May 30, 2007

K-day

I think it took me a long time to post because I knew I this post had to come next…

It is time to post about K-day.

When last I left you, I was recounting how I had purged my house of non-kosher food, kitchenware and dishes. I had bought all kinds of new kitchenware. My kitchen was bare, and I was living in a state of limbo, using plastic utensils and occasionally running out to the balcony to use a colander or pot.

Don’t laugh, but I actually had two sets of plastic utensils. I happened to have a bunch of left-over blue plastic knives, forks and spoons from son’s bris. I used these as dairy. I had a huge (Costco) set of metallic plastic utensils we use for other casual entertaining- I put some of these in a plastic bag and used them for meat. Obviously this isn’t necessary when using plastic utensils- but it actually helped me (newbie) get into the thinking using different sets while I got ready to use the real ones. It seemed like the habit was already in place when broke out the new flatware.

At this point, I had already asked a local rabbi to come and help me kasher my kitchen, and to answer various questions. He had told me to call after Pesach- on the Wednesday after Pesach. I had tried calling him a few times starting on that Wednesday and for the rest of the week with no response.

I was calling my sister a lot with questions. I was starting to wonder if this would ever happen. Things were dragging. I was in a bad place, losing momentum, thinking about Manchego cheese and what life was going to be like without it in my home…

A week later, I was whining to my sister on the phone about how I wished it was just done and over, she said:

“O.K. This is IT.”

“What?” I asked.

“This is K-day”.

I said something equivalent to, “???????”

“You are going to kasher your own kitchen”, she told me. “You can do this.” She said.

I asked if I need a rabbi to bless it or something. Right? I mean, didn’t it need to be supervised, and pronounced kosher by some authority? Wasn’t there some final blessing that needed to be said?

She said that I did not, but that if I had any questions about it, I did have to contact a rabbi for answers. Then I told her that I was getting no respons so far and almost started a downward spiral of whining when she reiterated, “This is IT. K-day.”

When she told me this, I suddenly felt a strange peace. I would be busy for a couple of days, but it would be resolved. All of the wondering and wavering and running to the balcony to see if I still had a ladle would end. I would finally be eating off my new dishes and using my Le Crueset and moving forward. YES, I thought. This is it. This is K-day.

And she was on call for me for the next 48 hours.

15 comments:

Juggling Frogs said...

This is great. Thank you for (finally!!) posting this. I can't wait to read about the next 48 hours...

(I was "there" -- at least over the telephone -- and still the suspense is killing me...)

Shabbat Shalom,

All the best,
CLKL

Juditt said...

If I wasn't already a kosher customer, your adorable, fun, funny and friendly blog would inspire me to become one! Hatzlocha! -Love, Yehudis!

GFjem said...

Wow! Although I have heard reports of relatives kashering a kitchen in the "old country" it never occurred to me that it could be done here! Can't wait to hear how you did it! May you have the strength to continue . . and to share it with us!LOL :)

Juggling Frogs said...

Hello,

I just found this great resource:

http://www.shemayisrael.com/j/keepingkosher/KeepingKosher.html

Oh, and by the way, NU?

All the best,
Your impatient sister

Anonymous said...

if even the sister does not know ...

Juggling Frogs said...

The sister knows. The sister nags. The sister has seen (part of) the draft. Yet still the "publish" button remains unpushed.

SaraK said...

Just came across your blog. I love it! I have kept kosher all my life. Your humorous take is terrific and your posts are also really informative. I think your blog is going to become the "go-to" blog for people kashering their kitchens :)

Anonymous said...

While we wait for the sister to get her sister going :) ,

anyone have comments on
http://www.jewishsoftware.com/products/Kosher_for_the_Clueless_but_Curious_962.asp

Anonymous said...

I'm anxious to read your next entry! I'm a couple steps behind you in the process and I've enjoyed reading so far. Thanks for all the detail!

ByTheBay said...

Missing your posts... Hoping you'll update again soon :) Other kosher newbies need the advice!

Anonymous said...

this might help you with your manchego craving: gilboa.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for article!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for interesting article.

Anonymous said...

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