52 Shabbats

• Author: Faith Kramer
• Genre: Cookbooks
• Publication Date: December 14, 2021
• Publisher: The Collective Book Studio

Thank you to NetGalley and The Collective Book Studio for providing access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

AS SEEN IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

“Gorgeous” — The Washington Post 

Whether you are a longtime host of weekly Shabbat dinners or new to this global Jewish tradition, 52 Shabbats will spice up your Friday night in one way or another. This book offers a holistic scope of the Shabbat tradition for every reader, Jewish or otherwise. In it you’ll find:

Over fifty primary recipes to anchor your menu

More than twenty recipes for side dishes, accompaniments, and desserts

Short essays that detail global foodways and histories

Explanation of the Shabbat ritual

Faith Kramer outlines recipe pairings in a mix-and-match friendly format, incorporating easy substitutes throughout the cookbook to make Shabbat accessible for all lifestyles. From gefilte fish to challah, berbere lentils to cardamom cheesecakes, these seasonally organized recipes will never fail to inspire your weekly dinner menu. 

MORE PRAISE FOR 52 SHABBATS:

“Imaginative” — Los Angeles Times

“For anyone who appreciates world flavors, history, and great techniques….A worthy companion to Joan Nathan’s King Solomon’s Table (2017).” — Booklist

“Educational and tantalizing” — Foreword Reviews

“[Faith Kramer’s] inventive dishes are…packed with flavor.” —Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write for Food

“Clear and approachable….Faith has included recipes that not only have you rethinking Shabbat but dinner year-round.” —Calvin Crosby, The King’s English Bookshop

Since October 7th, like many other Jews, I’ve become more connected to the Jewish community. Part of that is implementing religious traditions more often, such as lighting candles to welcome Shabbat, and attending religious events. This book sounded like the perfect way to incorporate new flavors into our dinners with echoes of Jewish diaspora communities around the world.

This is a fantastic cookbook. It’s organized by season, with recipes that are easy to make and it’s packed full of information about Judaism. Kramer discusses the various diaspora communities of Jews, how the recipes relate back to religious practices, and the various holidays throughout the year. In addition, she offers holiday recipes using foods that are central to the season and holiday, such as dairy meals for Shavuot, foods fried in oil for Chanukah, and sweet foods for Rosh Hashanah.

I began by bookmarking pages, until I realized that I was bookmarking basically every page with the exception of a few. This says a lot because I’m a really picky eater, so for me to be willing to make and eat nearly every recipe in the book, you know it’s a good one. I’m clearly going to have to purchase this book to keep in the kitchen, since it’s one that I will absolutely be using regularly.

Many people don’t realize how Jewish people have spent diaspora in so many different places. The cultural influences and food availability had a large impact on recipes, with each diaspora group relying on different standby meals. For example, in Eastern Europe, Ashkenazi Jews didn’t have access to dates, figs, and fresh produce all year long, relying on pickled foods and potatoes. Potatoes weren’t easy to grow in warmer climates, so Jews of the SWANA, Spain, Portugal, Central and South America relied more heavily on rice dishes. Jews living in India have more of an Asian influence on their meals. And this book brings it all out in stunning glory. 

As a whole, Jews tend to be a very adaptable people. I got a firsthand view of how these cultural traits fuse into a fantastic melting pot in Israel. You can get schnitzel and potatoes at a restaurant, while you can find falafel and shawarma and shakshuka next door. I loved how Kramer took these influences and used them to make completely unique meals. In addition, she includes ideas for a full menu for Shabbat, and offers basics like challah and chicken soup with matzo balls, but also recipes that I found intriguing simply because they’re unfamiliar. 

Overall, most of the recipes are simple, but there are long lists of ingredients due to the spices that she includes. No more boring chicken dishes here—I’m so excited to make these amazing recipes. The gorgeous photographs of many of these dishes has me looking forward to making Shabbat dinner each week. And as an added plus, most of the recipes have a time-saving component included, so some or most of the work can be done in advance. This isn’t just helpful to me as a disabled person, but also as someone who does the cooking prior to Shabbat—now I don’t have to push myself past my body’s limits or spend hours in the kitchen to make a nice Shabbat dinner. This book would be perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about the Jewish people and our cooking traditions, is interested in finding updated and diverse comfort foods, if you hate having to skip over pages in cookbooks because you keep kosher, or if you just like spicing up your meals with new flavors. 

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