MATZAH AND FLOUR
Recipes from the History of the Sephardic Jews
From Hélène Jawhara Piñer, Gourmand World Cookbook Award-winning author of Sephardi: Cooking the History, comes a collection of 125 new meticulously crafted recipes showcasing the enduring flavors that define Sephardic culinary heritage.
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About the Book
From Hélène Jawhara Piñer, Gourmand World Cookbook Award-winning author of Sephardi: Cooking the History, comes a collection of 125 meticulously crafted recipes showcasing the enduring flavors that define Sephardic culinary heritage.
Matzah and Flour: Recipes from the History of the Sephardic Jews offers a tantalizing exploration of the central role of matzah and flour in Sephardic cuisine. Journey through centuries of tradition as flour, from various grains like chickpea, corn, and barley, intertwines with cultural narratives and religious observance. Delve into the symbolism of matzah, from its origins in the Exodus story to its embodiment of resilience and identity. Each of this cookbook’s thoughtfully prepared recipes is a testament to the transformative power of flour in Sephardic culinary heritage. From savory delicacies to sweet delights, these timeless flavors have sustained Sephardic families through history. Matzah and Flour is a celebration of tradition, history, and the enduring legacy of Sephardic Jewish cuisine.
Key features of Matzah and Flour:
- Authenticity: Emphasizes the authenticity of the recipes as they belong to historical sources, reflecting Sephardic Jewish cuisine passed down through generations.
- Diversity: Highlights a diverse range of recipes from various Jewish cultural backgrounds, catering to different tastes and preferences throughout History, time, and place
- Cultural Heritage: Showcases how the cookbook preserves and celebrates Sephardic Jewish cultural heritage through matzah, flour and food in general, connecting readers to their roots and/or to history
- Festive Celebrations: Feature recipes for Jewish holidays and celebrations, but also every occasion, offering guidance on traditional flour dishes from the 15 and 16th centuries onwards, for special occasions like Passover, Hanukkah, and Rosh Hashanah
- Modern Twists: Offers innovative and contemporary interpretations of classic Jewish recipes, appealing to a younger audience interested in fusion cuisine or modern cooking techniques
- Kosher Certification: Adheres to Jewish dietary laws and contains recipes suitable for observant Jews
- Family-Friendly: Highlights recipes that are easy to prepare and suitable for families, encouraging quality time spent together in the kitchen, braiding dough or making matzah and tortillas, and at the dining table.
- Health Consciousness: Stresses the use of fresh, wholesome ingredients and provide options for dietary restrictions, catering to health-conscious consumers and those with specific dietary needs
- Cultural Insight: Offers insights into Jewish culinary traditions, rituals, and the significance of certain ingredients or dishes, for each recipe, providing readers with a deeper understanding of Jewish culture and customs. Chapters also offer details on poems written by Jewish authors, and related to flours, grains and cereals more broadly.
- Beautiful Presentation: The cover reflects the cookbook recipes, with a glimpse of all the dishes. It is visually appealing with meaningful photography. Each recipe goes hand in hand with a descriptive historical paragraph, an engaging design, clear instructions, and a photo of the dish.
About the Author
Hélène Jawhara Piñer received her PhD in Medieval History and the History of Food from the University of Tours and the University of Bordeaux. Author of Sephardi: Cooking the History (2021) and Jews, Food, and Spain (2022)—a National Jewish Book Award finalist—she has lectured at Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Bar Ilan University, and other prestigious institutions. Recently, Piñer was awarded a Visiting Research Fellowship from the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, where she’ll conduct her research in 2024.