Thursday, January 6, 2011

What Does "Kosher" Mean?

Someone asked me what "kosher" means as in The "Kosher" Kiwi. If they'd asked me what a kiwi is, I would have glared at them. "Kosher" comes from the Hebrew word kasher, which means 'fit' as in 'proper' or 'legitimate.' Technically, it refers to Jewish dietary laws which have their origin in the food stipulations of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, but which evolved through oral tradition finally recorded in the Mishnah. A kosher kitchen, for example, is one in which certain procedures have been carefully followed in terms of how animals are killed, what types of food are served (e.g. no pork products, shellfish etc) and what foods are served together in a single meal (e.g. meat and dairy products are separate).

As a result of this usage, "kosher" has entered English as a colloquial or slang expression meaning 'good' or 'trustworthy' or 'fair' or 'the real deal' or 'legitimate.'

I chose "Kosher Kiwi" as I liked the connection to Israel. Also, it sounded a whole lot better than "The Legitimate Kiwi," which makes it sound like I'm trying to defend my parentage. And it sounded a whole lot better than "The Short, Plump Kiwi," which kiwis are, but I'm trying to distance myself from that reality.

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