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I tried a ‘Mrs. Maisel’ pastrami martini. Unlike Midge, I’m speechless.
(New York Jewish Week) — The martini kit arrives in a bright pink box. Nestled among strings of hot pink confetti are two martini glasses and a shaker, two olives, toothpicks, two single-serving bottles of gin and vermouth, pastrami oil and pastrami spices.
What’s that? Pastrami? Martini? Together? Yes, you read it right.
The “Maisel Tov” Martini kit is a specialty item dreamed up by the marketing teams of GrubHub and Amazon Prime to celebrate the premiere of the fifth and final season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which airs on April 14. Starring Rachel Brosnahan as the titular Midge Maisel, the series is set in the very-Jewish world of New York City nightclub entertainers in the late 1950s and early ’60s.
The kit is part of a yearlong “Tune In & Takeout” promotion between the two companies pairing foods with popular shows and movies, said GrubHub in a press release.
Crafted by the mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer, the pastrami-flavored martini combines “a taste of Midge’s two favorite things, Jewish deli fare and a stiff drink.” Why do they need to be combined together in one cocktail? Why not just a regular martini and deli fare on the side? I have no idea, but in the name of journalism I knew I had to try it.
The cocktail kit arrives nestled in a bed of pink confetti. Joy! (Julia Gergely)
First of all, the packaging was adorable. Everything was labeled with the show’s title in its signature cheery font, and the bright pink packaging was a fun homage to Midge’s favorite color.
Per a publicist’s email, “The beverage marries hints of juniper from gin with the briny flavors of black pepper, coriander and caraway classically found in a pastrami sandwich.” Still, they note, the beverage is vegetarian.
After unpacking everything from the box, it was time to make the martini. For some reason, I was nervous. I don’t drink martinis often, nor do I eat pastrami on the reg, but as I poured the pre-made cocktail into the martini shaker and added a few drops of the pastrami oil, I became increasingly conscious of the fact that my life would soon be divided into a “Before” and After” period.
Perhaps a Shehechiyanu blessing (for new beginnings) was in order. Certainly, at least a L’chaim.
As I sipped the martini, I was left speechless. Like I said, I’m no martini or pastrami expert, so I can’t say if this was the best version of either one. The cocktail was definitely strong and had a savory, meaty taste to it. The oil and spices cut the taste of the alcohol in a surprising way. I felt like I had taken a bite of a sandwich and then drunk a martini to wash it down.
The Maisel Tov martini in all its glory, complete with an olive seasoned with pastrami spices. (Julia Gergely)
I could imagine sipping it slowly at The Gaslight Café in the West Village while Midge, a budding stand-up comic, shocks and delights me with her set. In fact, I can imagine Midge might have a whole bit dedicated to the drink while her agent Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) guzzles it backstage.
The kit came with two pre-made cocktails, so I’ll save the other for the season premiere on Friday night, when presumably we’ll find out if Midge and Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) get together again, if Joel has a kid and if Rose’s matchmaking business has taken off.
Luckily for all Manhattan-based Maisel watchers, the cocktail is available to order on April 14 and 15 on GrubHub’s platform from the specially created “Marvelous Café” using the code “MaiselTov.” For $29.95, GrubHub will deliver the cocktail kit (which serves two) and an entree — a choice of turkey, pastrami or corned beef on rye sandwiches, or stuffed cabbage. The meal kit also comes with a mini potato knish, a pickle and a black and white cookie for dessert. (The kits are not kosher.) Honestly a great deal, considering just a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s will run you $25.95.
Per a press release, “Diners can pick their preferred date and time, must be 21+ and have a valid photo I.D. upon delivery.” But get there fast. “With only 1,000 kits available, orders are limited to 1 kit per customer. Available delivery time slots will close as orders fill up.”
So go ahead, order your pastrami martini. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
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The post I tried a ‘Mrs. Maisel’ pastrami martini. Unlike Midge, I’m speechless. appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Netanyahu Expected to Meet Trump in US on Wednesday and Discuss Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signs the joint declaration of mutual recognition with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, officially establishing full diplomatic relations between the two nations. Photo: Screenshot
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet US President Donald Trump on Wednesday in Washington, where they will discuss negotiations with Iran, Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday.
