In Israeli Soul, the pair behind the restaurant Zahav (and cookbook of the same name) explore the classic dishes that form the soul of Israeli food. Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook offer recipes and step-by-step instructions for home cooks interested in preparing classic Israeli dishes, as well as commentary on the history of those dishes and variations on traditional recipes. Interjected throughout are stories and photographs of the pair's travels in Israel and highlights of their favorite food spots, making Israeli Soul as much a food history and travelogue as it is a cookbook.
"There's a common misconception that Israeli food equals Middle Eastern food," write Solomonov and Cook. But that "vast oversimplification" overlooks the complicated and complex story of Israeli food, a story that the duo tells amid recipes for falafel and hummus, pastries and schnitzel, kebabs and stuffed vegetables. With full-color photography, Israeli Soul is a celebration of the food of Israel--as well as the place and people from which it comes. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm