Writ of Execution

Amazon.com

Nina Reilly's new client ought to be dancing in the streets. She's just won the biggest slot machine jackpot in Lake Tahoe history. But if Jessie Potter claims it, she's putting herself and her little boy in harm's way. Someone's out to get the young woman, and the only one who seems to be on her side is Kenny Leung, an awkward but likable techno-wizard who's about to go bankrupt. Nina comes up with a plan to help Jessie collect her jackpot without revealing her identity to the powerful man who believes she killed his son. But her client's pursuer is already on the sniff. Though he was unable to convince the police to charge her with homicide, he and his sleazy lawyer counter Nina's maneuver by filing a writ of execution that will deprive Jessie of her rightful winnings. And just to thicken the plot, there's someone else threatening Jessie--a very angry man who believes she stole the jackpot that should have been his. He will kill anyone who stands in the way of his claim.

Nina may be a crafty lawyer, but she's not quite as deft in juggling her personal and professional lives. Paul van Wagoner, her investigator, isn't happy with their romantic relationship, and Nina herself, still mourning the death of her husband, is reluctant to commit to more than a casual romance. Perri O'Shaughnessy doesn't devote a lot of ink to her heroine's emotional concerns, but she's good at plotting, excellent on the legal maneuvering, and handles her secondary characters well, particularly Leung, whose computer expertise illuminates the technical aspects of slot machine gaming. This is a series that keeps getting better. O'Shaughnessy fans who've stuck with Nina since her somewhat plodding earlier adventures will be glad they stayed the course. --Jane Adams

Book Description

Critics call Perri O’Shaughnessy’s legal thrillers “terrific...will keep you turning the pages into the night” (USA Today) and “gripping” (San Francisco Chronicle Book Review).

Now the New York Times bestselling author ratchets up the suspense yet again...with an electrifying novel that plunges Lake Tahoe attorney Nina Reilly into a shadowy world of high-stakes money and cold-blooded murder. . . .

An attorney and single mother, Nina Reilly sees other people’s ups and downs as clearly as she sees her own. But she’s never seen anything like the fierce, terrified young woman who comes to her in the middle of the night, trailing a computer geek who was a stranger a few hours before. Their problem: they just won seven million dollars at the slot machines. Within hours, her client’s good fortune has plunged Nina into a battle that will be waged in court and on the streets. The young woman’s past—and the mysterious death of her husband in Hawaii—has triggered a powerful man’s crusade of revenge. But a moment of chance and enough money to save two troubled lives has done something worse: it’s brought a killer into their midst. . .

Customer Reviews:

layers of intrigue.......2006-09-18

I had never read perri o'shaughnessy until i picked up 'writ of execution' at a library sale. I was a third or so the way thru when i looked at the back cover to see if there was a bio, as i began to suspect this might be a female writer. to my surprise, 2 females. sisters! I was drawn in to this book by the charactors, and layers of mystery surrounding each one. From the slot machines to the court room, including personal difficulties unrelated to the mystery. wonderful balancing act. Definitely a charactor driven book, i can't wait to read another. I love finding gems like this thru serendipity.

You Put A Few Bucks In A Slot Machine And Your Life Changes..........2006-08-14

... though not always for the better.

A young woman wins a multi-million progressive jackpot on a slot machine.

Desperate to hide her identity she takes off with the stranger who was playing next to her (a down on his luck computer programmer who is is minutes away from putting a bullet in his brain) and heads off to lawyer Nina Reilly.

In a first attempt to hide her identity, a quick marriage between the two (for the pice of one million dollars) is arranged, to allow the woman to give a false identity to the press who are covering the event and to hide her from whoever may be on her tail.

The plan does unravel, due to a lawsuit, and there is also another claimant who would kill to get her millions. He has his reasons for thinking the jackpot should be his.

Overall I found this an enjoyable book, though there are some weaknesses that the other reviews have pointed out. I waivered between a 4 and a 3 star rating. Ultimately, what made the difference for me is that the book went into some interesting details on the gaming industry, how these large jackpots actually work, and what the gaming companies can or cannot do. This bit of research made the difference in my rating.

A good crime/legal/detective novel with enough twists and turns to keep me interested.

SO SO..........2003-06-01

This is a mediocre legal thriller, and my first introduction to this author. While moderately entertaining, I probably will not seek anymore novels by this author, as the writing tends to be pedestrian and formulaic. I also found the character of the attorney, Nina Reilly, to be uninteresting and an embarrassment to women in the legal profession. Perhaps, this was in part due to the fact that I listened to the unabridged audio book, where the reader infused Ms. Reilly's character with a breathy, little girl voice, that made her sound just this side of stupid.

Still, the book had its interesting moments. The plot revolves around a young woman, purportedly of Washoe Indian descent, who calls herself Jessie Potter and has just won a seven million dollar plus jackpot at a Nevada casino. She wishes to maintain a low profile, as she has a deep, dark secret, so she retains Ms. Reilly as her attorney, seeking to collect the jackpot, while maintaining her privacy. Unbeknownst to Ms. Reilly and her client, someone else feels entitled to that jackpot and will stop at nothing, not even murder, to get it.

In constructing the plot, the author, through one of the secondary characters, gives an interesting account of how these jackpots are designed to work, as well as a bird's-eye view of the gaming industry. Moreover, the courtroom scenes are of some interest. Still, this is not enough to make this a top notch legal thriller, as the writing never rises beyond hack status. The plot was too pat and contrived, at times, and the characters remain two dimensional throughout. I found myself neither caring for nor very much liking any of the characters. This over rated book remains simply a quick, throwaway read.

Beyond belief.......2003-02-18

This was my first Perri O'Shaughnessy book. I got it free at the Bouchercon in Austin last October. I MIGHT read one of the earlier titles but it won't be first on my list. Perhaps it is the result of co-authors, but I found the writing to be difficult to navigate. Many times it was hard to determine who was talking. Too many thoughts to oneself interspersed with dialogue. Too many coincidences to make the story believable.

I admit I am not fond of the female in jeopardy genre. And this one had TWO women making foolish assumptions and stupid moves. I had little sympathy for either of them.

Nina Reilly is the single mom to a young boy. He is conveniently absent or accounted for often during the book, although Nina sporadically wrings her hands in concern for him. Her detective, Paul, seems to want to be with her regardless of her personal difficulties but he is often oblivious to those difficulties, too.

This book was just too PC for me. A little of everything was thrown in for good measure, along with a lot of editorializing on the favorite soap boxes of the authors.

Still, I finished it and did find it somewhat entertaining. The sisters need a good proofreader.

Consistent fun.......2003-02-11

A story full of twists and turns. Its a very interesting plot, winning the big pot, was it a strike of luck or a bad joke from the devil? What deep dark secret can keep the winner from collecting what is lawfuly hers? These and more mysteries lead our picturesque team of the sensitive but persistent lawyer, the reliable with an almost frightening sense of protecting detective and his naive indian partner to play a who done it game with very powerful and dark charachters, that sometimes wear their angel disguises to perform their evil duties.

A Practical Treatise on the Office of Sheriff: Comprising the Whole of the Duties, Remuneration, and Liabilities of Sheriffs in the Execution and

Average customer rating:

Excellent rescource for historical research on sheriffs

A Practical Treatise on the Office of Sheriff: Comprising the Whole of the Duties, Remuneration, and Liabilities of Sheriffs in the Execution and
William Henry Watson
Manufacturer: Fred B Rothman & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Civil Procedure | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books

General | English Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0837727766

Customer Reviews:

Excellent rescource for historical research on sheriffs.......1999-01-08

Since the book dates back to the 1800's when first published, its historical value is prominent. It bridges the English sheriffs' roles and early American sheriffs' duties.

It is a little tough reading, since it seems to be written in some version of "old-english"; it is not like reading a foreign language by any means, but those who have a law-enforcement or legal background will have an easier time deciphering some terms (for example, "gaol" is used in the book, and corresponds to how we would currently spell the term: "jail").

