WhatisJewishcookinginFrance?
ThatisthequestionthathashauntedJoanNathanovertheyearsanddrivenhertounearththesecretsofthishiddencuisine.Nowshegivesusthefruitsofherquestinthisextraordinarybook,atreasuretroveofdelectablekosherrecipesandtheoftenmovingstoriesbehindthem,interlacedwiththetumultuoustwo-thousand-yearhistoryoftheJewishpresenceinFrance.
Inhersearch,NathantakesusintokitchensinParis,Alsace,andtheLoireValley;shevisitsthebustlingBellevillemarketinLittleTunisinParis;shebreaksbreadaroundtheobservationoftheSabbathandthecelebrationofspecialholidays.AllacrossFranceshefindsthatJewishcookingismorealivethanever.Traditionaldishesarehonored,yetmanyhaveacquiredaFrenchfinesseandreflectregionaldifferences.TheinfluxofJewishimmigrantsfromNorthAfricafollowingAlgerianindependencehasbroughtexcitingnewflavorsandtechniquesthathaveinfiltratedcontemporaryFrenchcooking,andtheSephardicinfluenceismorepronouncedthroughoutFrancetoday.
Now,withJoanNathanguidingus,carefullytranslatingherdiscoveriestoourownhomekitchens,wecanenjoy:
•appetizerssuchastherichsubtledelightofaTerrinedePoireauxfromAlsaceorabrik,thatflakylittlepastryfromNorthAfrica,foldedoverafillingoftunaandcilantro;
•soupssuchascoldsorrelorMoroccanProvençalFishSoupwithgarlickyRouille;
•saladsincludeaMediterraneanArtichokeandOrangeSaladwithSaffronMintandaTunisianWinterSquashSaladwithCorianderandHarissa;
•avarietyofbreads,quiches,andkugels—tryaBriocheforRoshHashanah,abaconlessquicheLorraine,oraSabbathkugelbasedonacenturies-oldrecipe;
•maincoursesofChoucroutedePoisson;ataginewithchickenandquince;BrisketwithGinger,OrangePeel,andTomato;SouthwesternCassouletwithDuckandLamb;TonguewithCapersandCornichons;andAlmondeguilles(Algerianmeatballs);
•aninvitingarrayofgrains,pulses,couscous,rice,andunusualvegetabledishes,fromaneggplantgratintoamélangeofChestnuts,Onions,andPrunes;
•foragrandfinale,thereareParisianflansandtarts,aFrozenSouffléRothschild,andaHanukkahAppleCake,aswellasmanyotherirresistiblepastriesandcookies.
ThesearebutsomeofthetreasuresthatJoanNathangivesusinthisuniquecollectionofrecipesandtheirstories.Inweavingthemtogether,shehascreatedabookthatisatestamenttotheJewishpeople,who,despitewavesofpersecution,areanintegralpartofFrancetoday,contributingtothegloryofitscuisine.