I’ll admit it: Ashkenazi food isn’t exactly thrilling. Kugel, gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, kasha varnishkes—these foods aren’t trying to impress anyone. They’re beige. Soft. Sometimes overcooked. But they’re comforting in a way that’s hard to explain unless you grew up with them. Ashkenazi food feels like safety. It’s food shaped by generations of Jews …