The New Complete International Jewish Cookbook review
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Let me just start by saying that Evelyn Rose rocks!
As I mentioned in my post about Hamantaschen last week I have a fantastic Jewish cook book that is used by all of my family. It’s called The New Complete International Jewish Cookbook written by Evelyn Rose, published by Pavilion. My mum bought us all this book when we moved out from the family home. Mine was signed by Evelyn which makes it extra special. As you can see it has been made wet at some point and has smudged a little which really upsets me!
Evelyn Rose was like the Jewish Delia. There was nothing that she didn’t know about Jewish cooking. There are many food laws to consider when you keep a kosher kitchen, mainly that you can’t mix meat and milk products, so a kosher cook book is essential! This book has over 1,100 recipes, 30 chapters and explains all about the different foods for different festivals. Every Jewish festival comes with a traditional cake of some description. It’s a wonder there aren’t more overweight Jewish people around considering how many festivals there are!
The book
The chapters are broken up into the following categories
- Starters
- Fish and Vegetarian meals
- Meat
- Vegetables
- Desserts
- Baking (Yay- obviously my best bit!)
- Preserves
- Cooking for a crowd (also known as feeding an army!)
- Festivals
Now, I have to admit that although I can bake, I’m pretty rubbish at cooking so this is my only book for cooking kosher meat and fish. I follow the recipes to the letter and they always come out great. They are also exactly as I remember them as cooked by my grandma as well as my mum. Real, traditional style cooking.
A friend of mine recently remarked that she hated not having pictures in a cookery book, as she didn’t know what the dishes were supposed to look like. I have to say that I have never worried about that, and that’s probably as I have always used this book (even from a young age with my mum). It doesn’t have a single photo in it. With 1100 recipes there really isn’t room! It does have these really cute illustrations though.
The Jewish Festivals
When it comes to baking for festivals I love it that you just turn to the right page for all you need. So when it comes to Rosh Hashanah you know where to get a Honey Cake recipe.
For Purim there are no less than five types of Hamantaschen (sweetand savory) to choose from.
Peseach is especially hard to bake and cook for as the food we eat for the 8 days of that festival are limiting and very specific, so this one stop book is all you need- the cinnamon balls and macaroons are a family favorite not to mention the Plava (Oh how I love a heavy Plava cake! Not long now. ) I have to admit that as I am flicking through the pages of this book- so as not to leave anything out- it automatically falls open at cinnamon balls!)
During Shavuot we traditionally eat Cheese cake (which is probably why it’s Tim’s favorite festival) I love Evelyn’s Yomtov cheese cake, but let’s face it. I love all cheesecakes!
I could go on and on, but I will end this post saying that I am sure one day I will be buying this book for Beau and Darcey. I can’t see it ever going out of print or fashion. It’s the official Jewish cooking bible and I truly wouldn’t be without it!
EmmaMT
Other Jewish recipes you may enjoy
The New Complete International Jewish Cookbook review
Coconut Macaroon Recipe – The Easy One
Apple Strudel recipe for Succot
Matzah Kugel Pudding recipe for Pesach
Can u make me the cinnamon balls & macaroons sometime?
Pesach is just a few weeks away! Consider it done! X
[…] my mum gave me this recipe I wrote it on the inside cover of the red book. The back cover has a pancake recipe on it. (I have had this book for a very long time!) I was […]