America's Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast [Hardcover]

Sheryll Bellman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2005

Whether it’s a pastrami on rye or a bagel with a schmear, America’s Great Delis, by Sheryll Bellman, explores the history and recipes of the country’s most beloved delis. From New York’s Lower East Side to Detroit and all points west, the delicatessen remains a quintessential part of the American landscape. In New York, as in much of America, lunch is synonymous with deli. Perfected in the early twentieth century by Eastern European Jewish immigrants, the deli, short for delicatessen, quickly won our hearts — and stomachs!

From Barney Greengrass "The Sturgeon King" to Katz’s Deli, with their beloved slogan "Send a Salami to Your Boy in the Army," and the renowned Carnegie Deli, celebrity hotspot for generations, America’s Great Delis is the authoritative answer to all your noshing needs.

Vintage photographs, menus, and signs complement the mouth-watering recipes made famous in delis across the country. Matzo ball soup, classic coleslaw, and cheesecake are just a few of the classic made-to-order tastes included for deli aficionados everywhere.

Features: •More than one hundred nostalgic deli photographs, historical food and deli details, and a guide to "deli speak." •Recipes including Ben’s Kosher Noodle Kugel, Zingerman’s Hamentaschen, Ratner’s Potato Pancakes, Nate ‘n Al’s Corned Beef Hash, and many more. •Famous delis such as 2nd Avenue Deli, Ratner’s, and The Stage Deli in New York, and Canter’s and Langers in Los Angeles, among others across the country.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Loaded with photos, ads and images, this appreciation of Jewish delis in America from author Bellman (Through the Shopping Glass: A Century of New York Christmas Windows) will get readers ready to nosh. Opening with a history of deli culture and kosher food prep, Bellman takes readers on a tour of some of the nation's most famous delis, highlighting their best loved dishes with copious photos, menus, advertisements, and other ephemera. Diners who don't know seltzer from schmaltz will learn the appeal in historical overviews of hallmarks like chopped liver, Dr. Browns Cel-Ray Soda, egg creams, corned beef, and knishes, as well as a handy list of Yiddish terms that will guarantee confident counter-side manner. Longtime patrons of New York's Barney Greengrass, Carnegie Deli and Katz's; Los Angeles's Canters Deli; or Ann Arbor, Mich.'s Zingermans will enjoy bellying up with Bellman as she recounts the history of each establishment, alongside a handful of signature recipes. Readers interested in recreating classic deli fare will find multiple options for dishes like chopped liver, cheesecake, reubens, and stuffed cabbage, as well as local specialties. Though heavily weighted with New York establishments, Bellman captures the look and feel of Jewish delis across the U.S. while illustrating their enduring popularity.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

More than 75 recipes from America ’s most famous delis and 100 nostalgic photographs.

Beloved recipes found in the glass cases and on the menus of delis nationwide.

Historical information on the popularity and origins of the deli.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 175 pages
• Publisher: Collectors Press (September 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933112077
• ISBN-13: 978-1933112077
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,110,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BIOGRAPHY

Sheryll Bellman is the author of three books on cultural history. Through the Shopping Glass-A Century of New York Christmas Windows (Rizzoli, 2000), America's Great Delis-Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast (Collector's Press, 2005 and revised by Seller's Publications 2010) and America's Little Italys--Recipes and Traditions From Coast to Coast (Seller's Publications 2011).
Ms. Bellman has been a guest on NPR, WOR, WHYY, WNYC, The Chef's Table, The Phil Blazer Show, Cooking with Jackie and the Gary Butler Show on XM radio. Ms. Bellman was featured for 2 years on The Jane Hansen Holiday Windows Show on NBC in New York City, Good Morning Baltimore, the ABC Early Morning Show and just recently was a guest on Good Day NY on Fox 5 in New York. She was featured in Cindy Adams' column in the NY Post and articles about her books have been featured in the NY Times, NY Daily News, Time Magazine, World Jewish Digest, Jewish Women's Magazine, The Foreword, The Jewish Star, Hadassah Magazine, Jewish World, Dance Review Magazine, The El Paso Times, The Baltimore Sun, and San Diego Jewish Magazine where her first book was chosen as one of the best books of 2001. She has written articles for USA Today, The Hadassah Magazine, Jewish World Magazine, The Detroit Jewish News and Natural Health Magazine as well as having many over the phone interviews for small publications and web sites. America's Great Delis was nominated for the James Beard Foundation Award for 2006. She also had numerous book signings for both books around the country and was the guest author in 2001 on the Christmas sailing on the QE11. She was a guest lecturer at the Princeton Club for Through the Shopping Glass and spent two seasons on the Jewish Book Council tour circuit having lectured at Jewish Book Fairs in Hartford, New Haven, Columbus, Sarasota, Pasadena, West Hampton Beach, NY, The American Jewish University in Los Angeles and The Ocean County Library in New Jersey. Her book was featured on the Food Network show, The Secret Life of Delis.
She was a finalist for The Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award in the 2010 cookbook division for her book America's Little Italys.
In 1994, she conceived of and published a children's educational video with the premise of constructing a play house-from a dream to reality, winning the prestigious Dove Award for excellence.
Ms. Bellman holds a BS in Microbiology from the University of Arizona and has done graduate work towards a PhD in Immunology from Wayne State University. History, food and design have always been of interest to her, and writing about cultural history and food was a perfect niche.
Ms. Bellman has three children and five grandsons and lives with her husband of 44 years in New York City and Newtown, Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'M GETTING HUNGRY JUST READING IT!, February 14, 2006

