Cookbook recommendations

[Didntstop]

Hi ladies. I'm not Jewish and have a non Jewish friend is going through a bit of a hard time and doesn't eat a lot since she had cancer. She reminisces about the food she used to get served at her Jewish friend's house many years ago. I want to buy her a fairly simple Jewish cookbook - I know I've seen recommendations on MN and Claudia Roden rings a bell but I'm sure. I'll buy 2, one for her and one for me!

Thank you!

*I'm not sure that's the recommendation I've seen.

I like Evelyn Rose recipes. They're not fancy, just good, traditional Ashkenazi food.

I hope your friend finds what she's looking for. It's also incredibly sweet of you to be trying to help her like this :) Do you know if there are any foods in particular she's wanting?

Ah thank you @Humdingerydoo! I recognise that author's name now so will buy.

The problem is she's lost excitement for food all round. My son works for a Jewish family and has been to Friday night dinner, and said it's the best brisket he's ever had, and she said she'd love to try it again.

She doesn't mind some spice/heat as her tastebuds have been dulled. I think she'd also like some sweet dishes. Oh she does love salmon! And chicken.

Thank for your reply 😊

Evelyn Rose is your best bet if she likes very traditional ashkenazi food.

Or look online for recipes. Although a lot of modern Jewish food bloggers are very influenced by current food trends and sefardic/mizrachi food. So sushi salad and morrocan style gefilta fish are shabbat staples. :)

Both Claudia Roden and Evelyn Rose are good cookbooks, but I would choose Claudia Roden's The Book of Jewish Food because it is more than just a cookbook. It gives context, and stories, and reminisces. It really is beautifully written and a pleasure to browse.

Hope your friend feels better soon, and the food gives her pleasure and strength.

Thank you very much for your replies, I'm going to buy and cook for her first, then hopefully she'll feel up to tinkering in the kitchen again.

This is so lovely of you, a friend like you is such a wonderful thing. Try with chicken soup first and maybe some kugle, you can make it sweet or savoury. All the best to you and your friend 🫶🏼

If you don't mind youtube and your friend is appreciative of spice with her taste buds being affected then i really recommend Sonyas's prep. Sonya is a Sephardi Jewish woman (The Sephardi Jewish diaspora include communities with a Spanish; Portuguese; Middle East; North African heritage) and she cooks wonderful meals with loads of herbs and spices. I recommend her Moroccan salmon which includes lemon, cumin, paprika, chickpeas, loads and loads of fresh coriander etc.

https://mykitchenmystudio.com/moroccan-salmon/

This is my favourite youtube channel right now. She does alot of videos about her Sabbath cooking- the latest one has a recipe for lamb meatballs that is packed full of pureed fresh coriander and garlic and I can't wait to try it.

I hope all goes well with your friend. As pps have said- it is a wonderful thing you are doing.

Oh I linked the wrong thing!

This is Sonyas's prep

But the recipe I did link came up when I googled. Either might be worth a look!

Thank you @HoldingOntoMySanity. I'm actually in Marrakech at the moment and have just found a Jewish restaurant (happily also licenced!). I'll definitely want to try Sonya's recipes when home!