Product Description
As both cooks and eaters, we have never been more enthusiastic about sampling the cuisines of other countries. The Global Gourmet series presents a range of dishes, recipes and ingredients from countries and cultures all around the world. ... Read more

Product Description
Celebrated chef and author Joyce Goldstein has a gift for sharing her extraordinary knowledge of unusual and delicious cuisines in such an approachable and joyful way that they quickly become part of the home cook’s repertoire. In Saffron Shores, she brings to the table the sensual aromas and exquisite flavors of the Southern Mediterranean in a celebration of its rich Jewish heritage. From Morocco comes a vibrant orange salad strewn with olives; from Algeria, a hearty tagine of chicken with quince; from Tunisia, a spicy eggplant puree; from Libya, a saffron and paprika infused fish soup-all are authentic, kosher, and a delightful introduction to a healthful, flavorful cuisine for the modern cook. A fascinating exploration of cultures and cuisine, lush with images, Saffron Shores is as beautiful to look at as its always-accessible recipes are delicious to eat.Amazon.com Review
Though most of us think of Jewish cooking as Eastern European in origin, there's an alluring second traditional Jewish cuisine, that of the Mediterranean. Joyce Goldstein's Saffron Shores explores the most southerly branch of this exotic repertoire, which includes the spice-infused dishes of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Goldstein, who pursued Italian- and Spanish-Jewish cooking in Cucina Ebraica and Sephardic Flavors, is ideally suited to introduce this largely unexplored and delicious cuisine; she offers 100 recipes for a wide range of dishes--appetizers through sweets--including don't-miss treats like Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Honey, Baked Fish Stuffed with Almond Paste, and Cumin Flavored Meatballs with Onion Jam and Spicy Tomato Sauce. Simple in conception, and mostly easy to do, the dishes work well for modern cooks who want something "different" without going to great lengths to get it.

Beginning with a brief history of the cooking, and presenting its flavor profile (like that of the Jews who settled in the Ottoman Empire, the Southern Mediterranean palate favors vivid spiciness with the likes of cumin and cinnamon, plus a penchant for sweet-and-sour combinations), she then introduces the tempting recipes. Of special interest is a section on savory pastries like Iraqi Chicken and Chick Pea Pastries and Lebanese Spinach Turnovers, "labors of love," says Goldstein, that are nonetheless worth a cook's involvement, and sweets, such as Syrian Rice Pudding and Raisin and Walnut Jam Tart. (Also included is a recipe for preparing boxed couscous that finally makes the most of this obvious convenience.) With holiday menus and color photos throughout, the book is truly welcome. --Arthur Boehm ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Amazing food but recipes need to be more specific about amounts
I cooked 2010 Passover dinner for 8 people entirely from this cookbook.Every recipe I used was just absolutely delicious and my guests raved in particular about Haoari's Spicy Eggplant Puree and the Tunisian Passover Stew with Spring Vegetables.I made the Alternate Harissa for both dishes.I like this harissa so much that I spread it on matzos and eat it just like that. The Passover Stew made probably double the servings listed on the recipe (20 instead of 10). I had to split the stew between a large pressure cooker and my electric countertop roaster, both of which were full.I also made the Osbane sausage recipe for this stew, so that may have driven up the number of servings.

The recipes need to specify amounts more precisely though. In a lot of the recipes it says for example, "2 onions" or "the juice of one lemon".For the Osbane, I used two onions, however, when I mixed it together, it was obvious that the author's idea of a normal sized onion was much smaller than what I had on hand. I ended up fishing out pieces of onion to get the mixture down to where the sausage would hold together. These discrepancies in portions and amounts are the only reasons the book did not get five stars.

Despite this, I recommend this book strongly to anyone, not just Jews. A lot of people have asked me for the recipes from this, but really I would like them to just buy this book instead. The author deserves your money.

Another great cookbook
I'm currently bulking up my Jewish and Kosher cook book collection. If you're doing the same, you NEED Joyce Goldstein's books. They photography is stunning and the recipes are easy to follow. The ingredients are easy enough to find and there's nothing too exotic.

It's a welcome change from the massive amounts of Ashkenazim cookbooks on the market.

A Sephardic Splendor
This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone wishing to create a table that captures the Jewish cullanary experience of the S. Mediterranean.

Great purchase!
absolutely fantastic book. With a bookshelf of cookbooks I rarely use I was debating on purchasing this book. I am glad I did!

Spicy `Shores' of the Mediterranean
author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family

from the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
November 29, 2002

Celebrated cookbook author and chef Joyce Goldstein can trace her bloodline to a Russian shtetl, but her heart and soul lie in the Mediterranean.

In "Cucina Ebraica" (Chronicle Books, 1998) and "Sephardic Flavors" (Chronicle Books, 2000) she explored Italian Jewish and Spanish Jewish cuisine, and now, to round out the trilogy, in "Saffron Shores" (Chronicle Books, $35) she continues her Mediterranean culinary journey with the exotic cuisine of the Maghreb: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, even including related Judeo-Arabic countries like Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran.

"I have been cooking this food for I cannot tell you how many years," said the former chef/owner of the renowned Mediterranean restaurant Square One in San Francisco. "When I was doing research for `Sephardic Flavors,' I realized the subject was so huge I couldn't do it all in one book, so I covered the northern Mediterranean in `Sephardic Flavors' and the southern Mediterranean in `Saffron Shores.' Here the style of cooking changes with a lot more spices and herbs and additional uses of fruit, but, of course, there is some overlap."

Notable for its absence is Israeli cuisine. "I left it out because it's a hodgepodge," she explains. "The last time I was in Israel I was served sashimi and Thai-flavored something or other, and I thought, sorry, I didn't come here for that. Israeli cuisine is a melting pot, a lot like America. Whoever is there is cooking Romanian food, Italian food, Yemenite food. Is there Israeli cuisine? I think it's fusion, so I didn't give it much attention. It's not pure. I'd rather go back to the sources."

Indeed, each recipe reflects Goldstein's impeccable research and attention to detail, and regional differences are carefully noted. For example, for the Cumin Flavored Meatballs, Goldstein offers Moroccan and Syrian variations. But she never sacrifices flavor for authenticity, adding a touch of orange to the sfenj (Moroccan Chanukah donuts), for example, and adjusting the spices in various dishes.

"The spices of North Africa are really vibrant, just incredible, so much fresher and more intense than those we can buy here," she said. "To make these recipes taste right, I often had to double them."

More than just a recipe collection, "Saffron Shores" traces the history of Jewish life in these exotic lands and its impact on the cuisine. We learn that unlike the Ashkenazim, who preserved their Judaism by isolating themselves, the Sephardim were more involved in the communities in which they lived. "They shared recipes and culinary traditions with their non-Jewish neighbors," she writes. "Their food reflected the cuisine of their homeland but adapted to follow the kosher laws."

Because the Sephardim were more active in the community, in trades and in business, there was a greater exchange of ideas between Jews and Muslims, and the similarity in recipes between Jews and their non-Jewish neighbors is striking, she notes.

