Mevin (1950); Falafel (1953); Nu (1949)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

Merry Christmas Everybody
--Arthur Godfrey
   _ABC--Always Buy Chesterfield_
(The full-color, back-page ad in the NATIONAL JEWISH MONTHLY, December 1948--ed.)

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MEVIN

   A much more appropriate advertisement is this one, in the NATIONAL JEWISH MONTHLY, November 1950, pg. 109:

A "Meichel"* for a "Mevin"**
with an (u) on the label***

      A Glossary of Terms
      (Just in case you need it)

*_Meichel_ (pronounced mi-chel)--a delicacy; a choice morsel.  Example: Heinz Kosher Baked Beans.  The oven-baking and the delicious tomato sauce are what make them a "meichel" (see definition above).
**_Mevin_ (pronounced ma-vin)--a connoisseur; an expert.  Example: The Jewish housewife who buys no other beans but Heinz.
***(u)(pronounced o-yu)--the seal of endorsement of THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA.  The (u) seal is on the front of the label.

HEINZ OVEN-BAKED BEANS
Strictly Kosher--Strictly Pareve--Strictly Vegetarian

(The revised OED has 1952 for "maven"...Normally, "the language maven" would be interested in this, but it comes from Barry Popik, so it'll never be printed--ed.)

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FALAFEL (continued)

   From THE JEWISH SPECTATOR, vol18, January 1953, pg. 17, col. 2:

   And there are the boot blacks with their long boxes, and the "falafel" stands.  That you learn is a special Israeli spicy, fried concoction which is eaten together with pickle and a brown roll.  If you pass that up you may treat yourself to a hot corn served on a corn husk--without butter, of course.  There is "tzena" (austerity) in Israel and no butter is served with anything.

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CHOCOLATE MATZOS

   Perhaps of interest to the OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD.
   From the NATIONAL JEWISH MONTHLY, February 1950, pg. 218, back age ad:

_32 KOSHER FOR PASSOVER_
_delicacies by BARTON'S bonbonniere_

The New
Chocolate MATZOS
The Pasover Sensation!
Replicas of matzos in Barton's incomparable chocolate--studded with nuts.
1 lb. $1.40  2 lbs. $2.80

(What'll they think of next?  Chocolate-covered macaroons?--ed.)

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NU

   From the NATIONAL JEWISH MONTHLY, February 1949, pg. 171, col. 3:

_NU?_
_A True Short Story_
By Bernard Passman
(...)
   "Know any Yiddish?" he demanded.
   "A little," I answered, becoming more baffled by the minute.
   "Ever heard of the word _nu_?"
   "Sure," I said.  "Don't you ever listen to Fred Allen?"
   "No.  What does it mean?"
   "It means _well_."
   "Well, what?"
   "That's all--just _well_.  As in _'Nu, vus vils du?'_--or, 'Well, what do you want?'"  _From my young life_, I felt like adding.
   The colonel looked doubtful.
(...)