The Classic Art of Viennese Pastry: From Strudel to Sachertorte--More Than 100

Book Description

Professional Cooking/Baking "This book is a resource and guide for all those who did not have the joy of learning the art of baking, side by side, from a mother or grandmother." Markus Färbinger The Culinary Institute of America From the Foreword

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book, original recipes, clear instructions.......2006-06-10

I borrowed this book from a university library and wound up ordering it online. It is true that the majority of the recipes provide instructions for making 8 cakes at a time. However, 10 recipes have a small-yield option. Even when this option is not included, for the most part, it is not difficult to divide amount of every ingredient by 8: After all, there are 16 ounces in a pound, which is 8 times 2. If there are 64 or 56 eggs or 24 egg whites in instructions for 8 cakes, it is also rather easy to divide these numbers by 8. Calculus never exactly liked me, but I did all divisions and wrote notes in the recipe sections of my copy of the book. As long as a cook is not arithmetically challenged, she or he can use this book.

This is not a book for a coffee-table; this is an excellent source for serious bakers. Also, as any cookbook on Viennese baking, it provides recipes for many flour-free goodies. The author also lists in the beginning desserts without flour, desserts without butter, and desserts without flour and butter recipes for which are in the book.

With regard to the originality of recipes and quality of recipes and instructions, it is one of the best books on baking on the market. If you like Rick Rodger's "Kaffeehaus," you are going to love this book as well, except that "Kaffeehaus" is beautifully published and makes a very good gift. Berl's book contains a few colored photographs of finished products and a few black and white photographs of buildings in Vienna, but not a lot. Instructions and very helpful drawings on making a strudel are definitely better in Christine Berl's book. Recipes for several yeast dough strudels which are present here are not provided in "Kaffeehaus," for example the poppy seed strudel, which is made with yeast dough. I made it exactly according to Berl's instructions, and result exceeded expectations. Tyrolean strudel, also made with yeast dough, is spectacular. Several grande occasion cakes are quite original, taste delicious, and their presentation is really special. The Habsburg Torte consists of four layers made from two different sponge batters (one - made with hazelnuts and bread crumbs, the other - with almonds and bread crumbs)and two cream fillings, one chocolate and one pistachio. Is this rich cake worth the sin! I have never seen before the recipes for Taylor's Torte (almonds-based batter, chocolate cream filling with hazelnuts and walnuts), House of Cards Torte (a great combination of chocolate, nuts and candied peels and spices, creates an unbelievable aftertaste), Carmelite Torte (uses dried dates and figs and fresh champagne grapes), King's Torte (uses pine nuts), Moss Torte (does it look spectacular! tastes great, too). The author also provides a very good recipe for Orange Torte (virtually unknown in the US) which is quite easy on the eye, three different recipes for Linzer torte, two recipes for Sacher (one - with rum).

Also, I never before saw recipes for milk batter and wine batter which are used for deep-frying. I have encountered the beer batter recipe before, but I believe that Berl's is better. However, a number of recipes present in "Kaffeehaus" are not available here, for example, colaches, so those two books complement each other nicely.

I recommend this book to any passionate and loving experimentation home baker. Professionals who live and work in culturally-diverse or cosmopolitan areas, with their spoiled by broad choices clientele, might use this book to their competitive advantage. After all, the author's mother was a successful caterer in NYC.

I highly recommend this book.

Big food pairing.......2004-12-06

Well, after scaling down the recipes, I was able to make some really good desserts. Don't know if this is for the "novice" home cook, though. Paired a linzertorte with a great glass of Austrian dessert wine (Wenzel Saz, found it at www.winemonger.com) at a party to big cheers.

A disappointment.......2000-07-05

Caveat Emptor! This looks slick but it just doesn't deliver. It is definitely not for the home chef. One can't help but wonder if the author actually made any of these outside of the resaurant.

Viennese pastry are world reknown, and I was looking forward to a specialized work in the ranks of, say, Gourmet Magazine. You're much better off with Eurodelices, by Bellahsen and Rouche.

Excellent.......2000-04-15

A great primer on the true art of Viennese pastry. The formulas are easy to scale, although scaled versions would have been helpful. I have tried many of them with great sucess!

