Summary
"To most Americans, Jewish cooking evokes images of Eastern European fare such as chicken soup with matza balls. But scattered across the globe, in cultural communities of varying sizes and antiquity, there are many distinctive, delicious, and authentic Jewish cuisines to be savored." "Gil Marks serves up a collection of kosher recipes and histories of Jews throughout the world. He delights and enlightens readers with traditional recipes from Italian, Yemenite, Ethiopian, Indian, Romanian, Hungarian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Moroccan, German, Alsatian, and Middle Eastern Jewry; culinary conversations with contemporary members of these ancient and medieval communities; and fascinating commentary on Jewish food and Jewish history."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Author Notes
Gilbert Stanley Marks was born in Charleston, West Virginia on May 30, 1952. He received a bachelor's degree, master's degrees in social work and history, and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University. He worked as a guidance counselor and history teacher at Yeshiva University High School for Boys and as a social worker in Philadelphia.
He was best known as a historian of Jewish food and culture. He wrote several books including The World of Jewish Cooking, Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, and Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities around the World, which won a James Beard Award in 2005. He died of lung cancer on December 5, 2014 at the age of 62.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Developed by Jews dispersed around the globe, Jewish cuisines have been shaped by both adopted cultures and by the laws of kosher. This excellent overview contains such diverse recipes as those for the Ashkenazic classic Roast Chicken and Ethiopian Chicken Stew with hard-boiled eggs. There are kugels galore (Alsatian Pear and Prune Kugel; Ashkenazic Potato Pudding; Indian Rice Pudding), but also Yemenite Spicy Poached Fish and Cochin Fish Soup from the Jews of the Malabar Coast. Marks (a rabbi and former editor of Kosher Gourmet magazine) provides tasty nuggets of intriguing information as well. It is no surprise to find a treatise on bagels (which Marks insists were not named after a Polish prince's stirrups as is often claimed) in a Jewish cookbook, but who knew that a Jewish fish seller first transformed Sephardic Pan-Fried Fish Fillets into fish and chips, or that a Minneapolis Hadassah chapter was behind the introduction of the bundt pan to the U.S.? Plentiful archival photographs and illustrations (showing everything from a Jewish family in Burma in 1938 to a Jewish poultry inspector in 19th-century France) add to the encyclopedic feel of this sweeping effort. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Not organized by holiday as are many Jewish cookbooks, this is, instead, loosely arranged by food category, with chapters on appetizers, soups, and main dishes, as well as side items, breads, and desserts. The range is wide. You'll find recipes from India, Africa, even China, here, alongside many dishes that originated in one of the two major Jewish cultural communities, Ashkenazic and Sephardic. Marks also provides insight into how each dish evolved or fit into to Jewish culinary tradition, and the book includes a rich selection of photos and graphics to further establish cultural flavor. The recipes definitely aren't for novice cooks, and a few ingredients (spelt, for example) are not readily available. But Marks includes some tempting and unusual offerings, and his strong emphasis on cultural connections can be felt in every dish and on every page. --Stephanie Zvirin
Library Journal Review
The two major divisions of the Jewish community are the Ashkenazim, whose ancestors are from eastern Europe, and the Sephardim, originally from the Iberian Peninsula. Marks, a rabbi and former editor of Kosher Gourmet, includes recipes from both communities in The World of Jewish Cooking, while Rabbi Sternberg, the author of Yiddish Cuisine (Jason Aronson, 1993), focuses on the cooking of Sephardic Jews in The Sephardic Kitchen. Marks's recipes come from Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa; Sternberg's from all the countries of the Mediterranean, with a few places a bit farther afield. Both authors include a great deal of cultural and religious background: Sternberg starts with a longer introductory section that covers social customs, ingredients, and kosher laws and also scatters folktales throughout his text, while Marks includes many boxes on ingredients and other topics. Although both books are informed and well written, The Sephardic Kitchen is the more readable and engaging: Marks offers more history and more detail, but his style is drier than Sternberg's. Despite some overlap, however, the books are different enough that both are recommended. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Excerpts
