The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Tradition

by Amelia Saltsman, Deborah Madison (Foreword by), Staci Valentine (Photographer)

Overview

Here, at last, is a fresh, new way to think about Jewish food. In The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen, Amelia Saltsman takes us far beyond deli meats and kugel to a world of diverse flavors ideal for modern meals. Inspired by the farm-to-table movement, her 150 recipes offer a refreshingly different take on traditional and contemporary Jewish cooking. Amelia traces the delicious thread of Jewish cuisine from its ancient roots to today’s focus on seasonality and sustainability. Guided by the Jewish lunar calendar, she divides the book into six micro-seasons that highlight the deep connection of Jewish traditions to the year’s natural cycles. Amelia draws on her own rich food history to bring you a warmly personal cookbook filled with soul-satisfying spins on beloved classics and bold new dishes. From her Iraqi grandmother’s kitchri—red lentils melted into rice with garlic slow-cooked to sweetness—to four-ingredient Golden Borscht with Buttermilk and Fresh Ginger and vibrant Blood Orange and Olive Oil Polenta Upside-Down Cake, Amelia’s game-changing approach is sure to win over a new generation of cooks. You’ll find naturally vegan dishes, Middle Eastern fare, and new ways to use Old-World ingredients—buckwheat, home-cured herring, and gribenes—in fresh, modern meals. Whether you’re Jewish or not, observant or not, Ashkenazic or Sephardic, this yearlong culinary journey through the Diaspora will have you saying, “This is Jewish food? Who knew?”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454914365
Publisher:	Sterling Epicure
Publication date:	08/18/2015
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	744,200
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Amelia Saltsman is the daughter of a Romanian mother and an Iraqi father who met in the Israeli army and immigrated to Los Angeles, where she was born and raised. Her cooking reflects her eclectic background, with the diverse flavors and cultural touchstones that have made her first book, The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook, a beloved classic. Amelia’s name is synonymous with intuitive, seasonal cooking, and she is regularly sought out for her expertise by publications such as Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, and Vegetarian Times. She is a frequent guest on KCRW’s Good Food with Evan Kleiman and a longtime advocate for small family farms.

Editorial Reviews

*“Saltsman (The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook) organizes her latest collection of seasonal, produce-driven recipes according to the Jewish calendar. Though she defines and suggests menus for holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Tu b’Shvat, and Purim, this isn’t strictly a holiday cookbook. Vibrant recipes with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and eastern European influences—including lamb, butternut squash, and quince tagine; Bulgarian cheese puffs; and blood orange and olive oil polenta upside-down cake—are appropriate for a wide range of everyday and special occasions. They’re all identified as meat, dairy, or Pareve/vegan, making it easy to plan meals for guests observing Jewish dietary laws or other special diets. VERDICT Filled with stunning photographs and thoughtful historical research, this contemporary Jewish cookbook will tempt many home cooks.” —Library Journal (STARRED review) “This could be my perfect book. Cultural Jewish cooking at its best—so many intriguing recipes—combined with fascinating history, personal family anecdotes, and an emphasis on great seasonal ingredients. In the same way that Marcella Hazan made authentic Italian cooking come to life for non-Italians, Amelia’s new work could have non-Jews preparing dishes like schmaltz-roasted potatoes, Tunisian lemon salad with harissa, salt-grilled chickpeas, and tzimmes every night!”—Ari Weinzweig, founding partner, Zingerman’s Community of Businesses   “Amelia Saltsman has a warmth and a vibrancy that comes through beautifully in this book; her recipes capture the aliveness of ripe, seasonal ingredients, the importance of our farmers, and the diversity of flavors in Jewish food.”—Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse, author of The Art of Simple Food   “Seasonal cooking guru Amelia Saltsman beautifully fuses her love of Old World ingredients and farmers’ market produce to create something truly magical and unique as she explores the world traditions of Jewish cuisine. As in her classic The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook, her recipes are super-easy to follow—her passion for her subject and for cooking are impossible to resist!”—Chef Suzanne Goin, author of The A.O.C. Cookbook and Sunday Suppers at Lucques   “Just as she did for farm-to-table cooking in her Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook, here Amelia Saltsman makes a deep bow to her Jewish roots with an interpretation that is both fresh and modern, but also honors its broad historical, familial, and spiritual heritage. The recipes are approachable, unique, and weave seamlessly into any kitchen, and the stories are deeply personal and relatable no matter what your background. With Seasonal Jewish Cooking, Amelia draws us into her culture with the warmest open arms, and the most alluring aromas.”—Sara Kate Gillingham, James Beard award-winning cookbook author and co-founder of TheKitchn.com   “In this gorgeous book, Amelia Saltsman draws on deep familial ties in Europe and the Middle East to arrive at a modern reinterpretation of Jewish cuisine. Bringing a fresh sensibility to the best Old World delicacies, Saltsman’s seasonal and surprisingly light recipes form the core of the cookbook we’ve all been waiting for. You’ll never view Jewish food quite the same again.”—Sam Fromartz, author of the award winning In Search of the Perfect Loaf: A Home Baker’s Odyssey   “I love Amelia’s take on Jewish cuisine—modern, seasonal, and inspiring, a very fresh approach indeed.”—Tori Avey, PBS Food Columnist & Creator of ToriAvey.com

From the Publisher

★ 12/01/2015
Saltsman (The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook) organizes her latest collection of seasonal, produce-driven recipes according to the Jewish calendar. Though she defines and suggests menus for holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Tu b'Shvat, and Purim, this isn't strictly a holiday cookbook. Vibrant recipes with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and eastern European influences—including lamb, butternut squash, and quince tagine; Bulgarian cheese puffs; and blood orange and olive oil polenta upside-down cake—are appropriate for a wide range of everyday and special occasions. They're all identified as meat, dairy, or Pareve/vegan, making it easy to plan meals for guests observing Jewish dietary laws or other special diets. VERDICT Filled with stunning photographs and thoughtful historical research, this contemporary Jewish cookbook will tempt many home cooks.

Library Journal

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