Cooking Jew-ish

It´s just me that once Pesach is coming close, had my mind focused only on food, recipes to test, menus to set. Kosher for Pesach, obviously. In my case, the menu should be as strict as possible - boiled eggs, matza shmura and boiled potatoes, anyone? - but I enjoy reading - more than usual - about the latest Jewish kitchen trends, especially in Pesach times. Last Sunday, I attended a very interesting German-speaking live cooking event with the German-born Israeli-based hobbycook Tom Franz, with some awesome inspiration. Today, just finished a cooking book that includes also some Pesach-related recipes, by Jake Cohen. In a couple of days I already have a long list of recipes that I have to test at least once before the Seder. To be continued...

Jew-ish. Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch is Jake Cohen first cookbook, published early this month. A collection of various recipes - some from his Askenazi family home, some adapted, some inspired by the Persian-Iraqi heritage of his husband. Not all of them for the strictly kosher-kitchen, but they can be easily adapted easily. 

Addressed to a millenial audience, the book is based on recipes mostly tested during the various Shabbat evenings the couple hosted. As in the case of many millenials, they explore their identity through food and various culinary practices. ´This book has helped me define the pride I have for the rich culture of traditions and dishes I´ve inherited. It´s a love story. It´s a family tree. It´s me at my core. It´s Jewish´. 

Not all the recipes are traditionally Jewish, but can be easily integrated into Jewish menus tasted on different occasions. For instance, the Baharat smashed potatoes sound so delicious that it´s a pity not to have it on a Shabbat meal, eventually in the company of some heimische schnitzel. Shaksuka alla vodka may taste better than the penne alla vodka. The savory Babka and rugelach are already classical pastries offered in the hip bakeries of Brooklyn of Williamsburg in NYC. I am a very courageous person, but I have to really think four times before writing ´cardamom-spiced pear noodle kugel´...Can you repeat after me?

The recipes are well writen, with a lot of details that may help even the less experimented cook - me included - to prepare it right and understand the directions. As someone with a big heart for spices, I can only appreciate the diversity used for various recipes, including the less-known - and a real Kabbalistic challenge for the Askenazim - such as Baharat, Amba or Urfa Biber. I may have some observations regarding some of the recipes introduced in the book, but only if I completely take them out of the author´s identity story. Therefore, more than a general food story, Jew-ish is relevant for the generational and unique identity-in-the making Jewish story, one of the many built out of the classical framework but still relevant for its strive for identity. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review