The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Tradition, by Amelia Saltsman.

Here, at last, is a fresh, new way to think about Jewish food. In The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen, Amelia Saltsman takes us far beyond deli meats and kugel to a world of diverse flavors ideal for modern meals. Inspired by the farm-to-table movement, her 150 recipes offer a refreshingly different take on traditional and contemporary Jewish cooking.

Amelia traces the delicious thread of Jewish cuisine from its ancient roots to today’s focus on seasonality and sustainability. Guided by the Jewish lunar calendar, she divides the book into six micro-seasons that highlight the deep connection of Jewish traditions to the year’s natural cycles. Amelia draws on her own rich food history to bring you a warmly personal cookbook filled with soul-satisfying spins on beloved classics and bold new dishes. From her Iraqi grandmother’s kitchri—red lentils melted into rice with garlic slow-cooked to sweetness—to four-ingredient Golden Borscht with Buttermilk and Fresh Ginger and vibrant Blood Orange and Olive Oil Polenta Upside-Down Cake, Amelia’s game-changing approach is sure to win over a new generation of cooks. You’ll find naturally vegan dishes, Middle Eastern fare, and new ways to use Old-World ingredients—buckwheat, home-cured herring, and gribenes—in fresh, modern meals.

Whether you’re Jewish or not, observant or not, Ashkenazic or Sephardic, this yearlong culinary journey through the Diaspora will have you saying, “This is Jewish food? Who knew?”

The New Kosher: Simple Recipes to Savor and Share, by Kim Kushner.

Kosher cooking has been redefined for the modern family.  The New Kosher is filled with healthy recipes, exquisite flavors, and a fresh sensibility for the modern lifestyle. Emphasizing fast, easy, and delicious dishes for everyday meals and special occasions, this is your comprehensive guide to kosher cooking. 

Kim Kushner comes from a diverse foodie background and her easygoing, mix and match style has helped her redefine kosher cooking. With over 100 recipes from all over the world, there’s something for everyone in this unique cookbook.

Looking for a modern twist on a traditional dish? Try Kim’s sticky date and caramel challah bread pudding, homemade challah with za’atar everything topping, 5-minute sundried tomato hummus or Mediterranean-inspired lentil, carrot and lemon soup. 

Trying to find a new family favorite? Whip up some coconut- banana muffins with dark chocolate, penne with lemon zest, pine nuts and Parmesan “pesto”, easy dill chicken and stew or a crispy rice cake with saffron crust.

Need a dessert everyone will love? You can’t go wrong with recipes like deconstructed s’mores, crunchy-chewy-nutty “health” cookies, miniature peanut butter cups and dark chocolate bark with rose petals, pistachios and walnuts.

Warmly written with personal narratives and detailed nuance, Kim’s recipes reflect her experience as a generous instructor who loves to teach and a mom who cooks tasty and nourishing fare for a big family.

Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes: 120 Holiday and Everyday Dishes Made Easy, by Laura Frankel.

This first paperback edition of Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes by Laura Frankel collects more than 120 sophisticated, simple, and satisfying kosher dishes. From everyday meals to holiday favorites, each recipe makes convenient use of the humble, ever-reliable slow cooker, using seasonal ingredients that can be found at your local market.

When Chef Frankel opened her first restaurant in 1999, she was driven not only by her love of cooking, but also by the desire to prove that kosher food can be as delicious and exciting as any other type of contemporary cuisine. The same goes in her own kitchen. When her family decided to keep kosher, they gave up eating pork, shellfish, and the combination of meat and dairy—but that didn’t mean they wanted to sacrifice flavor.

Frankel focused her culinary talents on creating kosher meals that are every bit as refined as their non-kosher counterparts—both at home and at her nationally acclaimed kosher restaurants. But creating inspiring dishes at home isn’t as easy without the elaborate prep that goes into a restaurant meal. That’s why Frankel turned to her slow cooker—a device she had been using once a week to prepare meals for Shabbat, when cooking with the stove or oven is prohibited. Once she realized the slow cooker could produce creative meals all week long, Frankel’s culinary imagination was off and running.

The book is divided by course and includes sections on appetizers, soups, entrees, sides, and desserts and breakfasts. For ease of use, each recipe clearly indicates seasonal ingredients and if it is a meat, dairy, or pareve dish.

Featuring Frankel’s signature blend of convenience and globe-spanning flavors, these recipes are designed to be kosher, yet accessible to eaters of all backgrounds. Anyone interested in time-saving, family-pleasing meals will find Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes a reliable, inspiring resource in the kitchen. Whether you need a little nosh or a full-on fress, this cookbook has the recipe for you.

The Raging Skillet: The True Life Story of Chef Rossi, A Memoir with Recipes, by Rossi. 

When their high-school-aged, punk, runaway daughter is found hosting a Jersey Shore hotel party, Rossi's parents feel they have no other choice: they ship her off to live with a Chasidic rabbi in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Within the confines of this restrictive culture, Rossi's big city dreams take root. Once she makes her way to Manhattan, Rossi's passion for cooking, which first began as a revolt against the microwave, becomes her life mission. The Raging Skillet is one woman's story of cooking her way through some of the most unlikely kitchens in New York City—at a "beach" in Tribeca, an East Village supper club, and a makeshift grill at ground zero in the days immediately following 9/11. Forever writing her own rules, Rossi ends up becoming the owner of one of the most sought-after catering companies in the city. This heartfelt, gritty, and hilarious memoir shows us how the creativity of the kitchen allows us to give a nod to where we come from, while simultaneously expressing everything that we are. Includes unpretentious recipes for real people everywhere.