Recently, my buddy, pal, all
around awesome gal, and favorite publicist Trina Kaye sent me an email asking
if I was interested in reviewing a brand new cookbook “Food, Family and
Tradition- Hungarian Kosher Family Recipes and Remembrances” written by Lynn Kirsche Shapiro.
I think I shouted YES so loudly that Trina actually heard me all the way
in California! Let me explain, Hungarian
Kosher is in CHICAGO (OK, technically Skokie but for all intents and purposes
it’s the same difference). I have a
longtime history and relationship with the store and its owners and this review
is a very personal one.
As you all know by now I was born
and raised in the West Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. As a child the area between the north/south
streets of California and Western along the main east/west street of Devon
avenue was heavily Jewish and very gentrified.
There were many kosher bakeries, a few butchers, department stores
(Crawfords, Cover Girl, Gap) and the famous Cut Rate Toys (don't touch the
toys!). One of the best small kosher
grocery stores on Devon Avenue was Hungarian Kosher run by Mr. Sandor Kirsch.
He was the nicest man, and I remember
going into the store as a kid with my mom to buy the kosher products that we
needed. It was close enough that if the
weather was good I could walk there myself.
Sadly that part of Devon avenue
began to change (you can buy fabulous sari's there now), and in the interest of
maintaining and growing the business Hungarian moved to Skokie. Truthfully, not that far away - just not
walking distance. Impressively the store
grew into the premier Kosher full service grocery store in the Midwest,
carrying a wide assortment such that you didn't even need to shop anywhere
else. No matter how large or busy the
store got Mr. Kirsch was still the same kind, calm, sweet man he always
was. He was always willing patiently to
answer any question you might have (and I'm sure some of mine were really
annoying), I remember having one particular conversation with him about chicken
feathers. Yes, chicken feathers.
Mr. Kirsche passed away several
years ago, and now the store is run by his son Ira. The cookbook “Food, Family and Tradition” is
written by Mr. Kirsche’s daughter Lynn.
The book is really a fascinating historical cookbook with an in depth
documentary of the Kirsche family’s experiences dating back from World War
II. The recipes are typical Hungarian
family recipes including favorites like Gefilte Fish, Sweet and Sour Gizzards
(Pupiks), Schmaltz, Kindle, Sponge and Honey cakes. It’s the real “Hungarian” deal.
I chose two recipes from the book
to make for my family to review, Rice
with Prunes and Marble Cake. My family was a little hesitant about the
Rice with Prunes...particularly the prune part.
The rice was relatively easy to make, and was really sweet and delicious. Even the doubters were pleasantly
surprised. The marble cake was a huge hit! Light, fluffy and flavorful
everyone wanted seconds, and thirds!
This is a great cookbook for
those that are looking for a super traditional book with the something more of
a fascinating historical account. You
can find "Food, Family and Tradition" at Hungarian Kosher foods, your
local bookstore, and online amazon.com
and at my house...but I'm not giving up my signed copy!
Rice With Prunes
Makes 4 servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups water
8 to10 pitted prunes
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a 2 quart pot over medium
heat, add the oil and the rice and cook, stirring, until rice is opaque, about
3 minutes. Add 2 cups of water. Add the
prunes, sugar if using, and salt. Bring
to a boil, cover, decrease heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve as an entree or a side to
meat, poultry, or fish.
Marble Cake
Makes 1 cake
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup hot water
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
7 eggs separated
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, mix cocoa and baking soda in
the 1/4 cup hot water until it is a thick paste. Reserve.
In a medium bowl, sift the flour,
sugar, baking powder and salt. Reserve.
In the work bowl of stand mixer,
pour oil, egg yolks, the 3/4 cup water, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat egg
whites until white and fluffy, and soft peaks form when beaters are
lifted. Donot beat stiff or dry. Carefully fold the whites into the cake
batter. Divide the batter in half. Fold
the cocoa paste into half the batter, mixing well so no streaks remain.
In an ungreased tube pan, pour
half the white batter on the bottom, then half the cocoa batter, and repeat,
first the white batter and then the cocoa batter.
Bake at 375°F for 55 minutes.
Remove from oven and let the cake
cool. Cut out and serve.
Marble Cake
All the super simple ingredients!
Make the cocoa paste...
Mix the dry ingredients...
Blend the batter...
The light and dark side of things...
So cool!!!
DONE!!!
Looks just like the picture!!!!
Rice With Prunes
All the super simple ingredients!
Brown the rice...
Add the water and the prunes, cover & cook. It
doesn't get easier than that!!!
YUM!
Close up YUM!!
Kosher
Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father
Dr.
Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L
May
his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.
Look for additional information about Edible Experience
Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,
JewishExponent.com, aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher
Inspired Magazine,
The Chicago Tribune Syndication,
or on Facebook at Edible
Experience by Sharon
These
recipes are for sole, personal use of visitors to Sharon Matten -Edible
Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience Kosher Everyday recipes are
for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or reprinted without express
permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!
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