Pastrami ardour drives 66-year-old to create deli ‘meat up’ communities

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A Florida-based lady operates a Fb group with greater than 2,000 members, organizing "meat ups" at delicatessens all through the nation — and shared her ardour with Fox Information Digital.

Ellen Fried's Fb group, "Ellen Loves Pastrami," has a easy mission – to "find restaurants that also take the time to make their very own pastrami." (See the video on the high of this text.)

Fried, 66, grew up close to Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey, however now calls Delray Seaside, Florida, dwelling. She's hosted "meat ups" – as she calls them – all through the nation, from South Florida to Southern California.

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After assembly David Sax, writer of "Save the Deli: In Search of Excellent Pastrami, Crusty Rye and the Coronary heart of Jewish Delicatessen," at a book signing, Fried determined to begin her personal group for deli lovers in 2009.

She additionally manages a number of different Fb teams, together with "Ellen Loves Burgers," "Ellen Loves BEEF Ribs, Brisket & Steaks" and "Fried Loves FRIED Chicken."

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/672/378/ellen-fried-at-bens-deli-in-boca-raton-fl-meat-up-april-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/1344/756/ellen-fried-at-bens-deli-in-boca-raton-fl-meat-up-april-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/931/523/ellen-fried-at-bens-deli-in-boca-raton-fl-meat-up-april-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/1862/1046/ellen-fried-at-bens-deli-in-boca-raton-fl-meat-up-april-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Ellen Fried, proven at far proper, poses with attendees of her April 2025 "meat up" at Ben's Kosher Delicatessen in Boca Raton, Florida. (Ellen Fried)

"However the pastrami group is the one which appears to be the preferred and probably the most edgy group," Fried informed Fox Information Digital.

"Everybody likes speaking about their favourite pastrami and this place is inferior to it was and blah, blah, blah, you already know? In order that appears to the touch probably the most nerves."

Different "meat ups" have been held in Philadelphia, Las Vegas and New York Metropolis, the place Fried has constructed a "little contingent."

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"Years again, once we had been rising up, we did not have to essentially suppose a lot about the place we will get pastrami," Fried recalled. "We all the time had good pastrami on the native neighborhood delis, however now it is more durable and more durable to seek out."

Jeff Lanigan, 78, informed Fox Information Digital he met Fried in 2015 at Harold's New York Deli in Edison, New Jersey.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/672/378/ellen-fried-at-harolds-ny-deli-in-edison-nj-for-2020-meat-up.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/1344/756/ellen-fried-at-harolds-ny-deli-in-edison-nj-for-2020-meat-up.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/931/523/ellen-fried-at-harolds-ny-deli-in-edison-nj-for-2020-meat-up.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/1862/1046/ellen-fried-at-harolds-ny-deli-in-edison-nj-for-2020-meat-up.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Fried, standing at far proper, is proven with a gaggle of different pastrami lovers throughout a 2020 "meat up" at Harold's New York Deli in Edison, New Jersey. (Ellen Fried)

Lanigan splits his time between New Jersey and South Florida and mentioned he tries to attend as lots of her "meat ups" as he is ready.

He and his spouse attended Fried's most up-to-date "meat up" in April at Ben's Kosher Delicatessen in Boca Raton, Florida.

"It is a social occasion and we simply like it," Lanigan mentioned.

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So what is the attract of this particular deli meat?

"I do like corned beef, too, however I believe pastrami has that further spicing stage and it's a good comfort food," Fried mentioned. She added that it is "loads simpler" to seek out good burgers all through the nation.

A pastrami sandwich on rye bread is proven throughout an April 2025 "meat up" at Ben's Kosher Delicatessen in Boca Raton, Florida. (Jeff Lanigan)

"It is extra intriguing to seek out the pastrami."

Lanigan praised Fried for being "salt of the earth" and serving to to protect deli tradition.

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"She all the time manages to seek out the nice in wherever she's at," he mentioned.

It is a sentiment apparently shared by the better group of deli meat lovers, particularly in the case of pastrami.

"Some folks prefer it fatty. Some prefer it lean. Some folks prefer it spicy," mentioned Lanigan. "There's so many ranging tastes for it, however all people enjoys it."