celebrity writers

Book Review: Jewish American Food Culture

In the US, Israeli Culinary Habits Are as Diverse as Jews Are

Jul 2, 2008

Jewish Challah Bread, Maria Clara Moraes, sxc.hu

Jonathan Deutsch and Rachel Saks explore the complex universe of American Jewish cuisine in the latest volume of the Food Cultures in America series by Greenwood Press.

As a country of immigrants, the United States are a melting pot of cuisines that have blended in and been adapted. Jewish American Food Culture explains the cultural context of Jewish foods, many of which are now part of the mainstream American diet - think bagels! - and shows how Jewish immigrants from the current diaspora, both of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) and Sephardi (Mediterranean) origin, are stretching the concept of Jewish food.

Jewish American Food Culture

There's more to Jewish food habits than specific slaughtering practices or keeping milk and meat separate. Although a scholarly reference book, Jewish American Food Culture makes a pleasant and informative reading for both Jews and non Jews, explaining the complex universe of Israelite traditions in an easy way and providing an in-depth look at Jewish dishes and eating patterns.

Jewish American Food Culture is a an essential one-stop resource for every library: this is the source to find out what parve on packaging means, the symbolism of particular foods that are essential to holiday celebrations, what keeping kosher entails, how meals and food rituals are approached differently depending on how religious one is and the land of one's ancestors, and much more.

Book Contents

After a 'Series Foreword' by the Food Cultures in America General Editor and an Introduction, the book starts with a timeline of notable events in Jewish history from 1800 B.C.E. to 2007
Chapter 1 provides a historical overview of the Jewish people throughout the world, ending with periods of immigration to the United States and thus putting contemporary American Jews and their cuisine into context.
Chapter 2 looks at major foods and ingredients in the American Jewish diet.
Chapter 3 explores American Jewish cooking practices including how the foods are cooked and who cooks them.
Chapter 4 introduces typical everyday meals.
Chapter 5 considers the pleasure and challenges of dining out.
Chapter 6 deals with Jewish holidays and other special occasions.
In Chapter 7, health and diet - especially the Jewish kosher laws (Kashrut) - are explored.
The book ends with a glossary of Kosher food and Jewish holidays and a resource chapter with suggestions for further study including a webliography, a selected bibliography, and an index.
Black and white photos, line drawings and recipes complement the text.

Jewish Recipes

Jewish American Food Culture provides a number of traditional Kosher recipes popular among American Jews for both festive and everyday meals. They include: Potato Kugel, Dairy Noodle Kugel, Passover Matzah Stuffing, Gefilte Fish, Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake, Holiday Brisket, Toasted Barley Brisket Accompaniment, Egg Cream, Falafel, Corned Beef, Challah, Matzah Balls (Knaidlach), "Doctored" Gefilte Fish, Cholent, Stuffed Cabbage (Sephardi Style), Potato Latkes, Jelly Doughnuts for Hanukkah, Hamantashen, Charoset for Passover, Passover Macaroons, Passover Sponge Cake, Cheese Blintzas. Although the volume is not meant as a cookbook, a dedicated index of the traditional Jewish recipes interspersed in the text might have been handy for quick reference.

The Authors

Jonathan Deutsch is Assistant Professor of Tourism and Hospitality and Director of the Culinary Management Center, Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York; he is also Secretary of the Association for the Study of Food and Society, and co-editor of Gastropolis: Food and New York City (2008).
Rachel D. Saks is a graduate student in Nutrition and Dietetics at New York University. She has attended various culinary schools.

Food Cultures of America 5-Volume Series

Jewish American Food Culture is also available as part of the 5 volume boxed set Food Cultures in America (ISBN 978-0-313-34127-4) together with:

African American Food Culture (by William Frank Mitchell, ISBN 978-0-313-34620-0)
Asian American Food Culture (by Jane E. Dusselier, ISBN 978-0-313-34144-1)
Latino Food Culture (by Zilkia Janer, ISBN 978-0-313-34027-7)
Regional American Food Culture (by Lucy M. Long, ISBN 978-0-313-34043-7)

The five-volume set celebrates the broadly defined standard American foodways as well as important ethnic food cultures that continue to evolve and impact what and how both New and Old Americans eat.

Book Details

The copyright of the article Book Review: Jewish American Food Culture in North American Culinary Travel is owned by Maddalena Delli. Permission to republish Book Review: Jewish American Food Culture in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.