Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Not your Bubbe's Kosher Cookbook! November 29, 2008
This is NOT your Bubbe's (grandmother's) kosher cookbook. My grandmother actually didn't even cook much (though she kept kosher. Her repertoire was salmon, lamb and that's about it.) My mom, however, is a great cook and her food ranges from brisket, to lockschen kugel (noodle pudding) to some very interesting matzoh dishes for Passover.
This book is different as it chooses dishes from the Sephardic tradition, which is more Mediterranean, and from all over the world as well as the new-age vegetarian (but not vegan, necessarily) tradition.
The recipes attempt to lighten up the very heavy emphasis on animal fats and sugars found in traditional Jewish foods that came out of Eastern Europe, where it was feast or famine. These foods are ones you will recognize, such as Roast Beef Deli Roll sandwich, but they have a healthy twist, such as a sweet potato-turkey version (very luscious and great idea for leftovers from Thanksgiving, if you have sliced white meat.)
There are many recipes you won't recognize as kosher cuisine, like an ice cream pumpkin frozen pie. tacos, and Hawaiian Veal Roast (looking like ham and pineapple.) All the recipes are lavishly photographed and look utterly tempting.
The book would be good for anyone who wants to cook kosher (so the ingredients don't violate the kashruth rules and they indicate dairy, meat or pareve--neutral.) The recipes are from all over the world, and twists on favorites like tacos, so if you like to cook kosher but want a cookbook with more adventuresome ideas that doesn't require you to edit out milk or pork or shellfish, this is just great. A beautiful book.
The Outcomes Are Simply Scrumptious November 28, 2008
Fishbein does it again - produces an award-winning kosher cookbook. This hardback oversized book opens flat so that the beautifully designed recipes can be easily viewed. There are over 145 recipes including nearly 175 photos of delicious dishes, colorfully dressed tables, along with healthy cooking tidbits and gadgets. The definitions, food substitutes, and ideas for entertaining make this cookbook universal - a great addition for any kitchen. Many of these recipes have 10 or more ingredients and the preparations are elaborate for this working mom. However, the outcomes are simply scrumptious (I've been complimented on every dish I've prepared so far).
Thanks Susie for giving us the ideas on how to lighten up recipes. The comparison of old school to the new light version kosher is simple to apply to other dishes. The everyday cook can follow this guide to prepare gourmet dishes. This is a great book for kosher cooks but easy to transfer to non-kosher kitchens as well.
Deltareviewer
Reviewing for Real Page Turners
Simply Delicious. November 26, 2008
This is a great cook book, one of the best I have ever read/used. I love the fact that the author took the time to outline many great ideas and tips for cooking healthy meals. She includes foods that most people may not have heard of like farro, barley, millet and spelt. She also cautions moderation even with foods that are considered healthy(who knew that one cup of olive oil has 2,000 calories?). But most importantly about this cook book is that it contains delicious, healthy and easy to make recipes
I made the Mexican Turkey Albondigas soup and I only realized that I was eating the plate when I felt some ceramic pieces in my mouth. It was delicious and best of all I did not feel heavy after eating it. I also made the Zuccini Lentil soup, the Healthy Unfried Chicken and the Summer Harvest Quinoa. All delicious, all amazing. Another thing that I really like about this is that the author includes a generous offering for vegans and vegetarians. This is important to me as I have a friend who is an ethical vegan and I now have receipes that I can make for her when she visits rather than just offering her salad and chips. The vegan/vegetarian offerings include Vegetarian Pate Bundles, Asparagus Radicchio, Vegetarian Chili, Roasted Pepper Crostinis and Chummos Canapes.
I am yet to make any of the desserts but they all look beyond yummy. Offerings include Peanut Butter Pizza, Baklava Bites, Crispy Cream Bars and Green Tea Applesauce cake just to name a few.
Another gigantic plus for me is that each recipe has a picture of what the meal is supposed to look like. This may not be important to some but to me, that is a major factor. Another biggie for me is that this book is visually stunning. The pictures are beautiful and make you want to eat the page on which its printed. This is a wonderful addition to any kitchen.
AWESOME COOK BOOK! November 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm a HUGE fan of Susie Fishbein's - I've had this ordered since beginning of September. This book is amazing first of all because of the beautiful pictures (I'm into those kind of things, some of you might not.) And because of the originality of the recipes. Susie will take something classic like deli rolls and make it into a whole gourmet new food by adding sweet potato to it.
This cookbook and her short on time one are definitely my favorites!
She definitely knows her audience November 21, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is my sixth Susie Fishbein cookbook. If that doesn't attest to the quality of her recipes, layouts, ideas, advice, and book quality, I don't know what else would.
Kosher chefs spend more time in the kitchen preparing elaborate family meals than your average American. Combine that with the constraints of finding quality kosher ingredients, the time limitations in that most of us lead busy lives today, the fact that you still want to provide eye-catching, yet delicious meals when entertaining guests, AND the fact that you want to provide a more healthy lifestyle for your family....well, that's a pretty big expectation to live up and Susie Fishbein delivers.
I was afraid that I was going to receive a cookbook full of salads and pictures of measly portions of sad-looking tofu. But Fishbein has taken managed to keep sight of her heimishe audience by providing savory recipes with fish, chicken, and beef dressed up with gourmet flavors in a healthy preparation. As it true with most of Fishbein's books, you'll find recipes for foods not often found at your neighborhood shabbos tables (polenta pie, miso or udon soup, or vietnamese summer rolls) but she provides plenty of helpful tips on where to find these more exotic ingredients with kosher supervision. Meanwhile, you'll still find pot roast, london broil, roast turkey, stir fry, lasagna, and dessert -- for those of your eaters who are wary of foreign or healthy foods.
I will warn you that many of her recipes are more elaborate, often with a dozen or so ingredients. But between this book and my Kosher by Design Short of Time cookbook, I've been able to find a nice balance and make a menu where the dishes are healthy, delicious, and not going to kill me right before shabbos.
Moreover, the book begins with a very helpful section on health food buzzwords (organic, GMOS, free-range), unhealthy ingredients to watch out for when reading the labels in the grocery store, and a brief understanding on some of the chemicals used in processing food. There is a brief page on kashrus for those unfamiliar with the practice (which makes me believe that this cookbook is being marketed beyond the frum world), review on the different types of flour, grains, sugars, and oils available, and best of all, there are cute little ingenious tips on how to reduce your caloric intake and small steps on how to change your lifestyle slowly to a more healthy one.
I love this cookbook and know that I'll integrate it among my favorites.
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