This post is a spotlight on one of our advertisers. Visit The Kosher Express online at www.TheKosherExpress.com
TCJ: First, tell us a little about The Kosher Express. How did it get started and why?
TKE: The Kosher Express really began when I was in college. I went to school at Emory University, and despite the fact that the university is located about 10 minutes from a large Jewish population in Atlanta, there was no Kosher meal plan on campus when I began my freshman year. So I worked with the campus Hillel and the campus food provider (Sodexho) to bring a kosher meal plan to Emory.
Then, after graduating in 2009 with a bachelor’s in Business, it was an easy transition to figure out what I wanted to do – combine my background in business with my knowledge and passion for kosher. After a few connections were made with really bright people, I was able to start this company, and it has been incredibly fulfilling to help people across the country keep kosher regardless of where they live!
TCJ: What and who are you thinking of when you say that you’re “driving the kosher experience into the next generation”?
TKE: Everything is going online these days, especially retail. “Driving the kosher experience into the next generation” means that we are taking the local kosher butcher shop, and putting it online. Therefore, we allow access to the best kosher meat from anywhere in the United States. This is really how we are taking the kosher experience and preparing it for the next generation.
TCJ: You also mention that The Kosher Express is about “bringing communities together” – how do you do that with a mail-order company?
TKE: We seek to bring communities together by offering the best kosher meat and poultry, and giving The Kosher Express the feel of a local butcher shop. Developing personal relationships with our customers is very important to us, and we are constantly communicating with our customers to make sure that they feel as though The Kosher Express were just around the corner from them. We will also be launching our interactive blogging site over the summer, where kosher consumers will be able to communicate with each other on whatever topic they choose.
TCJ: Does TKE have any plans to expand beyond meat products at some point in the future?
TKE: At some point we do hope to expand beyond meat. We are not thinking of expanding into kosher groceries, rather something that is different from Meat. Maybe it is Jewish music, maybe it is art from Israel, we are still not sure. We will certainly let you know when we figure it out.
TCJ: Any advice for somebody who might be new to keeping kosher when it comes to cooking meat?
TKE: Cooking meat in a kosher way is almost identical to cooking meat in the non-kosher way—you just need to find the right substitutes for the dairy products that you once used. I have found that smart balance makes an incredible parve margarine that is the perfect substitute for butter. Also, almond milk is the best parve substitute for milk because it has the same consistency as milk, and it takes on the flavor of whatever it is made with. There is also a non-dairy cheese that I have seen used, although I have never cooked with it, so I can’t verify how it tastes…
TCJ: It’s time to start thinking Pesach – what are some of your favorite meat dishes? Do you have any good tips or recipes to share?
TKE: My favorite Passover dish is Prime Rib. My best friend’s mom growing up made the best prime rib in the whole world, and to this day it is still my favorite Pesach/Shabbat dish. Also, we definitely have a lot of original, sponsored, and customer recipes already up on our site. And, we are always looking for more…
(Image: kimberlykv)
