The Joy of Cook Booking

Reading, recipes, and culture.

[joyofcookbooking]

Onto the First Adventure...

My first adventure begins with a look at a culture in which food traditions may be one of the most important elements to the culture's survival. I am speaking of the Jewish culture.

For thousands of years food and cooking have been used alongside (and perhaps at some points in history in place of) oral tradition to tell the story of the people. Under a few serendipitous circumstances I was give the chance to glimpse the extent to which this symbolism permeates the Jewish culture, to reflect on the lack of symbolism in my own meals, and to add a few new recipes to my repertoire.

So we begin adventure number one, the Joy of Jewish Cook Booking.

[joyofcookbooking]

Why Recipes Matter: What do cookbooks and recipes say about us?

Whether it’s today’s popular collections by Yotam Ottolenghi, the documentation of tribal cooking traditions, or a set of index cards buried in grandma’s cupboard, cookbooks contain more than just recipes. They are tools of self-expression, literary works, and cultural artifacts.

  As tool of self-expression cookbooks help us communicate and connect with the world we live in.

  As literature cookbooks tell us stories about people, allow us to explore other cultures, and to examine the deeper traditions of our own.

  As cultural artifacts cookbooks reflect the impact that various shifts in language and technology have had on societies over time.

  This blog intends to present cookbooks and cooking in all three ways.

  It is a personal investigation of both my own heritage and an adventure into the culinary unknown. Let’s begin…