Irene Pletka presents: Awful, Offal Dinner

Lung, tongue, liver, and brains were once among the staples of the Eastern European Jewish diet. Part of the all but forgotten pantheon of offal—organ meats—foodstuffs that found virtue in the thrifty cooking born of using whatever proteins that were available and affordable. Join YIVO’s Vice Chair Irene Pletka for her Awful, Offal Dinner, a tour through culinary delicacies the faint of heart will not want to try at home.

This event features six cooking videos which detail the preparation of six organ-meat dishes, discuss their historic cultural contexts, and feature friends trying and discussing the surprisingly delicious results. Click the play button to begin watching. Once the video ends, the subsequent video will begin automatically. To skip between videos, click the playlist icon at the top right-hand corner of the video. (Need help? Email info@yivo.org.)

To learn more about Ashkenazi Jewish food, register for A Seat at the Table: A Journey into Jewish Food.