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linda
January 2, 2024
‘In Memory’s Kitchen’ :
The sheets of paper are as brittle as fallen leaves; the faltering handwriting changes from page to page; the words, a faded brown, are almost indecipherable. The pages are filled with recipes. Each is a memory, a fantasy, a hope for the future. Written by undernourished and starving women in the Czechoslovakian ghetto/concentration camp of Terezín (also known as Theresienstadt), the recipes give instructions for making beloved dishes in the rich, robust Czech tradition. Sometimes steps or ingredients are missing, the gaps a painful illustration of the condition and situation in which the authors lived. Reprinting the contents of the original hand-sewn copybook, In Memory's Kitchen: A Legacy from the Women of Terezín is a beautiful memorial to the brave women who defied Hitler by preserving a part of their heritage and a part of themselves. Despite the harsh conditions in the Nazis' "model" ghetto - which in reality was a way station to Auschwitz and other death camps - cultural, intellectual, and artistic life did exist within the walls of the ghetto. Like the heart-breaking book I Never Saw Another Butterfly, which contains the poetry and drawings of the children of Terezín, the handwritten cookbook is proof that the Nazis could not break the spirit of the Jewish people.
The sheets of paper are as brittle as fallen leaves; the faltering handwriting changes from page to page; the words, a faded brown, are almost indecipherable. The pages are filled with recipes. Each is a memory, a fantasy, a hope for the future. Written by undernourished and starving women in the Czechoslovakian ghetto/concentration camp of Terezín (also known as Theresienstadt), the recipes give instructions for making beloved dishes in the rich, robust Czech tradition. Sometimes steps or ingredients are missing, the gaps a painful illustration of the condition and situation in which the authors lived. Reprinting the contents of the original hand-sewn copybook, In Memory's Kitchen: A Legacy from the Women of Terezín is a beautiful memorial to the brave women who defied Hitler by preserving a part of their heritage and a part of themselves. Despite the harsh conditions in the Nazis' "model" ghetto - which in reality was a way station to Auschwitz and other death camps - cultural, intellectual, and artistic life did exist within the walls of the ghetto. Like the heart-breaking book I Never Saw Another Butterfly, which contains the poetry and drawings of the children of Terezín, the handwritten cookbook is proof that the Nazis could not break the spirit of the Jewish people.
luvcookbooks
April 21, 2022
Love many of the same books and love reading as much as cooking and eating. Thank you!
Jean P.
April 25, 2019
Anything by the late Bert Greene. I have all but one of his cookbooks. Every recipe has a story about friends, family, childhood, how he came to love to cook. They will make you laugh and cry. My biggest regret is that he passed away, and I would never get to meet him, and tell him how much I loved his books.
linda
April 5, 2019
2 books: ' Holocaust Survivor Cookbook", collected recipes and memories from holocaust survivors, the money raised is used to support soup kitchens for the poor. This book is amazing, including both the experiences suffered during the holocaust, and memories and recipes of the food from their families, which help to sustain them.
Also a new one coming out, " Just add Love: Holocaust Survivors Share their stories and recipes" by Irris Makler. This one was recently published through kickstarter.
These will definitely make you cry.....
Also a new one coming out, " Just add Love: Holocaust Survivors Share their stories and recipes" by Irris Makler. This one was recently published through kickstarter.
These will definitely make you cry.....
Alex S.
April 5, 2019
Wow, through my grandmother who then lived on Clark Street, south of Beverly Blvd. in (west) Hollywood, I met two female neighbors and friends who were survivors. I was in high school and took the bus to visit Grandma. I didn’t know much about that era of World history as I attended a girls’ school (why didn’t they teach it?) Her two friends showed me their tattoos; I didn’t understand, but I was extremely respectful. Now, I devour books on that subject, non-fiction & fiction (Daniel Silva, etc.) WW2. Thank you for telling us about these two books.
linda
April 7, 2019
Yes, I grew up where all my friends parents were holocaust survivors.
