Product Description

"A land of wheat and barley, of grape vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey . . . you shall eat and be satisfied." âDeut. 8:8-10

A Celebration of Classic Jewish Vegetarian Cooking from Around the World

Traditions of Jewish vegetarian cooking span three millennia and the extraordinary geographical breadth of the Jewish diasporaâfrom Persia to Ethiopia, Romania to France. Acclaimed Judaic cooking expert, chef, and rabbi Gil Marks uncovers this vibrant culinary heritage for home cooks. Olive Trees and Honey is a magnificent treasury shedding light on the truly international palette of Jewish vegetarian cooking, with 300 recipes for soups, salads, grains, pastas, legumes, vegetable stews, egg dishes, savory pastries, and more.

From Sephardic Bean Stew (Hamin) to Ashkenazic Mushroom Knishes, Italian Fried Artichokes to Hungarian Asparagus Soup, these dishes are suitable for any occasion on the Jewish calendarâfestival and everyday meal alike. Marks's insights into the origins and evolution of the recipes, suggestions for holiday menus from Yom Kippur to Passover, and culture-rich discussion of key ingredients enhance this enchanting portrait of the Jewish diaspora's global legacy of vegetarian cooking.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35070 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

Review
"...doesn't shy away from recognising the cultural, historical, and religious relevance of traditional foods" (Jewish Tribune, 14th October 2004)

“…doesn’t shy away from recognising the cultural, historical, and religious relevance of traditional foods” (Jewish Tribune, 14th October 2004)

From the Inside Flap
For more than three millennia, vegetarian cooking has been a central component of the rich fabric of Jewish culinary tradition around the world. Olive Trees and Honey is a tribute to this vital realm of Jewish heritage, showcasing an authentic collection of vegetarian dishes that have graced Jewish tables across the ages from Alsace to Uzbekistan, and are still very much alive today—at holidays, rituals, festivals, and everyday meals alike.

In virtually any kitchen today, cooks need to possess a broad repertoire of vegetarian dishes for themselves or their guests—for health, theological, philosophical, or other reasons. In Olive Trees and Honey, eminent Jewish cooking expert Gil Marks presents a magnificent treasury of meatless fare suitable for any table: 300 simple, enticing recipes that accentuate signature flavors of time-honored dishes. The classics here—soups, salads, pastas, legumes, vegetable stews, egg dishes, and more—represent every part of the menu from an expansive global palette.

From savory pastries like Syrian Miniature Lentil Pizzas to hearty entrées such as Moroccan Mashed Potato Casserole, nourishing Romanian vegetable stews to wholesome legume dishes like Tunisian Chickpeas with Greens, Marks brings the world of Jewish vegetarian cooking to the home kitchen. For those observing kosher laws, each recipe is labeled as Dairy or Pareve. Many recipes include tips and variations for years of fresh, inventive meals.

Through brief chronicles of the Jewish diaspora's vegetarian legacy in diverse corners of the world and sidebars woven throughout the book, Marks sheds light on the origins and evolution of cuisines and dishes—and of the communities that created them. There are chapters on suitable recipes for key Jewish holidays and on essential ingredients and seasonings. Maps in each chapter chart the paths of several unique gustatory traditions through history.

Perfect for the vegetarian kitchen or as a complement to meat-based menus, the exquisite dishes in these pages will enrich any diet and bring warmth to any table. At once a practical guide to Jewish vegetarian cooking and an illuminating portrait of its journey across continents and centuries, Olive Trees and Honey is a celebration of this enduring global mosaic.

From the Back Cover
"Few international vegetarian cookbooks . . . even approach this one in caliber, scope or sheer range of flavor. It is a treasure that anyone from any ethnic, religious or culinary tradition can embrace."
—Vegetarian Times

"A land of wheat and barley, of grape vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey . . . you shall eat and be satisfied."
—Deut. 8:8-10

A Celebration of classic Jewish vegetarian cooking from around the world

Traditions of Jewish vegetarian cooking span three millennia and the extraordinary geographical breadth of the Jewish diaspora—from Persia to Ethiopia, Romania to France. Acclaimed Judaic cooking expert, chef, and rabbi Gil Marks uncovers this vibrant culinary heritage for home cooks. Olive Trees and Honey is a magnificent treasury shedding light on the truly international palette of Jewish vegetarian cooking, with 300 recipes for soups, salads, grains, pastas, legumes, vegetable stews, egg dishes, savory pastries, and more.

From Sephardic Bean Stew (Hamin) to Ashkenazic Mushroom Knishes, Italian Fried Artichokes to Hungarian Asparagus Soup, these dishes are suitable for any occasion on the Jewish calendar—festival and everyday meal alike. Marks's insights into the origins and evolution of the recipes, suggestions for holiday menus from Rosh Hashanah to Passover, and culture-rich discussion of key ingredients enhance this enchanting portrait of the Jewish diaspora's global legacy of vegetarian cooking.

Customer Reviews

great cookbook
Olive Trees and Honey is a great cookbook for vegetarians and anyone who loves food from the Mediterranean. Lots of bulgur and lentil recipes which my family loves. And the authors offer variations which I really like since I am more of an organic, in the moment cook, who sometimes puts a little turkish flare to an unsuspecting recipe. I am also not good at following long complicated recipes (a little short with patience and time) so I find these recipes complicated enough without being long winded.

It is a fun read. Inspirational if you are tired of making the same things and want to break out.. And if you are a vegie, it is even better.

Awesome Tool on High Holy Days!
I was given this book as a wedding gift and it has been invaluable! Though we are not strict vegetarian, we have been incorporating less meat and more vegetarian dishes into our daily menu, and the recipes in this book are delicious and nutritious. I love the section "Vegetarian Foods for Special Occasions and Holidays"! It lists many traditional and appropriate dishes for specific high holidays. With a synagogue full of people with varying degrees of vegetarian and Kosher diets, this book fits the bill when cooking for a crowd because everyone can eat these dishes! I just made the Sephardic Baked Rice Pudding for our Rosh Hashanah oneg and it got rave reviews. I enjoy the notes from the author about the cuisine habits of the Jewish communities he obtained the recipes from. This book is definitely worth the buy if you are looking for a vegetarian cookbook! (And you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy it!)

great food with a history sidedish
excelent recipies, some that i never saw anywhere else. i also love all the stories. i only wish there were a few photos, but even so, this book is much, much better than any other book on jewish cooking i have ever come across.