Jew-Ish: A Cookbook

In Jew-ish, he reinvents the food of his Ashkenazi heritage and draws inspiration from his husband’s Persian-Iraqi traditions to offer recipes that are modern, fresh, and enticing for a whole new generation of readers. Imagine the components of an everything bagel wrapped into a flaky galette and latkes dyed vibrant yellow with saffron for a Persian spin on the potato pancake, plus best-ever hybrid desserts like Macaroon Brownies and Pumpkin Spice Babka! From elevated, yet approachable classics like Jake’s Perfect Challah, Roasted Tomato Brisket, Short Rib Cholent, and Iraqi Beet Kubbeh Soup to innovative creations like Cacio e Pepe Rugelach, Sabich Bagel Sandwiches, and Matzo Tiramisu, Jew-ish is a brilliant collection of delicious recipes, but it’s also much more than that. As Jake reconciles ancient traditions with our modern times, his recipes become a celebration of a rich and vibrant history, a love story of blending cultures, and an invitation to gather around the table and create new memories with family, friends, and loved ones.

“Jake Cohen is the creative, youthful future of Jewish food. There is a thrill in reading and cooking from a book by someone you can hardly keep up with—he is SO alive, as is his food!”  —Joan Nathan, James Beard Award-winning author, most recently of King Solomon’s Table “Jew-ish is a wonderful celebration of identity. Jake's recipes are memorable, packed with flavor, and filled with joy.”  —Michael Solomonov, chef and co-owner of Zahav “With his killer cooking chops and innate understanding of how to create community—be it at the table or on TikTok—Jake Cohen has created a thoroughly modern cookbook for our times. With his deft, doable, delicious takes on Jewish classics, combined with a genuine talent for contextualizing his culture into something we can all learn from, you certainly don’t have to be Jewish to love Jew-ish.”  —Adeena Sussman, author of Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen “Jake Cohen is the modern master of menschiness!”  —David Lebovitz, author My Paris Kitchen and Drinking French “I’ve long wished for a way to bottle up Jake’s infectious enthusiasm for Jewish food and delicious fun twists on classics to keep in my kitchen for excellent vibes and inspiration. And, well, this book does exactly that! Jew-ish is packed with the kind of bright flavors that will make any meal a party.”  —Molly Yeh, cookbook author and Food Network host   “This is a rambunctiously uplifting book, vibrantly full of warmth, joy, and deliciousness.”  —Nigella Lawson, food writer   “Home chefs and casual readers alike will be entranced immediately by his description of Friday night observances (aka Shabbat), designed as an evening of both gratitude and relaxation.”  —Booklist   “This fun collection will appeal to all home cooks looking for creative takes on modern cuisine with a Jew-ish flair, and anyone with a sense of humor.”  —Library Journal —

JAKE COHEN is the former food editor of Tasting Table and Time Out New York, and now serves as the editorial director of the FeedFeed (@thefeedfeed). He has written for websites and publications including Food52, Saveur, and others. He lives in New York City with his husband, Alex.