I have collected holocaust literature for a long time, mainly autobiographies. I frankly don't like fictional stories, because I feel they somehow demean the true stories of survivors, which sometimes are difficult to believe are NOT fiction. If you look on amazon (holocaust) there are many survivor accounts of their experiences, written in the first person. They are all very moving, and very important for people to keep reading as this population unfortunately dwindles.......thank you for reading.
I have collected holocaust literature for a long time, mainly autobiographies. I frankly don't like fictional stories, because I feel they somehow demean the true stories of survivors, which sometimes are difficult to believe are NOT fiction. If you look on amazon (holocaust) there are many survivor accounts of their experiences, written in the first person. They are all very moving, and very important for people to keep reading as this population unfortunately dwindles.......thank you for reading.
KellyinToronto
April 2, 2019
I have read all of MFK Fisher’s work multiple times, and her writing still makes me cry, every time.
Andrea H.
March 31, 2019
Just like a bite of food can send us down memory lane, often another person's recollections can trigger some of our own and connect us to the author's words on a deep, emotional level. Thank you for reminding me of what I love most about food writing and sharing your favorite titles.
Alex S.
March 3, 2019
I’ve can’t believe I forgot this one, but Laurie Colwin wrote an essay before she was married and it was in “Alone in the Kitchen With an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone.” (Laurie’s is Alone in the Kitchen an Eggplant.) Another book you can pick up when you can’t sleep, open up at any page (drool) and you’re in dream land.
Sami F.
February 23, 2019
A few years after my family had emigrated from Egypt, my father came home with a new cookbook. He often bought cookbooks, but Claudia Roden's Middle Eastern Food was different. It was full of stories, whimsical memories and literary references. It was glorious, and I suddenly realised I missed the old country. Dad must have read three chapters to us on the first night we had the book. Later, we would ask, tongue firmly in cheek: "Father, read to us from the good book." Food is love, companionship, comfort and sex. So of course a cookbook has to be more than a list of recipes.
Eric K.
April 1, 2019
Oh, I'm a huge fan of Claudia Roden as well. Thank you so much for sharing your story. Indeed, a good cookbook is certainly more than just a list of recipes.
Carole B.
April 8, 2019
Sam F. I traveled with Claudia Roden through Liguria on a travel/food tour and loved her work. I was, at that time, in the process of writing my own books which encompassed food, tradition and history. I have since published a historical novel, A Cup of Redemption, followed by the companion cookbook, Recipes for Redemption. I will follow that this summer with a book series entitled Savoring the Olde Ways. Claudia Roden was, indeed, an inspiration as well as M.F.K. Fisher to embrace place, history, and the people with the foods they enjoyed together.
Laura
February 20, 2019
Oh I am going to read some of these, I too love Nigella! You should read, The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection (Modern Library Food). It is a beautiful book. Part memoir, part recipe, liturgy, and lots of reflection.
Linda
January 23, 2019
I read every cookbook like a novel...front to back, then the forward or dedications. It's a story of the writer's area, how he or she spent their days in the creation of the book...I reread my cookbooks, for inspiration and ideas. I read antique cookbooks understanding of flavor and measurements.
Carrie H.
January 21, 2019
I loved this article! I cried, of course. Food is my love, it's how I show love, it's how I show myself love. I believe that a starchy comfort meal together with people we love is more meaningful and healthful than a salad alone. Thank you for this.
Eric K.
January 21, 2019
I love that people are still reading this piece. Thanks for the comment, Carrie.
Mischa_nyc
January 20, 2019
I thought I was the only one who sees beyond the recipes in cookbooks and appreciates the story behind it. Thank you so much for these beautifully written reviews. I was bawling too when reading the excerpts you shared. I’m so glad I found your columns—just today. I admire your writing, It’s inspiring. While at school uptown, I often was helped by English Doctoral candidates, and their helpful prompts to my own essays would invariably make it a stringer piece. One of my favorite classes was The Nineteenth Century Novel with professor Dames. I was entrhalled.
I’m in the field of engineering with a soul that stirs with the flow of words and turns of the phrase. Maybe I will give writing another go, as I feel quite vulnerable and open to its beauty myself today.