"On the other hand, certain [Eastern European] dishes, when you think of them, you know they are Jewish. I have many Russian cookbooks, but I don't see too many recipes in there for brisket or tzimmes. There's not as much overlap between the Jewish and non-Jewish dishes. Some of the ingredients are the same, like cabbage and potatoes, but the recipes don't track the same way that the Sephardic ones do."

A tireless researcher, Goldstein combed cookbooks from the area, written in French, to capture the authentic tastes and aromatic flavors of such dishes as Iraqi Chicken and Chickpea Pastries, Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Honey and Moroccan Chicken and Almond Pie. The latter, known as B'Stilla, Goldstein calls "a masterpiece of Moroccan cuisine."

And while most of the recipes are easy to prepare, favoring the use of fresh, local ingredients over the labor-intensive method, the savory pastries that Goldstein calls "labors of love" are worth the extra effort, she said. Teams of women would prepare them together for special occasions, a tradition that is sadly dying out. Goldstein suggests families create their own traditions by preparing these bistels, briks or buraks together. "Anything that is fried is appropriate for Chanukah. The Tunisian briks are rounder in shape and contain egg, as compared to the bistels from Morocco and buraks from Algeria," she explains, "but they all can be fried."

For those who can't think of Chanukah without potatoes, there are potato filled briks from Tunisia. But Goldstein offers a variety of fillings for these pastries, from beef or lamb to feta cheese to chicken with chickpea to spinach with pine nuts. Depending on the region, the dough may be phyllo, yeast raised, short crust or semolina, and the pastries may be baked as well as fried.

These spice-infused pastries make an alluring addition to any Chanukah table. And for Ashkenazic Jews, what an exotic change from latkes.

>Cumin Flavored Meatballs With Onion Jam and Spicy Tomato Sauce

1 pound ground beef

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1¼4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

11¼2 teaspoons salt

1¼2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Light a fire in a charcoal grill. (You may also use a skillet heated over medium-high heat.)

2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well, form into 16 oval meatballs wrapped around skewers, or into eight oval patties.

3. Grill or cook in oil on a hot pan until browned on all sides.

4. Serve with onion jam and tomato sauce.

Serves four.

Moroccan Chanukah Doughnut

2 envelopes active dry yeast

1¼4 cup sugar

1¼2 cup warm water

4 cups all-purpose flour

1¼2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)

grated zest of 1 orange

1¼4 cup canola oil, melted margarine,

or melted unsalted butter (optional)

11¼2 to 2 cups warm water or part

water, part orange juice

Peanut or canola oil for deep frying

Granulated sugar for sprinkling or warm honey for dipping (optional)

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Pour into a large bowl and gradually stir in the flour and salt.

3. Stir in the eggs, zest, and 1¼4 cup oil, margarine or butter, if using.

4. Stir in just enough water or water and juice to make a soft and elastic dough.

5. Knead well, with a dough hook or by hand, on a lightly floured surface, until the dough is elastic, smooth and shiny.

6. Roll the dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat.

7. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled (11¼2 to 2 hours).

8. Oil your hands. Divide the dough into 20 balls about 2 inches in diameter.

9. In a deep saucepan or wok, heat 3 inches of oil to 365 F.

10. Take a ball of dough, make a hole in the center, and pull it out to make a doughnut shape. Deep fry a few at a time until the donuts are puffed and golden.

11. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to paper towels to drain.

12. While still hot, sprinkle with granulated sugar or dip in warm honey. Serve warm.

Makes about 20 donuts. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
In Jewish Holiday Cooking, Jayne Cohen shares a wide-ranging collection of traditional Jewish recipes, as well as inventive new creations and contemporary variations on the classic dishes.  For home cooks, drawing from the rich traditions of Jewish history when cooking for the holidays can be a daunting task.  Jewish Holiday Cooking comes to the rescue with recipes drawn from Jayne Cohen's first book, The Gefilte Variations -- called an "outstanding debut" by Publisher's Weekly -- as well as over 100 new recipes and information on cooking for the holidays.  More than just a cookbook, this is the definitive guide to celebrating the Jewish holidays.  Cohen provides practical advice and creative suggestions on everything from setting a Seder table with ritual objects to accommodating vegan relatives.  The book is organized around the major Jewish holidays and includes nearly 300 recipes and variations, plus suggested menus tailored to each occasion, all conforming to kosher dietary laws.  Chapters include all eight of the major Jewish holidays -- Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, and Shavuot -- and the book is enlivened throughout with captivating personal reminiscences and tales from Jewish lore as well as nostalgic black and white photography from Cohen's own family history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Good Recipes But Bad Index
The Index at the back of the book is the worst I have ever seen in a cookbook.No page numbers for sub-entries.What's the deal with this???

Jewish Holiday Cooking: A Food Lovers Treasury of Classic and Improvisations
Refreshing new twist on the old family recipes! A beautiful book and easy to follow.

Fantastic Book for People of All Religions!
This is a truly wonderful cookbook and an asset to anyone who loves food, regardless of their religious affliation. I am not Jewish, but having been born and raised in New York City I grew up loving classic Jewish dishes. This book covers them all, and goes one step further by reinventing these classics into truly gourmet masterpieces.Who would have thought that kugel could be transformed into a whimsical dessert such as Double Ginger-Caramelized Pear Noodle Kugel?! With wonderful stories and illustrations interwoven throughout the recipes, this book is a must have for any food lover.

kosher for today
I especiall y like the improvisation part.Here, In Gainesville, FLthere is no kosher restaurant and kosher food is not easyto find.One ca never get a fresh kosher chicken here, only frozen.
The bok could use a few e-mail addresses where one can get kosher foods shipped wit h their price and estimated amount of potage for shipping.Thanks.

Good...but lots of repeats from "The Gefilte Variations"
This is a very fine cookbook--Jayne Cohen writes beautifully and her recipes are innovative and excellent.However, I was quite disappointed to find that many of the recipes in the book--and even the headnotes--are just reprints of recipes from her previous cookbook, The Gefilte Variations: 200 Inspired Re-creations of Classics from the Jewish Kitchen, with Menus, Stories, and Traditions for the Holidays and Year-Round.If you already own The Gefilte Variations, you may not want to purchase this cookbook, too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice History of Jewish Cooking & Culture
If you ever wondered why Sephardic Jews put dates in their Charoses & Askenazi Jews didn't, this book is a good place to find out.

This is not a kosher cookbook although many of the recipes are kosher.Thechapters are divided into countries rather than types of recipes.Thenwithin the chapters are food divisions.I really liked finding out whyrecipes differed from country to country ... Read more

Product Description

At last -- the Jewish holidays transformed into exquisite celebrations, graced with sublime chic and elegant ease for the contemporary Jewish reader. Combining the flair of Martha Stewart with the warmth and accessibility of a delightful neighbor, Rita Milos Brownstein breathes new life into traditional Jewish holiday celebrations.