Interesting... If you run a restaurant or pastry shop.......1998-09-02

This book has a compelling premise: capturing family recipes for the best of Viennese pastry. The big disappointment, however, is that the recipes are all scaled for foodservice portions, without reference for reducing them to domestic applications. While I'd love to try an authentic linzertorte, I don't have need most days to make 8 cakes worth. I wouldn't recommend the book unless you run a restaurant, pastry shop or other large volume business, or you're interested enough in the topic to justify reading it as an academic learning experience, without practical application. I sent it back - I wish I had known the target reader group was not the home baker.

East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube (Ecco)

Average customer rating:

Austrian food and wine pairing
Beware, check this out from a library or friend first!
Cooking like my grandma did
Great chef, lousy book
Austria's Road to Modernity

East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube (Ecco)
David Bouley , and Melissa Clark
Manufacturer: Ecco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

International | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0066214491
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Book Description

David Bouley, universally praised as one of the most important chefs cooking today, shares his recipes from Austria and other regions of the Danube in this stunning, beautifully illustrated, one-of-a-kind cookbook.

East of Paris embraces Austrian culture, lifestyle, and -- above all else -- the new Austrian cuisine, as interpreted by the renowned David Bouley. Praised as one of the top chefs in the world, Bouley, in collaboration with executive chef Mario Lohninger, has adapted and lightened Austrian cuisine, introducing innovative cooking techniques to indigenous ingredients and classic regional dishes. This cuisine is truly unique, capturing the peak flavor in its ingredients, combining classic techniques and influences from around the world, and translating them into a culinary language with an Austrian gestalt.

All of the recipes here have been prepared for the home cook; some are from Bouley and Lohninger's own repertoire, and some are reinvented traditional dishes that have been made in Austrian homes for generations. Featuring extraordinary photographs by Thomas Schauer, East of Paris introduces readers to a refined cuisine that draws on Austrian cooking, is prepared with the highest standards, and goes well beyond the culinary canon.

Customer Reviews:

Austrian food and wine pairing.......2004-12-06

I bought this book and a book about Austrian wine. I found the recipes to be a bit complicated, but quite wonderful. I also found some Austrian wine from an online shop (www.winemonger.com) to go with the food!

Beware, check this out from a library or friend first!.......2004-05-19

What can I say, many of the pictures in this book are wonderful and present the cuisine in fabulous splendor, but the recipies tend to be complex and will not come out exactly as pictured. Some of the dishes seem convoluted, particularly the dishes that require minute amounts of over a dozen ingredients.
I understand that David Bouley is held in a high regard, just reading Charlie Trotter's review is enough said, but, I think that is based largely inpart on Bouley's restaurant, not the book itself. I also beleive that much of what is in this book is not meant for the novice cook. I consider myself experienced and more than capable of preparing an out and out quality meal, but this book is not helpful in explaining technique or corresponding the text and pictures to an actual outcome.
I say beware of this book. Check it out from a library or borrow a copy from a friend and try the recipies first. I think that if you were to buy this based upon reviews or a cursory glance, you will be disappointed in how the recipies translate into stunning dishes in your own kitchen. If you struglle or fail, as I did, it is disheartening and should in no way reflect upon you as a cook. I will be honest, I was discouraged, but I had to sit and think about the audience for this book and the level of skill it is written for. I think anyone considering this book as a gift or addition to their own library needs to consider these two factors prior to making a purchase. And, if in doubt, spend some time looking it over carefully in a bookstore coffeeshop before you buy.
Make no mistake this book is wonderfully photographed and well constructed, but contnet wise, I cannot say that it is among my favorites nor do I find it a very useful or insightful text.

Cooking like my grandma did.......2004-04-15

I don't thought I would like this book so much. But when I get it, I sat down and for 2 hours I was reading the book. As a German, this recipes sound often so familiar. My grandma kam from Prague, so her cooking was similar. For me, the recipes are easy to follow but you need your time. I am sure in the next time I will cook a lot from this book. The last year's I was in Italian-cooking, then California-cooking, now it is a change with this book. My husband will love it.

