Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited [Hardcover]

Arthur Schwartz (Author), Ben Fink (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Arthur Schwartz knows how Jewish food warms the heart and delights the soul, whether it's talking about it, shopping for it, cooking it, or, above all, eating it. JEWISH HOME COOKING presents authentic yet contemporary versions of traditional Ashkenazi foods-rugulach, matzoh brei, challah, brisket, and even challenging classics like kreplach (dumplings) and gefilte fish-that are approachable to make and revelatory to eat. Chapters on appetizers, soups, dairy (meatless) and meat entrees, Passover meals, breads, and desserts are filled with lore about individual dishes and the people who nurtured them in America. Light-filled food and location photographs of delis, butcher shops, and specialty grocery stores paint a vibrant picture of America's touchstone Jewish food culture. Stories, culinary history, and nearly 100 recipes for Jewish home cooking from the heart of American Jewish culture, New York City. Written by one of the country's foremost experts on traditional and contemporary Jewish food, cooking, and culinary culture. Schwartz won the 2005 IACP Cookbook of the Year.Reviews & Awards

James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award Finalist: American Category

IACP International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards, American Category Finalist  "Jewish Home Cooking helps make sense of the beautiful chaos, with a deep and affectionate examination of New York's Jewish food culture, refracted through the Ins of what he calls the Yiddish-American experience."—New York Times Book Review Summer Reading issue, cookbook roundup“Schwartz breathes life into Yiddish cooking traditions now missing from most cities' main streets as well as many Jewish tables. His colorful stories are so distinctive and charming that even someone who has never heard Schwartz's radio show or seen him on TV will feel his warm personaality and love for food radiating from the page . . . Cooks and readers from Schwartz's generation and earlier, who know firsthand what he's talking about, will appreciate this delightful new book for the world it evokes as much as for the recipes.”—Publishers Weekly

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Schwartz (Arthur Schwartz's New York City Food) breathes life into Yiddish cooking traditions now missing from most cities' main streets as well as many Jewish tables. His colorful stories are so distinctive and charming that even someone who has never heard Schwartz's radio show or seen him on TV will feel his warm personality and love for food radiating from the page. Oddly, even the shorter anecdotes often run longer than the actual recipes; anyone intending to cook from the book should have some kitchen experience or risk frustration at the often brief instructions. Dishes run the gamut from beloved appetizers like gefilte fish to classic meat and dairy main items (cholent, blintzes), plus less familiar items like onion cookies and Hungarian shlishkas (light potato dumplings). Schwartz intersperses engaging commentary on everything from farfel and matzo to Romanian steakhouses and why Jews like Chinese food. Those with Westernized palates may recoil at the thought of gelled calf's feet, but Schwartz shows how stereotypically heavy Ashkenazi food can be improved and made at least somewhat lighter when prepared properly. Cooks and readers from Schwartz's generation and earlier, who know firsthand what he's talking about, will appreciate this delightful new book for the world it evokes as much as for the recipes. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

Although the first Jewish immigrants to New York were Sephardic Jews from Spain, they were doomed to be overwhelmed by waves of Ashkenazi Jews fleeing Eastern European pogroms. So many Jews took refuge in New York City that the metropolitan area became the world’s center of Jewish cooking, at least till the founding of Israel. Schwartz covers the basics of this influential cuisine, from schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) and dill pickles through brisket and cholent (Sabbath stew). The remarkable intersection in America of Jewish and Chinese cultures finds celebration in a recipe for chow mein. Passover dishes, which must follow strict injunctions, earn their own chapter. Photographs, not just of food but also of New York’s people and restaurants, and diverting sidebars contribute further vibrancy to the text. A glossary of Yiddish food words enhances the book’s reference value. Schwartz’s well-earned reputation as a Jewish cookery maven will increase demand for this title. --Mark Knoblauch

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580088988
• ISBN-13: 978-1580088985
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #312,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Special Diet > Kosher

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great recipes, and tasty photos also. a must for mavens, March 11, 2008

By 

Larry Mark "editor of MyJewishBooks.com" (nyc) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited (Hardcover)

The fact that the author is the foodmaven.com comes across clearly, since he adds so much rich information on Jewish food history with each recipe. It is a pleasure to read. And then there are the photos. As he writes in the intro, food is a connection to the Jewish past and our faith. Sure, more Jews eat pizza than chopped liver, more eat sushi and salad nicoise than chopped herring and gefilte fish, but those classic foods are in our Jungian collective unconscious. And now for the recipes.

Appetizers (Forshpeiz) include recipes for arbes, chopped eggs and onions, chopped herring salad, schmaltz, black radish (ritach, as in ritach mit tzibeleh), vegetarian chopped liver (2 recipes), romanian eggplant salad, 2nd Avenue Deli's health salad/slaw, pitcha, chrain, and gefilte fish (mit carrots).

Some SOUPS are Chicken w/ knaidlach, kreplach, mushroom barley (did u know that mushrooms were free and plentiful in the woods of Lithuania), borscht (3 kinds), and Schav. Some SIDES include three, count 'em, 3 kugels, latkes, shlishkas, kishkas, dermas, tzimmes, and cabbage and noodles (u know.. that mouse in rataouille should have made cabbage and noodles for the critic) (hint... salt the cabbage first)

Some MEATS are cholent, flanken, brisket, stuffed cabbage, potted meatballs, (a history of romanian steakhouses; an essay on why Jews like chinese), karnatzlach (little sausage), salami and eggs, chow mein, and pepper steak. Not to mix meat and milk in the same paragraph, but some DAIRY recipes included are: Ratner's brown gravy, blintzes, lox fliegles, pickled lox; lox,eggs & onions; and whitefish salad.

There is a whole chapter for passover dishes, including an apple cake and matzo buttercrunch and ingberlach (matzo farfal ginger candy).
Speaking of Passover, some BREAD recipes include one for tzibeleh kuchen. Did you know that Jewish corn bread is actually a sourdough ryte? DESSERT recipes include rugelach (kipfel), babka, and hamantaschen.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another outstanding Cookbook from the Food Maven, March 19, 2008

By 

Dr. Marion Rollings (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited (Hardcover)

Arthur Schwartz has once again written an outstanding collection of recipes that are far more then just great recipes--this book, like his Naples at Table (also highly recommended) and his others, is a history of the food of a people--historically accurate, informative, and great cooking--he really teaches you how to cook, why to cook it the way he does, and how to enjoy it best. His personable manner, writing talent, and enthusiasm make this a great book to cook from, learn from, and enjoy! Buy a copy for yourself and one for a friend--it will make a terrific gift.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brings back wonderful memories, April 8, 2008

By 

Sidney Mark (Queens, N.Y. USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited (Hardcover)

From the moment I received this cookbook, it started to bring back memories of the 50's and 60's when families spent the holiday's together. All the recipes were from a different time, foods that you don't get today. A lot of the recipes were buried with my grandmother and aunts. I found them again in this book, same recipes, just modernized a little.
Looking at them I pictured the recipes being prepared by my grandmother, mother and aunts. I can smell the delicious aromas and almost taste the foods.
Anyone looking to bring back their memories of growing up should purchase this book.