As they brainstormed names for their New York City restaurant, Maya and Dean Jankelowitz toyed with calling it "Jack's Wife Freda" in honor of Dean's grandparents, and grandmother in particular. According to Maya, people said no one would invest in their restaurant "with that ridiculous name." But they chose it anyway--and had great success. Now, their cookbook, Jack's Wife Freda: Cooking From New York's West Village, offers a chance to re-create some of their most popular dishes at home, with recipes written by the restaurant's chef, Julia Jaksic.
The dishes reflect flavors Maya and Dean grew up with, Jewish cuisine that draws from both Maya's Israeli background and Dean's South African roots. The recipes are succinct and easy to follow. Gorgeous photos accompany each recipe, and pictures throughout depict the joyful bustle of the restaurant itself. Breakfast hits include a fuchsia Eggs Benny--with beet Hollandaise and latkes in lieu of English muffins--and Rose Water Waffles. The lunch menu offers the seasonally adaptable Maya's Grain Bowl as well as a dill-filled Matzo Ball Soup. The dinner menu boasts perennial favorites like Zucchini Chips, Chicken Livers on Toast and Freda's Fishballs.
Vegetarian options are numerous, and a handful of recipes will please vegans and gluten-free eaters, too. But Jack's Wife Freda is at heart an omnivore's delight, a vibrant mix of ingredients, flavors, textures and cultures. --Katie Weed, freelance writer and reviewer