I recently had the pleasure of interviewing historian and chef Hélène Piñer for the online publication Jewish Unpacked and, as her latest book is a cookbook and as Passover is coming, I wanted to share it with you all as well!

As a professor of Medieval French and Spanish history, Piñer has become an expert on Sephardic Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. Seeing food as a means to track people and cultures through time and place, she has created a series of books that focus on this ancient population. In addition to such international favorites as shakshuka and shug, the Sephardic Jews also apparently have a heavy hand in the history of the famous food that is highlighted not only at Passover but at every Catholic Mass- matzah!

In Matzah and Flour: Recipes from the History of the Sephardic Jews, Piñer looks at the various forms of flour that have been traditionally used when leavening was not allowed and the delicious and historic creations that have resulted. While the unleavened bread of Passover is the root of the story, Piñer offers recipes that use this simple but complicated cake to make meals that work well at any time of year. In the process, she also explores and engages readers in the deeper meanings of what is traditionally called the “bread of affliction” and how food can be a symbol of freedom and a sustainer of not only the individual but society as well.

In addition to the traditional Passover plates like lechem oni (“poor man’s bread”) and sweet and savory matzah-based recipes, the book also offers such Passover pleasers as unleavened tortillas, empanadas, burnt cheesecake, and Passover shortbread. And while the base of the Iberian-inspired book is matzah, it also offers recipes from other places and for other holidays, such as an Egyptian hummus, orange and raisin donuts, “Jewish” marzipan, and a well-named dish called the bread of the seven heavens. 

Whether you trace your roots back to Spain or the Mayflower, the story of Passover is a universal tale of overcoming oppression and celebrating through food. If you need a guide, I can think of few better than Hélène Piñer and this amazing new book!

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I was recently diagnosed with a genetic heart condition and am now looking down the barrel of some invasive procedures.

Fortunately (or perhaps not), I have a number of knowledgeable friends who had similar situations and are offering me sound advice as to how to deal with my heart health effectively.

Many of them have been recommending trying a ketogenic diet and one – famed local ceramic artist and chef Simona Alexandrov – has offered me a copy of her wonderful book, Keto Kitchen Renaissance: Transforming family traditions to unlock vibrant health.

In this well-researched and lovingly-prepared culinary memoir, Alexandrov explains what keto is and the many good things it can do for you and then offers tasty tips on kitchen and food prep that will make it easy for anyone to transition to this promising proclivity. Along the way, she not only introduces readers to some of the favorite meals she has prepared but also the favorite people for whom she prepared them, adding an even more personal and emotional touch to her well-reasoned recommendations. Though Simona is not a licensed nutritionist, her personal story of transformation and the evidence garnered from her familial test subjects are convincing. And even if losing weight or improving your heart and mental health are not your goals (huh?!), the recipes (which range from Simona’s signature salad dressing to kelp noodles, meatballs, soups, and sushi, to keto crackers, cookies, and candies, as well as selections from what she calls the House of Laughter – are plain and simply delicious and, with Simona’s help, easy to make and enjoy!

I was recently at an event hosted by the Boston Authors Club at Whitelam Books in Reading where I met my former Emerson colleague and fellow writer Delia Cabe.

When I saw her book, I knew I had to talk about it here as it is such a cool topic!

Storied Bars of New York offers a handbook that will be treasured by literature and liquor fans alike. 

From Greenwich Village to Brooklyn, the book takes readers on a literary pub crawl through some of the most famous (or infamous) drinking rooms of New York, offering captivating context and revered recipes at nearly every stop.

From the spare menu of McSorely’s Old Ale House to a suggested drink list for the entire Algonquin Round Table and from tales of lost legends like Elaine’s and the Chelsea and the storied demise of Dylan Thomas after overindulging his poetic proclivities at the White Horse Tavern to illustrations of Bemelman’s Bar and verses about the Nuyorican Poet’s Café, Cabe offers a book that captures moments in literary and mixological history that made the City That Never Sleeps worth staying up for. 

And while she admits that much of the history of such famed drinks as the Negroni and even the Manhattan have been lost to history, Cabe reveals a great deal of research that must have been a great deal of fun to conduct!

