I have been formally researching Jewish Food for over a decade now. Within that decade, when Covid hit and I had more time on my hands, I ramped that research up and (among other things) I launched this website. My writing here is connected with the lectures I deliver around the world, as well as my writing (articles and the book I am working on) and my podcasting. But all of those efforts are tied to Jewish Food and its connection to Jewish culture (hence the name of this site).
Most people recognize that food is an expression of culture. If so, I believe that we should be able to use the food as a mirror to see the culture reflected back at us. My book, and this site, uses Jewish Food as a window onto Jewish cultural history.
One of my goals in my work is two sides of the same coin. On the one hand, I want to broaden people’s minds about what “Jewish Food” means — way more than simply Ashkenazi food. But at the same time, I like to defend Ashkenazi Food against its non-Ashkenazi detractors who disparage it as bland, ugly, or tasteless. There are tons of great Ashkenazi foods out there!
Beyond that, I love to explore the results of the quirks of Jewish history on our food, show how our cuisine expresses our values, celebrate the diversity of Jewish culture, and more.
I hope you will enjoy the site, and come back frequently, sign up for updates in the sidebar, and participate in the conversation via comments. I love discussing food, almost as much as I love eating it. So please email me with questions, comments or any interesting information you think I’d like to hear.
Thanks for your interest in Jewish Food!
