Description:
Faye Levy is passionate about Jewish cooking. Encouraged by her mother, who came from Warsaw to the U.S. and is now living in Israel; by her mother-in-law, born in Yemen and also living in Israel; and by their extended families, who cover the globe, Levy has an enthusiasm for her subject that is inspirational. Her rich culinary heritage ensures that no one is forgotten. Although most Jewish dishes can be roughly described as belonging to one of the two major branches of Jewish culture and cuisine--the mostly European Ashkenazim and the Spanish and Mediterranean Sephardim--the recipes she has included go far beyond these two traditions. No Jewish cookbook would be complete without recipes for gefilte fish, potato latkes, and honey challah, but with 1,000 opportunities to make your mouth water, Levy gets creative with recipes like a Moroccan Cucumber and Pepper Salad with Fresh Mint, an Italian Eggplant Caponata, and the quintessential Alsatian coffeecake, Kugelhopf. Levy explains in her remarkably informative introduction that the customs of the Jewish festivals strongly influence Jewish cooking, so she uses the festivals as one way to divide up this mammoth collection. The volume begins with a comprehensive chapter on each of the major festivals, with recipes for starters, main courses, vegetarian dishes, side dishes, and desserts appropriate for or inspired by each holiday. While Creamy Raspberry Blintzes and Apple Cinnamon Noodle Kugel with Sour Cream may come as no surprise in the Shavuot section, Barley Tabbouleh, Striped Vegetable Terrine, and a Creamy Onion Soufflé are welcome additions to ancient traditions. Levy has collected these recipes from Jewish cooks all over the world and the results are clear and concise, the way your mother (and The Joy of Cooking) would share a favorite dish. Dvora's Bright and Easy Pepper Salad, for instance, begins with a charming nod to Dvora, a Moroccan-born relative of Levy's husband, we learn, who serves this during Succoth; the recipe goes on to list just a handful of ingredients and no-nonsense instructions. While 1,000 Jewish Recipes may be the perfect reference cookbook for anyone interested in Jewish cooking, it is also, quite simply, a fabulous collection of recipes. Oven-Braised Short Ribs in Hot and Sweet Tomato Sauce, Hungarian White Bean Soup, French-Style Couscous with Wild Mushrooms, and Chocolate-Pecan Rugelach are all sure to be crowd pleasers. For those cooks particularly interested in the mores of Jewish cooking, there is a short section on keeping kosher, and every recipe is categorized as dairy, meat, or neither (pareve). --Leora Y. Bloom
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