Modern U.S. food culture is a joyful mix of influences, and Jewish food is no exception. Leah Koenig (The Hadassah Everyday Cookbook) adores both culinary tradition and multicultural innovation, and her food incorporates new influences and ingredients with the best of Ashkenazi, Sephardi and Mizrahi cooking.
Koenig has written about food for Saveur, Modern Farmer, Tablet and the Jewish Daily Forward, and taught cooking workshops around the U.S. In Modern Jewish Cooking, her voice is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and practical. Her recipes are kosher, and most are simple enough for daily meals. Eastern European dishes have been lightened, reseasoned or entirely rethought, and she includes a variety of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and North African flavors and recipes. She puts pomegranate molasses and cayenne in the chopped liver, and cilantro and ginger in the kreplach. Her gefilte fish is seasoned with herbs and poached in court bouillon. She offers versions of hamantaschen filled with chocolate and poppy seed, and with sweet potato and Parmesan.
Koenig champions fresh local seasonal produce and devotes a chapter to vegetarian main dishes, but also expresses her love of traditional meats, rich desserts, schmaltz and whole dairy. She intersperses her recipes with personal stories, informative essays and tips on equipment, techniques and ingredients. The final chapter is a primer on the Jewish holidays, with several menus for each. Modern Jewish Cooking is an excellent first cookbook for a beginner, while offering plenty of fresh ideas to inspire the most experienced home cooks. --Sara Catterall