Review of Feed Me Bubbe

In late May 2006, the then twenty-two year old Avrom Honig started Chalutz Productions. The company aims to be involved with the production of new media, hoping to fund various projects that meet the board’s quality standards.

So far, Honig and Chalutz have commissioned Honig’s adorable grandmother – Bayla Scher, who prefers to go simply by Bubbe (the Yiddish word for Grandmother) – to host her own Jewish cooking show, Feed Me Bubbe.

As any good Jew knows, the best home cooking comes from your grandmother, and since most of them never write down their recipes, the only way to obtain these little treasures is to get your Bubbe to show you how to make the meals herself. Feed Me Bubbe does just that, with a “wholesome, family-oriented” show designed to entertain while teaching the joys of Jewish cooking.

Episodes each begin with Avrom’s introduction of the three most important words a Jewish boy should know – “feed me Bubbe” – and some rockin’ Klezmer music.

The videos contain one recipe each along with a Yiddish Word of the Day (or two, or three…or four). Although the videos lack the same budget, episodes are cut somewhat similarly to Food TV shows, where much of the preparation has been done off-camera and Bubbe speeds through the baking process while sharing tips, history, and stories, leaving viewers with just the important information, like how to properly form meatballs.  Most of the food is of the Jewish variety, from Luchen Kugel to Frikassee to Mandle bread.

In addition to the episodes, the website features Show Notes, which include episode recaps, and written recipes, in addition to a picture gallery with screenshots from the episodes.

Avrom and Bubbe’s relationship is the typical one. Avrom tries to rein her in, but she usually doesn’t let him get a word in edgewise, and of course everything she makes looks just delicious.  If you’ve experienced Jewish cooking, the show will make you yearn for your next Seder where your own grandmother’s Matzah Ball Soup will inevitably make its annual appearance. Until then, you can always watch Bubbe.

Bubbe is at her cutest when she is showing off, such as when she shows the muscle it takes to chop grind beef with a hackmesser, as they did when she was young. For such a tiny little woman, she’s got some serious arm strength!