A world of Jewish cooks

Press, 29 May 1982, Page 16

A world of Jewish cooks

The Complete international Jewish Cookbook. By Evelyn Rose. Pan, 1981. (1978 reprint). 498 pp. $9.95. (Reviewed by Margaret Laird)

Recently a customer in my local butchers shop surveyed the various cuts of sighed and said "I wish they’<rmvent a’nother sort of animal.” For those similarly affected by culinary ennui, there have been appearing over the past few years a large number and variety of cookbooks. One of the more recent is a substantial paperback entitled “The Complete International Jewish Cookbook," compiled by Evelyn Rose. The title is admirable: it is a complete cookbook in that it gives excellently detailed instructions even for culinary processes that might be taken for granted; for instance, the section introducing recipes for chicken deals with the differences between roasting, frying and grilling chickens, and the recipe for perfect fried fish takes into account such variables as the pan, the coating and the oil temperature. The international aspect of the recipes is evident, and they range in complexity from such good old standbys as split pea soup, shepherd's pie. lemon meringue pie and scones, right to the more elaborate dishes like ratatouille nicoise, escalopes de veau basquoise, nesselrode pudding and streusel kuchen. The introduction is preceded by directions on how to use the recipes and a table giving equivalent amounts in different countries for standard international measures. While this is no doubt essential for large quantities, it surely seems a mere academic quibble that one teaspoon is one-fifth of a fluid ounce in Britain but one-sixth of a fluid ounce in New Zealand: will the difference of one-thirtieth of a

fluid ounce be so essential? The main introduction, however, is most interesting and useful not only as general knowledge, but also for those who would like or need to know how to adapt recipes for use in orthodox Jewish cooking, such as, for example, the necessity to separate meat from dairy ingredients in a dish or course.

It is the specific Jewish character of the cookbook, which provides the greatest interest. There is an excellent introduction touching briefly on the history of Jewish cooking, followed by a useful section on adapting recipes for the Jewish kitchen (or guests), and further on a list of instructions to kosher meat and poultry. Towards the end of the book there is a fascinating selection of international Jewish dishes, and a chapter about the various Jewish festivals and the foods most appropriate to them, all accompanied by a clear and interesting commentary.

What gives this book the edge over some of its similarly-priced competitors are the little extras throughout the various sections. The soup recipes are followed by five recipes for different soup garnishes; there is a splendid recipe for the pickling mixture for corned beef as well as the method of cooking it; the vegetable and salad recipes are all welldetailed. each with its own introductory statement of origin dr point of interest, apd the dessert section is usefully divided into subsections — hot puddings, fritters and pancakes, chilled souffles, fruit creams, pavlovas (eight different, staggeringly rich recipes), and trifles, to name only a few.

With even a section of suggested recipes for parties ranging from small suppers for 14 to 16 people up tc multi-course dinners for 50, it is a book full of goodies and interest and a thoroughly recommended addition to the pantry bookshelf.