Gourmet kosher foods are available in many varieties of ready-to-eat and prepackaged items, as well as freshly prepared recipes. Gourmet shops, delicatessens, and restaurants often categorize their menus, and some of the most common categories include meat and fish, candy, desserts, and beverages. Gourmet kosher gift packages may include sample size meats, cheeses, or cakes. Some gift baskets are designed to commemorate specific Jewish holidays, such as Chanukah, Passover, and Rosh Hashanah. All gourmet kosher foods must meet stringent regulations and be certified kosher.
Many types of seafood may be prepared as gourmet kosher treats. A gourmet recipe often served as an appetizer is smoked salmon, typically prepared on pumpernickel or Jewish rye bread. A widely used gourmet kosher food that is served cold and may be used in salad recipes is known as gefilte fish.
Hard and soft kosher salami may be used in gourmet gift baskets. When preparing kosher salami, the meat is often air-dried for up to three months to give it full-bodied flavor and a crunchy texture. Kosher salami is often packaged with various cheeses, also certified kosher.
As a gourmet side dish, kosher potato knishes may be served with fish or meat. The mini sized knishes are often served at parties for hors d'oeuvres. A potato knish is a type of dumpling that is typically fried, using kosher vegetable oil.
Some online specialty stores sell pre-cooked frozen gourmet kosher meals. Some of these frozen meals may include kosher cocktail franks and beans, kosher meat loaf, and kosher chicken breast patties. For a frozen meal to be labeled as kosher, it must meet with the same strict certification as other kosher foods.
A popular type of gourmet kosher dessert pastry is known as rugelach. This is a chewy horn-shaped pastry that has layers of rolled dough, often entwined with cinnamon and chopped nuts. Rugelach may also be made in chocolate or fruit varieties as well.
Beverages that are certified kosher include a wide array of specialty teas, some of which are boxed tea bags, while others are bottled iced tea blends. Carbonated soda may also be certified kosher and considered gourmet beverages. Bottled mixed fruit juices are also available as gourmet kosher drinks.
Passover wines are a popular gourmet beverage. To be certified kosher, the wine must be prepared only by Sabbath-observant Jews in the winery. Another strict regulation for making kosher wine dictates that no work can be done on the Sabbath or any Jewish holiday. Grapes used for making Mevushal kosher wines have been boiled. Non-mevushal kosher wines are made from grapes that have not been boiled.