Pikesville, MD – Baltimore Jewish Community And Its Kosher Food Shops

Pikesville, MD – With a lifetime of pastrami pilgrimages under my belt, I have learned this much: There is good deli, and there is great deli.

Baltimore’s northwest suburban community of Pikesville, home to more than 4,000 Orthodox Jewish families and a shopping mecca for the 100,000 Jews who live in the area, is a place that has plenty of both, along with the just so-so. Most of the 40 or 50 kosher and kosher-style businesses are concentrated on or near a mile-long stretch of Reisterstown Road that ought to have an unofficial moniker but doesn’t.

Working one’s way across the strip could take years and cause considerable heartburn. Luckily, I was able to tap into a higher power, in the form of native son Eli W. Schlossberg, who offered a guided tour.

Schlossberg knows from great food. He grew up working in his father’s business, delivering specialty goods to food concerns in Baltimore and to high-end chefs in Washington. The 58-year-old Orthodox Jew has his own food consulting business now, and a midsection that underscores his success. Plus, he’s a man of letters, having written a primer called “The World of Orthodox Judaism” in 2004 and an article about the evolution of kosher Baltimore.

What makes food kosher? The explanation could fill a stockpot, but Schlossberg sums it up in his book as food that is good for the soul but not necessarily healthful. Three principles define it: acceptable ingredients, as specifically permitted by Jewish dietary law; strictly defined and supervised methods of preparation (such as making baked goods without non-kosher animal fats); and guidelines under which it may be served (as in, meat and dairy products may not be eaten together). An observant Jew must recite a blessing before meals, which is why there are discreet washing stations with prayer materials in the restaurants where Orthodox Jews eat.

Old-timers say there’s less good kosher food to choose from now, not like the days when many of the kosher shops were downtown. Schlossberg disagrees: “There’s so much more of everything! Bookstores and paper goods and wine shops and the 7-Mile Market, one of the biggest kosher grocers in America. What can’t you find here?”

Still, a casual weekend visitor might be confused. On any given Saturday, the traditional day of rest for observant Jews, some businesses are open. What gives? As Schlossberg explained, those owned solely by Orthodox Jews and offering kosher goods do not operate on the Sabbath. Other shops are only kosher-style.