I must admit, I'm a little intimidated, because I think I might be the
only completely reform Jew here. I promise not to post recipes that
involve shrimp or bacon, etc.!

I AM Jewish, though, 28 years old, and married to another reform,
non-Kosher Jew. He refuses to eat cooked vegetables, etc., which is
really frustrating for me, since I have so many fruit and veggie
allergies, it's ridiculous.

My major allergens are: soy beans, almonds, almost everything in the
birch/alder families, carrots, celery, apples, pears, peaches, plums,
cantalope, honeydew, GARLIC, mangos, raw beans, peas, hazelnuts
(although I can eat certain chocoates with hazelnut creme, as long as
there's no actual nut), strawberries, cherries, peppers, hot dogs
(this includes kosher ones) and pretty much any pressed preserved
meats, pineapple, sunflower seeds, etc.

Soy and garlic are the worst for me, and pretty much can be found in
99% of what's out there in some form or other. It's very frustrating.
I'm thrilled to say that I am NOT lactose- or gluten-intolerant, but
am happy to learn those recipes, too, since I have close friends who
are (and I desperately want to feed them!).

So maybe you're wondering why I joined this list in particular, since
I don't keep kosher...well, I have tons of food allergies, which is
immensely frustrating, and also deal with acid reflux issues. I love
many Jewish foods, but because my mother is a horrible cook and my
grandmother (may she rest in peace, and may we all live and be well)
never allowed any of us in the kitchen with her, I didn't grow up
learning the proverbial tricks of the trade. Most Jewish dishes are
these great mysterious, delicious creations that come out of the
kitchens at to-drool-for delis in NYC and Miami, but not so much out
here in San Francisco, where I live.

I would love to learn not just good recipes, but also proper
preparations. I would love to work up the courage to make homemade
gefilte fish, for example.

Anyway, I want to be inspired to cook more, to learn more about my
Jewish heritage through cuisine (and more), and maybe if there are
enough of us out here in the SF Bay Area who are interested, get
together and have a Jewish cooking potluck?

So, hello, everyone!!

Cheers,
Amy

PS: regarding the potato allergy, many people are allergic to them,
but since you never eat them raw, you probably wouldn't know about it.
But if you ever notice that you get a rash on your hands/wrists from
handling raw potatoes, you might have to do what I do, and wear vinyl
gloves while working with them in the kitchen.