Solomonov, winner of the 2011 James Beard Award for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic, writes candidly about grief, addiction, personal struggles, and professional breakthroughs in a cookbook that blends autobiographical accounts with standout recipes from Philadelphia restaurant Zahav. Each of the nine sections (e.g., tehina, milk & honey) is named for a staple of Israeli cooking, and the kosher recipes that follow (e.g., Yemenite beef soup, Persian wedding rice, salt-baked leg of lamb) highlight numerous regional and cultural influences. Solomonov worked in a bakery near Tel Aviv before attending culinary school and applies his experience to a wonderful range of desserts and baked goods, including chocolate babka, cashew baklava cigars, and mom's honey cake with apple confit.
VERDICT This contemporary Israeli cookbook is an excellent choice for collections that already include Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's Jerusalem and Joan Nathan's The Foods of Israel Today.
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