Tempting Kosher Dishes by The B. Manischewitz Co circa 1930, Third Edition

Matzo was the Lachmoh Anyou - "the bread of affliction." It was baked hastily as the Children of Israel were escaping from Egypt. This thought still remains as we read in the Hagadah, every Seder night year after year. But now there is another thought accompanying the Matzo. It is also the bread of freedom and joy. - The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, March 13, 1931

{HISTORY}

From pumpkin pancakes to date bars, farfelroons to honey kisses, chicken knish to strawberry shortcake, a bevy of traditional recipes fill the pages of this vintage Jewish cookbook published by the B. Manischewitz Co in 1930.

A beauty of a cookbook from the front cover forward and almost antique in age, Tempting Kosher Dishes contains recipes written in both English and Hebrew. A promotional tool for Manischewitz products, including matzo meal, crackers, and cereal, this cookbook was compiled by domestic science expert F. O. Gahr, who spent two years selecting and testing the recipes in the Manischewitz Experimental Kitchens.  

Featuring 250 recipes passed down through generations of Jewish families as well as many modern (1920s-era) interpretations, this cookbook represents Jewish cuisine from around the world and covers all meals of the day. 

The invention of the first square-shaped matzo cracker was perfected by Lithuanian immigrant Rabbi Dov Behr Manischewitz (1857-1914) in his small neighborhood bakery in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the 1880s and 1890s.  This simple passion eventually led The B. Manischewitz Co to become the largest commercial matzo producer in the world by the 1920s. With the blessings of rabbis from around the world, Manischewitz matzo crackers were certified kosher, Passover-approved, and became instant staples of the Jewish kitchen from the early 20th century onward.  

Family-operated until the 1970s, Manischewitz expanded its product offerings to include wine, small crackers, soup, and other Jewish heritage foods throughout the 20th century. Still in business today, Manischewitz is no longer family-owned and operated, but the rich cultural tradition of Rabbi Dov Behr Manischewitz's original matzo creation still remains in every square-shaped matzo cracker that rolls off the bakery line. 

Published during the early excitement of the Manischewitz Co's blooming years, this cookbook welcomed the third decade of the 20th century with a menu full of interesting recipes, especially when it came to baking.  On the English side included here are recipes for Josephine Pie, Baked Peppers and Cheese, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Knoedel Recipes Numbers 1-7, Salmon Croquettes, Chocolate Custard Pudding, Potato Pancakes, Coconut Cookies, Boston Pie, Feather Cake, Date Cup Cookies, Cocoa Torte, and French Coffee Cake.

Turn the cookbook over, and it starts again in Hebrew with all the same recipes and all the same beautiful illustrations featured on the English side. The center of the cookbook unites the two with a brief history of the Manischewitz Co., including drawings of their bakeries and their product line. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• 1930, Third Edition
• Written in Hebrew and English
• 78 pages in each language
• Contains 250 recipes
• Illustrated throughout with color photographs and drawings

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this cookbook is clean and bright throughout with just a few minor cooking spots that appear on a handful of pages, adding a lovely aged aesthetic to this treasured kitchen heirloom.  The front coverboard on the English side contains some light scuffing and staining gathered over its 95 years of use. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. Parts of the interior reveal the cloth binding of the spine but no pages are loose or in danger of coming apart. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

Measures 7.75" inches (length) x 5.25" inches (width) x .5" inches (thickness) and weighs 11 oz.