Entertaining in high style creates marvelous holiday memories for your family, your friends, and yourself. For each of the ten major holidays, Brownstein offers suggestions for creative projects that will bring the whole family together and mouth-watering menus that make it effortless to prepare festivities of true material and spiritual splendor. With more than 85 full-color photographs and easy-to-follow step-by-step illustrations, this captivating book will motivate you to explore your Jewish heritage and use your imagination to make it your own.

Jewish Holiday Style is packed with dazzling and inspiring ideas. For Rosh Hashanah, host a honey-tasting party to celebrate the sweetness of a new year. If you love the ocean, observe Sukkot in a sukkah with a seaside motif -- even if you live in the cornfields of the Midwest. Make your own Chanukah menorahs -- try a simple cruse of oil that reflects the miracle of the oil in the Holy Temple, or an elaborate metalworked candelabra that is sure to become a family heirloom. For the Passover table, create personalized pillows for your guests, which.will allow them to recline like the royalty of old while you serve a lavish yet simple-to-prepare feast.

As part of this eye-opening tour through the Jewish calendar, Brownstein also highlights the historical origins and religious importance of each major holiday with a delightful essay that brings ancient rituals into the modern day. Think of the fast of Yom Kippur, for instance, as "a day spa for the soul...the too rare opportunity to get in touch with the things that really matter." Purim is "the definitive holiday of joy and merriment," commemorating a bright moment in the often somber history of the Jewish people. On Shabbat, "appreciate that you are joining the wave of Jews who are kindling their candles as the sun falls, working its way around the world."

At once a handbook of creative ideas and a primer on the spiritual significance of the Jewish holidays, Jewish Holiday Style is the first lifestyle book to address these all-important rituals and ceremonies, an elegantly designed volume that blends sensational crafts and delectable cooking with the richness of Judaism's 3,300-year-old tradition. Bursting with fresh ideas and exciting new looks, here, finally, is the book you've been waiting for. Let the holiday celebrations begin!Amazon.com Review
"In Judaism, since the spiritual and the physical are intimately connected, each has the power to enhance and infuse vitality into the other, creating a divine partnership. This concept of beauty and spirituality is most attainable during the Jewish holidays." So writes Rita Milos Brownstein, in the introduction to Jewish Holiday Style, a Martha Stewart-esque treatment of the Jewish holy days. The book is a colorful step-by-step guide to making the highlights of the Jewish calendar as chic and elegant as they can be. Although Brownstein sometimes gets carried away with her rhetoric (Yom Kippur becomes "a day spa for the soul"), her ideas and instructions (such as making your own Chanukah menorah, or celebrating Rosh Hashanah by tasting various honeys) will add some zest to the oldest Jewish traditions. And even Brownstein's excesses have at least this to redeem them: they always encourage the biblical virtue of hospitality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Delicious recipes...loaded with color photos..great cookbook!
I turn to this cookbook often, not just for the holidays. The recipes are delicious and this is one of those highly visual books loaded with color photos. The matzo ball soup makes the best chicken soup I've ever had. I make it with variations (barley, wild rice) every month. I love this book and am delighted to have found Rita Brownstein. I hope she writes more books. I'll be waiting hopefully.

Mostly inspiring, a little cheesy.
I've turned to this book again and again for Jewish holiday celebrations, and it often has lovely ideas.Just as often, some of them strike me as rather improbable and silly.On the plus side, the sukkahs she describes making are lovely interpretations of the idea, but on the minus side, trying to follow her directions to actually construct one will make you crazy.BELIEVE ME.I've used some of her ideas for Rosh Hashanah cards and been pleased with the results, but the Purim costumes and mishloach manot baskets mostly seem silly.And make your own journal for Yom Kippur?I don't know, I'm always way too busy to mess with something like that.Many of her recipes are surprisingly delicious, especially her orange-chocolate hamantaschen and the raspberry linzer-torte hamantaschen...YUM!So while it's not always consistent, I am glad to have it in my library nonetheless.

adds enjoyment to the holidays
great book for the holidays added alot of fun and meaning to our celebrations.

Jewish Holiday Style...
I bought this book for myself, and five more copies for my friends and family. This passover I am planning on making three matzah-cover vases formy pesach table, and I'm also going to have a glass-square sedar plate.These stylish things are chic and inexpensive, plus they look great withany room or setting. The book itself has more knowledge than any otherstyle book: usually books are either one or the other. Is Ms. Brownsteinplanning on writing any books in the future?

Why to buy this book
It will help you style up your house on any occasion like Shabbat to Passover.It is a wonderful guide on home decorating of every Jewish holiday. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Jewish Cooking Made Slim
Very disappointed...Thought I was ordering a book with a different title...was not cost-effective for me to return. ... Read more

Product Description
The updated edition of a kitchen classic, now with 30 new recipes for favorite savory holiday dishesKeep age-old holiday traditions alive and start delicious new ones with A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, nominated for a Julia Child Cookbook Award. Professional pastry chef and BetterBaking.com creator, Marcy Goldman has lovingly assembled a comprehensive collection of easy-to-follow, time-tested recipes from one of the world's great baking traditions, from sweet raisin challah for Rosh Hashanah to apricot-filled Hamantaschen for Purim and velvety Shabbat marble cake. Now bring the warmth of the holidays into your own home with hundreds of easy-to-follow, time-tested recipes, certain to bring back old memories and create new ones.Amazon.com Review
In A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, Goldman definesJewish cooking as a combination of influences from religious laws,holiday and seasonal events, what is locally available, andcross-cultural adaptations created as Jewish families movedaround. She also explains much about Jewish dietary law and other foodcustoms.

Holidays, in particular, call for foods with symbolic aswell as sensory resonance. This leads to baking a special,spiral-shaped challah--a reminder of life's continuity. This egg breadis reserved for the Sabbath and most holidays, while triangularHamantaschen, a pastry resembling the three-cornered hat of the evilHaman, are unique to the lively holiday of Purim.

Novice cooks willappreciate Goldman's list of "Winning Recipes for the BakeryChallenged." Her discussions of yeast (five pages) and sensibleequipment (seven pages) are an education for any baker, while everyonewill enjoy her killer frozen cheesecake, which you can keep forunexpected guests; flourless and rich, rich Espresso Truffle Torte;and Smoked Salmon, Dill, and Cream Cheese Pizza. Whatever yourpersuasion, Marcy Goldman's A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Bakingbelongs on your bookshelf. --Dana Jacobi ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Great Bakers' Book All Around
Someone referred me to this book for baking recipes.It's a great cookbook for bakers especially, whether or not they're Jewish.It also has some wonderful non-baking recipes -- the sweet and sour meatball recipe was fantastic.I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves to bake.

The very delectable best!

