The 100 Most Jewish Foods by Alana Newhouse

Amarante

Tue, May 26 2020, 10:35 am

Not sure which forum to post but Kosher Kitchen is universal.

I thought this book was a lot of fun. It doesn't just list the foods but each food has a short essay on the specific food and the writers are very varied and are an interesting range of foodies. Some are expected like Joan Nathan and others are like Marcus Samuellson who owns several restaurants and was an Ethiopian child adopted by a Jewish Swedish family - his essay is about lox which of course goes back to smoked fish of Sweden and other Northern European countries.

Some of the items I hadn't thought of as being Jewish like Hydrox cookies. We had Hydrox instead of Oreo but I didn't realize why until I read the essay. It was just a thing like having Mallomar cookies Very Happy

And Leftovers as a Jewish food was droll so the essay on leftovers was both amusing/comical but also tied into the commandment of bal tashchit.

I realize many people don't think of Hebrew National as being "Jewish" but their old ad campaign is iconic and Jewish style kosher hot dogs are seasoned differently than ball park style.

Some of the foods I hadn't heard of so it was interesting to read about them - like the Malida of Jews in India.

Anyway the name of the book is The 100 Most Jewish Foods by Alana Newhouse and it's a fun read and the kind of book that one can pick up and read for a few minutes and then pick up at any point. And just skim and read the stuff that is interesting.

Anyway here's the list but the essays for each of the choices is worth reading so the book is much more interesting than just being a listicle. Smile

Adafina

Apples

Babka

Bagels

Bazooka Gum

Bialys

Black-and-White Cookies

Blintzes

Bokser

Borscht

Brisket

Burnt Offerings

Carciofi alla Giudia

Challah and Other Sabbath Breads

Charoset

Cheesecake

Chicken. Just Chicken.

Chicken Soup

Chinese Food

Cholent

Chopped Liver

Compote

Concord Grape Juice

Cottage Cheese

Cream Cheese

Dates

Deli

Dill

Eggplant

Entenmann’s

Eyerlekh

Flanken

Flódni

Gefilte Fish

Goose

Gribenes

Halvah

Hamantaschen

Haminados

Hebrew National Hot Dogs

Herring

Herring

Honey

Horseradish

Hummus

Hydrox

Jacob’s Lentil Stew

Kasha Varnishkes

Kichel

Kiddush Cookies

Kishke

Kosher Salt

Kosher Sushi

Kreplach

Kubbeh

Kugel

Labda

Lamb

Leftovers

Lox

Macaroons

Malida

Margarine

Matzo

Matzo Balls

Matzo Brei

Mina de Matzo

Mufleta

Olives

Pareve Chocolate

Persian Rice

Pickles

Pkaila

Pomegranates

Poppy Seeds

Potatoes

Ptcha

Rye Bread

Sabich

Schmaltz

Seltzer

Shakshuka

Slivovitz

Sofrito

Soup Mandel

Stella D’oro Swiss Fudge Cookies

Stuffed Cabbage

Sufganiyot

Sugar Cereals for Shabbos Morning

Sweet’N Low

Teiglach

Tofutti

Treyf

Tsimmes

Tuna Fish

Used Tea Bag

Whitefish Salad

Wine

Yebra

Yemenite Breads

Yemenite Soup

Last edited by Amarante on Tue, May 26 2020, 11:16 am; edited 1 time in total