Why do Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas/Jewish dietary customs

[10-23]

Originally Posted by HyperionGap

So just so i understand you correctly, your culinary tastes pretty much fall inline with what is kosher?

Have you tried all these foods and did not like the taste, or is it a mental thing that after years of not eating them, you find just the thought of it unappetizing.

I tried shrimp and crab and they did nothing for me taste wise. The thought of eating pork is nauseating to me, probably because of my upbringing. I've never tried lobster, nor do I want to. I feel the way the wife's grandmother did - the persons who first tried lobster had to be pretty hungry. It's an ugly creature, not that cows or chickens are things of beauty, it's just lobster looks like a big bug to me. I'm into Bizarre Foods (ironically, Andrew Zimmern is a Jew).

I do eat burgers and such at fast food places and eat at non-kosher restaurants. I guess my taste in food is more towards "kosher style," and to answer your question, after so many years of not eating certain traife (sp.?) foods, why should I try now?

It is a mental and quasi-religious thing; is the best way I can describe it.

BTW Pruzhany, I've been eating Bacos for years, and yes I know it tastes like bacon, the one pork product I've tasted and liked the flavor, but I can't bring myself to eat it again because it comes from a pig.

[HyperionGap]

I don't eat seafood in any way shape or form. Looks weird, smells fishy, and I rarely (never) had it growing up. I've tried fried calamari rings once and didn't like it, but have never had the courage to eat lobster, shrimp, or crab.

[usuario]

We ate Chinese food (mmh spicy Mapo Tofu) and watched American Hustle on Xmas. It's a minhag (Jewish custom) and therefore binding on all American Jews*. What a nightmare to coordinate both the Chinese food and the movie trip when you have a whole flock of Jews. People arriving on Jewish Time (i.e. late). Come on folks, the movie starts in half an hour!

*I'm only half-joking. There's a concept in Jewish law that you're not allowed to abandon the customs of your family and its ancestors.

[Woodrow LI]

Originally Posted by usuario

*I'm only half-joking. There's a concept in Jewish law that you're not allowed to abandon the customs of your family and its ancestors.

Quite true. The influence of my Jewish Grandmother is still felt in my family after 4 generations.