Marcy Goldman never fails me. Her breads, her cakes, her photos, her hints, her encouragement, her cookies, her tartlets and her guiding spirit are all there. This time, in the 10th Anniversary Edition, she has added a new bonus chapter to her baking wonders, reflecting her " savory cooking."
The extensive 24 or so pages of Introduction, Ingredients and Equipment information will have you underlining her important practical advice. This book is a classic!
Each year, our family prepares her famous " My Trademark, Most Requested, Absolutely Magnificent Caramel Matzoh Crunch" which she and we call "sublime." A popular Seder dessert is the "Mock Chestnut Torte" which, needless to say, contains no chestnuts.I own close to 1000 cookbooks and she is absolutely one of my favorite cookbook writers!
Go ahead, try the challahs, the varied hamantaschens, the coffee cakes, the cholent and anything in the tome and you will only hear "oohs and ahs" from your admiring tasters.
What a find! What a gift! If you have a dog-eared copy of the Jewish Holiday Baking book on your active cooking bookshelf, run out and buy this 10th Anniversary Edition as it will only add to your year long holiday enjoyment.

Easy and Delicious
I found the cake receipe's absolutely delicious especially the Honey Almond Honey cake, it has a lot of ingredients, but it is very easy and very, very good.All my friends wanted the receipe

Love this Cookbook!
I am a pretty active baker and love to bake for the Jewish Holidays. I have found this book to be a great resource. The recipes are EASY and the outcomes are usually excellent. We have decided to sell it on our website, Challah Connection.

BUY THIS BOOK!!!
This is by far, the best book on the planet.I have made each and every recipe.I can't decide which is my favorite because they all are that good!I made several of the Passover recipes as gifts and received rave reviews.Folks couldn't believe that Passover Sweets could taste this good.

Thank you Marcy Goldman... ... Read more

Product Description
In this second edition of her popular classic, celebrated food editor Gloria Kaufer Greene masterfully combines the delicious foods, the rich traditions, and the interesting histories that are essential components of every Jewish holiday in one cookbook. Readers will learn not only how to make a delicious Passover Seder, but why each dish is prepared for this annual celebration, and where these recipes originated. The 260-plus recipes vary from classic Jewish favorites to brand new discoveries with international flair. The New Jewish Holiday Cookbook is a wonderful resource for chefs, whether they are preparing their very first Hanukkah feast or putting the finishing touches on the weekly Sabbath dinner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Great Start
This is the very first Jewish cookbook I bought when I was 18 years old. I have cooked these dishes for my family for the past 10 years, and they have become family favorites. My nephew is always excited when I cook with this book, because he knows that I'm making "Jewish food."

What makes this cookbook a step above the rest its accessabilty and encyclopedic knowledge of several Jewish cuisines. The cookbook is a fusion of Ashkenazi, Sepharidic, and Mizrahi recipes. This is important in my family because we are Jews of Color. My sister won't touch Ashkenazi food on a ten foot pole, yet I've always managed to find delicious Sephardic foods in this recipes that she enthusiastically praises everytime.

My only issue with the recipes is that they truly require more spices than she recommends. Try doubling the spices in her Rosh Hashanah Spice Cake or her kugel. The taste is manna from heaven.

I recommend this cookbook for the beginning Jewish cook. Greene knows how to make you feel at ease and seems to whisper expert advice for every recipes. Even the proverbial cooking dunce can deliver a quality Yom Tov for her family.

Jewish Soul Food Done Right
My mother bought this book for me about 4 years ago.Since then it has become an invaluable tool in my kitchen to help create wonderful Jewish holiday traditions.EVERY recipe I have tried from this book has tasted wonderful, was easy to prepare, and made me look like a fabulous cook.I highly recommend the salmon croquettes.As other reviewers have said, the additional information the author gives regarding holidays and customs is great.I've even taken the book out during festivals to read excerpts - my guests were really impressed to learn new information about traditional foods served at Hannukah.

I love this book so much I've started to give it as a gift for every new bride I know.The recipes in this book have already become traditions in my new family.

Best of a very spiritual breed of cookbook. Buy It.
`The New Jewish Holiday Cookbook' by Gloria Kauler Greene and `The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking' by Phyllis Glazer and Miryam Glazer are two leading representatives of a great cookbook subgenre which may be unique among all cookbook flavors in that they represent that extraordinary relation between Judaism and food. Like the exceptional `Jewish Holiday Cookbook' by Joan Nathan and unlike the encyclopedic `New York Times Cookbook of Jewish Recipes', both books spend much space and words on the practice of kashrut or keeping kosher. But this is not the whole story. There are numerous Jewish culinary traditions which are not directly related to kashrut, such as the traditions surrounding the number of challah loaves baked for the Shabbat or the number of bumps on the challah loaves (The magic number here is 12, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, so the tradition is to have 12 loaves. More practical is the tradition to have two loaves each with 6 bumps created by the braiding of the bread before baking.)

There is one major difference among these three books which is evident in their titles. Ms. Glazer's book deals with `festival' cooking while Nathan and Greene deal with `Holiday' cooking. The subtle difference here is that the festival book does not cover Shabbat and the two `holiday' books do.

To a non-Jew, my guess is that since there are 52 shabbats in a year, while there are at most seven or eight major `festivals', it is much more important to have a book covering Shabbat as well as the yearly holidays. Between Greene and the Glazers, I find at least one other big difference in that Ms. Greene gives far more coverage to the creation of challah, which may be the single most important Jewish holiday recipe in any of these books, as it seems to be the one food which tradition calls for at every Shabbat. In fact, even though Joan Nathan's book combines two books, one of which is on Jewish holiday baking, Ms. Greene's treatment of challah, at least in the details she give for braiding several different numbers of dough strands is the most extensive. Among the recipes from the three books, the amateur bread baker in me prefers Ms. Nathan's recipe, as it uses the least (1 packet) yeast and calls for the longest raising time. She (and Ms. Greene) also use my preferred `active dry yeast' rather than the `rapid rise' yeast.

All three books deal in depth with Jewish holiday traditions, although Ms. Glazer and Ms. Greene seem to have better rabbinical sources and seem to be more dedicated to the details of the traditions. Of the three, Ms. Greene seems to touch me more effectively in her discussion of these traditions than the other two.

All three writers are primarily from the Ashkenazy tradition, although all three also give fair treatment to Sephardic dishes and menus. If you are really interested in Sephardic menus primarily, Ms. Nathan spends much of her space on Sephardic menus.

If you are willing to take a recommendation from a goyem, I recommend Ms. Greene's book most highly, followed by Ms. Nathan's book for her many baking recipes; however, all three are quality books.

THE DEFINITIVE JEWISH COOKBOOK!
Onc couldn't rave too much about this holiday cookbook.The recipes are delicious, not difficult to make, and a wonderful plus is the inclusion of the history and practices of Jewish customs.These are authenic Jewish recipes from around the world.

One thing I might point out:This book is preceded by the author's "The Jewish Holiday Cookbook," published in 1985.Many of the recipes in this book are included in "The New Jewish Holiday Cookbook," published in 1999.And there are changes.The latter book contains some new recipes, as well as some recipes from the first one.Some of the cooking procedures of recipes included in both books are changed.But one reason I'm glad to have copies of both books on hand is that one of my favorite recipes included in the first and second versions is called "My Mother's Chicken Soup"; I doubt if you will find a better chicken soup recipe if you simmer it as recommended for the full 8 hours.However, in the second version, I find that the exclusion of the only two spices in the initial soup recipe makes the soup less interesting.Those spices are one bay leaf ("optional") removed at the end of cooking, and a small amount of dried dill to taste ("optional") added at the end of cooking.To my taste, they enhance the soup and I can't imagine enjoying the soup as much without them.So to anyone wanting to delve into Jewish cooking seriously and in-depth, I would recommend considering purchasing both versions for a total scope of the selected dish.