Pastilla Moroccan "Pigeon" Pie 8 to 10 servings After arriving in the Ottoman Empire and discovering phyllo, Sephardim sometimes substituted it for the pastry in their pies variously called mina, pastel, and pita. The most well known version of phyllo pie is the Moroccan pastilla, also called basteya, made with poultry filling and served on special occasions. It is traditionally assembled in a tin-lined copper pan called a t'bseel, but a large baking dish or paella dish can be substituted. Although squab -- a young pigeon -- is the traditional meat, chicken makes a tasty and more available substitute. Pastilla takes a little work to create, but the end result -- a delicious filling sandwiched between delicate layers of crisp, flaky pastry -- is well worth the effort. Almond Filling 1 cup toasted blanched almonds, cooled 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Chicken Filling 3 tablespoons margarine or vegetable oil 2 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 1 cup) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground black pepper or 12 peppercorns 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 1/2 to 5 pounds chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and legs) 4 cups chicken broth or water 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 6 large eggs, well beaten Assembly 16 sheets phyllo dough About 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine, melted, or vegetable oil for brushing (see Note) Confectioners' sugar for dusting Ground cinnamon for dusting 1. To make the almond filling: In a food processor, finely grind the almonds, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside. (The almond filling may be prepared a day ahead and stored in a cool place.) 2. To make the chicken filling: Heat the margarine or oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the ginger, pepper or peppercorns, turmeric, saffron, allspice, and cinnamon and sauté for 1 minute. 3. Add the chicken, broth or water, and parsley. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes. 4. Remove the chicken. Strain the cooking liquid. (You can reserve the solids and later add to the reduced liquid or discard the solids.) Boil the cooking liquid over high heat for about 20 minutes and reduce to about 1 cup. Meanwhile, remove the meat from the bones and shred. 5. Whisk the reduced liquid into the eggs. If desired, add the strained cooking solids. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the mixture thickens. Pour into a bowl and let cool. (The chicken filling may be prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.) 6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly brush a 10- or 11-inch round baking dish with margarine or oil. 7. To assemble: Line the prepared dish with a sheet of phyllo, draping the excess over the edge. Brush with the margarine or oil. Repeat layering and brushing with 5 more sheets, draping each in a different direction. 8. Spread one-third of the egg mixture on the pastry in the pan. Mix another one-third of the egg mixture with the shredded chicken and pack into the pie shell. Top with 6 additional sheets of phyllo dough, brushing with the margarine or oil and draping the excess as with the other sheets. 9. Spread the remaining egg mixture on the phyllo in the pan, then sprinkle with the almond filling. 10. Fold the pastry edges toward the center of the pie, brushing with the margarine or oil. Top with the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo, brushing with the margarine or oil and tucking in the edges. 11. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Lightly sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, then sprinkle lines of cinnamon to form a diamond pattern. Let stand at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes before cutting into wedges. Copyright © 1996 by Gil Marks Badam Loozena Calcutta Almond Diamonds About 24 candies Loozena means "diamond," referring to the shape of these candies, which originated in the Middle East. Loozena is a traditional Purim treat in Calcutta. 1 cup sugar 6 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons rose water 1 1/2 cups coarsely ground blanched almonds 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional) 1. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the syrup reaches the thread stage or 230 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. 2. Stir in the rose water and cook for 1 minute. Add the almonds and, if desired, the spices. Cook until the mixture cleans the sides of the pan. 3. Spread the nut mixture onto an oiled baking sheet. Place a piece of greased waxed paper on top and roll out the mixture to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Immediately remove the paper. Cool slightly and, using a knife dipped into hot water, cut into diamonds. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Variations Pista Loozena (Calcutta Pistachio Diamonds): Substitute 1 1/2 cups coarsely ground unsalted pistachios for the almonds and omit the spices. Nariyal Loozena (Calcutta Coconut Diamonds): Reduce the amount of water to 1 1/2 cup, omit the cinnamon and cardamom, and substitute 2 2/3 cups fresh grated coconut (or dried coconut moistened in 2 tablespoons water) for the almonds. Tangerine Loozena (Calcutta Tangerine-Almond Diamonds): Substitute the juice and grated zest of 2 tangerines for the water and rose water. Copyright © 1996 by Gil Marks Excerpted from The World of Jewish Cooking: More Than 500 Traditional Recipes from Alsace to Yemen by Gil Marks All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
