German-Jewish Cookbook Announcement!
We are writing a cookbook! We are very excited to announce that Brandeis University Press – a member press of University Press of New England – will publish our German-Jewish cookbook as part of the HBI Series on Jewish Women. The book, to be published in 2017, will include:
• approximately 100 recipes (sourced from historic cookbooks, archives, interviews, friends — and, of course, family recipes)
• photographs by yours truly, Sonya Gropman, and illustrations by Megan Piontowski
• a look at the food culture of German-Jews through individual stories, including those from our own family
• a brief history of the culture of Jews in Germany
This book will contain recipes that were cooked by Jews in Germany pre-World War II, as well as post-war, after emigration. These recipes use mainly fresh, seasonal ingredients; lots of vegetables, fruits, grains, meats, and of course, cakes! Perhaps most importantly, this food is delicious! Dishes such as chilled fruit soups, vegetable slaws and salads, baked Schalets (aka kugels), Sabbath fish (such as Pike and Carp), roast meats and poultry, dessert puddings, and much more.
In addition to wonderful food, this book is also about preserving a vanished culture. Therefore, we are collecting both recipes and stories. If you (or anyone you know) have recipes to share with us, or food memories of shopping, cooking, eating, holiday meals, etc. (either in Germany, or after leaving Germany), we would like to hear from you! We will, of course, credit anyone whose story we tell in the book. Thanking you in advance!
You can leave us a comment below, or email us at german.jewish.cuisine@gmail.com
Also, we will be in Berlin later this month. We will be teaching a cooking class at Goldhahn & Sampson (the class is sold out, but there is a waiting list in case any spots become available), and meeting with people related to our book. If you know anyone in Berlin who you think we should contact (for example, someone with a story to tell or someone who works with food), please let us know!
That’s all for now. We will be updating our book progress on a regular basis. Until then, we are wishing you a Happy Spring!
German-Jewish Cuisine --- 
Sonya, greetings.
I was raised in Washington Heights with my omas and opas all living in the same apartment building. You can’t get more exposure to yekke than that. I mentioned on your blog (Bloch and Falk) that I owned “Recipes Remembered” and was looking into having the book reprinted. I have an update on that but do not want to mention it on the blog. I wrote Luneburg Remembered – a story to my children – and have several references about food and family…here’s an excerpt: “……… the first time Daddy celebrated Passover with my family in Washington Heights, upon tasting Oma Else’s matzah ball soup, he whispered to me “They’re not real matzoh balls.” I whispered back; “Well, you’d better tell that to Oma Else, she needs to know that she’s been making them wrong for 70 years.” I think I have perfected Oma’s matzoh balls (it took 20 years). I also have a funny Bloch and Falk story. A gentleman I am acquainted with still has his Grandmother’s hand written recipe book – written in German. Also, I might be able to glean recipes and stories from cousins. Best wishes
Susan Rosenbaum Greenberg http://www.amazon.com/Luneburg-Remembered-Susan-Rosenbaum-Greenberg-ebook/dp/B00332F4CQ
Luneburg Remembered http://www.amazon.com Luneburg Remembered is the story of what happens when Susan at 41 and the mother of two young children sets out to confront her family’s history in Germany.The story of Luneburg Remembered begins in 1995 when the town of Luneburg, Germany invites its Jewish former citizens back for a reuni…
Dear Karen, I would like to prepare some recipes and maybe a story as well. The cookbook is a great idea and I look forward to it. I will also tell Hannah, my sister in law Margot, and several German friends about it.
Elizabeth,
I’m not sure who Karen is, but we would be very happy if you have any recipes or stories to share with us! And if you tell your friends and family. Best, Sonya and Gabrielle
Please try to find a recipe for aufschnitt. I can’t find the “real good old stuff” from my childhood from Washington Heights.
Thank you.
I have my grandmother’s cookbook. She died in 1942 in Auschwitz and it is one of the few things I have left of her. It is very much a regional rheinische Küche. Will you be clear about regional differences in your cookbook? My mother was born some fifty kilometers from her mothe- in-law but did not put sugar in the salad dressing as did my grandmother.
Myriam, Thanks for writing. It is a blessing that you have your grandmother’s cookbook. For the most part, we do not address regional differences categorically. There are a few exceptions of recipes which refer to their region of origin.
— Sonya