Great for Jews and Non-Jews alike
I know from my name you wouldn't know that I was Jewish, but that is because my husband is not. I had to tell, that my mother-in-law picked up your book and started skimming while we were Kitchen Kibbutzin' and decidedit helped her understand the holidays and customs better than anythingelse. She HAD to have a copy, so we got her one as (of all things)aChristmas gift! She absolutely loves it. She says that it is so easy toread and the recipees are easy to follow! She can't wait to treat me andthe gang to some of the goodies she discovered from your book. She saidthat it isn't just a cookbook. It is her special reference book that helpsus celebrate and rejoice in the Jewish customs/traditions together.

Asfor me.... well let's just say that I never put it away!It is a staple inmy kitchen as important to me as salt and pepper! That is why it happennedto be out on the table for my MIL to discover!LOVE IT! ... Read more

Product Description
Hi-Tech Jewish Cooking – Recipes for the Microwave, Processor, Blender, and Crock Pot

Jewish cooking has come a long way since biblical Sarah prepared dishes for Abraham’s guests. But your cookbooks at home may as well be from the days of the bible if they don’t cover food preparations for all these latest kitchen appliances:

Microwave Ovens; Food Processors; Cuisinart Machines; Blenders and Mixers; Crock Pots.

Hi-Tech Jewish Cooking offers you more than 500 of today’s finest traditional and gourmet recipes – all adapted to conform to kosher dietary practice.

For old favorites you’ll find foolproof recipes for Sabbath and holiday dishes like:

Blintzes; Cholent; Gefilte fish; Knishes; Kugels; Stuffed Cabbage; Tzimmes.

You’ll even learn how to bake and decorate holiday challah.

For exotic meals there are kosher versions of many classic French, Italian, and other foreign foods. The modern kosher cook will be able to quickly whip up dozens of inernational dishes such as:

Crepes; Quiches; Chili; Pizzas (of many varieties).

While these delicious and inspired recipes open up new doors for the innovative cook with a state-of-the-art kitchen, conventional cooking instructions are also provided for those who may not have all these modern appliances.

Organized for quick reference, a sampling of chapters from "Hi-Tech Jewish Cooking" reveals the book’s wide range of applications:

Breakfast foods; Quick breads; Appetizers; soups; Fish; Meat; Poultry; Vegetables; Dairy; Sweet sauces & fillings; Desserts; Beverages; Baby foods. ... Read more

Product Description
Seventy child-friendly recipes and cooking activities from around the world will draw the entire family into the spirit and fun of preparing Jewish holiday celebrations. Covering the ten major holidays, each of the activities has a different focus--such as Eastern Europe, biblical Israel, contemporary America--and together they present a vast array of foods, flavors, and ideas.

The recipes are old and new, traditional and novel--everything from hamantashen to pretzel bagels, chicken soup with matzah balls to matzah pizza, fruit kugel to Persian pomegranate punch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Just for fun
Our family received this book as a gift.Each one of my children enjoyed read the book like a novel.Who would think of a cookbook as kid-friendly reading material?They liked the pictures and stories interspersed within the recipes.Many of the tips presented are the kind a grandma might teach a younger child. Tips like how to get young children safely involved in the kitchen including how to teach using a knife safely.In a world where people have vastly forgotten the meaning of family, books like this fill the gap.The traditions presented are mostly Rabbinic.The items shown on the cover are included in the book.

Great recipes and ideas for the family
I bought this book a year ago and rediscovered it on the book shelf.I am so upset with myself for waiting so long to try these recipes with my kids!!!!

Today my daughter made her first challah using the recipe from this book and it turned out absolutely BEAUTIFUL!We took the advice of the author and used the third portion of dough to make some cinnamon bread for Shabbat morning breakfast but we all had to sample it when it came out of the oven.Oh yum! It is delicious.It's so good that there is a little less than half of it left for tomorrow.I had to hide it from the kids or it would all be gone!


We are also making the Friday Night Pot Roast recipe and the whole house smells so good.I use to buy a mixture in a jar for making my brisket (Bubbe's) but this tastes (I had to sample it) and smells just like the one in the jar.Well, actually it smells and tastes a little better because it's homemade. :)

One of the most enduring features of this book are the notes and memories presented before each recipe.You learn many interesting facts, history and the author's own family life.You feel like you are chatting with Joan Nathan over a cup of tea.

Each chapter has a history of the holiday and customs associated with each.Then come the wonderful recipes.

I love that the instructions are written clearly for adult AND child.Each recipe also notes where adult help is needed and what steps can be entrusted to a child.

This is a great book for making memories throughout the year.We are going to have a lot of fun eating our way through the holidays and creating memories.

Excellent compilation of recipes for the holidays!
When Bon Appetit and other prestigous publications give this one rave reviews, that's a hint that you might have a "find"...and they are right. From Sabbath to Passover, there are recipes that are delicious, generally very easy to prepare and clearly explained. Although designed for children, I think thisone would be excellent for anyone who wants to become an excellent Jewish cook. It is like having a crash course in both the essentials and some special variations.

The book is extremely attractive and there are additions which make it special, such as suggested prayers, historical info about each holiday, great illustrations, etc.

Although the vast majority of the recipes are very simple, when one is a bit more complex, there are often step-by-step illustrations. An example would be Children's Cholent, where every single part of the process is pictured, right up to putting the dish in the oven.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the recipes were unique or new to me.

ANOTHER PLUS: The author suggests which parts of the recipe might be appropriate and easy for a child to handle and which should be done with supervision.

An excellent resource I use again and again.
I couldn't disagree more with the first review.With two small children, I rely heavily on this book as Jewish holidays come and go and have enjoyed many cooking experiences with my kids as a result.Furthermore, the recipes are consistently delicious!My kids and I have prepared Yemenite High Holiday Stew and Bread for Yom Kippur, Apple-Honey cupcakes, Hamantaschen, Aunt Lisl's Butter Cookies, and the ice-cream cupcake menorah featured on the cover, as well as a tender and delicious challah. There are many suggestions throughout for ways children can take part in the cooking, and often the menu suggestions accompanying each holiday have given me ideas of foods my children will actually eat.As a cook and an authority on Jewish cooking, Joan Nathan is no slouch; her contributions to the New York Times cooking section are significant and her adult-oriented cookbook "The Jewish Holiday Kitchen" is an exhaustive resource of Jewish dishes that is equally wonderful.In fact, I was reluctant to try this book because I doubted she could switch gears and write a children's cookbook that was really useable, but I contend she has done it!I can't imagine my cookbook library without this book.