Great chef, lousy book.......2004-04-05

David Bouley is one of America's great chefs. He could be our greatest culinary creator. Bouley's first cookbook is only a peephole into his talent and creation.
In trying several of the recipes offered by his book, I was initially optimistic. The concepts are interesting, the preparations are layered with different nuances of flavor, and the pictures are lovely. The first hesitation I had, was when i noticed that the recipe for Mushroom Goulasch corresponded only abstractly with the photo of the dish. In the recipe, the dumplings are not dumplings, but more of a spaetzle. the spaetzle is not yellow with pieces of chive, but totally green. Finally the beautiful buttery foam in the photo is in actuality a heavy green sauce. So much for truth in advertising.
the potato salad we made was first class.
the tuna dish we made was fine in most respects yet sorely lacking in detail as to the slicing of the tuna (which is critical in the cooking process).
the dishes were very involved, yet the final result was mediocre at best. What a waste of time!
I have eaten in Bouley's restaurant (Bouley's} and followed his career from a distance for some time. He has undoubtedly squandered a great talent in some ways. Yet, I would love for him to publish i true compendium of his creations. Bouley is so talented. I feel very disappointed as i can only assume that the bulk of his oeuvre will be forever out of my reach and understanding.

Austria's Road to Modernity.......2004-02-29

What makes this book effective are the possibilities it offers to take part in the realm of pure gastronomic ritural - from cooking to digestion. It's hamartophobic in the best sense, as Bouley and Clark capture through words and photographs what taste buds would attest to if they could take on their own five senses. I entrechat and applaud your efforts. It's Austrian food on the highest level.

The Wines of Austria (Classic Wine Library)

Average customer rating:

Now to find those wines
The Not So Well Known Wines of Austria

The Wines of Austria (Classic Wine Library)
Philipp Blom
Manufacturer: MITCH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 184533132X

Book Description

The definitive book on Austrian wine--"the best-kept secret of the wine world," according to the author.

The Wines of Austria provides a complete introduction to the fine wines of Austria, which are beginning to appear on the lists of serious wine merchants. A country that produces several superb varieties, Austria is now becoming known for its wines, which are of a similar quality but are much more affordably priced than comparable wines from France and Germany.

Starting with the history of Austrian wine, going back to the Celts and the Romans and working his way up to the technological advances of the present day, Philipp Blom examines the regions in which top wines are made and focuses on the growers and varieties in each area. From Wachau to Styria, the Kamptal to the Burgenland, this is a book for all wine lovers who want to broaden their scope and tantalize their palates by learning all about the exciting wines now available from Austrian vineyards.

Customer Reviews:

Now to find those wines.......2004-12-06

I found this book to be very informative, and perhaps even more than that it made me want to find and try the wines from the wineries he writes about. Not easy to do here in the States, but luckily there's the internet and search engines! One great resource I found was an online Austrian wine specialty shop: www.winemonger.com
Perfect complement for this book!

The Not So Well Known Wines of Austria.......2002-10-10

"The Wines of Austria"
Philipp Blom
ISBN 0-57119-533-4

I read this book about Austrian wine as much to learn more about the country as to learn about the wine. To me, wine, climate, geography, and culture are interrelated. I have traveled several times to Austria over the last few years. However, I cannot say that I have had a good glass or bottle of wine there. Reading this book makes clearer why. The primary wine production is in the eastern part of the country, where I have traveled mainly in the west.

Mr. Blom writes that Austria has three main wine regions: the area along the Danube, west of Vienna, the state of Burgenland, and the eastern part of the state of Steiermark. The most commonly grown wine grape is Gruener Weltliner, a white grape which makes up 37% of Austria's total wine production. This grape is thought to have been grown in the Danube region in Roman times. Second is Welschriesling, another white grape, which makes up 10% of Austria's grape harvest. Mueller-Thurgau, a white that, unlike the other two, is also widely grown in Germany, ties for third at about 8% with Zweigelt, the most widely cultivated red wine in Austria.

