It's no question that foods have the ability to help us recall memories. I was particularly moved, however, by the ability of a cookbook to have this effect on me. This weekend, in a matter of a few hours over 2 days, I read all 368 pages of Zahav: A world of Israeli cooking, by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Page after beautiful page, I was transported to my childhood and the food memories of it; allow me to explain.
I was 4 years old when my sister Kayla was born. Since both of our parents worked, they hired a nanny, Batsheva, to care for Kayla (I was already in school). Batsheva was originally from Israel, of Morrocan decent and, I believe, had some family from Yemen as well. She truly became an extension of our family; her kids were like our siblings, and Batsheva loved us as if we were her own children. Kayla still keeps in touch with her 30+ years later! One thing I remember most from those years is Batsheva's cooking. It was probably my first exposure to Israeli dishes such as falafel, hummus, and even the simple chopped salad known as "Israeli salad". I still connect dishes such as Morrocan spicy poached fish, schug, and babaganouj with this time in my life, since I was first introduced to them by Batsheva. She also took the time to teach my mother how to cook the dishes she cooked, skills my mother passed along to me.
Zahav is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever seen, and I've read quite a few (my first stop whenever I go to the library is the nonfiction section, call number 641). Unlike many cookbooks which are lists of recipes, instructions, and often some pictures, Zahav is written as a story. It's the story of Michael Solomonov's family, his childhood, his journey of how he developed into the chef he is today. All of this is accompanied by pictures, not only of the dishes in the cookbook, but of family events and meals, of shops where the ingredients are purchased, and what some plants (like sesame seeds and garbanzo beans) look like while growing. Each section begins with 3-4 pages of personal history and background to the section; most recipes have a brief intro to them in which Solomonov weaves more of his personal story. The photos are stunning. There are images of people laughing and you can feel that happiness. Photos of vegetables, fruits, and spices in the markets present these ingredients as the jewels they are. Images of bread in the oven or meat on the grill make you feel the warmth the cook is experiencing. While so many cookbooks have great pictures of the prepared dishes, in Zahav, the majority of recipes also have photos of the process of making the dish, with none other than the author in these photos, preparing the dishes himself.
In addition to traditional Israeli foods, the cookbook has several recipes based on Solomonov's Bulgarian background. Some of these dishes bear a strong resemblance to traditional Turkish dishes my mother made, usually for holidays. After refreshing my memory by looking at a map, it shouldn't surprise me that two neighboring countries share a similar cuisine. In the chapter on borekas, there is a recipe for a meat pie very similar to the one my grandmother made, albeit with a slightly different dough; I don't think my grandmother would ever take the time to make a laminated dough, even if there were promises of all the chocolate mousse in the world! In the mezze chapter, Solomonov features a recipe for okra, calling it by the same name my father does, bamya. There is also a recipe for stuffed grape leaves, which made me recall sitting at the table with my mother and rolling yaprakes. I saw a recipe for agristada, the egg-lemon sauce, and shuddered because it called for flour; a true cook would thicken it with egg alone!
I think it is a combination of a few things that made this cookbook resonate so much with me. It's written in a relatable way, almost like Solomonov is speaking with the reader. Add to this photos that make you feel like you are there, at the table, holding the spoon to serve yourself a portion of that beautiful dish. Above all, the recipes are very similar to dishes I was first exposed to in my youth, by family and others very special to me. And yes, I did end up buying the book (e-book version). I'm sure I'll get my use out of it.
Recipes from Zahav I'll be trying in the near future:
I was 4 years old when my sister Kayla was born. Since both of our parents worked, they hired a nanny, Batsheva, to care for Kayla (I was already in school). Batsheva was originally from Israel, of Morrocan decent and, I believe, had some family from Yemen as well. She truly became an extension of our family; her kids were like our siblings, and Batsheva loved us as if we were her own children. Kayla still keeps in touch with her 30+ years later! One thing I remember most from those years is Batsheva's cooking. It was probably my first exposure to Israeli dishes such as falafel, hummus, and even the simple chopped salad known as "Israeli salad". I still connect dishes such as Morrocan spicy poached fish, schug, and babaganouj with this time in my life, since I was first introduced to them by Batsheva. She also took the time to teach my mother how to cook the dishes she cooked, skills my mother passed along to me.
Zahav is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever seen, and I've read quite a few (my first stop whenever I go to the library is the nonfiction section, call number 641). Unlike many cookbooks which are lists of recipes, instructions, and often some pictures, Zahav is written as a story. It's the story of Michael Solomonov's family, his childhood, his journey of how he developed into the chef he is today. All of this is accompanied by pictures, not only of the dishes in the cookbook, but of family events and meals, of shops where the ingredients are purchased, and what some plants (like sesame seeds and garbanzo beans) look like while growing. Each section begins with 3-4 pages of personal history and background to the section; most recipes have a brief intro to them in which Solomonov weaves more of his personal story. The photos are stunning. There are images of people laughing and you can feel that happiness. Photos of vegetables, fruits, and spices in the markets present these ingredients as the jewels they are. Images of bread in the oven or meat on the grill make you feel the warmth the cook is experiencing. While so many cookbooks have great pictures of the prepared dishes, in Zahav, the majority of recipes also have photos of the process of making the dish, with none other than the author in these photos, preparing the dishes himself.
In addition to traditional Israeli foods, the cookbook has several recipes based on Solomonov's Bulgarian background. Some of these dishes bear a strong resemblance to traditional Turkish dishes my mother made, usually for holidays. After refreshing my memory by looking at a map, it shouldn't surprise me that two neighboring countries share a similar cuisine. In the chapter on borekas, there is a recipe for a meat pie very similar to the one my grandmother made, albeit with a slightly different dough; I don't think my grandmother would ever take the time to make a laminated dough, even if there were promises of all the chocolate mousse in the world! In the mezze chapter, Solomonov features a recipe for okra, calling it by the same name my father does, bamya. There is also a recipe for stuffed grape leaves, which made me recall sitting at the table with my mother and rolling yaprakes. I saw a recipe for agristada, the egg-lemon sauce, and shuddered because it called for flour; a true cook would thicken it with egg alone!
I think it is a combination of a few things that made this cookbook resonate so much with me. It's written in a relatable way, almost like Solomonov is speaking with the reader. Add to this photos that make you feel like you are there, at the table, holding the spoon to serve yourself a portion of that beautiful dish. Above all, the recipes are very similar to dishes I was first exposed to in my youth, by family and others very special to me. And yes, I did end up buying the book (e-book version). I'm sure I'll get my use out of it.
Recipes from Zahav I'll be trying in the near future:
- Hummus
- Schnitzel with za'atar in the breading
- Techina shortbread cookies
- Techina semifreddo
- Laffa and pita in the home oven
- Pastel (meat pie)
- Pargiot (grilled chicken thighs)
- Solomonov marinates his in pureed onion, along with varying spices and herbs, plus lemon juice and oil. The natural sugars in the onion helps the chicken thighs caramelize while they grill. I plan to try this method with a shwarma seasoning blend.
Podcasts featuring Michael Solomonov and his cookbooks:
Interview part 1 on Serious Eats podcast, 11/8/18
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