A good resource for lawyers researching employment law issues relating to "at-will" employment of deputies--still alive and well in many parts of the country (especially the west)--civil service laws notwithstanding.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from SaskBusiness, published by Sunrise Publishing Ltd. on February 1, 2002. The length of the article is 658 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Execution of the writ of execution. (Law).(two Saskatchewan law professors release report concerning money judgement enforcement law)(Brief Article)
Author: Gary A. Meschishnick
Publication: SaskBusiness (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2002
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing Ltd.
Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Page: 11(1)

Article Type: Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

4 Titles By Perri O'Shaughnessy Nina Reilly Series : Motion to Suppress - Writ of Execution - Unfit to Practice - Unlucky in Law

Average customer rating:

4 Titles By Perri O'Shaughnessy Nina Reilly Series : Motion to Suppress - Writ of Execution - Unfit to Practice - Unlucky in Law
Perri O'Shaughnessy
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000W3T5R4

Product Description

multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.

Chattel exemptions from writs of execution in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territory,

Average customer rating:

Chattel exemptions from writs of execution in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territory,
Walter S Scott
Manufacturer: The Atkinson Book Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00089F8LO

Handling writs of execution (North Carolina sheriffs' civil duties)

Average customer rating:

Handling writs of execution (North Carolina sheriffs' civil duties)
Joan G Brannon
Manufacturer: Institute of Government, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Civil Procedure | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006E7FN0

Interstate execution of warrants and writs of attachment: Paper (Reference on service and execution of process research paper)

Average customer rating:

Interstate execution of warrants and writs of attachment: Paper (Reference on service and execution of process research paper)
A Young
Manufacturer: Australian Law Reform Commission
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007BQU9M

The law of exemptions and writs in Texas, embracing the law as contained in the Revised civil statute of 1911 of the state of Texas and the acts of the ... trial of right of property and mandamus

Average customer rating:

The law of exemptions and writs in Texas, embracing the law as contained in the Revised civil statute of 1911 of the state of Texas and the acts of the ... trial of right of property and mandamus
J. W Moffett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Landlord & Tenant | English Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00087OSGC

The law of the office and duties of the sheriff: With the writs and forms relating to the office

Average customer rating:

The law of the office and duties of the sheriff: With the writs and forms relating to the office
Cameron Churchill
Manufacturer: Gaunt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Elections | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1561694924

Book Description

Does your child have trouble speaking or listening?

This fully revised and updated edition of the essential guide explains what you can do to help

Have you noticed that your child has difficulty getting the right words out, following directions, or being understood? If so, speech-language pathologist Patricia Hamaguchi -who has been helping children overcome problems like these for more than twenty years-has now revised and updated her highly effective guide to help you determine what's best for your child. Find out all you need to know about:

Autism/PDD, central auditory processing disorders, dyspraxia, bilingual language development, adoption issues, thumb-sucking, and more
How to recognize the most common speech, language, and listening problems
When to get help for your child and when to wait
Where to find the right specialist and what to ask
How to read and understand the jargon-filled evaluation report
The very latest changes in philosophy, treatment approach, labeling, laws, programs, and resources
How the problem may affect your child academically, socially, and at home
Tips for helping your child at home

"Provides valuable information for parents of children with speech, language, and listening problems."——Sandra C. Holley, Ph.D., Former President, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Customer Reviews:

This book will help you connect the dots.......2007-09-06

This book is worth $100. Actually, it is priceless. If your child is language delayed, fussy and quirky, more mercurial than his/her peers...this book will help you identify these behaviors and discover the reasons behind your child's actions. Finally, you will understand the communication difficulties your child is experiencing and you will understand why he/she acts as they do.

This book is easy to read. You will recognize your child in the identified behaviors and you will discover that there may be multiple issues. Our child had been diagnosed with intermittent middle-ear fluid by a highly skilled team: ENT, Speech Pathologist and Audiologist. But it was this book that help us pinpoint the other behaviors and discover/address the Auditory Processing issue. Our team was satisfied with the diagnosis of Middle Ear Fluid for our child's language articulation issues...and this book is helping us get our child the help she needs.

Great service........2007-02-14

I received this book and was really surprised to see what great shape it was in for a used book. It liked a new book. I will definitely keep using Amazon for my book needs.

Disappointing.......2007-01-19

I found this book more descriptive than practical. The author dwealt on characteristics of the various communication problems kids may have, and lengthy case studies. The real let down was practical tips on what parents can do about it! The author generally refers the reader to specialists like a speech pathologist or a "special education teacher" or a psychologist. You could save money by not buying this book, and just get a referral to a specialist.

A disappointment.

