Joan Nathan's Search for Jewish Cooking in France

Last weekend I had the chance to attend one of Joan Nathan's book parties. We were celebrating the release of  her 10th book Quiches, Kugels and Couscous...My Search for Jewish Cooking in France. Joan began the evening by revealing how she became interested in her topic. With a master's degree in French literature and a lifetime quest to reveal the roots of Jewish cuisine, Joan is the perfect person to tackle such a complex topic.  In the book's introduction, Joan explains how unaware she was of Jewish culture in Paris as a teenager.  As the years passed, however, she experienced numerous Sabath dinners and holidays there. After years of research, her book explains the entire culinary history of Jewish cuisine in France - from antiquity to present.

The party was widely attended and a huge success.  No detail was overlooked.  Old chansons were performed by an accordian player.  A chef was hired to prepare recipes from the book, including Moroccan Haroset Truffles with Almonds and Fruits (my personal favorite), Couscous with Roasted Vegetables, Babka a la Francaise, and Chocolate Truffles.

Many of Washington's top culinary professionals were there. I was pleased to see some friends and collegues from Les Dames D'Escoffier and The Culinary Historians of Washington. I owe a heartfelt thanks to Joan for not only a wonderful party, but for taking us on another important culinary journey with her book.