One of the features I like most about this book is the detailed maps of the wine regions of Austria. For example, on the map of the Wachau region along the Danube, there are 109 vineyards identified by numeric key with their locations shown in regard to the river and the towns along it, such as Duernstein on the north bank, where Richard the Lion-hearted was held for ransom during the Crusades.

Mr. Blom's book also discusses the wine growing areas and the top growers in each of them. The book describes the characteristics of each estate and its specialties. Blom also provides phone and fax numbers, as well as addresses.

Any book about Austrian wine worthy of the name could not fail to mention the well known Austrian institution of the Heurige. The term comes from a German word meaning new wine. However, the word has come to refer to the small inns that serve wine, located around wine growing areas on the outskirts of towns. As Blom points out, the public is notified as to the availability of new wine by fir trees hung above the door of the inn. This custom is thought to go back to the time of Charlemagne.

The next time I go to Austria I will be a little better prepared to appreciate the good wines that are produced there. Hopefully, it will not be too long.

Average customer rating:

Not very useful

COMFORT FOODS

All Along the Danube: Recipes from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria (Hippocrene International Cookbooks)
Marina Polvay
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
European | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Austrian Cooking and Baking

Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague

The Czechoslovak Cookbook: Czechoslovakia's best-selling cookbook adapted for American kitchens. Includes recipes for authentic dishes like Goulash, Apple ... Torte. (Crown Classic Cookbook Series)

The Hungarian Cookbook

June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipes

ASIN: 0781808065

Customer Reviews:

Not very useful.......2007-02-23

This book fell apart as soon as I opened it. The glue wasn't strong enough to keep the pages together, and they fell right out of the book. And that was just a foretaste of the fact that the recipes were not going to be very useful at all. The problem is that it is very poorly organized...there is a heavy concentration on the countries involved instead of the dishes I was interested in trying. The author couldn't decide whether it was a cookbook or a historic and geographic tour guide. She needed to make up her mind, but didn't.

COMFORT FOODS.......2006-08-28

An excellent book that takes you along the Danube, stopping to
eat at every country and sample a little of their cuisine. The recipes are a great collection of comfort food that all are
sure to enjoy.

Cuisines of the Alps: Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia (Hippocrene Cookbook Library)

Average customer rating:

First Rate

Cuisines of the Alps: Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia (Hippocrene Cookbook Library)
Kay Shaw Nelson
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0781810582

Book Description

A majestic mountain system in south-central Europe, the Alps form an arc spanning almost 750 miles from the Mediterranean Sea through northern Italy and southeast France, Switzerland, southern Germany, and Austria and into the northwest part of the Balkan Peninsula. Cuisines of the Alps takes a culinary tour through this region with stops in Northern Italy for risotto a la Milanese and osso buco; in Austrian for goulash and linzer torte; for dumplings in Bavaria; raclette in Switzerland; French trout au bleu, and in Slovenia for eggplant stew and walnut cake. Cuisines of the Alps will enhance your knowledge of the region's cookery, bringing the snow-capped peaks, with their robust, homey dishes into your kitchen.

Customer Reviews:

First Rate.......2006-04-28

"Cuisines of the Alps" is a culinary journey filled with recipes and lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.

Kay Shaw Nelson shares her passion for food from the Alps in this book. She is a food writer and author of eighteen cookbooks.

Hippocrene Books is known for their cookbooks from exotic countries, such as, "Argentina Cooks!", "Icelandic Food and Cookery" and "Tastes of the Pyrenees". Here is yet another addition!

Nelson's introduction takes us on a mini-tour of the beautiful Alps! Her description of the region helps the reader envision such a lovely area with snow-capped mountain peaks, trees, people and homes. Her recipes are easy-to-follow and extremely tasty!

The chapters included in this book are: Appetizers; Soups; Eggs and Cheese Dishes; Fish; Meat, Poultry and Game; Vegetables and Salads; Pasta, Rice and Other Grains; Desserts; and Drinks and Wine. Some of the more delectable recipes are: goulash, linzer torte, Liechtenstein Corn-Bean Salad, walnut cake, Wine Cream, dumplings, Bavarian Beer Soup, and Fondue!

