Jewish Delis: Something to Kvell About! premieres August 26

Maryland Public Television (MPT) will premiere its original special Jewish Delis: Something to Kvell About! at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 26 on the statewide public TV network’s main channel, MPT-HD, and the MPT live stream.

Beginning as places for Jews from Central and Eastern Europe to eat and meet, delis expanded across the American landscape and eventually attracted as many gentiles as Jews. A stretch of Baltimore’s East Lombard Street even earned the moniker “Corned Beef Row” for the number of delis that once lined the roadway near Horseradish Lane. Today, the number of Jewish delis has shrunk dramatically and many of the survivors have adapted to changing times, sometimes in ways their forebearers might not recognize.

Hosted by MPT’s “First Lady” Rhea Feikin along with newcomers Ilan Kaplan and Marcellus Shepard, Jewish Delis: Something to Kvell About! celebrates this treasured Jewish-American tradition by taking viewers on a culinary road trip throughout the region. From Attman’s in Baltimore – a resolutely traditional deli – to the whimsically named Call Your Mother in Washington, D.C. – which bills itself as a “Jew-ish” deli – audiences experience a wide array of present-day approaches to the classic concept. Other local businesses featured during the program include Mikey and Mel’s Famous Deli in Fulton, Corned Beef King in Rockville, Rosenfeld’s Delicatessen in Ocean City, Lenny’s Deli in Owings Mills, and Baltimore-based Pariser’s Bakery and Tulkoff Food Products.

The documentary also features a visit to the Jewish Museum of Maryland, where the hosts explore the history of Baltimore’s famed “Corned Beef Row” and investigate the impact local delis had on the area’s burgeoning Jewish community.

Jewish Delis: Something to Kvell About! will air again at 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 27 on MPT-HD and the MPT live stream. It will also be available following its broadcast premiere for members with MPT Passport to view on-demand using MPT’s online video player and the PBS App.

“Jewish Delis provides a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the local, oftentimes family-run businesses that provide the brisket, corned beef, pastrami, baked goods, and other staples so many people in our region have come to love,” states Patrick Shea, the program’s co-producer and editor.

“With some light Kosher and Yiddish context on the side, along with a can of Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray celery soda,” adds fellow Co-Producer Ethan Staple, “viewers will find this 90-minute culinary tour to be an irresistibly tasty adventure.”

Jewish Delis host Rhea Feikin will join on-air talent Tony Hill during a live pledge event taking place in MPT’s studio during the program’s August 26 premiere. Feikin will provide additional context about the production and share insights about her experiences during filming. Representatives from businesses featured in the program will also be present in the studio to receive viewers’ pledge calls.