97 Orchard: An Edible History of Five Immigrant Families in One New York Tenement [Hardcover]

Jane Ziegelman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 1, 2010

“Social history is, most elementally, food history. Jane Ziegelman had the great idea to zero in on one Lower East Side tenement building, and through it she has crafted a unique and aromatic narrative of New York’s immigrant culture: with bread in the oven, steam rising from pots, and the family gathering round.” — Russell Shorto, author of The Island at the Center of the World

97 Orchard is a richly detailed investigation of the lives and culinary habits—shopping, cooking, and eating—of five families of various ethnicities living at the turn of the twentieth century in one tenement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. With 40 recipes included, 97 Orchard is perfect for fans of Rachel Ray’s Hometown Eats; anyone interested in the history of how immigrant food became American food; and “foodies” of every stripe.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ziegelman (Foie Gras: A Passion) puts a historical spin to the notion that you are what you eat by looking at five immigrant families from what she calls the "elemental perspective of the foods they ate." They are German, Italian, Irish, and Jewish (both Orthodox and Reform) from Russia and Germany--they are new Americans, and each family, sometime between 1863 and 1935, lived on Manhattan™s Lower East Side. Each represents the predicaments faced in adapting the food traditions it knew to the country it adopted. From census data, newspaper accounts, sociological studies, and cookbooks of the time, Ziegelman vividly renders a proud, diverse community learning to be American. She describes the funk of fermenting sauerkraut, the bounty of a pushcart market, the culinary versatility of a potato, as well as such treats as hamburger, spaghetti, and lager beer. Beyond the foodstuffs and recipes of the time, however, are the mores, histories, and identities that food evokes. Through food, the author records the immigrants™ struggle to reinterpret themselves in an American context and their reciprocal impact on American culture at large.
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From Booklist

In this compelling foray into forensic gastronomy, Ziegelman pulls the facade off the titular 97 Orchard Street tenement.The result is a living dollhouse that invites us to gaze in from the sidewalk.With minds open and mouths agape, we witness the comings and goings of the building's inhabitants in the years surrounding the turn of the twentieth century. By focusing on the culinary lives of individuals from a variety of ethnic groups, Ziegelman pieces together a thorough sketch of Manhattan's Lower East Side at a time when these immigrants were at the forefront of a rapidly changing urban life. The food facts she uncovers are sure to interest and astound even those outside the culinary community, and guarantee that the reader will never look at a kosher dill pickle, a wrapped hard candy, or even the delectable foie gras the same way again. Ziegelman cleverly takes this opportunity to show us that in learning about food, we're actually learning about history—and when it comes to the sometimes surprising journey some of our favorite meals have taken to get here, it's fascinating stuff. --Annie Bostrom

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061288500
• ISBN-13: 978-0061288500
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #301,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, but now I live in Brooklyn Heights with my husband, Andy, who also writes about food, and my two kids, Smacky and Buster.

I studied history in college, then spent some time in publishing before attending the NYU graduate program in urban anthropology, and that's when I became interested in the culinary history of New York. When my first kid was a year old, I started a cooking program for children called Kids Cook!

I spend most of my time cooking, eating, reading about food, and talking about food. The best place to eat in this city, at the moment, is the Chinatown in Flushing, Queens, a place we visit every weekend. If you're interested in recommendations for places to go, drop me a line.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read June 30, 2010

By Bonnie J. Lyons

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I heard the author of this book on NPR and wanted to know more about the topic. I found this book fascinating. It shared many insights into life in the tenements of New York in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, most especially about the foodways of the immigrants. It was fascinating to read about the different groups and the "exotic" foods that they ate--some of which have become staples of our modern American diets. One small complaint was that I felt the book ended a bit abruptly. I think even a short conclusion or epilogue would have added to the book's closing.

If you do read this book, I'd also recommend looking up the website of the Tenement Museum in New York, which now occupies 97 Orchard Street. You can see addtional photographs and additional details about the lives of the families profiled in the book.

The Kindle formatting was good. The pictures mainly seemed to translate well, although some were small. But judging by a reviewer of the hardcover, this was also the case in the paper book.

The price was a bit high for a Kindle book, but I decided it was worth it for such a fascinating glimpse into the lives of our ancestors.

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book for the new generation July 4, 2010

By M. F. H.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

the book was a classic in telling the story of immigrants.. I live in a small town in Pittsburgh and could relate to all that was written in the book.. The food especially and the hard life the immigrants were living then..We still have the same going on in Pittsburgh but with different ethinic groups , nigerians, hatian and mexicans. They live in smaller tenaments in the city and our trying to keep their heritage from evaporating in the American climate.. So a great book for a better understanding of immigrant heritage..

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars most interesting July 12, 2010

By Dolores T. Johnson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book. I heard an interview with the author on NPR radio and I ordered it that day. It didn't tell as much about the families themselves, but I suspect not much more was known than what Ms Zeigelman wrote.
The talk of food and the recipies were so descriptive that I had to go out and buy dark breads, cabbage, saurkraut, sausages, etc.
Having German and Polish parents I grew up with most of the food.
All in all, the book was entertaining as well as informative.