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November 1, 2002/Cheshvan 26 5763, Vol. 55, No. 10
Books make thoughtful gifts
ALISA SLOAN
Special Sections Editor
Wandering into a bookstore to search for a gift without a specific book in mind can be daunting. Likewise, the added pressure of holiday shopping can turn a normally relaxing experience into a stress-filled melee.
"Does Aunt Iris have any interest in horticulture?" "Is my coworker a fan of mysteries?" "Does Cousin Mark still want to visit Greece?" It's all a blur when surrounded by towering racks of titles.
Here we try to make the selection process easier with our "Hanukkah Gift Guide" book roundup. Of course, these are just suggestions. And remember, it's always thoughtful to go with your personal favorites.
"Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen" by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. (Alfred A. Knopf, $35 hardcover)
This jam-packed volume is a testament to Bastianich's knowledge of Italian-American cuisine. She emigrated from Italy in 1958, earned her stripes running restaurants, and is currently the host of two cable television shows, "Lidia's Italian Table" and "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen." In this volume, Bastianich offers classic Italian-American dishes as well as her own creations; recipes are lively, detailed and easy to follow, and each includes how-tos or ingredient tips. Tempting offerings include Roasted Cornish Hen with Balsamic Glaze; Braised Fennel, Artichoke and Bread Frittata; and Mostaccioli with Fresh Basil and Mozzarella.
"The Jewish World in Stamps: 4,000 Years of Jewish Civilization on Postage Stamps" by Ronald L. Eisenberg (Schreiber Publishing, $36 hardcover)
In vibrant color pages, Eisenberg details the world of Judaism in stamps. Examples printed in countries all over the world - from Surinam to Denmark - display elements of Jewish history and culture as tiny pieces of artwork. Historical events, synagogues, Bible stories, traditions, symbols and festivals, as well as actors, athletes, artists, politicians and scientists are depicted. Described as an "art gallery" of stamps, this book also contains Jewish-themed classic works in miniature by Michelangelo, Rubens, Chagall and Pissaro, among others. A quick scan of the index leads readers to such diverse entries as "Einstein, Albert," "Judah Maccabee," "Aliyah Absorption" and "YMCA" - all in tiny, stamp form.
"Saffron Shores: Jewish cooking of the Southern Mediterranean" by Joyce Goldstein (Chronicle Books, $35 hardcover)
Chef and author Joyce Goldstein traces the heavily influenced cooking of Sephardic Jews "in the Muslim lands of North Africa and the Arabic countries that line the saffron shores." Upon opening the book, a photograph of golden saffron sets the tone for the exotic Jewish cuisine within. Goldstein incorporates favorite foods from countries such as Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Syria. Though she breaks the recipes down into traditional categories (appetizers, soups, meats, poultry and sweets), Goldstein also suggests menus for Jewish holidays. Just in time for Hanukkah, one menu includes dishes such as B'stilla - a Moroccan chicken and almond pie, Briks - savory and sweet fried pastries, Bazargan - Syrian cracked-wheat salad, and Ragout d'Artichauts Farcis - stuffed artichoke stew.
"Cast Your Net: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Your Soul Mate on the Internet" by Eric F. Fagan (Harvard Common Press, $14.95 paperback)
Fagan, who found his own soul mate through an exhaustive Internet search, says his book "will detail the steps to locate, contact and reel in that elusive mate by combining common sense and determination." Conversely, he adds, what it will not do is teach how to secure short-term relationships. Fagan helps readers create personal profiles, make first contacts, interview potential candidates and meet in person. He also offers advice on what to do if things turn sour. "Your soul mate is out there!" exhorts Fagan.
"A Spoonful of Ginger: Irresistible, health-giving recipes from Asian Kitchens" by Nina Simonds (Alfred A. Knopf, $30 hardcover)
Simonds combines her knowledge of Chinese cookery with recommendations for healing meals. From earthy mushrooms to pungent ginger, selections include tonics for everything from colds to stress. Simonds blends herbal remedies with comforting and familiar Chinese dishes. Recipes include information about the healing properties of the pertinent ingredients. To soothe a scratchy throat or laryngitis, suggests Simonds, drink some cucumber soup. Simmered Tofu with Black Mushrooms offers the one-two punch of tofu - believed to lower cholesterol levels and influence hormonal levels - and black mushrooms - believed to bolster the immune system.
"25 Things Every Mother Should Know" by Martha Sears with William Sears (Harvard Common Press, $8.95 paperback)
Childcare experts Martha and William Sears, authors of books on childcare including "The Birth Book," "Nighttime Parenting" and "The Discipline Book," provide here a concise tome about the nuances of motherhood. Chapters include "A newborn baby is already a person," "You really do have intuition," "It's all right to feel like crying" and "You don't have to be perfect." Martha Sears calls it "a guide to mothering your baby," and instructs readers to look elsewhere for basic childcare advice such as how to treat diaper rash or give a bath. "(This book) is as much about the process of becoming a mother as it is about babies," she says.
"Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations" by Lois Ellen Frank (Ten Speed Press, $35 hardcover)
Frank explores the diversity of techniques and recipes that are a part of Native American life in the Southwest. A photographer, Native American food expert and chef, Frank herself is part Kiowa, and her background brings a sense of tenderness to the book. Frank takes care to describe not just the food, but the culture of those who produce it. This book could be especially interesting for those who live in the Southwest but have not experienced Native American culture. The recipes vary from rustic to gourmet, as Frank has called upon the culinary talents of Native American chefs as well as the traditions of the Indian people. Highlights include Fried Squash Blossoms with Celery Sauce, Indian Tacos, Red Chile Pinon-Crusted Lamb Chops and Picuris Indian Bread Pudding.
"Between Two Deserts" by Germaine W. Shames (MacAdam/Cage, $24 hardcover)
A complex cast of interwoven characters with one thing in common - present-day Jerusalem - flesh out Shames' novel. With a shared backdrop, her characters comprise many backgrounds: Israeli, Palestinian, American, Eastern European. They strive to make a life for themselves in a disputed city. Through Shames' knowledge of the region from working as a foreign correspondent, readers derive a sense of place as well as compassion for her characters. Shames writes of one character: "...she takes a first squint-lidded measure of Jerusalem. To the west a trio of boy soldiers doze over rifles. To the east the dispossessed crouch in doorways, rattling worry beads. History's unsparing passage etched into the stones, into faces, and every street a fragile seam relentlessly fraying." And, of another woman, whose husband's heart was briefly stolen by the traveler: "Gathering herself in like a harvest of salt, Leah brushes her lips across her husband's stubbly cheek, rises from bed and makes her way to the kitchen. Her sons have come home for Shabbat. Today her table will be full."
"Appetite" by Nigel Slater (Clarkson N. Potter, $35 hardcover)
Subtitled "so what do you want to eat today?", "Appetite" presents the reader with dishes named not for ingredients, but for cravings. Designed to break the reader's habit of relying on recipes, the volume instead calls upon readers to satisfy their appetites by thinking about what they prefer - in very broad terms. Recipes include "a side dish of stovetop vegetables," "a really great tomato sauce," "a winter supper to revive and restore" and "a thin, crisp fruit tart." To expand the choices, Slater offers variations on themes, such as the one for "some quick frying-pan suppers." It has suggestions for lamb with Marsala wine, chicken filets with tarragon sauce and pan-fried liver with capers - all of which can be prepared quickly, and in a frying pan.
"The Rules for Online Dating: Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right in Cyberspace," by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider (Simon & Schuster, $12 paperback)
In this women-only guide to online dating, "The Rules" authors tackle strategies for meeting a potential mate for life in cyberspace. Billed as "a comprehensive list of dos and don'ts," Fein and Schneider apply their rules to making an Internet match. From choosing a good screen name ("TrulyCute22," yes; "LookinForLuv," no) to making the transition from e-mail to phone calls, Fein and Schneider cover the esoteric aspects of forging relationships online. Also included are safety tips - a must for daters in any scenario.
"The Mensch Chef: or Why Delicious Jewish Food Isn't an Oxymoron" by Mitchell Davis (Clarkson Potter, $18.95 paperback)
Though it's full of Yiddishisms, Borscht Belt humor and a bit of family history, Davis says his book avoids the guilt usually associated with Jewish food. Davis, an author and director of publications for the James Beard Foundation, calls it "an Ashkenazi ABCs...a book for the first time you have to host a Passover seder and you don't know what to serve." Favorites include cabbage rolls and chopped liver, matzo brei and homemade sauerkraut. New twists include falafel-crusted salmon and spicy beef brisket. Davis infuses his humor throughout and even offers "a bissel advice" or a "mental nosh" on occasion.
"If A Place Can Make You Cry: Dispatches from an Anxious State" by Daniel Gordis (Crown, $24 hardcover)
Planning to live in Israel for only one year, Rabbi Daniel Gordis and his family have been in the country since 1998. Their experiences, as well as their "love affair with Israel," are documented in this book. Believing his children would be living in peace under newly elected Ehud Barak and a convincing Camp David accord, Gordis and his family have since been witness to turmoil. Like Israeli families, the Gordises strive to live a "normal" life despite the dangers and the sense of loss, he says. Whether struggling to explain to his son why it's necessary to ride a bus or relating his children's ease in learning Hebrew, Gordis records his first-person account in short vignettes.
"Harem" by Dora Levy Mossanen (Scribner, $14 paperback)
Three generations of headstrong Jewish women are depicted as they struggle in Persia's male-dominated culture. Competing for self-respect and the Shah's affections, Mossanen's characters include Rebekah, a beautiful woman who dreams of a better life; Gold Dust, Rebekah's daughter, who must curry favor in the world of the harem; and Raven, Gold Dust's child, who is destined for greatness. The world they inhabit is fantastic, magical, and sometimes brutal, yet their lives center on the interplay between mother and daughter. Mossanen, who was born in Israel and moved to Iran at the age of nine, came to the United States in 1979 at the onset of the Islamic Revolution. This is her first novel.
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