A classic kosher luncheonette may have closed last month, but in grocery stores, kosher is all the rage. According to a Cornell University research project, 40 percent of the food sold at grocery stores is kosher. “It’s keyed into the issues of food safety and consumer fear,” said Larry Finkel of Packaged Facts, a consumer market research company. “The reputation of kosher is stretching beyond chicken, whether there is truth to it or not.” According to a NY Times piece, people think kosher products are healthier, fresher and taste better. There’s also the perception that kosher butchering is less cruel. Fact or fiction, kosher food has found its market. And according to the study, the majority—about 85 percent—of those who shop kosher don’t do it because their religion compels them.