I’m in the field of engineering with a soul that stirs with the flow of words and turns of the phrase. Maybe I will give writing another go, as I feel quite vulnerable and open to its beauty myself today.
Eric K.
January 21, 2019
So funny story... I was one of those English doctoral candidates in the writing dept. at the university you're speaking of. Maybe we even crossed paths? :) I never took a course with Dames or TA'ed for him, but was fond of him as a person. Students loved him, too.
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Mischa_nyc
January 21, 2019
I may have realized you did while reading your piece about the Hungarian pastry shop! :) Good times! Professor Dames was one of the best on Campus. Whenever I pick up Dickens or Austen to reread, I can still hear his explanations. One of our assignments, which had a few alternate choices, was a do-it-yourself Thacheray. (After reading Vanity Fair)
I got an A on that paper...my prize posession. :)
I don’t think we may have crossed paths, maybe. I was there 2003-2007.
But you guys were the best! Your writing skills helped mine. (Sorry about the typos, though)
I look forward to reading all your stories.
I got an A on that paper...my prize posession. :)
I don’t think we may have crossed paths, maybe. I was there 2003-2007.
But you guys were the best! Your writing skills helped mine. (Sorry about the typos, though)
I look forward to reading all your stories.
Eric K.
April 1, 2019
I was there a little later, but I love that we crossed paths in alternate universes. x
patty@bryce
January 7, 2019
Love how thoughtful these reviews were. For probably most of us on this site, cookbooks are more than food. And food is more than calories+nutrients.
Pomme D.
September 27, 2018
Completely delicious! Thank you Eric for both this heartfelt and eloquent list, and the essay about Nigella which led me to this one. I just wanted to give you a hug. Feast has been on my all time favorites list forever, though I have and love all her books...and, like several here, I love the two Laurie Colwin books in much the same way. Soulful writing and great food.
Alex S.
November 18, 2018
When I can’t sleep I often reach for Laurie’s books. But Ruth Reichl’s books are great too, especially her fiction, Delicious. She’s had (having) an amazing career.
Eric K.
January 21, 2019
Thanks, Pomme. And for the rec! I'll check Laurie Colwin out; never read her.
esugg
September 23, 2018
Wonderful! Thanks to all for for your stories and to Eric Kim for the lovely essay. I’m not much of a weeper, but the 3 books I cannot part with (besides Laurie Colwin’s HOME COOKING & MORE HOME COOKING) are Edna Lewis’ IN PURSUIT OF FLAVOR, Maria Josefa Lluria de O’Higgins, A TASTE OF OLD CUBA, and THE PAT CONROY COOKBOOK. All three are full of wonderful stories and great recipes.
Alex S.
September 25, 2018
esugg, I have both of Laurie’s Home Cooking books (then went on to get her Fictions, too). Someone else talked about Edna Lewis recently, that means I must get it. :) I make picadillo all the time, now I’ll get A Taste of Old Cuba. I love love love stories in cookbooks, so Pat Conroy is heading home. Thank you for my friends.
Eric K.
January 21, 2019
I actually ordered a copy of Home Cooking per another reader's suggestion and it's sitting on my coffee table right now. Apparently I need to open it, finally...
Kit
July 29, 2018
Sitting in a restaurant in Vancouver BC, my husband of 45 years across the table, also reading. It’s boiling hot outside. I’m overtired for various reasons. And I came upon this conversation and feel I’ve met a dozen new friends. And of course, I can barely see to type, suddenly everything is blurry - and you all know the reason why. I’m remembering my grandma’s Sunshine Cake, an orange sponge cake she would make when the Presbyterian minister came to visit. I remember the old chocolate box where she kept her recipes. I wanted that more than anything as a memory of her, but it seems to be lost forever. And now I am an old lady myself, grandma gone, mom gone, remembering meals made, getting misty when I get to feed my grandchildren their first solid food, grateful for each day. I have so many cookbooks, but for a humble choice that never failed I loved The Picnic Gourment by Connie Maricich and Joan Hemingway. Thank you new friends, and yes, I’m crying.