A remedial recipe book- very limited CRAFTY ideas
I would not even give this book one star.I was VERY disappointed with this book.I was expecting a CRAFTY kitchen book for childen based on the pictures on the front cover.This book primarily consists of traditional recipes for the holidays but gives instructions such as child mixes this.. adult stirs that.Example of receipes include: grape juice, hallah, chicken soup, matzah balls, pot roast, peeling a pamagranet, etc.There is nothing unique or special about these recipes.If you are buying it for your children- don't. and if you are buying it for the recipes- don't.There are many other better Jewish holiday cookbooks out there to choose from. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A Taste of Tradition is more than a cookbook of recipes; it is a user-friendly food guide that samples and presents the cultural and traditional heritage of the Jewish year. Holiday specialties and festive meals reveal fascinating facts about Jewish life, moral values and history. By offering many full menus, A Taste of Tradition, makes holiday meal planning easy and fun, covering everything from luscious canapés and hors d'oeuvres to mouth-watering desserts, with exciting and manageable dinner dishes in between. A Taste of Tradition was written in Los Angeles, while the author’s husband served as an Israeli Diplomat. Sirkis, being the wife of a diplomat, was frequently organizing social functions, from intimate dinners at her home to widely attended receptions.After years in which there was a lively trading in used copies of A Taste of Tradition this collector's item is now available once again, for immediate delivery of commercial quantities from our warehouse in Lynbrook, New York. ... Read more

Product Description

Amazon.com Review
Product Description
As a journalist and life-long deli obsessive, David Sax was understandably alarmed by the state of Jewish delicatessen--a cuisine that once sat at the very center of Jewish life had become endangered by assimilation, homogenization, and health food trends. He watched one beloved deli after another shut down, one institution after another shutter only to be reopened as some bland chain-restaurant laying claim to the very culture it just paved over. And so David set out on a journey across the United States and around the world in search of authentic delicatessen. Was it still possible to Save the Deli?

Join David as he investigates everything deli--its history, its diaspora, its next generation.He tells us about the food itself--how it's made, who makes it best, and where to go for particular dishes. And, ultimately, there there is for hope--David finds deli newly and lovingly made in places like Boulder, traditions maintained in Montreal, and iconic institutions like the 2nd Avenue Deli resurrected in New York. So grab a pastrami on rye and sit down for a great read--because Save the Deliis an energetic cultural history of Jewish food, a vibrant travelogue, and a rallying cry for a new generation of food lovers.

---

Amazon Exclusive: A Letter from David Sax

Dear Amazon Reader,

I assume you're here because you either love Jewish deli like Jewish deli, or want to learn to love Jewish deli. Well, you're in luck. That's why I'm here too. In fact, that's the whole idea behind Save the Deli. If I can get twenty more people to eat a corned-beef sandwich, I've done my part. Mission accomplished, right?
Well, not exactly.

As you can see from some of the reader reviews already on Amazon, deli lovers are a fiercely opinionated bunch. They know what's the best and if anyone dares say otherwise, they're willing to hit the battlefield and inflict damage. Look into those reviews and you'll read criticisms about how I didn't go to X deli, or didn't go to Y city, and how dare I say that LA has deli that's as good, or even better than New York! Who am I to question the conventional wisdom about Jewish deli?

Blasphemy! Heresy! Heartburn!

But it's true. In Save the Deli, I talk not only about the great delis in New York--like Katz's, Carnegie, and 2nd Ave Deli--but also about unknown places in Detroit, Chicago, Salt Lake City, LA, Denver, Florida, and Toronto. I eat deli in London, Paris, and Krakow. The point here is to convince you that great deli knows no geographical bounds, that you can have a cabbage roll in Charlotte, North Carolina, that's better than one in Brooklyn, that great blintzes aren't tied to any one city or state.

Now before you light the pyre, let me tell you about how I came to this realization.

Three years ago, when I began working on this book, I too had fallen prey to the misguided notion that great deli was only confined to New York and Montreal. Anything outside those cities had to be a pale imitation. I, like many Jewish deli lovers, was narrow-minded,could see and imagine no further than the local delicatessen I frequented…a village simpleton who knows nothing beyond his little shtetl and the salamis therein.

But as I hit the road, in search of the story of delicatessen in American and around the world, I tasted revelation after revelation. It first happened in Brussels, where I encountered a fancy sandwich shop called Gilles. I dismissed it as a hokey deli until I layered their delicate smoked brisket on a warm onion roll and realized an entire new world of deli potential. Two weeks later I was in Paris, eating chopped liver with foie gras, duck sausage, and calves-foot jelly at Maison David. I'd stepped through the looking glass.

When I hit the road in America things were no different. Who knew the rye bread in Detroit was the best anywhere? Who knew a new deli in Boulder, Colorado, made its own schmaltz? Who could suspect the level of kitchen prowess I'd find in Los Angeles, where a kishke at Brent's blew me away?

Do you know what it's like to be blown away by kishke? It's akin to a religious moment; your mouth is so in love with this crackling fat-stuffed sausage that it floods your brain with endorphins. It's a watershed event. I'd love for you to experience that.

Great deli knows no geographical limits. If there's one thing I learned on this whole journey to Save the Deli, that's it.I hope everyone that reads this book will realize this. It doesn't mean the delis in your hometown serve up sandwiches any less delicious than before. It doesn't mean that the deli you grew up with in Brooklyn was anything less than spectacular. But I implore you to look out beyond your deli counter at the world of possibilities. Then go. And taste. You won't regret it.

---

Key Yiddish and Food Terms (so you don’t sound like a schmuck) from Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen

Fress: To eat a lot. A big eater is a fresser.
"He polished off two sandwiches and a knish. Quite the fresser."

Treyf: Unkosher. "I don't eat Reubens, they're pure treyf."

Maven: A master. "Ziggy Gruber calls himself a deli maven."

Haymish: Like home. "Such a haymish deli. His mother's in the kitchen."

Schmutz: Dirt. "There was so much schmutz there it was like eating in a bus station."

Goyish: Gentile, or exuding a non-Jewish vibe.
"That deli is really goyish. I mean, they serve lobster rolls."

Chutzpah: Nerve. "You got a lot of chutzpah to ask for butter on that sandwich."

Kvetch: To complain. Every diner's right at a deli.
"She came in, ate, and then kvetched at me for twenty minutes about the soup's color."

Gonif: A thief. "Sixteen dollars for a sandwich? Those gonifs!"

Nosh: To eat a little. A nibbler is a nosher. "I'll stop by, but just for a nosh."

Meshugah: Crazy. "You've gotta be meshugah to pay those prices."

Kibitz: To joke. "Mel Brooks was in yesterday, kibitzing with everyone."

Plotz: To keel over. "I ate so much I could plotz."

Shonda: A shame. "They took herring off the menu...such a shonda."

To Die For: The highest culinary compliment.
"The rolled beef was to die for" or "The rolled beef: to die."

Zay Gezunt: Be in health. "See you next week. Zay gezunt."

Ess Gezunt: Eat in health. "Ess Gezunt. Enjoy that sandwich."

Shmear: To spread, though also a term for all spreads.
"What kinds of shmear can I get with this bagel?"