In addition to venerating the venues, Cabe also shares stories about the famous tippling typists who made each room what it was and who keep people coming back every time they visit the city.So whether you want to reminisce about the days before AI or rub elbows with the literary lions of tomorrow, Storied Bars of New York is a great guide whether you type or text, sip or slosh.    

All over the food industry (and many others) terms like “organic,” “farm to table,” and “gluten free” are plastered on products in ways that are ultimately deceptive and dishonest.

After all, everything we eat has something from the earth in it that was grown somewhere and things like water and chicken have always been made without gluten- So what’s the deal?!
In You Can’t Market Manure at Lunchtime (which was recently released by Harvard Business Publishing), food industry expert Maisie Ganzler offers honest advice on how to use authentic vocabulary to share your story in a way that consumers can understand and appreciate.

As a strategic advisor for Bon Appétit Management Company, Ganzler helps oversee over 1,000 eateries in more than 30 states, making sure that every one of them uses ingredients that are truly what they claim to be. 

Among the claims that her company has been standing behind for nearly 40 years are that all of their foods are cooked from scratch using ingredients that are grown and harvested using practices that do minimal damage to the environment and that benefit the growers as much as possible.

While many other makers have tainted these terms, Ganzler’s book not only demonstrates how to use them in an appropriate way but how doing so can actually bear more (organic) fruit than not!

Sustainability is more than a buzzword- or at least it should be. After all, if our food is not sustainable- how are we?Fortunately, Ganzler’s book offers real advice and examples from the people who are sustaining proper practices that can guide and inspire others in any industry to do well by doing good.               

Of all the diets I have explored in my constant effort to keep myself and my readers and listeners in shape, the ones with which I have the most trouble are those that cut out wheat.

While for me it is a matter of preference, there are many people for whom avoiding gluten (a protein in wheat) is a matter of health, if not life and death!

Fortunately, I found a great guide to enjoying favorite floured flavors without fear.

As they are both homegrown cooks who share New York and Italian roots and an intolerance to gluten, Cynthia Delia Coddington and Jo Provenzano Hoppe came together as the Gluten Free Epicureans and have dedicated themselves to finding ways to share gluten-free variations of favorite family recipes with others.

In their book, Senza Glutine, Cindy and Jo offer a shopping list of gluten-free ingredients that includes pastas and other Italian essentials then take readers through a traditional multi-course Italian meal. After starters like hand-picked antipasti like fried chickpea fritters and Cynthia’s grandmother’s Italian Wedding Soup, the main courses include butternut squash gnocchi, polenta with mushrooms, chicken Fra Diavolo, gluten-free pizza dough and Keto-friendly eggplant parm. Staples such as authentic pesto and 30-minute marinara and sweets (dolci) such as almond semifreddo and anise biscotti round out the meal. 

In addition to suggesting substitutions and other tips that can make each meal even more enjoyable to more people, the book also offers the history (including family history) of most dishes, making each even more appetizing! 

Despite the fact that she has been told repeatedly by many friends about the ease of use and health benefits of an instant pot and despite the many delicious and healthy meals said friends have prepared for us using theirs, my dear wife seems to have a fear of using it for our family.

Fortunately, I recently came upon a new book by Instant Pot pro and Pressure Luck Cooking creator Jeffrey Eisner that has helped to take the anxiety out of cooking under pressure. And what makes it even better is that most of the recipes are not only healthy and delicious but low in calories. In fact, the book is called The Lighter Step-by-Step Instant Pot Cookbook!

As Eisner used these recipes to lose 100 pounds himself, the proof is in the pudding (or is that the lemon curd on page 258?). And no matter whether you like soups or stews, pastas or poultry, meats or meatless meals, applesauce or oatmeal, Cuban Chili, Greek Farro, or Sephardic Tagine-style meals, this book has all you need to embrace the instant while improving your health.

Starting with a table of contents that details which recipes are free of gluten and dairy and which are paleo- or keto-friendly, the book offers a wide range of recipes, each of which has images of nearly every step so even the most pot-averse cook can feel confident. It also has handy tips for substitutions that can lower the calorie count and improve the nutritional profile of many recipes even further.

Whether you want to lose weight or gain confidence in the kitchen, this is a no-pressure way to learn how to use pressure to make great food that is great for you.     

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