Sent from my iPad
Sent from my iPad
Eric K.
July 29, 2018
Dear Kit, thank you so much for sharing your story. Also, I can't believe I had no idea Hemingway's granddaughter published a cookbook!
BocaCindi
August 5, 2018
I love the Picnic Gourmet too. Am going to try to find it again. Thanks so much for the reminder.
Slayton T.
July 28, 2018
I commend to your attention a very recent book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Bragg, "The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma's Table."
Courtney C.
July 16, 2018
Yes to Feast - it was one of my first cookbooks and I will love it forever. I can't make carbonara without thinking of her (albeit controversial) recipe. Also love Kale & Caramel by Lily Diamond. She's very emotive and her recipes are full of heart.
Eric K.
July 20, 2018
My copy is a battered, spineless (signed) wreck. Though I love a simple, guanciale-egg carbonara, the vermouth in Nigella's version always made sense to me (it deglazes the pan and sweetens the pasta slightly!). Thanks for the rec, Courtney. I love heart.
M P.
June 18, 2018
Not really a cook book crier but as a passionate home cook, I spend hours in my kitchen planning and prepping for my weeknight family meals. So when we replaced our kitchen countertop tiles with new granite countertops, I was completely caught by surprise when I began sobbing (yes, literally) when the workmen removed my kitchen sink to prepare for a new one. Remembering all the meals prepped, dishes washed, loved one's washing up before dinner, precious family and friends no longer with us who would never again stand above my old sink. How about cuts and scrapes cleaned, babies bathed, laughter and joy shared while cleaning up after years upon years of family celebrations, tears shed... Sounds so simplistic but I really loved my kitchen sink. But to think of all the specific memories we had made as a family that included baby bottoms, children's birthday parties, graduation after parties with high school friends, bridal showers, funeral luncheons...its downright poignant.
Eric K.
July 20, 2018
Oh my goodness! I'm just now seeing this comment, it's so sweet... What a meaningful kitchen sink.
Robin
June 17, 2018
Not exactly tears, not exactly from the text...but some years back I secretly snitched my mom's old binder with recipes and re-did it with a handmade cover. And I recently was looking through it because now, going on 96 she has dementia and hasn't cooked in at least a couple years. I came across one that said it was my "favorite"; I re-created Paul Lynd's (sp) stew from when he was on the Mike Douglas show and you sent a SASE in to get a copy that was typed:-)
Eric K.
June 18, 2018
Robin, sounds like a priceless cookbook. You should post the recipe here. I'm sure everyone would love to read it and cook from it!
Robin
June 18, 2018
At work right now but will do so later:-) You know what really makes me want to cry is that mom had the traditional red/white cover Better Home's and Garden cookbook from around the time she was married in 1949. I'm not sure exactly which one she has...or I should say had...She got rid of it without my knowing. I imagine the dementia was creeping in and since she took over MY version of the cookbook, which BHG sent as a kindness, she saw no need to keep it. But I like the OLD recipes to look at, which I'm sure you understand. Worst of all, absolutely HORRIBLE, was the terror of thinking my favorite cake recipe was now gone. I was so relieved to find it in my own binder...it too was from that decade and was when BHG would print a page with recipes you could punch holes in to add to your binder. A Mocha Pound Cake. Actually called for shortening (i.e. Crisco). But the texture is like velvet. I'll have to post that one too and hope it is okay with BHG. Stay tuned:-)
Robin
June 18, 2018
Ok...you asked for it:
The Mike Douglas Show, Paul Lynde's Stew (original; see notes)
3 lbs of stew meat on the lean side
ADD:
1 #2 can of sliced carrots
1 #2 can of small onions
1 #2 can of whole tomatoes
1 #2 can of tiny peas
1 #2 can of small green beans (not French cut)
1/2 can of beef consomme
4 T of tapioca
1 T of brown sugar
1/2 C of prepared bread crumbs
1 bay leaf
1/2 C of white wine
1 1/2 T (???) of salt and pepper to taste
Drain all vegetables except tomatoes. Bake at 250 degrees for 6-7 hours with cover.
