Knish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food (HBI Series on Jewish Women)
Laura Silver's at-times poetic meditation on knishes is not only a cultural history of this filled lump of dough, as meticulously researched as any doctoral thesis, but also a Proustian personal memoir with, no less, even hints of James Joyce in the way Silver intones and uses the rhythms of Aramaic Jewish liturgy, Yiddishkeit and Yiddish humor to tell her story. The knish has never been put to better use. I loved it.-- Arthur Schwartz, author ofArthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes RevisitedTruly riveting, Laura Silver'sKnish: In Search of Jewish Soul Foodweaves personal taste memories with the intricate past of knishes, making for a compelling, well-researched biography of these iconic Jewish pastries.--Joan Nathan,New York Times food writer and author ofQuiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France"Laura Silver has elevated the common knish to its rightful place in the pantheon of Jewish soul foods along side bagels and lox, pickles, and pastrami. She reminds us with equal parts passion and humor that the knish is much more than simple street food.  It represents a whole culture worthy of admiration, preservation, and enjoyment."--Mark Russ Federman, author,Russ & Daughters:  Reflections and Recipes From The House That Herring BuiltA lovingly researched book that elevates the knish, arguably the humblest of Jewish foods, into a weighty symbol of history, identity, and family.  Knishes haven't met anything this good for them since the invention of mustard. --David Sax, author ofSave the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen