Jack’s Wife Freda

Tremendously excited when a stack of these arrived at the shop. Jack’s Wife Freda: Cooking From New York’s West Village is one of the newest titles in our cookery book section. My time in New York City is always jam-packed and often I can’t make it to all the places I want to try to have a meal. I have heard so many wonderful things about these two eateries, it is at the top of my list on a my next visit. The cookbook is filled with divinely yummy recipes from their offerings. A quick Google search came up with this perfect review of the restaurants, which gives you some idea to the overall tastiness of the recipes in the book. Plus the cover of the book is green, and you know my thoughts on that goodness…

“Jack’s Wife Freda, a pair of downtown restaurants whose signs bear the illustrated face of their namesake grandma, have become part of the epicenter of Jewish comfort-food dining in New York’s Greenwich Village. With their communal, casual vibe and detailed coziness, the restaurants feel like home. The many local regulars to thousands of tourists just passing through— is greeted like family by owners Maya and Dean Jankelowitz, and their staff. And the food is another reason you never want to leave. A tempting and imaginative meld of Jewish immigrant traditions and recipes, the menu crafted by chef Julia Jaksic borrows from the Ashkenazi and Sephardic dishes of the Jankelowitz’s respective childhoods, along with the flavors of South African and Israeli cooking. Fans line up on Carmine and Lafayette Streets each morning for a taste of the legendary spicy baked Shakshuka, Eggs Benny with Beet Hollandaise, or Rosewater Waffles with Honey Syrup. The bustling lunch crowd digs into classics like Matzoh Ball Soup, paired with new favorites like Peri-Peri Chicken Wings infused with African bird’s eye chili, and Maya’s Grain Bowl with Turmeric Tahini Dressing. Refreshing daytime drinks including Cantaloupe Juice and Nana Tea give way to a signature New York Sour at five o’clock, alongside an appetizer of Fried Zucchini Chips with Smoked Paprika Aioli or Haloumi with Grapes. Dinnertime brings delectable crowd-pleasers that home cooks will turn to again and again: Spiced Rack of Lamb with Herbed Israeli Couscous, Duck Tagine, and Freda’s Fish Balls. Malva Pudding, Yogurt Panna Cotta with Rose Syrup and more are a perfect end to any meal.”

A happy, lovely Wednesday to you all. Make it a great one!