Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook
By Joan Nathan Schocken Books, NY (2004)
ISBN: 0-8052-4217-1
Reviewed by Anna Dogole - October 28, 2004
Joan Nathan's best-selling cookbooks, The Jewish Holiday Baker and The Jewish Holiday Kitchen have at long been staple books in many Jewish kitchens. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the publication of the The Jewish Holiday Kitchen, Nathan has compiled a new cookbook that combines the recipes in both The Jewish Holiday Baker and The Jewish Holiday Kitchen into one must have cookbook - Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook. In addition to combining the first two, tried and true cookbooks into one volume, Nathan has also totally revised and updated the recipes when needed. This volume also includes many recipes not found in the first two cookbooks.
The recipes in this cookbook are organized around the holidays, with chapters on the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, and the Minor Holidays. There is also a chapter containing recipes associated with major events in the Jewish life cycle and one on wine. The ingredients used in each recipe are clearly listed, and Nathan has provided detailed and easy to follow instructions that will enable even novice cooks to easily follow her recipes. Many of the recipes in this collection are preceded by brief introductory essays that explain special features about the recipe such as its history, where it was developed, or how Nathan discovered the recipe. Information about Jewish cooking and the laws of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws) is also included, as well as brief overviews of the various holidays and the traditions associated with each.
The Jewish Holiday Cookbook celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of the various Jewish culinary traditions ranging from Sephardic and Russian to Moroccan and Hungarian. It also provides readers with a wealth of the traditions from which to draw from that will enhance any holiday celebration. You don't even have to be Jewish to appreciate, and savor, the hundreds of incredible recipes contained in this book. All the recipes in this cookbook conform with Jewish dietary laws, and each is marked as either pareve, dairy, or meat. Sample menus are also included that will help you to prepare your own holiday menus. This book will be a boon to anyone planning a holiday celebration, as well as for anyone who is simply looking for something delicious to try. Best of all, even non-cooks will find this book fascinating. The information that Nathan provides on the holidays and the background information on the various recipes is both informative and intriguing. In short, Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook deserves a prominent place in any cook's kitchen.
Here is a sample of the recipes that you will find in this cookbook:
Sephardic Cold Spicy Fish
Chocolate Babka
Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Almonds
Passover Wine Cake
Cold Sour Cherry Soup
Palacsinta (Hungarian Crepes)
Matzah Balls
Travados (Jerusalem Cinnamon-Nut Cookies)
Russian Vegetable Meat Soup
Cabbage Strudel
Almond Milk
Chelou (Crunch Persian Rice)
Borscht
Syrian Yaprak (Stuffed Grape Leaves with Apricots)
Raspberry Melba Torte
Gnocchi Di Spinaci
Hamantashen
Related Reviews:
Passover Cookery, by Joan Kekst.
Kosher, Pesach recipes that will delight the senses and enhance the repertoire of cooks of all skill levels. Complete with seder menus, and a 'Countdown to Passover' guide that will help walk you through the preparations required to have a Kosher Pesach.
Kosher for Everybody, by Trudy Garfunkel.
The Complete Guide to Understanding, Shopping, Cooking, and Eating the Kosher Way.
