A Comprehensive and Beautiful Treasury of Jewish Cooking
There is a whole world of Jewish cooking beyond chopped liver and gefilte fish. Scattered across the globe, there are many distinctive, delicious, and authentic Jewish cuisines to be savored. Gil Marks, a rabbi, gourmet chef, and authority on Jewish food history and lore, guides us through this largely undiscovered world. He delights and enlightens with traditional recipes from Italian, Yemenite, Ethiopian, Indian, Eastern European, German, Hungarian, Georgian, Alsatian, and Middle Eastern Jewry; culinary conversations with contemporary members of these ancient and medieval communities; and fascinating commentary on Jewish food and Jewish history.
The World of Jewish Cooking offers an astonishing array of delicacies, including: Pastilla (Moroccan "Pigeon" Pie) * Kik Wot (Ethiopian Split Peas Stew) * Muez con Almendrada (Moroccan Almond-Walnut Confection) * Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread) * Yakhnat (Persian Lamb Stew) * Murgi Kari (Calcutta Chicken Curry) * Meggy Leves (Hungarian Cherry Soup) * Testine di Spinaci (Italian Spinach Stalks) * Hraimeh (Northwest African Red Fish) * Kubba (Iraqi Stuffed Dumplings) * Marunchinos (Sephardic Almond Macaroons)
Rabbi Marks explains how the Jews, spreading to all corners of the world beginning with the Diaspora, adapted their recipes to local ingredients and adopted the local fare, often giving it new twists. A historian and a chef, he provides a clear explanation of what makes a dish Jewish and why so many Americans associate Jewish cooking with Eastern European food. You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy the more than 500 recipes Marks includes. A wealth of historical and culinary information, as well as photos and drawings, accompany the recipes.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
jewish cooking:
Probably the best of all my Jewish cookbooks. I keep sending it as wedding gifts -- much appreciated by recipients
Great reference, but sometimes sacrifices taste for history:
This book is definitely a keeper for anyone interested in the connection between Jewish religion, Jewish culture, and food. The author has done a thorough job of researching the food heritage of different Jewish groups, and really gets in to the nitty-gritty details. Moroccan vs. Yeminite use of spices, for example, or why and how different groups serve chicken on the Sabbath. A truly fascinating, rich piece of history. That said, sometimes the author tries so hard to be authentic that the resulting... more info
One of the best cookbooks I own:
This is right up there with the Joy of Cooking for me as being one of the essential cookbooks I own. In addition to learning more about Jewish cooking, it has also sparked my interest in Ethiopian cooking in general after trying out some of the Ethiopian recipes included in the book. I also was fascinated to learn that the origin of empanadas (which my family makes all the time) is actually Persian and Iraqi, known as sambuzaks. Now I use the sambuzak dough recipe for my empanadas! This books holds tons of... more info
Wonderful cookbook and cultural lesson!:
This is absolutely my favorite cookbook. The recipes are simple and delicious and the variations that are included offer even more ways to prepare the same dish. Everything that I have tried from this cookbook has turned out so good and have resulted in some of our favorite dishes. Rabbi Marks also includes information about spices and vegetables and Jewish culture making the cookbook a fascinating read as well (I actually read the whole cookbook before I even tried any of the recipes!). It is well... more info
