Judy Bart Kancigor

The secret of potato latkes

Published on November 29, 2007

Potato latke recipes.

Goodies that make you want to challah

Published on September 8, 2007

Bring the taste of France to your Passover table

Published on March 22, 2007

One might expect the chef-owner of a haute cuisine, award-winning French-American restaurant, where l'addition can easily top $300 per couple, to be an egotist. One would be wrong.

The Ultimate Taste Test

Published on April 6, 2006

While this was the third year for Kosher World, it was the first time the show joined with the ethnic and halal markets, under the umbrella of the World Ethnic Market.

Stumped by Pesach Meals? Hit the ‘List’

Published on March 30, 2006

While the focus of the list is Jewish food, perusing its offerings is like enjoying the old commercial for Levy's Rye Bread: You don't have to be Jewish to love it. Nor do you have to be Jewish to join in.

‘Design’-ing Woman Comes to Town

Published on February 9, 2006

"Susie Fishbein has done for Jewish cooking what [rabbi and author] Aryeh Kaplan did for beginning Judaism," said Rabbi Shimon Kraft of the 613 Mitzvah Store on Pico Boulevard. "They're buying her cookbooks en masse. She's a genius at editing and putting everything all together."

Paint Colorful Table With Italian Dishes

Published on September 29, 2005

While Crostini di Spuma di Tonno, Zuppa di Pesce Passato, Dolce di Tagliatelle might not sound like Jewish food, Italian Jews have long enjoyed these dishes.

Joyce Goldstein made her first trip to Italy in 1957 and instantly became what she calls a "fanatic Italophile." The former chef-owner of San Francisco's Square One and daughter of Russian immigrants, Goldstein threw herself into Italian art, architecture, language, culture and food.

Winning the Great Sponge Cake Battle

Published on April 21, 2005

It's that time again. With Pesach here, it's time for my annual wrestling match with my nemesis, the dreaded sponge cake.

‘Food Maven’ Saves Endangered Recipes

Published on April 14, 2005

When the El-Ghriba synagogue in Tunisia was bombed by Al Qaeda in 2002, the fragile remnant of a once thriving Jewish community was even further shattered.

Think Global, Cook Local

Published on December 18, 2003

Clarissa Hyman's new cookbook, "The Jewish Kitchen," is alive with miracles -- stories of Jewish life and war-torn Jewish communities, bringing with them their glorious history, rich culture and a cuisine passed through the generations, itself a story of miraculous survival.

Think Global, Cook Local

Published on December 4, 2003

"The Jewish Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from Around the World" by Clarissa Hyman (Interlink Books, $29.95)

Clarissa Hyman's new cookbook, "The Jewish Kitchen," is alive with miracles -- stories of Jewish life and war-torn Jewish communities, bringing with them their glorious history, rich culture and a cuisine passed through the generations, itself a story of miraculous survival.

This award-winning author crisscrossed the globe, visiting eight families in nine months, recording their stories and recipes.

Cooking Middle Eastern Memories

Published on September 25, 2003

Reading "A Fistful of Lentils" is like wandering through a family album. Instead of food photos you find dozens of family portraits, touching stories and the fascinating history of a rich and unique culture.

Mizrachi Options to Liven the New Year

Published on September 18, 2003

Middle Easterners turn to the more exotic, like dates, quinces or pomegranates during the High Holidays. So if you're looking for some unique recipes this High Holiday season, you might want to turn to Faye Levy's latest cookbook, "Feast from the Mideast: 250 Sun-Drenched Dishes from the Lands of the Bible" (HarperCollins, $29.95).

Book Helps ‘Design’ Delicious Simchas

Published on June 5, 2003

If Pesach signals the emergence of spring, with Shavuot, the season bursts forth in a riot of color and luscious flavors. "Kosher by Design" by Susie Fishbein, captures the beauty of every holiday with a feast for the eye as well as the palate.

Spicy ‘Shores’ of the Mediterranean

Published on November 28, 2002

Celebrated cookbook author and chef Joyce Goldstein can trace her bloodline to a Russian shtetl, but her heart and soul lie in the Mediterranean.

The Dish on the Deli

Published on October 3, 2002

Jonathan Gold knows his pastrami. He should. As restaurant critic to Gourmet magazine, he has sampled delis from coast to coast (by his count, 20 last week in New York alone).

Succulent Sukkot Recipes

Published on September 19, 2002

What a difference a decade makes. In fall 1992, my husband and I visited Israel during what now seems such innocent times.

Anything but Ordinary

Published on August 29, 2002

"Adventures in Jewish Cooking" by Jeffrey Nathan (Clarkson Potter, $32.50).

When it comes to kosher fine dining, chef Jeffrey Nathan of New York's Abigael's restaurants wrote the book. Now, just in time for Rosh Hashana, he's written "Adventures in Jewish Cooking," a collection of innovative recipes that redefine kosher as a world-class cuisine.

The Power of Music

Published on August 29, 2002

"The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival" by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen (Warner Books $23.95).

Vienna, 1938. In the city of Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Strauss, 14-year-old musical prodigy Lisa Jura looks forward to a promising career as a concert pianist. Hitler has other plans. With the breaking of glass on Kristallnacht, Jura's dreams are shattered.

‘Invincible’ Obsession

Published on August 29, 2002

In the 1920s, the son of a destitute blacksmith from Lodz, Poland, amazed the world with his feats of strength. Heralded as the modern Samson and the Iron King, Zishe Breitbart became a Jewish folk hero, twisting bars of iron, pulling trains by his teeth and killing bulls with his fists.

A Secular Life Gone Bad

Published on June 27, 2002

It's the ultimate fantasy: You have a seat at your own funeral. Now imagine that while hovering in limbo between your death and burial, you have the power not only to witness the preparations and critique the eulogies, but also to eavesdrop on critical moments in your past for a reality check.

The Many Layers of ‘Cake’

Published on May 23, 2002

Journalism 101, Rule No. 1: The interview is about the interviewee, not about you. Ask a question, then shut up and listen.

Back to Basics

Published on May 16, 2002

Marlena Spieler's latest, "The Jewish Heritage Cookbook" (Lorenz Books, $36), subtitled "a fascinating journey through the rich and diverse history of the Jewish cuisine" is so leap-off-the-page lusciously photographed you can practically taste the food.

Eternal Treblinka

Published on April 4, 2002

In the forward to "Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust," animal rights activist and daughter of Holocaust survivors, Lucy Rosen Kaplan, states: "I came to understand that the oppression of nonhumans on this Earth eclipses even the ordeal survived by my parents."

Seder, The Spago Way

Published on March 14, 2002

You'd think after serving 1,650 at the Governor's Ball following the Oscars, chef Wolfgang Puck would take a vacation. But four days later, on March 28, he and wife, interior designer Barbara Lazaroff, will host their 18th annual Passover seder gathering at his famed Spago Beverly Hills.