For people interested in a comprehensive cookbook on cookery in the Alps, Nelson really brings home the passion!

Festive Baking: Holiday Classics in the Swiss, German, and Austrian Traditions

Average customer rating:

Requires meticulous planning; excellent results
gut! (good in german)

Festive Baking: Holiday Classics in the Swiss, German, and Austrian Traditions
Sarah Kelly Iaia
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Pastry | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0385197314
Release Date: 1988-10-04

Customer Reviews:

Requires meticulous planning; excellent results.......2006-09-18

Recipes in this book are not for novice bakers, neither are they for habitual offenders of baking mixes aisles or those who are afraid to touch dough with their bare hands. Following recipes of Sarah Kelly Iaia requires well-stocked pantry, precision, discipline, and ability to plan ahead. Many recipes specify that the dough is made a day in advance, and many baked goods are better 2 weeks - a month after baking. On a positive note, many ingredients are quite accessible and not expensive.

The taste and look of all those goodies is distinctly European and suit best those who like artisan baking. If you prefer chewey cookies, heavy cakes like German chocolate cake (which is not German at all), supermarket-sold white bread, and chemically tasting birthday cakes sold at price clubs, chances are you will not like most of cakes, breads, and cookies made from recipes in this book. However, this book is very usefull if you wish to enrich your baking repertoir, impress your guests or coworkers, or need to send a lot of presents across the country around Christmas. The author, using very specific easy-to-follow directions helps muster different types of gingerbreads, Sunday breads, stollen, crumbly sweet pretzels, and nut layer cakes. Both children and adults like chocolate-glazed heart-shaped honey cookies, the recipe for which alone is worth the price of this book.

I would prefer more photographs of finished products, but overall I have been quite satisfied with the results even without them.

gut! (good in german).......2001-11-05

DIS BOOK WAS GUT!
i recommend dis book to
people dat love to cook in German.austrian
or swisse.

All Along the Rhine: Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland

Average customer rating:

Okay for beginners, but experts should look elsewhere
Okay for beginners, but experts should look elsewhere
Recipes, wines and lore

All Along the Rhine: Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland
Kay Shaw Nelson
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0781808308

Customer Reviews:

Okay for beginners, but experts should look elsewhere.......2002-08-28

I loved the premise of this book: food and "ambiance" from the countries and locations along the Rhine, a river that stretches through several countries. But it doesn't deliver.

The recipes are simple... a little *too* simple. When I was in the mood to make, say, a German saurbraten, I compared Nelson's recipe to several others. Her recipe wasn't bad, but it was wholly unremarkable. Every time I started to cook from this book, I ended up choosing a recipe from another cookbook.

Nor does the "travel" information provide any insights. It's as if she scribbled a few notes from a guidebook, rather than give the reader a view into another place, another life.

On the other hand, this book is suitable for people who are curious about European cooking but somewhat intimidated by "authentic" recipes. I ended up giving away the book to friends who are interested in German cooking, but not very adventurous.

Okay for beginners, but experts should look elsewhere.......2002-08-28

I loved the premise of this book: food and "ambiance" from the countries and locations along the Rhine, a river that stretches through several countries. But it doesn't deliver.

Nor does the "travel" information provide any insights. It's as if she scribbled a few notes from a guidebook, rather than give the reader a view into another place, another life.

Recipes, wines and lore.......2001-04-25

All Along the Rhine presents recipes, wines and lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Holland, blending authentic Rhine recipes with cultural and political history and insights. No color photos, but the easy dishes don't need them and All Along the Rhine is as strong in its cultural information as in its culinary history of the entire region.

Wine and Thorns in Tokay Valley: Jewish Life in Hungary : The History of Abaujszanto (Sara F. Yoseloff Memorial Publications in Judaism and Jewish a)

Average customer rating:

Moving story of a 14 yr old girl who survived auschwitz.

