Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel: A Cookbook

I'm really enjoying the stories. The recipes I've made so far have been delicious, looking forward to making more.

A beautiful cookbook all the way around. The book is part memoir, with each chapter including a few pages about Alon Shaya's life before delving into a few recipes related to that period, which makes everything much more personal. These essays are well written and read like a book, really guiding you through the recipes that follow. You can tell that great care was taken in assembling this collection. This thoughtfulness is apparent in some of the smaller design decisions - there are pictures of every dish, and Shaya is quick to offer alternative suggestions to tweak dishes with rare, expensive, or non-kosher ingredients (for instance, if you don't have the time - or inclination - to source rosebuds for a tahini based sauce for his date pancakes, he offers an additional spice substitution in the batter). Because of this approach, it isn't a "greatest hits" of his restaurant cuisine (though a few pasta dishes, roasted cauliflower, hummus, and pita bread do make an appearance). Instead, he's included a wide range of food types that have influenced him or that he has cooked throughout his career, from traditional Israeli cuisine to pizza to a very pork heavy red beans and rice. So far, I've only made the stuffed cabbage, but it was excellent. I'm looking forward to trying more.

One of my favorite New Orleans restaurants/chefs, and now I can recreate some of his fishes at home, as well as learn about his life and travels. ,

I borrowed Shaya from the library when it was first published. Flipping through the book, the first chapter I read was titled "Family Meal." It describes a Thanksgiving dinner Shaya cooks with and for his family after a family tragedy. It touched me so deeply, I knew that I wouldn't be able to part with the book in just 2 weeks. I quickly tried a couple of recipes to make sure they worked (the preserved lemon aioli sold me in an instant) and ordered the book. The stories that begin each chapter are personal, insightful and honest and the recipes I've cooked, quite a few now, have all worked well, including my first effort at making beautiful puffy pita breads. The recipes are clearly written and offer substitutions for unusual ingredients. Because it's written as a narrative, recipes don't appear by type. I noticed at least one Amazon reviewer complained about this but there is a category listing in the back of the book and I didn't have a problem with the unconventional organization. There are color photos of every dish while watercolor sketches and photographs illustrate the stories. Weights are given for the baking recipes but most of the book uses conventional US volumetric measures, my only nit to pick with the book as I prefer weights. This book is a delight to read and to cook from.

This is more than a ''cookbook'' I read it like it was a life story. Many interesting recipes, lovely pictures... I am not sure than I will be cooking a lot of the recipes, but the book itself is impressive. Enjoyable and informative !

Such a fantastic book. I'm now making this my go-to gift giving book for the people in my life who love to cook. I have this on my coffee table as it is fun to kick back, read through the stories and become inspired to tackle a new recipe. I am not a professional chef, just an enthusiast home-cook who is learning on the fly, and this is my new favorite cookbook.The recipes are so well explained with stunning pictures. I aIso love that there is a wide range of accessibility. Some are definitely special occasions dishes where you might want to track down a few special ingredients. However, there are many very doable recipes that are pushing me just outside of my comfort-zone flavor wise with really great results. I also appreciate the ingredient subs if you aren't interested or able to track down a certain unusual ingredient. Highly recommend.

So far, I've prepared three recipes from this book: Lutenitsa (pp 8-9). Emily's Famous Red Beans and Rice (page 197) and Stuffed Cabbage with Tomatoes and Onions (page 171). All three were delicious and not difficult to make. The cabbage dish is by far the most delicious stuffed cabbage recipe I've tried. For the Lutenitsa, I don't have a gas stove. So, I cut the veggies in half and put them under the broiler on a sheet pan to char them. This is a delicious appetizer! The red beans recipe, I prepared twice now. It's a go to recipe for beans! This is a beautiful book with wonderful stories and photos. The author has been influenced by cuisines from the Mediterranean, Israel, and New Orleans. So, the recipes are varied and unique. This is my new favorite cook book and I'm looking forward to trying the other dishes.

My favorite cookbook of all time and that’s says it all #!!!!!