All you need to help your child on speech problems.......2006-08-14

This is a great resource for parents who are trying to figure out if their children have some sort of language problem. The author does an excellent job by naming every different problem and defining very clearly each concept. It is also good to find resources to help your child in case you do not have insurance that can cover your child's speech therapy. The cases presented are also very good since some of them can apply to your real life situation. If you are looking for a great tool to confirm language issues, you have it!

Lots of great info and very easy to read!.......2002-08-28

I found this book to be an excellent and comprehensive guide. My daughter has a speech and language problem, but until reading this book I didn't realize how her listening problems were related. I showed the book to her teacher and we able to get an audiologist who could diagnose her auditory processing problem. Now she is getting the right help, and I will be eternally grateful to this author for writing this fabulous book. I wish I had read this when she was younger because perhaps I would have known what to look for. The symptoms are subtle in the younger child and become a little more obvious once they are trying to function in a classroom. I highly recommend this book!!

Average customer rating:

Paint Colorful Table With Italian Dishes

Great book

Good recipes, easy to use, great photos

OK cookbook, lousey as history

Is there a restaurant that serves this stuff somewhere?

Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen
Joyce Goldstein
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Italian | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Kosher | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books
Kosher Foods | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Sephardic Flavors: Jewish Cooking of the Mediterranean

Classic Italian Jewish Cooking: Traditional Recipes and Menus

Saffron Shores: Jewish Cooking of the Southern Mediterranean

The Jewish-Sicilian Cookbook

The Scent of Orange Blossoms: Sephardic Cuisine from Morocco

ASIN: 0811850137

Amazon.com

Jews have lived in Italy since Roman times, always part of the cultural landscape, always living in isolation of one kind or another. The word we know as ghetto comes to us from 16th-century Venice. Within the world of Jews in Italy, there are several smaller worlds: those of the native Italian Jews, of the Sephardim driven out of Spain, and of the Ashkenazim moving down from Germany and Eastern Europe. Take all those food traditions and dietary laws, squeeze them in one overarching food sensibility, and you have a very unusual way to view culture and history. Joyce Goldstein, in Cucina Ebraica, demonstrates that culture and history are edible, if not downright delicious.

Take Livornese Couscous with Meatballs, White Beans, and Greens. Couscous came to Livorno with North African Jews in the 1270s. It was a Friday-night meal, and the leftovers were served cold the next day on the Sabbath. Goldstein gives the first honest recipe for Carciofi alla Giudia (crispy fried artichokes in the Roman Jewish style) yet printed. Not all artichokes are alike, she demonstrates, and then shows you a way around the problems no one else ever manages to address to successfully cook this classic.

As she has proved in The Mediterranean Kitchen and Kitchen Conversations, Joyce Goldstein knows how to bring great food to the home kitchen. Her research is impeccable, her technique straightforward. Cucina Ebraica, this wonderful way of looking at an Italian cuisine that must answer to so many other influences, is an obvious project of love and devotion. Not to be missed. --Schuyler Ingle

Book Description

Now available in paperback, Joyce Goldstein's beloved cookbook offers a fascinating perspective on the Italian food we all know and love. Tracing the long-forgotten Jewish influences and focusing new light on the intertwining of two time-honored cooking traditions, the recipes in Cucina Ebraica are familiar and yet entirely fresh, a robust and delicious taste of Italy s regional cuisine. From the enticingly crunchy fried vegetables of fritto misto to the savory meat-filled buricche pastries to tonno fresco con piselli (Fresh Tuna with Peas), each dish is an invitation to the unexpected delights in both Italian and Jewish cuisine.

Customer Reviews:

Paint Colorful Table With Italian Dishes .......2007-09-01

by Judy Bart Kancigor, author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family

from the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
September 30, 2005

While Crostini di Spuma di Tonno, Zuppa di Pesce Passato, Dolce di Tagliatelle might not sound like Jewish food, Italian Jews have long enjoyed these dishes.

Joyce Goldstein made her first trip to Italy in 1957 and instantly became what she calls a "fanatic Italophile." The former chef-owner of San Francisco's Square One and daughter of Russian immigrants, Goldstein threw herself into Italian art, architecture, language, culture and food.

Out of her travels and study came "Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen" (Chronicle Books, $19.95). Newly released in paperback, the book is a beautifully photographed homage to a cuisine that dates back to Roman times.