Wine and Thorns in Tokay Valley: Jewish Life in Hungary : The History of Abaujszanto (Sara F. Yoseloff Memorial Publications in Judaism and Jewish a)
Zahava Szasz Stessel
Manufacturer: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Austria | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Hungary | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0838635458

Customer Reviews:

Moving story of a 14 yr old girl who survived auschwitz........1999-07-09

Imagine, you are a 14 yr old girl growing up in a small, rural Hungarian town... surrounded by your loved ones. Slowly, hatred is surrounding you and all your friends and relatives are taken away to a death camp--Auschwitz. You survive alone among your family and come back to your "home". Your neighbors, who looted your furniture, resent your coming back. Your family is gone. Their business is gone...but your memories keep bringing you back. After you are a grown woman, a grandmother, you get a degree in history and write a book of your little town. You still search for the answer to the question-- WHY? Dr. Stessel wrote a moving history of her little town. Life was idyllic and life was cut short. The groping for the details tells many stories.

A Drizzle of Honey : The Lives and Recipes of Spain's Secret Jews

Average customer rating:

Good Food, Bad History
A drizzle of honey
This is Gastronomy for the strong of heart
A Lost Cuisine, and New Art for This Chef
Read it as history rather than as recipes

A Drizzle of Honey : The Lives and Recipes of Spain's Secret Jews
David M. Gitlitz , and Linda Kay Davidson
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312198604

Book Description

When tens of thousands of Iberian Jews were converted to Catholicism under duress during the Inquisition, many rapidly assimilated to their new religious culture. Others, the crypto-Jews, struggled to retain their Jewish identity in private while projecting Christian conformity in the public sphere. In order to root out these "heretics," the courts of the Inquisition published checklists of Jewish household habits and koshering practices and grilled the servants, neighbors, and even the children of those suspected of practicing their religion at home. From these testimonies and other primary sources, Gitlitz and Davidson have drawn a fascinating picture of the secret culinary life of the crypto-Jews and the customs and foods that threatened their existence while securing their precarious sense of identity. From nearly a hundred specific references to Sephardic cuisine, the authors have recreated these recipes. They combine Christian and Islamic traditions in cooking lamb, beef, fish, eggplants, chickpeas, and greens and use seasonings such as saffron, mace, ginger, and cinnamon. These recipes, with accompanying text that tells the stories of their creators, promise to delight the adventurous palate and give insights into the foundations of modern Sephardic cuisine.

Customer Reviews:

Good Food, Bad History.......2007-03-08

I was excited when I first heard about this book, but when I got a copy, I was quite disappointed.

First the good... the recipes produce tasty dishes.

But they are not the recipes of Spain's Jews, secret or public.

These are recipes invented by the authors with a minimum of supporting evidence, or, in fact, most of the time, none at all.

They are based for the most part on the testimony of people who turned in Conversos for being "secrect Jews". The mere mention of, oh, say, chick peas and honey, has led the authors to invent a recipe that includes these ingredients.

If you are truly interested in the history the food eaten by Spain's Jews, you will not learn much. If you want some nice Spainish-style recipes eaten by Jews, you'll probably do better skipping the sad tales of betrayal and torture and buying a modern Sephardic cookbook.

A drizzle of honey.......2007-01-11

A fascinating look into the lives of Secret Jews during the Inquisition. A collegue had recommended it for its historical insights, and I found the anecdotes about the fates of the recipe authors tragic but a great insight into a time of flux and intolerance. Good recipes, too!

This is Gastronomy for the strong of heart.......2006-12-21

I was very delighted to read this insightful gastronomic reference. Although, it is more than a recipe book, it is also a telling account on what it took to go through the Inquisitional process. Hence, a Drizzle of Honey, is much more than one bargains for. I have also made the Adafina that is included in the book, and it was quite good. The Inquisition was not necessarily aimed at mainstream "Jews" per se, but at Conversos, or "Jews"who were forcibly converted.
It is very interesting that in many respects the Jewish converts to Christianity were many times denounced on the slightest pretext of eating in the "Jewish" manner. It could be as forthright as not eating pork for "health" reasons, or as absurd as making stew with Swiss chard, both being indicators of a "relapsed" Jew, in other words a Christian heretic. To our postmodern sensibilities these gastronomic preferences are almost comical. But to many of my relatives in Spain living under those Medieval conditions it was absolutely terrifying. I've got to hand it to Mr. Gitlitz, his premise for this book is very well thought out. This book is probably not for the weak of heart or stomach, given that some references in his book are counterintuitive when it comes to appetite. But, for those who want to learn about our tragic past, and who want to see if some of the recipes are what our grandmothers cooked, I fully recommend it. My Mother always cooked with Swiss chard and used olive oil in her meals. In Spain this would have been a sure sign that we are Jewish. Oh well.

