A monumental work--the story of the Jewish people told through the story of Jewish cooking--The Book of Jewish Food traces the development of both ...
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reviews
Jan 21, 2012
Jenny
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This is my best-loved cookbook because it doubles as an amazing gastronomic history and anthropology text. The bottom line for Claudia Roden, and one of the reasons The Book of Jewish Food is such a worthy read, is that a singular Jewish culinary identity does not exist. Jewish food is whatever Jews happen to be eating wherever they are on the planet, and Jewish food in early twentieth century Vilnius bears almost no relation to Jewish food of the Sephardi diaspora in Istanbul or Yemeni cuisine.
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Feb 01, 2012
Ivy's Mom
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Easily the best cookbook I've ever read. I never expected to discover my own family history in a cookbook but...
The morning before I went to the library to pick this cookbook up I went to the gym. My spinning class ends at the same time an aqua-aerobics class that has a lot of Jewish grandmothers in it. That day the grannies were talking about how they were all getting rid of their cookbooks (give them to me!!!) in favor of internet recipes. How sad...within an hour of picking this More...
The morning before I went to the library to pick this cookbook up I went to the gym. My spinning class ends at the same time an aqua-aerobics class that has a lot of Jewish grandmothers in it. That day the grannies were talking about how they were all getting rid of their cookbooks (give them to me!!!) in favor of internet recipes. How sad...within an hour of picking this More...
Oct 05, 2011
Sally
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This book is worth the money just for the history alone. Stories from the Diaspora make for interesting reading. I love the simplicity of some recipes (such as the fabulous Potato Salad on p. 58 and the Chicken Soup with Knaidlach on pp. 75-76) as well as the exotic ones (like the Purdah Pilau on pp. 387-388).
The insalata di Riso on p. 230 makes an easy at-home lunch. One for the home library as well as the cookbook shelf.
The insalata di Riso on p. 230 makes an easy at-home lunch. One for the home library as well as the cookbook shelf.
Aug 30, 2010
Rebecca
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All sorts of good things to eat. Especially the 40 cloves of garlic and a chicken. Both Sephardi and Ashkhenazi recipes, along with all sorts of folklore and stories.
Jul 08, 2007
Khaya
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I love this book, less for its recipes (although the ones I tried were actually pretty good, if written in a less user-friendly way than I'm used to) than for the many well-written and enjoyable history sections throughout. I really enjoyed reading about how Jewish cuisine developed in different world regions. It's a fun book to take out on a long Friday night and flip through, reading whatever section interests you at the time. It was an expensive book, but I really love it and I think it ma
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Nov 17, 2007
Carrie
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I read a profile of Claudia Roden in the food issue of the New Yorker last month and it made me want to read one of her books. This is as much food history as cookbook and meticulously researched. I doubt I'll ever make a single recipe in the book, but it was a fascinating and enjoyable read and her reputation as a preeminent food writer is well deserved.
Feb 01, 2011
Mark
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Another great book from Claudia Roden. Not just a great book of recipes (although it has 800) but a great book of history and ethnography. The first 200 pages deal with Ashkenazi culture and food. The next 400 or so deal with the culture and food of the Sephardim and other Jewish commuities of the east.
Nov 18, 2007
Julian
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I've recommended this to a few people - very different recipe book. With a lot of background information it takes you through what feels like a parallel foodie world to cuisine all over the world.
Dec 15, 2007
Laura
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This book is extensive in foods, technique and Jewish culture. It shows the incredible adaptability of one people despite restrictive dietary laws and social hardships.
Aug 17, 2008
Hindy
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This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I love that every recipes comes with a story and history. I am always finding myself paging through this to find new ideas.
Dec 17, 2009
Naomi
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I love this book! The recipes are very good, granted, but the history and stories are fascinating. One of my favorite cookbooks.
Feb 09, 2012
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