Kitchen Quandaries

There’s a fleishig spoon in my coffee — and other kitchen conundrums

Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

My daughter used a fleishig spoon to mix her hot coffee. Is drinking the coffee now problematic? How about the spoon? The mug?

Most of the time that this happens, the fleishig spoon will not be a ben yomo, meaning that it didn’t come in contact with hot yad soledes bo fleishig food within the past 24 hours. If so, the coffee is permitted to be drunk and the mug remains dairy. The spoon, however, will l’chatchilah need to be kashered through hagalah. [If the fleishig spoon was a ben yomo, the halachah will depend on several factors, including how much of the spoon was inserted into the coffee, how large or small is the mug, and whether or not the mug is glass or ceramic. Present the facts of the question to a rav.]

I have a vegetable slicer that dices veggies, and I’ve kept it pareve so far. Recently, my daughter sliced a clove of garlic with a fleishig knife, and then diced it in the slicer. Is my slicer now fleishig?

Although l’chatchila she shouldn’t have diced the garlic in the slicer, if she already did it then the slicer remains pareve. [Many people mistakenly assume that all the knives that are part of their fleishig cutlery set are classified as a “fleishig knife.” In reality, only a knife that was previously used to cut hot yad soledes bo meat or chicken (in a kli rishon) is classified as a fleishig knife, which means that many knives that are part of your fleishig cutlery set aren’t necessarily fleishig knives.]

I have a large pareve glass pitcher that we use for only water and serve it at suppers. Recently, my son, without telling me, filled the pitcher with ice coffee. When I found it, I assumed that I can wash it and the pitcher would still be pareve since the coffee was cold. However, my husband said if the coffee had been there longer than a day the pitcher is now milchig…?

It is true that [according to some poskim] the pitcher has now lost its pareve status and became a “dairy pitcher” because it absorbed the taam of the cold milk after it was in the pitcher for 24 consecutive hours. You are, therefore, not allowed [according to this opinion] to use this pitcher for hot chicken soup. But you may still continue to use the glass pitcher to serve cold water for supper, even if the supper being served is fleishig. [It is also permitted to use the same glass pitcher for both dairy and meat meals.]

As a busy mom, I like to prep in advance, so I will often prepare meals or even just ingredients in advance. Can I chop onions and store them in the fridge overnight in advance of a cooking marathon?

Chazal warn against eating completely peeled onions [and eggs and garlic] that were left overnight, even if they were enclosed in a bag and stored away. Although this advisory is not quoted in Shulchan Aruch and isn’t a binding obligation, it has nevertheless become accepted practice in most (but not all) families and communities. So whether or not you’re allowed to peel onions in advance and store them will depend on your family and community custom.