A FOOD JOURNEY

My cookbook first evolved from the recipes that my Mother, Bitsie Oshry, wrote out for me just before I settled down into married life. I was raised in an Orthodox Jewish home in South Africa where traditional Lithuanian food was predominant but my years in Spain, as well as constant visits to Israel, have greatly influenced my cooking hence the strong Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influence. Jewish food represents the history of the Jewish people from Biblical times and, even though we are spread across the Diaspora, today tradition is still buried deeply in our subconscious. Food traditions and recipes are our precious heritage and worthy of passing on to future generations.

My time in Spain has also allowed me to see first-hand how the healthy Mediterranean diet and lifestyle influence one’s life. I hope that my use of herbs and spices, as well as my pairing of different foods, produces an end result of traditional Jewish cooking which not only tastes enticingly delicious and looks stunning but also enhances one’s sense of well-being.