New here? Then you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

With Hanukkah come three book recommendations. The first two are Beni’s Family Treasury for the Jewish Holidays and its companion cookbook, Beni’s Family Cookbook for the Jewish Holidays. These are great books for all families, Jewish or not.

For ages 4 to 8, Beni’s Family Treasury for the Jewish Holidays is a wonderful way to tell children about the different Jewish holidays. This Treasure combines five of Jane Breskin Zalben’s beloved Beni stories (Happy New Year, Beni; Leo & Blossom’s Sukkah; Beni’s First Chanukah; Goldie’s Purim; and Happy Passover, Rosie). They are brought together in a holiday collection that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Beni, Sara, Mama, Papa, cousins Rosie and Max, and all of their family and friends celebrate the holidays with warmth and humor. This special edition has a glossary of Jewish terms, and includes a ribbon marker and nameplate. It’s beautifully illustrated and sure to be a favorite with your children.

My father was Jewish. But it was my French Catholic mother whose chicken soup and chopped liver (and all those trips to Norman’s Deli in Redbank, NJ) brought ethnic Jewish food to life. In Beni’s Family Cookbook for the Jewish Holidays it’s all here - recipes for challah, matzoh balls, knishes, latkas, blintzes, and baklava. Boy how I miss this kind of food, a cuisine that’s completely foreign to my California raised husband.

Another book that brings it all back is Talking with My Mouth Full: Crab Cakes, Bundt Cakes, and Other Kitchen Stories by Bonny Wolf, NPR’s Weekend Edition food commentator. I swear her recipe for chopped liver is the same my mom used to make except my mom used beef instead of chicken livers. For some reason my dad thought it was healthier. You gotta laugh.

Like Bonny, I love various cuisines, from Mexican, to Asian, to typical American holiday meals. If you love food, you’ll adore the book and the entire family love the recipes. This book is for grownups, but a teenager who loves to cook and may be planning a culinary career would enjoy it, too.

Technorati tags: children’s books, Hanukkah, recipes, food

Like what you see? Subscribe to My Readable Feast for updates!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS