Jewish Holiday Feasts

I'm no expert on Jewish cooking, so I can't speak to the authenticity of the recipes in this cookbook. I can, however, judge it the same way I would any other cookbook: on the food it produces, the accuracy of its directions, and the quality of its design and layout. "Jewish Holiday Feasts" is organized by occasion, starting in the Autumn with Rosh Hashanah, and includes 3-6 recipes for each feast. Whether you're looking for Pita Stuffed with Eggplant Salad and Feta Cheese (it's rare that I find an eggplant recipe that I enjoy this much), Latkes (potato, zucchini, fresh salmon, cauliflower and carrot, or sweet cottage cheese), Sweet-Potato Kugel, Walnut and Dried Cherry Rugelach, or a Cold Beet and Cucumber Soup, you'll find a wonderful recipe for it here. We particularly enjoyed the Asparagus and Herbed Cheese Strudel. Each section includes a few words about the holiday itself and the foods served, as well as the purpose of those foods or what they represent. This is an enjoyable way to sample Jewish foods for those unfamiliar with them. The pages are small and well laid-out; it's easy to keep track of where you are in a recipe and what you're looking at. The directions are brief and simple, and we found no mistakes in any of the recipes we made. I highly recommend this cookbook, particularly to anyone who enjoys sampling new foods and isn't overly familiar with Jewish holiday fare.

An adorable cookbook filled with sweet and savory dishes to celebrate all Jewish Holiday Feasts: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Succoth, Hanukkah, Purim, Pesach, Shavuoth, as well as Foods for the Sabbats. Both Louise Feszer and Jeannette Ferrary are food writers and the co-authors of six books. On of their creations, Sweet Onions and Sour Cherries, was nominated for the Julia Child Cookbook Award by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Both reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a few colorful illustrations, Feszer and Ferrary take us on a Jewish culinary adventure with tasty traditional recipes like Golden Challah Bread, Walnut and Dried Cherry Rugelach, and Classic Potato Latkes, as well as some lesser-known dishes, like Spiced Pear and Almond Cake, Passover Biscotti and Coucous With Saffron and Vegetables. These recipes take us on a culinary journey in celebration of Jewish cuisine. A wonderful book to celebrate the Jewish holidays with your family and friends!

I used two of the recipes from this book for Rosh HaShanah dinner -- honey-cumin glazed chicken and couscous with saffron and vegetables. They were easy to make and well received. If you're looking for ways to make your own traditions and you have an adventurous streak in the kitchen, this book would be a good addition to your cookbook library. It also would make a great gift, especially for Hanukah.