The Magic of Kugel

There has been much discussion in the blogosphere about the power of kugel. There are some who assert that kugel tastes better on Shabbos due to some mystical reason, or that the eating of kugel represents some kind of spiritual experience. Others find that to be bunk.
Well, looks like the NY Times comes down on the side of kugel having mystical powers. In an illustrated article on the front page today's Dining In section titled "Kugel Unraveled", the Times asserts that:

FOR many American Jews, kugel is the taste of childhood. They want exactly the kind of kugel their mother made, whether it is a weekly Sabbath treat or served only on holidays like Rosh Hashana, which starts on Monday night.
I didn't know until recently, though, that this homey casserole of noodles or potatoes was credited with mystical powers.
Allan Nadler, a professor of religious studies at Drew University, studied references to kugel in Hasidic texts and ate it in Brooklyn and in Jerusalem at about a dozen rebbes' tishes, or tables, where male followers of a Hasidic rabbi gather to eat, sing and study the Torah.
According to Hasidic interpretations of Kabbalah mysticism, he said, kugel has special powers.
"Clearly the spiritual high point of the meal is the offering of the kugel," Professor Nadler said. At that moment the rabbi has the power to bestow health and food, and even to help couples conceive.

Can you believe that the Gray Lady is presenting scholarly evidence that attests to the special powers and spirituality offered up by a plate of kugel? Me either.

Read the rest of the article for innovations in the style and taste of kugel. An excerpt:

On a recent afternoon at Hungarian Kosher Catering in Borough Park, at least 18 kinds of kugel were for sale, and customers were discussing them in Yiddish, English and Hungarian. Most American Jews know about noodle (lokshen) and potato kugel. But apple-noodle kugel? Salt and pepper kugel? Broccoli kugel? Modern "designer" three-layer kugel with sweet potato, broccoli and cauliflower?
"It used to be that it was only potato and noodle, nothing goes without them," said Shmelka Friedman, 48, owner of the shop and a follower of the Satmar sect, which came to the United States from Hungary after World War II. His repertory now includes both blueberry and rhubarb kugel.

Wow. This is not your Bubbie's lokshen kugel.
There's even a point made about how the health craze has made its mark on the Kugel-eating community:

Shimmy Rosenblum, the executive chef at Gourmet on J in Flatbush, has also noticed the transformation of kugel. "People tend to be more health conscious, but when they want flavor they'll look aside," he said. "They'll cheat. People come in with questions you'd never ask before. Does it have oil? What kind of oil? Are there any carbohydrates? Any sugar? Now they are suddenly allergic to everything."

A far cry from the days of kugel made with whole eggs and shmaltz.

Check it out, fellow kugel-bakers. There are even recipes.