The Gefilte Manifesto

I found this new cookbook at my local library. Written by Jeffrey Yoskowitz and Liz Alpern, this manifesto covers all the bases of traditional Jewish (Ashkenazi) recipes. (Ashkenazi refers to those Jews who trace their roots back to Eastern Europe--Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, etc.) These are the foods my grandparents ate and cooked in Brooklyn, NY, where my father was raised.

It has been a long time since I last fell in love with a cookbook. These days, I mostly google recipes. There are so many wonderful cooking blogs, I rarely venture back to the cookbook section in my library anymore. Luckily, this book was on display at the front, when I first walked through the doors, where I couldn't miss it. It was kismet. Love at first sight.

Everything about this cookbook is sheer perfection. I do not exaggerate. The recipes cover all my favorite foods--from pickles, spreads, and breads to desserts and beverages. Every recipe teaches you how to make traditional Jewish staples from scratch! And every recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous, full page, full color photograph! This tome has it all: brains and beauty. What a catch!

You want to learn how to make matzo? No problem. Challah, marble rye, bagels, and bialys are here, too. Blintzes? Yup. And you can also cure your own pastrami, corned beef, and salmon. While many of the foods pictured are familiar to me, there are also many fascinating recipes from the Old World which I've never seen before. I am definitely going to try making Parsley Kombucha! (Made with fresh parsley instead of tea!)

I picked up this cookbook with our upcoming celebration of Hanukkah in mind. And there are recipes for latkes and brisket, of course. But the roasted goose looks amazing, too. I might be inspired to try something new this year.

If you grew up eating traditional Jewish foods, you will swoon when you open this beautiful cookbook. And even if you didn't, you will appreciate the unique recipes and techniques detailed here.