History of Jewish cuisine Jewish cuisine

1 history of jewish cuisine

1.1 biblical era
1.2 talmudic era

1.2.1 structure of meal


1.3 middle ages
1.4 modern era

history of jewish cuisine
biblical era


emmer wheat, cultivated in biblical times

the daily diet of ordinary ancient israelite 1 of bread, cooked grains, , legumes. bread eaten every meal. vegetables played smaller, significant role in diet. israelites drank goat , sheep’s milk when available in spring , summer, , ate butter , cheese. figs , grapes fruits commonly eaten, while dates, pomegranates, , other fruits , nuts eaten more occasionally. wine popular beverage , other fermented beverages produced. olives used oil. meat, goat , mutton, eaten , reserved special occasions, such celebrations, festival meals, or sacrificial feasts. game, birds, eggs , fish eaten, depending on availability.

figs, 1 of mentioned fruits in bible.

most food eaten fresh , in season. fruits , vegetables had eaten ripened , before spoiled. people had contend periodic episodes of hunger , famine. producing enough food required hard , well-timed labor , climatic conditions resulted in unpredictable harvests , need store food possible. thus, grapes made raisins , wine, olives made oil, figs, beans , lentils dried, , grains stored use throughout year.

the cuisine maintained many consistent traits based on main products available israelite period until roman period, though new foods became available during extended time. example, rice introduced during persian era. during hellenistic period, trade nabateans increased, more spices became available, @ least afford them, , more mediterranean fish imported cities. during roman period, sugar cane introduced.

the symbolic food of ancient israelites continued important among jews after destruction of second temple in 70 ce , beginning of jewish diaspora. bread, wine, , olive oil seen direct links 3 main crops of ancient israel – wheat, grapes, , olives. in bible, trio described representing divine response human needs (hosea 2:23-24) and, particularly, need seasonal rains vital successful cultivation of these 3 crops. (deuteronomy 11:13-14). significance of wine, bread , oil indicated incorporation jewish religious ritual, blessings on wine , bread shabbat , holiday meals, , @ religious ceremonies such weddings, , lighting of shabbat , festival lights olive oil.

talmudic era

bread staple food, , in bible, meal designated simple term eat bread, rabbinical law ordains blessing pronounced upon bread covers else except wine , dessert. bread made not wheat, barley, rice, millet, lentils, etc. many kinds of fruit eaten. there custom eat apples during shavuot, while specific fruit , herbs eaten on holidays , special occasions such as, rosh hashana. children received nuts , roasted ears of grain on evening of passover. olives common used measure (zayit).

meat eaten on special occasions, on shabbat , @ feasts. pious kept fine cattle shabbat (beẓah 16a); various other kinds of dishes, relishes, , spices on table. deer, also, furnished meat, did pheasant, chickens, , pigeons. fish eaten on friday evening in honor of shabbat. pickled fish important article of commerce, being called garum among jews, among greeks , romans. pliny says expressly of garum castimoniale (i.e., kosher garum) prepared according jewish law. specific type of locusts eaten. eggs commonly eaten quantity of egg used measure.

structure of meal

the first dish pickled starter stimulate appetite, followed main meal, ended dessert, called in greek θάργημα. afiḳomen used in same sense. titbits (parperet) eaten before , after meal (ber. vi. 6). wine flavored myrrh or honey , pepper, mixture being called conditum. there vinegar wine, wine amanus, , cilicia, red wine saron, ethiopian wine, , black wine. wines considered stomach, others not. there beer egypt called zythos (pes. iii. 1), , beer made thorn spina regia. emphasis placed on drinking meal eating without drinking means suicide .

middle ages

lokshen kugel

the jews scattered in middle ages difficult give connected account of mode of living regards food. in arabic countries author of halakhot gedolot knew dishes appear have been specific jewish foods, e.g., paspag , was, perhaps, biscuit; according siddur amram, well-known ḥaroset made in countries mixture of herbs, flour, , honey (arabic, ḥalikah ). maimonides, in sefer refu ot , mentions dishes health. recommends bread baked wheat not new, nor old, nor fine, further, meat of kid, sheep, , chicken, , yolks of eggs. goats , cows milk good, nor cheese , butter harmful. honey old people; fish solid white flesh meat wholesome; wine , dried fruits. fresh fruits, however, unwholesome; , not recommend garlic or onions.

there detailed information italian jewish cookery in book massechet purim. discusses pies, chestnuts, turtledoves, pancakes, small tarts, gingerbread, ragouts, venison, roast goose, chicken, stuffed pigeons, ducks, pheasants, partridges, quails, macaroons, , salad. these considered luxuries. oppressed medieval jews enjoyed large meals on shabbat, festivals, circumcisions, , weddings. example, jews of rhodes, according letter of ovadiah bartinura, 1488, lived on herbs , vegetables only, never tasting meat or wine. in egypt, however, meat, fish, , cheese obtainable, in gaza, grapes, fruit, , wine. cold dishes still relished in east. generally, 1 dish eaten, fresh bread daily.

some jewish dishes mentioned in yiddish literature twelfth century onward brätzel, lokshen, pasteten, fladen, beleg. barscht or borshtsh soup ukrainian beet soup, best known berkes or barches (challah) eaten on shabbat, , shalet (cholent), heine commemorates, , spanish jews called ani (hamin). shabbat pudding, kigl or kugel in yiddish, known.

modern era

most of dishes cooked jewish people of eastern europe origin akin of nations among whom dwelled, , in of europe (including of english-speaking world) dominant style associated jewish cooking ; substitutions made accommodate dietary laws. hence, dishes gentiles make pork made veal or chicken; chicken fat (or, more modernly, hydrogenated vegetable oil such crisco) used in place of lard. kasha , blintzes of russian jews, mamaliga of romanians, paprika of hungarians, dishes adopted jews gentile neighbors. on religious , ceremonial occasions did cook special jewish dishes. in united states, in particular, jewish cooking (and cookbooks recorded , guided it) evolved in ways illuminate changes in role of jewish women , jewish home. jewish cuisine has played bit part in shaping restaurant scene in west, in particular in uk , us. israeli cuisine in particular has become leading food trend in uk, many israeli restaurants opening sister restaurants in london , beyond.