Olive Trees and Honey

Book excerpt: A rabbi and expert in traditional Judaic cooking offers a wide-ranging celebration of classic Jewish vegetarian cooking from across the globe. Traditions of Jewish vegetarian cooking span three millennia and the extraordinary breadth of the Jewish diaspora—from Persia to Ethiopia, Romania to France. In Olive Trees and Honey, acclaimed chef and rabbi Gil Marks uncovers this vibrant culinary heritage for home cooks. This magnificent treasury sheds light on the truly international palette of Jewish vegetarian cooking, with 300 recipes for soups, salads, grains, pastas, legumes, vegetable stews, egg dishes, savory pastries, and more. From Sephardic Bean Stew (Hamin) to Ashkenazic Mushroom Knishes, Italian Fried Artichokes to Hungarian Asparagus Soup, these dishes are suitable for any occasion on the Jewish calendar—whether it’s a festival or an everyday meal. Marks combines these recipes with fascinating insights into their origins and history, suggestions for holiday menus from Yom Kippur to Passover, and culture-rich discussion of key ingredients.