60 Comments

I am lucky to have a fellow food pro sibling who works for King Arthur Baking Co. and keeps my diced candied orange peel supply well-stocked. If you haven't yet tried theirs, it's terrific!

Expand full comment

Good to know - I will!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Leah for these resources! I wish I had included them! I bought basic orange peel from my supermarket and it was actually very good despite appearances!

Expand full comment

This book reminds me that we are all human, and learning about food traditions is a beautiful way to connect

Expand full comment
author

So true. Thank you for your comment.

Expand full comment

I’m very selective on what cookbooks I have. I read them like novels front to back especially when they are historically connected. I’m fascinated by foods and their origins. As a granddaughter of early 1900’s Italian immigrants I have learned some of our family recipes (Naples and Sicily) and love baking and cooking for friends and family telling them the stories of how they were developed. Good food, root history, family and friends and eating. Important of passing on and keeping traditions of all people no matter what race or religion. Love to read and cook/bake through this book

Expand full comment

I would be honored if you did! And thank you for sharing your family's background. :)

Expand full comment

The artichoke on that beautiful book cover is such a lovely touch! My father used to go every 2 weeks to Rome for work (we lived in Turin, Northern Italy), and he and his colleagues often had dinner in the former Ghetto. Carciofi alla giudìa is still a favourite of his, and rightly so. Leah, you should try budino del paradiso (paradise pudding), a flan/crème caramel recipe from Sephardi cuisine. Nigella Lawson shares some recipes from the Venetian Ghetto, such as this delicious one: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/tagliatelle-with-chicken-from-the-venetian-ghetto Pizza ebraica sounds/looks marvellous, thank you both so much, Leah and Susan!

Expand full comment

Yum, thank you! I am definitely less familiar with Venetian Jewish dishes (it is amazing how different the are from Rome's Jewish dishes, but that makes sense since Italy only became a unified country in the 1870s). That tagliatelle with chicken sounds particularly delicious!

Expand full comment

With so much to learn and a multitude of dishes to explore, I'd love to expand my repertoire of Jewish cooking, and gain insight into both Rome and Roman Jewish food. I have been to Rome just once for a far-too-short couple of days. I was traveling with my buddies, the wonderful cookbook author and food historian, Nancy Harmon Jenkins, and chef Sara Jenkins, who made sure to take me to the Jewish Ghetto for a fabulous lunch. I will never forget the carciofi alla giudia (crispy golden deep-fried artichoke) we shared. I am Jewish, and what a terribly concerning time this is, as you noted, Susan. Connecting with Jewish and Middle Eastern foods across cultures, and sharing meals with friends and strangers alike, is making me feel a bit better this week. I'm grateful for this post, Susan, and your book, Leah! It is high on my list. Congratulations on this beautiful work!!!

Expand full comment

Thank you so much Mindy.

Expand full comment
author

Aw, thanks Mindy for this heartfelt comment!

Expand full comment

I would love to celebrate Jewish food and culture in the midst of the horrors currently occurring. It would be a way to feel connected to the global community and traditions.

Expand full comment
author

Such a nice sentiment. Thank you Emilie!

Expand full comment

I would love to have this cookbook. When my daughter was 11 (she's now 35) she decided that she was Italian (she is 100% Eastern European Jewish on both sides) but she decided to be Italian. The best I could do for her was provide a stepfather who's sister lived in Italy for 15 years, married an Italian and has 3 children all whom were born there. My daughter now has been to Italy many times, she prefers Italian food over all others, and one year for mother's day she arranged a trip for the two of us to Bologna for 3 days of cooking classes. Not only would I love to have this cookbook, I think I MUST have this cookbook. No doubt it will become a family favorite and one to pass down like the torah from generation to generation. Thank you, Leah, for writing it!

Expand full comment
author

Oh how nice! I love hearing this story!

Expand full comment

I can’t wait to visit and your Rome’s Jewish quarter! I have the Kindle version of Portico, but would cherish a hard copy. I spent a whole weekend reading it -- such a fascinating history with unique recipes that reflect the Roman Jews’ circumstances throughout the centuries. I just prepped the ingredients for Pizza Ebraica!

Expand full comment

I can’t wait to make these. I just read the recipe list to my husband and we’re on it! My mom lived through the war in Paris and hid her Jewish identity all her life. When siblings as adults visited France, the story unfolded. I’m still learning about my Jewish heritage and this book would definitely add to that. Thank you Susan as always❣️

Expand full comment
author

Wow Maureen. What an interesting story.

Expand full comment

I'm planning a trip to Italy and now this bakery and neighborhood in Rome are on my list! Thanks for bringing this cookbook to my attention!

Expand full comment

When I saw last Thursday that the next day we were going to get the recipe for the Pizza Ebraica I hoped it would arrive early enough on Friday to make before Shabbat!

It didn’t - but I will definitely be making it this week - and probably sending some to soldiers or others involved in the massive effort to get us back to normal here in Israel.

I remember tasting this in Rome over twenty years ago - it is one of those memorable moreish cakes and I am truly looking forward to making it. It was a joy reading about its origins.

I will most certainly buy this book - it is already in my cart in Amazon.

Thank you so much.

Expand full comment
author

Most definitely more-ish. Sending love to Israel.

Expand full comment

This recipe is the perfect soothing treat to remind us of how food can unify not divide! Very excited to make this and explore the book. Always love carciofi alla giudia as long as someone else fries it for me! On a recent trip to Rome we were exploring the Jewish quarter buying mezuzah for friends back in the Bay Area. Congrats on the book!

Expand full comment

Thank you for this Susan and Leah. Your words and food is a source of great comfort.

Expand full comment

Have occasionally cooked along with Leah through the Milk Street Kitchen classes and will make this recipe for Pizza Ebraica today! As a careful cookbook collector, I love to settle in for a good read and journey through food and culture and would be grateful for Portico. Thank you both, Susan and Leah, for helping us connect to our shared humanity.

Expand full comment

This cookbook sounds amazing and unique-can’t wait to try it!

Expand full comment

Being of an Italian family I would love to explore more of the Jewish communities and their recipes.

Can not wait to bake these cookies and share with everyone this weekend. Thanks

Expand full comment