If you are still under the illusion that “Jewish” food means gefilte fish, brisket, bagels and kugel — with a little bit of falafel thrown in for good measure — you haven’t met Hélène Jawhara Piñer.
A culinary historian who mines the history of Sephardic cooking from the records of Inquisition trials, medical treatises and medieval cookbooks written in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Occitan, Italian and Hebrew, she opens a fascinating new window into our other Jewish culinary traditions, transporting us to an ancient world too often ignored.
Her new book, Matzah and Flour, offers 125 recipes that showcase the power that flour from grains like barley and chickpeas had in sustaining Sephardic families. With savory delicacies and sweet delights, she intertwines narratives about the cultures the dishes reflect.
Hélène joins us to delve into the symbolism of matzo as an embodiment of Jewish resilience and to celebrate Sephardic cuisines and traditions.
Winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award, Dr. Hélène Jawhara Piñer teaches medieval history at Bordeaux Montaigne University and the University of Tours in France.
Hélène will be in conversation with Jake Cohen, author of Jew-ish and I Could Nosh: Classic Jew-ish Recipes Revamped for Every Day.