Chef Schwartz on 'Jewish Home Cooking'
By Enid Weiss
March 28, 2008

Traditional Jewish foods get a bum rap. They do not have to be heavy, fattening, nor bland; in fact, many share similarities to some of the trendiest dishes being served today.

On Sunday, April 6, at 6:30 p.m. chef, cookbook author, newspaper food editor, and restaurant critic Arthur Schwartz will discuss his new book "Jewish Home Cooking" at the Highland Park Conservative Temple-Congregation Anshe Emeth on South Third Avenue in Highland Park.

Kreplach is mishpacha to the popular dumpling and flanken is the same dish as short ribs gracing many menus, he said.

During his presentation Schwartz explores the culture behind the recipes, including pictures of old menus from restaurants in the Catskills. Suggestions for new ways to prepare old favorites and sample tasting also are included in his discussion.

"It's a totally personal book," Schwartz said in a telephone interview from his New York home. The book includes "recipes I grew up eating. I enjoyed rediscovering myself. It's my food."

Several recipes are his inheritance -- handed down from his mother and grandmother. They're not just Jewish, they're Eastern European. The book includes personal anecdotes as well as thoroughly researched details putting the food in cultural context. For his lectures he includes 112 pictures -- slides he's accumulated that didn't make it into the book.

"It's a great cuisine and deserving of respect," Schwartz said. "I hope (his audience) walk out with new pride in the food they grew up with. The problem is that people only make it for Passover or Rosh Hashanah. Then they make every dish they ever knew and wonder why they're so full."

Instead, Schwartz suggests using his potato kugel recipe as a side dish with grilled fish. Old favorites take on new life when served in a different context, he explained. They're also not as fattening that way.

His potato kugel includes one egg per portion and has less than one gram of fat. He uses schmaltz (chicken fat) for flavor in some recipes, but sparingly. For example one spoonful of schmaltz is distributed over 10 servings, he said.

For 30 years, Schwartz was a newspaper food editor and restaurant critic in New York City. In addition, for 13 years he was the host of "Food Talk," a WOR radio program and reached an audience of millions in the four state area which included New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The New York Times magazine referred to Schwartz as "a walking Google of food and restaurant knowledge." Over a 37-year career he has written several award-winning cookbooks and articles and has been nominated for a James Beard book award. He teaches both hands-on and demonstration cooking classes at in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

"I think you need to know how to cook before you can review a restaurant," Schwartz said from his New York home. "I think it's important to understand the process."

While he's been to five-star restaurants, and is even hired by many to give critiques and pointers, he prefers something simpler. In fact he usually cooks his meals rather than eating out.

"I don't eat out randomly anymore," Schwartz said. "I don't like fancy food much; I like good, plain, authentic food."

This event is chaired by Gloria Schwartz and Lynn Sherman. Committee members are Andrea Alexander, Diane Hoffman, Arlene Schenerman, Gail Kroop, Linda Schmidt, and Linda Tondow. Admission for the program and tasting is $60 per person. A limited number of seats are available for to a private reception preceding the program at an extra cost. For more information see the temple website at http://www.hpct-cae.org/arthurschwartzorderform or call the Temple office at (732) 545-6482.