Jew-ish

A New York Times bestselling debut cookbook that reinvents Jewish classics for a new generation. Jake Cohen blends his Ashkenazi heritage with flavors from his husband’s Persian-Iraqi Jewish background, creating dishes that feel both familiar and excitingly new. Think pumpkin spice babka, cacio e pepe rugelach, and saffron-spiced latkes alongside a perfect challah and deeply comforting matzo ball soup.

Why Start Here

If Roden’s 688-page opus feels like a history course, Cohen’s book is the fun weekend cooking class. He writes with infectious energy and humor, making Jewish cooking feel approachable rather than intimidating. The recipes are designed for home cooks who want results without fuss, and the step-by-step instructions are some of the clearest in any modern Jewish cookbook.

Cohen excels at the dishes people actually search for: challah that tears apart in golden, buttery strands, matzo ball soup with deeply roasted chicken, latkes with properly crispy edges, and babka with a chocolate filling that stays swirled rather than clumping in the center. He teaches these classics honestly before riffing on them with creative variations that draw from Persian, Iraqi, and broadly Middle Eastern flavors.

The cross-cultural approach is what sets this book apart from other modern Jewish cookbooks. Cohen treats Ashkenazi and Sephardic/Mizrahi traditions not as separate cuisines but as parts of one evolving story, connected through his own family. Dishes like tahini-swirled brownies and harissa-braised short ribs show how Jewish cooking continues to change and absorb new influences.

What to Expect

A vibrant, beautifully photographed 272-page cookbook. The tone is warm and personal, with headnotes that share family stories and cooking tips. Most recipes are manageable on a weeknight, though the baking projects (challah, babka, rugelach) benefit from a relaxed afternoon. The pantry requirements are modest: tahini, za’atar, sumac, and good-quality schmaltz (which Cohen teaches you to render) are the most specialized ingredients.