Mom's notes say that a #2 can =2 1/2 C or 20 oz. I have no idea if that is accurate or not. She subbed potatoes for the onions and used some sort of soup cube/powder in 6 oz of water for the consomme.
Now, here's what I did: I am not a red meat person...so the meat was gone. I used fresh sliced carrots, small fresh potatoes, halved or quartered, I wound up with a can of diced tomatoes and used them instead with little impact. I used frozen peas and green beans, skipped the bay leaf, and used cheap white wine from Trader Joe's. I used more or less of the veggies depending on what I had. I put it all in a container the night before, and then into the slow cooker on low the next day. Prior to serving I made a couple of the Beyond Meat burgers, cut them into chunks, and place about 2/3 of a burger in the bottom of a bowl and then covered it with the stew mixture steaming hot.
The Mike Douglas Show, Paul Lynde's Stew (original; see notes)
3 lbs of stew meat on the lean side
ADD:
1 #2 can of sliced carrots
1 #2 can of small onions
1 #2 can of whole tomatoes
1 #2 can of tiny peas
1 #2 can of small green beans (not French cut)
1/2 can of beef consomme
4 T of tapioca
1 T of brown sugar
1/2 C of prepared bread crumbs
1 bay leaf
1/2 C of white wine
1 1/2 T (???) of salt and pepper to taste
Drain all vegetables except tomatoes. Bake at 250 degrees for 6-7 hours with cover.
Mom's notes say that a #2 can =2 1/2 C or 20 oz. I have no idea if that is accurate or not. She subbed potatoes for the onions and used some sort of soup cube/powder in 6 oz of water for the consomme.
Now, here's what I did: I am not a red meat person...so the meat was gone. I used fresh sliced carrots, small fresh potatoes, halved or quartered, I wound up with a can of diced tomatoes and used them instead with little impact. I used frozen peas and green beans, skipped the bay leaf, and used cheap white wine from Trader Joe's. I used more or less of the veggies depending on what I had. I put it all in a container the night before, and then into the slow cooker on low the next day. Prior to serving I made a couple of the Beyond Meat burgers, cut them into chunks, and place about 2/3 of a burger in the bottom of a bowl and then covered it with the stew mixture steaming hot.
Robin
June 18, 2018
By request...the best cake (IMO) or one of them...from
Better Homes and Gardens, October 1955, under
"Delicious Loaf Cakes"
MOCHA POUND CAKE
"So velvety it almost melts in your mouth! You'll like the coffee-chocolate blend of flavors--"
Stir 2/3 C shortening to soften. Sift in 2 cups sifted cake flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 2 (may have been more or less, mom wrote over it) tablespoons instant coffee, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon soda. Add 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix until flour is dampened. Then beat vigorously 2 minutes. Add 3 eggs and one (may have been two) 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate, melted; beat one minute longer. Pour into a paper-lined (mom wrote greased and floured) 9 1/2 x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in a slow oven (325 degrees) about 65-70 minutes, or till done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove. When thoroughly cool, sift confectioners' sugar over top.
OOOHHHHH!! I just noticed!! Credit give to Marjorie Johnson, Omaha, Nebraska...I'm off to see if I can find/google her so I can tell her how much I love it!!
hope you enjoy as much as I do...I do believe I tried using butter and it came out as well...
Better Homes and Gardens, October 1955, under
"Delicious Loaf Cakes"
MOCHA POUND CAKE
"So velvety it almost melts in your mouth! You'll like the coffee-chocolate blend of flavors--"
Stir 2/3 C shortening to soften. Sift in 2 cups sifted cake flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 2 (may have been more or less, mom wrote over it) tablespoons instant coffee, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon soda. Add 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix until flour is dampened. Then beat vigorously 2 minutes. Add 3 eggs and one (may have been two) 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate, melted; beat one minute longer. Pour into a paper-lined (mom wrote greased and floured) 9 1/2 x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in a slow oven (325 degrees) about 65-70 minutes, or till done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove. When thoroughly cool, sift confectioners' sugar over top.
