seasonal-jewish-kitchen-cookbook

I’ve been busy. Crazy busy. But now I’m very happy to emerge from my writing cave and share the news: My new book, The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Tradition (Sterling Epicure), will be released August 18! In fact, you can already pre-order it here.

I think you’re going to find this book refreshingly different. With a foreword by the incomparable Deborah Madison, and glorious photography by Staci Valentine, The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen is filled with stories, market and kitchen know-how, and 150 of my kind of recipe–intuitive, simple, and soul-satisfying–that showcase the global nature of Jewish cuisine, from the Middle East to Europe, California, and farther afield. From a fresh take on comfort foods to bold new dishes, here’s a little taste:

  • Tunisian Lemon Rind Salad with Harissa
  • Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Tzimmes
  • Blistered Chicories with Tuna and Salsa Verde
  • Duck and White Beans with Gribenes
  • Roast Chicken with Tangerines, Green Olives, and Silan
  • Apple, Pear, and Concord Grape Galette in Rye Pastry
  • Lemon Zengoula: Iraqi Funnel Cakes

You’ll find traditional recipes perfect for today, like my Iraqi grandmother’s Kitchri–red lentils melted into rice and topped with garlic slow-cooked to sweetness–and new ideas, like four-ingredient Golden Borscht with Buttermilk and Fresh Ginger–a bowl of sunshine that is utterly modern, yet true to its Eastern European roots.

“Cultural Jewish cooking at its best!” — Ari Weinzweig, Zingerman’s founder

Why did I write a Jewish cookbook after all these years of writing and advocating for a seasonal, sustainable, and local food life? Because it turns out the two are exquisitely linked, and I can’t wait to show you all the delicious and surprising ways they are intertwined. (Hint: The ancient Hebrews were among the world’s early sustainable farmers.)

“You’ll never view Jewish food the same again!” — Sam Fromartz, author of “In Search of a Perfect Loaf” and “Organic, Inc.”
In plain talk, I got tired of hearing that Jewish food is heavy, not relevant, or only deli. No, no, and no. Jewish or not, if you cook from The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook, or make the fresh and light recipes I’ve created for Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, the Los Angeles Times, or KCRW’s “Good Food with Evan Kleiman,” you’ve enjoyed modern dishes often inspired by my Jewish heritage (I’m the daughter of a Romanian mother and an Iraqi father who met in the Israeli army and immigrated to California where I was born and raised). In fact, some of the recipes in The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen had their beginnings in this very blog. “SJK” is the next stop on our great, shared food adventure .
“… her approachable, unique recipes weave seamlessly into any kitchen …” — Sara Kate Gillingham, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and co-founder of TheKitchn.com

Ready to dig in? For now, please head on over to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and order your copy of The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen. I’d be so grateful.