewish kid in Brooklyn. He downed Carribean food, got deep into The Smiths, and rocked a bi-level haircut. Yet, every Yom Kippur, he followed the ritual of prayers, fasting, and bagels. As an adult, Adam felt lost, disconnected from his roots. On a filming trip one Yom Kippur, he found himself on a unique mission: to locate a traditional break-fast meal in Amish country. He ended up finding much more.

A Very Texan Rosh Hashanah with Zoe Kanan

Acclaimed baker Zoe Kanan’s grandmother Helen was an unlikely Texan. A born-and-bred New Yorker, she moved to Houston to be near her daughter and granddaughter — and Jim, not the son-in-law she expected. One year, with a sprained wrist, Helen was forced to hand over the Rosh Hashanah cooking duties to 10-year-old Zoe and Jim, an Irish Catholic former punk rocker whose attempt at homemade gefilte fish included jalapeño. Try Zoe’s riff on Helen’s honey cake recipe here ....

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