OOOHHHHH!! I just noticed!! Credit give to Marjorie Johnson, Omaha, Nebraska...I'm off to see if I can find/google her so I can tell her how much I love it!!
hope you enjoy as much as I do...I do believe I tried using butter and it came out as well...
Robin
June 18, 2018
NOW I could cry!!! GUESS WHAT! Marjorie Johnson is alive and well, about 90, give or take it looks like and she is KNOWN...I mean all I can find has her living in MN with no mention of Omaha, NE...but she has been on the Tonight Show, the View, Martha...WHO KNEW! Even if I'd seen her, I'm not sure I would have realized she made my fav cake! AND she has a cookbook called Blue Ribbon Baking...can't wait to get it! Wonder if the cake recipe is in there...AND she has a facebook page!!! in addition to a website!
Eric K.
July 20, 2018
I love it! Thank you for sharing all this with me, Robin. I can feel your excitement.
Alex S.
June 17, 2018
Laurie Colwin, especially when she passed away, that was a tough one. This was a great a great article, thank you. My husband said, what are you reading, are you crying? Me: no just allergies.
Cheryl S.
June 17, 2018
I cried through the whole article. A beautiful sharing. I am writing a family cookbook. Very few of my family members are still living, and I am now 71, so it is important to me to pass on all of my family and friend's recipes to the younger generation. We are Sicilian and our gatherings to celebrate our family love always included a large feast, whether for the living or to honor a passing. Sharing food is loving, welcoming, and comforting. No stranger ever entered my Nona's home without being fed. Thank you for the information and the heartfelt sharing of your feelings. Cheryl
Eric K.
June 18, 2018
Cheryl, thank you so much for reading, and for sharing your story. Your cookbook sounds like a v.i.p. project; would love to hear more about it. Eric
Lazyretirementgirl
June 17, 2018
Your essay made me cry, and made me remember crying in Trader Joe’s the first time I went alone after my daughter left for college. I just explain that I have a high water table.
chelsea G.
June 17, 2018
I cried a few times while reading “Yes, Chef” by Marcus Samuelsson. There is a part about a long train ride when Marcus does not have anything to eat. A family seated next to him shared their food with him - made me sob. It was so beautiful.
SuzeIan
June 17, 2018
try Ingredienti by marcella and victor hazan
it was written by marcella before her death and finished by victor after, victor makes little side notes throughout the book that brought even the most burly of tattooed men like myself to cry like a baby unapologetically
it was written by marcella before her death and finished by victor after, victor makes little side notes throughout the book that brought even the most burly of tattooed men like myself to cry like a baby unapologetically
kathy
June 17, 2018
An: To Eat: Recipes and Stories from a Vietnamese Family Kitchen Hardcover – May 3, 2016
by Helene An (Author), Jacqueline An
This memoir/cookbook really touched me .. so many times this family lost everything and had to flee and start over .. ultimately earned great success.
juwu_eats
June 14, 2018
A book I love, and i hope it doesn't make you cry, is much more Veg, from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I love the way he writes passionately about food, and I got immersed in that world even for a moment. I felt it, and understood it - it was valuable because I think I am misunderstood by the people around me, as I can talk food all day long without getting tired.
Zozo
June 13, 2018
Ahh this is the best. I felt so dumb about going to eat a bacon and egg roll the day after I heard about Anthony Bourdain. I don't even like pork that much, but it just felt wrong to eat what I had planned. As I was biting into the bacon, somehow it tasted so much better than I remembered.
You might like this too, but prepare the tissues! https://cupofjo.com/2018/06/anthony-bourdain-cookbooks-grief/
You might like this too, but prepare the tissues! https://cupofjo.com/2018/06/anthony-bourdain-cookbooks-grief/
SandraH
June 17, 2018
That was such a beautifully written essay and tribute, thanks for highlighting it here Zozo. It had brought me to tears too as did Eric’s lovingly written article did today. ❤️
Marilyn C.
June 13, 2018
What a moving article. I
now want to read these books, all new to me. Thank you.
now want to read these books, all new to me. Thank you.
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