Classic Recipes for Jewish Cooking

"This is how you make it, so what?" says 93-year-old Doris, and with a little shrug, she pats lumps of fish mush into a pot of boiling gruel and I gotta tell ya, this I-don't-eat-things-that-have-faces reviewer drooled. The dish is called "gefilte fish" and it's just one of the recipes shared by Joan Nathan and her gourmet guests on this segment of the PBS series, Jewish Cooking in America. I don't know why I've never heard the expression, "Let's call out for Jewish," or why my town doesn't have a "kosher-to-go," but this series may well start a new trend. Viewers meet Fred "The Bootleg Baker" as he makes the beautifully braided bread challah, along with other cooks as they make matzoh balls, brisket, and potato latkes. Each of these traditional classics are accompanied by a healthy collection of vintage pictures and stories as each cook serves up a slice of personal narrative while demonstrating how to make the dish. Given that food plays such a vital part in traditional Jewish holidays (Jewish history is steeped in dietary law and custom), I was surprised so little was said about the ritual of cooking and the mode of preparation in these foods. Too, while the production quality is fine and the pacing unhurried and conversational, those looking for detailed instructions on how to prepare this collection of Jewish classics won't find a recipe card anywhere (in fact, one cook says, "the recipe is your mouth"). Personally, I like my cookbooks stained and smeared with tomato juice and chocolate sauce, but for simply exploring and celebrating traditional kosher cooking without breaking any eggs, this is a palatable sample of Jewish cuisine. Tastefully recommended. Aud: P. (N. Plympton)