Cholent

Highlights

• Traces the history of Shabbat stews around the world
• Explores how these iconic dishes reflect Jewish migration, culture and history. As dishes that almost all Jewish communities consume in some version or another, Shabbat stews are the best subject through which to explore this relationship.
• Takes readers on a global journey through history from ancient Mesopotamia to medieval Spain, France and Germany, throughout Central and Eastern Europe, to North Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and modern-day USA and Israel
• Packed with fascinating historical insights, such as how, with the rise of the Inquisition, the stew became a literal matter of life and death – it was often the telltale sign that led to a secret Jew’s execution
• Looks at Jewish communities from all around the world, not just the best-known ones, and touches on versions of the dish from dozens of different countries
• Includes more than 20 recipes from the regions covered in the book
• Many books on Jewish food history are dry and academic – this book is accessible and easy to read
• Will appeal to readers interested in Jewish food and cultural heritage, as well anyone interested in food history in general
• Written by a recognised expert in the field of Jewish food history

Description

The Shabbat stew is the most Jewish of foods. Over the past one-and-a-half millennia, this humble dish has travelled the world, accompanying the Jewish people on their wanderings throughout the Diaspora. Today, Jews everywhere prepare some version of the recipe each week for Sabbath lunch.

In this richly researched book, Jewish food expert Joel Haber explores the history of this iconic dish. He begins in ancient Mesopotamia with the earliest known Shabbat stew, then follows the recipe through each new place where Jews settled, showing how it adapted to local ingredients, climates, tastes and cooking fashions. In doing so, he traces the routes of Jewish migration and reveals how the dish reflects Jewish culture across the globe. Like the Jewish communities that created it, the kaleidoscopic Shabbat stew is endlessly diverse and exists in dozens of regional forms.

Entertaining and informative, this vivid culinary journey will appeal to food-loving readers interested in the cultural significance of Jewish cuisine, as well as the wider story of the Jewish people. The book also contains more than 20 recipes and is illustrated throughout.

Author Details

Joel Haber is a scholar in the field of Jewish food history. He has written for numerous publications, including The Nosher, CKBK, Tablet, Jewish Journal (Los Angeles) and Jerusalem Post, and has lectured internationally on the subject. He has also been interviewed regularly for feature articles, podcasts, and videos, and is a sought-after culinary tour guide in Israel, revealing the complex story of the Jewish nation through the foods that Jewish immigrants have brought together in our homeland. His own podcast, 18 Jewish Foods, is available on his website www.TasteOfJew.com.