ScottB...
i don't think you have to be jewish to long for a good jewish delicatessen... say new york or chicago style.. with booths and an all night menu that includes lots of melted cheese and a selection of soups. I probably wouldn't drop by in the middle of the night.. although on nights when i wake int he middle of the night it would be good to have a more social option... but i would drop in at odd hours for great soup...
thanks for the link to the Stranger piece tho ... as an amaetuer historian, i found it intriguing.
my husband is only a 2nd generation american on both sides as am i on my father's side... although portions of mom's family has been in America more than 4 generations.. and include an indentured servant of unknown ethnic origin. In addition, I suspect that we both have greatgrandparents who were actually illegal aliens :0
neither of us are jewish.. but both of us have heard the same ethnic based stories that piece tells.. his italian.. mine bohemian... both families catholic converted to protestant to assimilate:)
I am not saying that the jewish story is not unique when it comes to the amount of discrimination that was and still is based primarily on their religion..
Just that the jews are not the only cultural identity that has moved in and out of rapid assimilation... the cultural melting pot that is America has moved out of assimilation and into a reverence for the traditions and food of many cultures pretty rapidly.
and that seattle hipster thing he mentions.. (and the Seattle freeze) has it's roots more in the desire of the norwegian community to keep it's identity (norwegian reticence) than those hip young things trying to be cool will admit until well after their 50th brithday.
Good food seems to have been the path back towards cultural identity in our society. I am old enough to remember when pizza and spagetti were considered exotic foods.. and real chinese food was only prepared in the back rooms of chinese establishments for those with cultural access. Real appreciation for a jewish deli can't be far behind:) I suspect there is plenty of room in West Seattle for the appreciation of a good jewish deli.. especially one that stayed open late.
just this week, i have eaten salvadorian, mexican, thai, greek and mixed mediterannean.. much of it prepared in my own kitchen.. and we are irish, english, german and italian.
I don't think i have had any LGBT though.
Do they have their own cuisine?
If so, i sure haven't read much about it :~>
I visited the Library once.. and i agree that kind of establishment would do well here.
Easy street could acquire the property next door and open onto a bookstore... and stay open really late.... or.. luna park could do the same.
let me know if they do.. i'll try to stay up late enough to give them some late night business:)
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