The Book I Want to Cook out of This Weekend Is Modern Jewish Cooking by Leah Koenig
Leah Koenig has been a regular contributor to The Kitchn over the past several years, especially during the Jewish holidays. She just published her second book, Modern Jewish Cooking, and I’m so excited to cook out of it.
Want to peek inside?
Leah has a love for the classic traditions of Jewish cooking but also a canny appreciation for the wide variety of inspirations that have informed Jewish cuisine over the centuries. She’s not shy about mixing and matching influences, like throwing miso into her green beans, and reviving an out-of-fashion recipe for pletzels, an onion-studded flatbread.
Her aim in this book is to encourage experimentation and both teach and inspire younger cooks to seize their Jewish kitchen heritage but also further it with their own voices.
I am not Jewish, but this book excites my palate to both discover the heritage it celebrates and to eat the fresh food Leah advocates. The photos by Sang An are absolutely gorgeous and enticing as well.
We may be a bit biased, since we know and love Leah and her work, but I encourage you to pick this one up. I’m planning on cooking out of it this weekend — as soon as I decide where to start.