An interview with Rabbi Eli Gersten
Q: Can I drink a Slurpee at any 7-Eleven?
A: It is best to check that the syrup used in the machine is the same as that which is advertised on the machine. To do so, one should ask to see the box that the syrup comes from, so you can verify that it has an OU symbol. Some Slurpee syrups manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company are OU certified even though there is no OU on the box. To verify that those syrups are kosher, one must verify that it is a Coca-Cola product and that it is listed on the OU website as certified. The OU website provides an up-to-date list of all OU-certified frozen syrup flavors: oukosher.org/kosher-slurpee-list/.
Q: Can I use public barbecue grills at parks and campsites?
A: Since non-kosher food is cooked directly on the grill, the grill must be kashered by heating it until it glows. This can be done by either packing the grates with charcoal and setting it on fire or using a blowtorch. If the grill has a hood, the hood too must be kashered by thoroughly cleaning the hood and then setting the grill to its highest setting, with the hood closed, for one hour. Alternatively, the grates can simply be replaced and the hood either not used or wrapped in foil.
Once the grill is kashered, there is technically no halachic issue with cooking on a park grill. However, because onlookers have no way of knowing whether the grill has been kashered—and might mistakenly assume it’s permitted to use without kashering (a concern of maris ayin)—using a park grill is questionable. One suggestion to avoid maris ayin is to place aluminum foil around the grill. In this way, it will be noticeable to onlookers that some sort of kashering was done.
Q: Can I cook meat and fish on the same grill at different times?
A: Yes, so long as the grill is clean. One may either clean the grill with steel wool or burn off the grease by turning it to the highest heat for an hour. If one wants to skip the need to clean the grates before and after cooking the fish, one can instead wrap the fish in aluminum foil.
Q: I’m staying at a hotel, which offers a buffet breakfast in the morning. Can I eat the food they serve?
A: You cannot eat any cooked breakfast foods they might serve like scrambled eggs or pancakes due to bishul akum, among other concerns. However, if they provide a box of waffle mix with a reliable kosher certification along with a waffle maker that is used exclusively for waffles, and all the additional ingredients (such as milk, oil, etc.) are kosher, then it is possible for you to prepare it yourself.
Q: Is there any problem with eating the fresh fruit at the hotel?
A: If one or two pieces of fruit were sliced specifically for you, you should not eat them. This is because the knife used may have previously been used to cut something non-kosher, and any residue could transfer to the first few slices. However, if a large quantity of fruit was sliced for a group of people, it is generally permitted. When many pieces are cut, the residue would likely be removed after the first few cuts, and those slices are nullified among the majority.
Q: The supermarket is having a sale on sliced watermelons. Is there any problem purchasing it?
A: No, there is no problem purchasing the watermelon because they are slicing many watermelons at once for sale. As mentioned above, when a large quantity of fruit is cut, any possible non-kosher residue on the knife is likely removed in the process. Furthermore, supermarkets will have special knives dedicated for this purpose. Therefore, you may eat the watermelon slices.
Rabbi Eli Gersten is recorder of OU pesak and policy.
Chaya Miriam Waintman is a daycare teacher living in Lakewood, New Jersey.