Entrée to Judaism

What better way to celebrate Hannukah - yes, I know the first night was yesterday, hush already - than to point you to a huge doorstop of an all-encompassing guide to Jewish cuisine, priced to be nothing other than a holiday present to someone you want to impress? And it may even be worth the price.

The Dallas Morning News profiled this Dallas author in an article by Tina Danze.

Entrée to Judaism (URJ Press, $39.95) is a vast, multiethnic survey of Jewish cooking. The diversity of recipes in this book will astound you – especially if your idea of Jewish food is stuck in the brisket and matzo ball soup vein.

Written by Dallas cooking instructor and Reform Judaism magazine food columnist Tina Wasserman, this cookbook and culinary history mines all corners of the world to explore Jewish cooking since the Diaspora (the resettling of Jews beyond Israel).

Wasserman reaches back centuries for exotic recipes prepared by Jews in ancient lands – from Asia to Africa, throughout the spice route and all across Europe. She also showcases New World and modern expressions of Jewish cooking in the Caribbean, Latin America and Wasserman's kosher kitchen in Dallas. It all adds up to 275 recipes from more than 40 countries, and scores of anecdotes explaining the dishes' cultural origins. ...

You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate this book. It's an international cookbook that would appeal to anyone who values interesting yet easy ethnic recipes. Wasserman's experience in teaching home cooks keeps it accessible.

The book is 472 large-dimension pages, and weighs in at almost 4 pounds, or 2 1/2 latkes.

Product Description
What we eat says so much about who we are and from where we come. Do you like your matzah brie sweet or savory? Is your chicken soup matzah ball or mulligatawny? Does your menu feature a cheese torta or a tofu salad? Wherever Jews have settled, they have adapted local tastes and ingredients to meet the needs of Shabbat and kashrut, creating a rich and diverse menu of flavors and styles, all still Jewish. In Entrée to Judaism , Tina Wasserman leads a culinary journey around the world and across the ages, from Spain to India, from Russia to Tunisia, sharing the histories and recipes of the great Diaspora communities and the many wonderful ways they have told their stories through food.

•Accessible, easy-to-follow recipes for the novice home cook and expert chef alike.
•Features “Tina's Tidbits,” fun facts and great cooking tips for every recipe.
•Includes over 275 recipes and dozens of full-color photos.