Jewish American Food Culture

Book excerpt: Many Jewish foods are beloved in American culture. Everyone eats bagels, and the delicatessen is a ubiquitous institution from Manhattan to Los Angeles. Jewish American Food Culture offers readers an in-depth look at both well-known and unfamiliar Jewish dishes and the practices and culture of a diverse group of Americans. This is the source to consult about what “parve” on packaging means, the symbolism of particular foods essential to holiday celebrations, what keeping kosher entails, how meals and food rituals are approached differently depending on ways of practicing Judaism and the land of one’s ancestors, and much more. Jonathan Deutsch and Rachel D. Saks first provide a historical overview of the culture and symbolism of Jewish cuisine before explaining the main foods and ingredients of Jewish American food. Chapters on cooking practices, holiday celebrations, eating out, and diet and health complete the overview. Twenty-three recipes, a chronology, a glossary, a resource guide, and a selected bibliography make this an essential one-stop resource for every library.