L'Chaim: Cheers. "Is it cool to say l'chaim with Cel-Ray?"

Bissel: A little bit. "Gimme a bissel of that chopped liver."

---

The Deli Diaspora--A Sampling of Save the Deli Favorites
(Click on Images to Enlarge)

East Coast Delis

2nd Avenue Deli in New York, NY

The Kosher Cajun in Metairie, LA

Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, MI

West Coast Delis

Jimmy and Drew's 28th Street in Boulder, CO

Langer's in Los Angeles, CA

Miller's East Coast Delicatessen in San Francisco, CA

---

... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Skeptical at First, Now I'm Impressed
When I first got this book I was a bit skeptical. Do we really need a book on delis? But then I realized there are books on absolutely everything else under the sun. So if delis are Mr. Sax's passion, then who am I to argue.

And I'm glad I didn't, argue that is. I'm glad I looked into this book, because I enjoyed it. Long a fan of deli food, give me a corned beef on rye over a fillet mignon any day, I found, much to my surprise that I enjoyed reading about delis throughout the world. I travel quite a bit and now I've got a little list of places to go for lunch, dinner, too.

I've eaten at Langer's in L.A. and Canter's, too. I've savored the food at Pennisi's in Sacramento and though not really a Jewish deli I've loved the sandwiches at Beach Hut. I love deli food and I look forward to trying more. I'm glad I got this book and I am eager to compare my opinions with those of Mr. Sax's as I sample the wares in delis I've yet to try. I was skeptical at first, now I'm impressed.

Glad to find someone else who wants to Save the Deli
I had spoke with two deli owners about their responsibility in training the next generation of deli owners.

Neither seemed interested. Perhaps with this book, I can motivate them.

Learned some things about the business.
Good resource for finding a good deli.
But hurry, they are going going ...

Great guide and read to the Jewish Deli culture across America
Fans of the Jewish Deli will find much to like in David Sax's, "Save the Deli."While this book provides tremendous function to aficionados of deli cuisine as a guidebook to some of America's (as well as Candada) most beloved delis it also makes for a passionate and emotional read through Sax's insightful exposition into the heart and soul of this particular food culture.Everything you'd expect to be in a book covering this particular topic is there (deli overviews and explanations of standard fare) but there are plenty of surprises and humanistic insight, along with Sax's breezy writing style that kept me reading through the very end.

A Delicious Book
Like the old Levy's ad, you don't need to be Jewish or a New Yorker to love this book.I only wish I had wrote it.In the late 1980's I spend two days doing nothing but visiting New York deli's and later did the same in Montreal, which also gets a lot of deserved respect in "Save the Deli."This book is much more than a travelogue or a nostalga trip.At it's heart, it is about how such a loved institution has become an endangered species.Don't just save the deli, save ourselves, the unique aspects of our American culture and save our tastebuds.There are a lot of books these days about food types & food culture.Most are worthwhile but "Save the Deli is Outstanding."

Very fun to read Sax's adventures for Pastrami
Deli lovers Unite!!!That's right all those who love delis, especially the mom-and-pop delis need to remind the rest of us why delis are great.From the fresh ingredients to the care and craftmanship of their daily specials, delis should be the working man's home away from home.Where else can you get down home dishes without the pretentious attiitude (okay I know BBQ joints also fit this description).

David's book is a very entertaining guide to great delis.If you enjoy traveling, and enjoy delis, this is a great book for you.For others who just want to be entertained by david's humor along this quest this is still worthwhile. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Wonderful book for classic dishes
My mother received the original book as a wedding present in the 50's and it was passed on to me well worn and put to good use. I wanted a new copy and to see if any of the recipies had been updated for the times. It is a great book for making the Jewish Classics like brisket or kugel or borsht. I love it.

Some dated recipes, but a great reference book
"The Complete American Jewish Cookbook" includes a mix of traditional Ashkenazic dishes and mid-20th-century American comfort food.There are many cookbooks that will provide updated versions of traditional foods and kosher versions of contemporary favorites.But how many of them also serve as good, basic references, covering everything from applesauce (multiple versions) to zucchini?My personal favorites include banana bread and baked macaroni and cheese.The Passover section is invaluable, and the chicken soup is sheer perfection!

My Favorite Cookbook!
My friend's Mom gave me her book that she got in 1950.Even with the front cover missing I return to this book time and time again.I love the thousands of recipes to choose from.The best part is rarely is there a recipe that has more than 6-10 ingredients.Easy to read - simple to follow - great pictures.I've purchased a used hard cover version that I saving for my daughter.This cookbook brings the memory of my mother and grandmother back to life!

Best Cookbook I've Ever Used
I have approximately 20 cookbooks on my shelf, but when push comes to shove, this is my best source for almost anything I am looking for.I have been using it for 40 years, and am now looking to buy a "new" one, having gone through 2 already...as I said, I really use this book!

Absolutely cannot do without it!
I have had this book for about 48 years, in fact the original one has pages falling out. I had to buy another (with soft cover) about 15 years ago because the first one is very fragile. I bought this book for my daughter when she got married in 1980 and also for my youngest daughter when she married in 1983. Now my grandaughter, age 18, is starting college and wants the book, too. I understand it is out of print, and in that case, I will have to give her the soft cover one. This book is a basic cookbook which covers every situation, and it is especially good for new cooks because it explains very well. You don't even have to be kosher to use it, but it doesn't hurt. New jewish cookbooks come and go, but this is the one you really need and is a keeper! ... Read more

Product Description
Whether it's a holiday, or Shabbat dinner, "What's on the menu?" is on everybody's mind. Ranging from the classic Ashkenazic Chicken Fricassee to the definitive Sephardic Chicken Marrakesh, The Hadassah Jewish Holiday Cookbook includes the best of the best traditional recipes from the celebrated cooks of Hadassah, the Jewish women's volunteer organization. In a culinary celebration of tradition, history, dedication, and faith, the more than 250 holiday recipes from great cooks in America and Israel present traditional favorites as well as modern twists on classic dishes.Readers will find nostalgic must-haves--from chicken soup to borscht and kreplach to kishka--along with favorite dishes updated for modern palates. This feast for the eyes and tastebuds is accompanied by the splendid writing of award-winning Jewish authors who offer their historical insights, sage advice, personal reminiscences, and engaging commentaries. Contributor include Susan R. Friedland, Edda Servi Machlin, Joan Nathan, Steven Raichlen, Claudia Roden, and Rabbi Robert Sternberg. History, passion, and tradition--and love--are the essential ingredients to what may become the definitive guide to Jewish holiday cooking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Hadassah Jewish Holiday Cookbook
One of the most beautiful and complete Jewish & Kosher cookbooks I ever seen.Since my first purchase, I have ordered several more as gifts for family and friends.This is a "must have" for any cookbook enthusiast!

don't know yet
We bought this book to be the prize in a drawing for our Chanukah party on the 28th of Dec.My husband peeked in the book and loves most of the recipes, but (obviously) we haven't made any yet.

