It’s no secret that I’m a proud Member of the Tribe–and if this is news to you, mazel! Hands down, one of my favorite parts of being Jewish is the food associated with our culture. The holidays encompass so many delicious dishes that I associate with some of the most joyful moments of my upbringing; matzo ball soup at Passover, latkes and sufganiyot at Hannukah, challah on Shabbat, and bagels + schmear on any day ending in “y.”
Aligning with my views on “Jew food,” my friend and food-blogger-turned-cookbook-author Amy Kritzer just released her very first cookbook, Sweet Noshings, an ode to Jewish desserts. This book is a spinoff from her wildly successful food blog, What Jew Wanna Eat. Amy has all sorts of familiar-looking recipes in this book, but with a twist. Black and white cookies turn into black and pink cookies, classic rugelach gets spicy, and challah gets upgraded with a tasty filling.
Taryn and I made Amy’s Coffee Coffee-Cake Muffins this weekend, and they were fun and easy to make, and delicious.
Sweet Noshings has recipes for the experienced baker and the novice (I’d like to say I’m somewhere in between). And you don’t need a ton of fancy equipment for her recipes, either. Many recipes recommend a stand mixer, but you can use a hand mixer in place (that’s what I do!).
Sweet Noshings isn’t just for Jews, either, mind you. My roommate practically begs me to make kugel every week, and I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who doesn’t love challah bread. This cookbook is great for Jews and non-Jews alike–I guarantee it!
I could go on for literally hours about how much I admire Amy, how much I love her work, and how delicious her food is. But don’t take it from me–Sweet Noshings is only $14 on Amazon. Check it out for yourself, and tell me what you whip up!
If you’re interested in my apron, guess what? I designed it for Amy, and you can purchase it on her Etsy store here. Your bubbe would love it–mine does!