A Lost Cuisine, and New Art for This Chef.......2006-09-01

Recently I picked up a copy of the book, "A Drizzle of Honey: the Lives and Recipes of Spain's Secret Jews". It has a fascinating and well documented history as well some marvelous redactions of the most likely constructs of recipes. I recall learning briefly about the secret Sepahrdim in hebrew school. This book gives marvelous insight and helps recreate a delicious cuisine. I am fairly certain that either this passover or the next I am going to attempt a full Sephardic sedar for a change of pace and add some culinary excitement.

Read it as history rather than as recipes.......2006-01-14

I received this book as a present several years ago, but I've never cooked any of the recipes. That's despite the fact that several of them sound good, some VERY good, such as roast chicken stuffed with fruit, ginger and lavender; or a fish and eggplant casserole.

However, the book is of more interest historically than it is as a "what to make for dinner tonight" inspiration. There's two reasons -- one that would ordinarily make these dishes appealing, and one that creeps me out.

The positive side, first. Most recipes we have from the middle ages are those of the nobility -- the people who could afford to stuff a tiny bird inside a larger bird inside another one inside an even bigger one. In contrast, this is a book of recipes of (or at least inspired by) the "ordinary" middle class person of Spain in the 1400s and 1500s. So if you're interested in the evolution of cooking, and what people ate before the discovery of the New World introduced corn, tomatoes, and potatoes, this is a fascinating book all on its own. But you may not want to read it late at night, if you're prone to nightmares.

That's because the history it illuminates is depressing. The recipes are culled from detailed stories about the Spanish Inquisition, particularly the expulsion of the Jews, the torture of those who would not confess, and the "evidence" of those who converted to Christianity but who were accused of still practicing Judaism. Quite often, the "evidence" was a neighbor observing what the family ate ("In Almazan in 1501, an anonymous witness reported that when Isabel Velez's father died, the family sat at a low table near the door, and ate 'a casserole made of chard and bread crumbs and cheese,' which Isabel had prepared at home and brought to her father's house"). You get the testimony of the trial, sometimes the result (such as burning), and then an analysis of the dish that was mentioned ("Typical of Iberian Jewish funerals was a communal meal eaten in the house of the deceased after the funeral..."). The authors figure out a recipe that matches what was mentioned and reflects what was known to be available ingredient-wise (so it may not be *exactly* what the Accused had, but it's close, and how can one object to a tasty chard-cheese casserole?).

Historically, it's fascinating. But do I really want to cook a chicken that got some woman killed 500 years ago? In some sense, I do; it keeps her memory alive. But, uh, I think I'll just make this OTHER roast chicken instead, which doesn't have all that weird karma tied up in it. Enough of those, and -- well, as I said, I've had the book for about 5 years and I haven't cooked anything from it.

However, I'm not planning to give the book away, because it is wonderful and fascinating from a foodie historian perspective. Aside from the reason these scholars brought up the subject, it's great to learn about the thickeners used at the time, a discussion of what almori is or was (a staple of medieval Islamic cooking), and so on. And this might be a 5 star book, from that viewpoint.

If you view it simply in that manner, with the recipes as illustrations, perhaps it won't make you feel that weird. Or, if you have a stronger stomach than I, go ahead and cook the recipes; some of them seem awesome. Let me know how it turns out, okay?

German, Austrian, Czech and Hungarian: 70 Traditional Dishes from the Heart of European Cuisine (Cooking Around the World)

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German, Austrian, Czech and Hungarian: 70 Traditional Dishes from the Heart of European Cuisine (Cooking Around the World)
Lesely Chamberlian
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

International | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0754815463

Book Description

Over 70 traditonal recipes from these rich historic cuisines, all shown in easy to follow step-by step pictures.

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