Iranian and US officials held indirect nuclear talks in the Omani capital Muscat on Friday. Both sides said more talks were expected to be held again soon.
A regional diplomat briefed by Tehran on the talks told Reuters Iran insisted on its “right to enrich uranium” during the negotiations with the US, and that Tehran’s missile capabilities were not raised in the discussions.
Iranian officials have ruled out putting Iran’s missiles – one of the largest such arsenals in the Middle East – up for discussion, and have said Tehran wants recognition of its right to enrich uranium.
PRIME MINISTER SEEKS MISSILE CURBS
“The Prime Minister believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Wednesday’s meeting would be the seventh between Netanyahu and Trump since the US president returned to office in January last year.
The pair had been expected to meet on February 18, but the talks were brought forward amid the renewed engagement with Iran. A spokesperson for Netanyahu did not immediately comment on why the date was moved up.
Last June, the US joined an Israeli military campaign against Iran’s uranium enrichment and other nuclear installations, marking the most direct American military action ever against the Islamic Republic.
Iran retaliated by launching a missile attack on a US base in Qatar.
The US and Israel have repeatedly warned Iran that they would strike again if Tehran pressed ahead with its enrichment and ballistic missile programs.
World powers and regional states fear a breakdown in the negotiations would ignite another conflict between the US and Iran that could spill over to the rest of the oil-producing region.
Iran has vowed a harsh response to any strike and has cautioned neighboring Gulf Arab countries that host US bases that they could be in the firing line if they were involved in an attack.
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Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ to Convene at WH on Feb. 19, One Day After Trump’s Meeting with Netanyahu
US President Donald Trump speaks to the media during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
i24 News – A senior official from one of the member states confirms to i24NEWS that an invitation has been received for a gathering of President Trump’s Board of Peace at the White House on February 19, just one day after the president’s planned meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The meeting comes amid efforts to advance the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, following the limited reopening of the Rafah crossing, the expected announcement on the composition and mandate of the International Stabilization Force, and anticipation of a Trump declaration setting a deadline for Hamas to disarm.
In Israel officials assess that the announcement is expected very soon but has been delayed in part due to ongoing talks with the Americans over Israel’s demands for the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip. Trump reiterated on Thursday his promise that Hamas will indeed be disarmed.
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If US Attacks, Iran Says It Will Strike US Bases in the Region
FILE PHOTO: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi meets with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi in Muscat, Oman, February 6, 2026. Photo: Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
Iran will strike US bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by US forces that have massed in the region, its foreign minister said on Saturday, insisting that this should not be seen as an attack on the countries hosting them.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke to Qatari Al Jazeera TV a day after Tehran and Washington pledged to continue indirect nuclear talks following what both sides described as positive discussions on Friday in Oman.
While Araqchi said no date had yet been set for the next round of negotiations, US President Donald Trump said they could take place early next week. “We and Washington believe it should be held soon,” Araqchi said.
Trump has threatened to strike Iran after a US naval buildup in the region, demanding that it renounce uranium enrichment, a possible pathway to nuclear bombs, as well as stopping ballistic missile development and support for armed groups around the region. Tehran has long denied any intent to weaponize nuclear fuel production.
While both sides have indicated readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Araqchi balked at widening the talks out.
“Any dialogue requires refraining from threats and pressure. (Tehran) only discusses its nuclear issue … We do not discuss any other issue with the US,” he said.
Last June, the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, joining in the final stages of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Tehran has since said it has halted uranium enrichment activity.
Its response at the time included a missile attack on a US base in Qatar, which maintains good relations with both Tehran and Washington.
In the event of a new US attack, Araqchi said the consequences could be similar.
“It would not be possible to attack American soil, but we will target their bases in the region,” he said.
“We will not attack neighboring countries; rather, we will target US bases stationed in them. There is a big difference between the two.”
Iran says it wants recognition of its right to enrich uranium, and that putting its missile program on the negotiating table would leave it vulnerable to Israeli attacks.