One of my favorite cookbooks
This cookbook will never reach your bookshelf. It will remain close by for reading, education, and cooking purposes. It is SO delightful, and each recipe I have tried has been delicious. Our favorites are Pineapple-Ricotta Kugel (to live for), Ukrainian Borscht (please try it, you'll like it), Crockpot Cholent (this shouldn't be legal, it is so good), Haroset from Suriname (no complaints from anyone on this - delicious), and Chicken Marrakesh (great for company - feeds 10-12).

All of the Hadassah cookbooks that you can get your hands on are worth having. There is a real community of people who love good food behind them. I have over 1,000 cookbooks in my collection, and this "Jewish Holiday Hadassah Cookbook is in the top 5 of all of them.

Hadassah Cookbook - Identical to 2002 Edition
Although this is a great cookbook - it is identical to the 2002 Edition. The ONLY difference is the cover picture.Every other page is identical.I recommend this cookbook if you do not already own it! ... Read more

Product Description
a cookbook honoring Jewish Dietary laws. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Marvelous book!
I've made 5 of the recipes and they have all been superb.The book is a treasure.

Jewish Cooking
This is a fun book to have.Lots of interesting recipes from "days of old".Methods of storing food and cooking were so different.Even if you aren't a cook, you'll enjoy having this book in your collection.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Jewish people are scattered all over the world, creating a vibrant culinary tradition that is as varied as the countries they live in: the linking theme is that however widely spread the population has become, the food is universally rich, wholesome, pleasurable. ... Read more

Product Description
When people think of Jewish cooking, "low fat" aren't usually the first words that come to mind.But now, thanks to The Low-Fat Jewish Cookbook, kosher food doesn't have to mean fattening food.Using simple combinations of accessible ingredients, renowned cookbook author Faye Levy creates delicious, healthful dishes that meet all of the guidelines for keeping kosher.

While many Jewish cooks don't keep a kosher kitchen throughout the entire year, they do want to prepare traditional Jewish dishes for the holidays.Following a comprehensive introduction outlining the rules of kashrut, the first part of the book is divided by holiday (including a section on Shabbat), beginning with a description of each special day and the foods that are associated with it. The recipes that follow include lightened-up versions of old favorites such as noodle kugel, blintzes, honey cake, challah, and even a gefilte fish that is made in the food processor, all low in fat and all true to their origins.

The second part of the book consists of fabulous low-fat everyday recipes organized into general chapters, including Appetizers and Salads, Dairy and Egg Dishes, Chicken and Turkey Dishes, Vegetables and Vegetarian Dishes, and Desserts.This book is for cooks who keep a kosher kitchen year round and any cook looking for exciting, fast (many under 30 minutes), and easy recipes with family appeal.Recipes include Broiled Eggplant Slices, Easy Chicken Breast Paella, Beef Stew with Cilantro, Garlic, and Tomatoes, Low-Fat Macaroni and Cheese, and Double Chocolate Ice Cream Cake, and each recipe is denoted as meat, dairy, or pareve for easy reference.Remember, any dish can be kosher so long as it adheres to the basic rules of kashrut, so Coq au Vin can be just as kosher as Cholent.And in recent years, as more and more cooks have been turning to kosher cuisine, there has been a proliferation of kosher products in the markets, making it easier to keep kosher and to cook "gourmet" dishes with a variety of ethnic influences.

Eight pages of full-color photographs bring a number of these dishes to life.And who better to bring kosher cooking into the nineties than Faye Levy, author of Faye Levy's International Jewish Cookbook and many other cookbooks.Faye Levy proves that a dish doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious, and it doesn't have to be high in fat to be flavorful. The Low-Fat Jewish Cookbook is a contemporary, straightforward companion that will allow kosher cooks to enjoy traditional and innovative meals without the guilt. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Wonderful recipes!!
After checking out this book at the local library, I knew I HAD to have a copy of my own.I love all of the history written before each festival and the recipes are all simple and delicious! A wonderful book to add to the collection!

Dated cookbook
By today's standards, this is an unexceptional collection; there are so many better, more creative and appealing Kosher recipe collections available. The recipes are pretty standard fare, often timidly seasoned . At best, it's a guide to what kind of dishes are meat, dairy or pareve. Some nice photos.The book shows its age .

Wonderful recipes but please read review if you KEEP KOSHER
I'm not the only reviewer who noticed that the Kosher standards (and definitions of what the K and P letters mean on packages) are not necessarily correct in this book - but it bears repeating in case someone keeps Kosher and can't use recipes which are inaccurate as to Kosher standards.If you don't keep Kosher, the definitions may not mean that much to you and you may be pleased to find plenty of low-fat recipes which have roots in Jewish cooking and meals - including many you can use for special holidays, with full menus. The recipes are indeed tasty, although there are times you can tell that the fat is missing. The "mouth appeal" isn't quite the same, as they say in the food business. Still, if you're watching your fat content and you are looking for traditional foods that are tasty, this book will do nicely. I LOVED the spicy Turkey burgers with Cumin, coriander and cilantro - I made it both with and without the Cilantro (we have a Cilantro hater in our family) and it was still quite good.

This is a very good cookbook with some unfortunate errors
The recipes in this book are very good and sophisticated (particularly for a Jewish cookbook).I am already looking forward to making over half of them.

Unfortunately, Ms. Levy makes some errors in her descriptions of kosher standards.Two prominent errors include:1) Ms. Levy states that the symbol "K" on a food product indicates that it is kosher.The kosher consumer does not rely on a "K" symbol because it does not represent any particular reputable kosher certifying agency.2) Ms. Levy states that the "P" symbol on a food product indicates that the product is parve (suitable for use with milk or meat).This is incorrect.The "P" symbol next to reputable kosher certification indicates that the product is kosher for Passover (as well as year round). A food product that is certified as parve must have "parve" written out on the label.These errors are particularly unfortunate because Jewish consumers often rely on kosher cookbooks as a guide to keeping kosher.

fabulous for that special occasion
This book of recipies actually combines wonderful flavors that you really connot find in other kosher cookbooks. The author, Faye Levy, has a remarkable way of creating delicious combinations that the ordinary person cannot. The Sephardic Stuffed Peppers and the Sweet Potato Pancakes are amazing. The Veal Chop Pipperade is also delicious. The book is great. ... Read more

Product Description
I grew up in The Bronx with a mother who used to make her grind her own fish to make her own gefilte fish and who made her own matzoh balls. We did not eat Chinese food, go out for Italian food and, as a matter of fact, never went out to eat. That was for other people who wasted their money and who were unwilling to keep up with tradition.

As my Mom became older, it was hard for her to keep with the traditional meals that she would make us when she was younger so slowly but surely, other food crept into our house and some of the great meals became reserved for Jewish holidays.

That’s why I decided to create this report. To me, at least, the so-called Jewish food in the supermarkets taste like garbage, not like what I grew up with.

I don’t pretend that it is an all inclusive cookbook but it has the basics. Not all are easy to prepare but keeping up with tradition is work of love and choice, not something you buy at the store like a jar of fish. ... Read more