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: America's Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast (Hardcover)

Oddly, while deli food is considered one of the great American traditions, it's roots are steeped in our invaluable immigrant ancestors. Honestly what's better than a great corn beef sandwich or a steaming bowl of matzo bowl soup? America's Great Delis takes a fond look at these hallowed halls of dining pleasure in a book that is part tribute, part history, and part cookbook and all a pleasure to read.

Author Sheryll Bellman begins the book by taking a look at the history of deli food including a timeline of events that includes the first known preserving of cucumbers in 2000 BCE, to the origination of the Frankfurter in Germany in the 1400's...from the opening of the Manischewitz bakery in 1888 to the opening of the famous Carnegie Deli in 1937. Next is a brief history of various deli foods such as bagels, Challah bread, corned beef, Matzo ball soup, blintzes, and of course the Reuben Sandwhich.

Ahh...but all that is just the garnish on this heaping plate of gastronomic delights. The meat of the book is a whirlwind tour of some of the oldest, and most famous delis in the country. This includes a bit of history of each as well as some of their most famous, signature recipes. While it's heavily New York influenced, there are recipes included from delis around the country. There's the chicken soup and matzo balls from the 2nd Avenue Deli, cheesecake from Carnegie Deli, Borscht from Katz's deli and Cheese Blintzes from the Stage Deli. Moving outside New York City you'll find a recipe for the German potato salad from Shapiro's in Indianapolis, the pastrami sandwich from Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, beef brisket from Canter's in Los Angeles, and the egg custard from Rose's in Portand, Oregon.

Now you'll know why so many of these establishments were frequented by Hollywood's elite over the years. With some 75 recipes and nostalgic photographs this book is a must-have for lovers of deli or great American foods.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History, travelogue, and cookbook all rolled into one, April 17, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: America's Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast (Hardcover)

This book is a combination history, travelogue, and cookbook all rolled into one.

From a history standpoint Ms. Bellman goes back to describe how many of the classic deli foods were invented. In 1610, for instance, bagels were created in Krakow, Poland and given as gifts to women after childbirth.

As a travelogue, whe has visited and describes a few dozen deli's from around the country. As you would expect, New York gets the most coverage. After all NYC has the most deli's. But also included are delis up and down the east coast, through the mid-west and on to Los Angeles.

As a cookbook, many of these deli's have givern her recipies of their most famous foods. Carnegie deli (near Carnegie Hall) is well known for its cheesecake and its Matzo Ball soup. Recipies for both of these are given here.

Ms Bellman rightfully laments the closing of many deli's, not only in New York but around the country. I suppose the traditional deli just can't compete with the fast food places.

All in all, this is kind of a nostalgia book, but one taht makes your mouth water.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DELICIOUS!!!!, January 3, 2006

By 

Allison E. Goldenstein (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: America's Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast (Hardcover)

This book is more than a cookbook its an encyclopedia of Deli culture!!!!
What a wonderful idea and fantastic coffee table book for the holidays- Thanks for including Rattners veggie chopped liver- always wanted that recipe :)