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The Jewish Princess: Feasts and Festivals

They have done it again, those two Jewish Princesses, Georgie Tarn and Tracey Fine! A second book that reflects a love of life, of good food, and of time spent with family and friends. No, you don’t have to become Jewish to enjoy this book. You have to have a passion for good things... and they are here aplenty.

The chapters are divided by Jewish festival or feast, just as the title suggests. But it’s about cooking marvellous meals that gentiles can enjoy. Yes, there are foods that are associated with particular events, but non-Jews will have the luxury of being able to eat those dishes at any time without feeling that they are out of place. Christians might have qualms about eating Christmas mince pies in September but I could eat Prune and Chocolate Hamantaschen at any time.

You’ll love this book even if you have a royal hate of anything kitcheny. These JP’s have found ways to cut culinary corners. Well, OK, if not cutting corners at least rounding them off in a pleasing fashion. You can use ready-prepared pomegranate seeds (or get someone else to do the job); you have permission to use a can of custard; and don’t even think of making meringue nests, buy them, the same as the rest of us who live in the real world. This has got to be one of the most user-friendly cookbooks around.

These girls are a real hoot and they have penned another volume filled with laugh-out-loud observations to which we can all relate, but it’s the food that takes centre stage (or perhaps a little to one side as you can never up-stage a Jewish Princess). This is a great collection of recipes for smart eating. Bar Mitzvah, Bris, Passover, Chanukkah and many more are all Jewish festivals or celebrations, but the menus are equally appropriate for non-religious meals.

There are dishes here that are marvellously simple but lip-smackingly delicious. I love cooking, dear reader, a slave to it I will not be. I love recipes that don’t send me into a state of nail-biting (JP’s don’t do that) anxiety. Those recipes that produce an end result that will elicit oohhhs and aahhhs and compliments without me working for days. There are such recipes within these covers!

Vegetable Lasagne is easy, quick, suitable for vegetarians and it is, above all, tasty. Almond Pudding is a triple almond dessert that can be served hot or cold. That’s got to be a winner for a dinner party. Chicken Marmalade is one of those dishes that you’ll cook often. It doesn’t need lots of exotic accompaniments as it looks and tastes stunning just with some fluffy mash and some green beans artfully strewn around the platter.

My favourite recipe is probably Pear and Chocolate Crumble. Pears and chocolate are a classic combination but I would never have thought of putting them into a crumble. The topping has oats and they are good for you so I guess this pud is elevated to the realm of health food... so serve some cream with it.

The Jewish Princess: Feasts and Festivals is another stunner. It’s stylish, amusing and a cookbook that you’ll reach for whenever you want to impress without stress. I’ll give my Jewish friends this book in the hopes that they will use it... and invite me over.

The Jewish Princess: Feasts and Festivals
Authors: Georgie Tarn and Tracey Fine
Published by: Quadrille Publishing
Price: £12.99
ISBN 978-1-84400-642-7