Course Description:

What makes food “Jewish”?  In popular culture, perception of “Jewish” food is often limited to bagels, borsch, and brisket. Beyond them there’s an entire alphabet replete with Jewish food, from artichokes to zucchini.  We’ll look at food in TaNakh and rabbinic literature, medieval meals and munchies, Jews in the spice and coffee trade, and peek at the kosher recipes of Lady Montefiore served at her elegant table in the cookbook she published anonymously. We’ll discover the long and diverse history of Jewish bread (challah wasn’t commonly called “challah” until the 17th century!) and follow the historical trail of pasta and tomatoes, which Jews brought to Italy. Although Israelis initially adopted many of the foods of their Palestinian neighbors and claimed it as their own, Jews emigrating to Israel from various parts of the world brought their own food traditions with them which not only are being preserved and popularized, but are combined in new ways in “fusion” cuisine, recognized for excellence.  Come for the food, stay for the thought—or the other way around!      

• Week 1: What Makes Food “Jewish”?
• Week 2:  Don’t burn the berches! 
• Week 3:  Using their Noodles: the secret history of pasta and other foods you didn’t know were Jewish
• Week 4: Touring the World through Jewish Tastebuds

Dates: June 10, 17, 24, July 1