It's not exactly the first place you'd think to look for a Rosh Hashanah menu. But the Jews of Italy can trace their roots to the second century B.C.E., making it one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, Goldstein said.

As in every corner of the Diaspora, Jewish cooks throughout the ages have used their creativity to wed regional cuisine to the laws of kashrut. Sometimes a clue lies in what is missing -- no besciamella (cream) sauce or cheese on meat, for instance. The names of recipes may contain a tell-tale ending, "alla Guidia" or "alla Mosaica," denoting "Jewish style," "per Sabato" for Sabbath dishes or "per Pesach."

"These are very regional Italian recipes," Goldstein said, "and often you can tell just by looking at them where the Jews lived. Sometimes what makes these recipes Jewish is the name, like Scaloppini di Tacchino Rebecca or Minestra di Esau, but a lot of times you can't tell, unless you see margarine or oil where they might have used butter."

While the book is thoroughly researched, Goldstein never sacrifices flavor for authenticity. Where she finds a recipe bland, she adjusts the seasoning. "Our palates today are not used to things simple and good; they're a little more stimulated. We're used to eating all kinds of food here, so the ante is up and we want a little bit more flavor."

She also admits to adjusting cooking times, as many of the oldest recipes were overcooked by today's standards. "These are people who lived without ovens. They brought things to the baker to be cooked and picked up later, and some things were cooked a very long time. Vegetables -- in those days you never got a crunch in your life," she said.

Trained and educated as an artist, in Goldstein's capable hands food and art blend. "When you cook you are organizing flavors and appearance, colors, smells, tastes. To me that's like organizing a canvas when you're painting, like the composition, choice of textures and colors. With art you don't have smell and taste, so maybe food has an advantage, although art lasts and food gets eaten up. But both make use of creative energy."

She is equally passionate about using locally grown ingredients. "The raw materials of the region are fabulous: Italian eggs with red yolks; flavorful, fresh chickens; vegetables that are picked one minute and served the next. Italians are totally driven by the quality of their ingredients; whereas if I go to the supermarket, when was it picked? When was it put out? When did I cook it? Three days maybe have lapsed, and it's not as flavorful."

Many of the ingredients traditionally used in Italian cuisine -- tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, corn, pumpkin -- were New World foods brought by the explorers to Spain and Portugal, where Jews, relegated to making their livelihood in trade and import, introduced them to the community at large. They were then transplanted to Italy by Sephardim who found refuge there during the Inquisition.

For Rosh Hashanah, try Stufadin di Zuca Zala (Braised Meat with Butternut Squash), reminiscent of Ashkenazic tzimmes. And no wonder. Many Ashkenazim immigrated to the Veneto, where this Venetian stew became popular. Here squash and Marsala add a touch of sweetness, bringing a wish for a sweet new year to your Rosh Hashanah table.

Traditionally for the holiday new fruits are served, and it is customary in Italy to poach quinces both for Rosh Hashanah and to break the fast for Yom Kippur. With an infusion of cloves and cinnamon, Mele Cotogne in Giulebbe (Quince in Syrup) brings a sweet, aromatic finale to your holiday feast.

Stufadin di Zuca Zala

(Braised Meat With Butternut Squash)

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 pounds cubed veal for stew

Salt to taste

1 cup Marsala or other sweet wine

1 butternut squash, about 1 pound, halved, seeds and fibers removed, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, and parboiled in salted water for 5 minutes

1 1/2 cups meat or chicken broth, or as needed

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Warm two tablespoons of the olive oil in a sauté pan over low heat. Add onions, garlic, and rosemary and sauté until tender and translucent, about eight minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Warm the remaining two tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Add meat and brown well on all sides, sprinkling with a little salt after it has browned. Add wine and let it bubble up. Add sautéed onions, butternut squash, and broth to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until meat is tender and squash has formed a puree, one to one-and-a-quarter hours. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Variation: You can use three-quarters of a pound carrots, peeled and grated, in place of the squash.

Makes four to six servings.

Mele Cotogne in Giulebbe

(Quince in Syrup)

2 pounds quinces

2 cups sugar

1 cup water, or as needed

2 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

In a large saucepan, combine quinces with water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, uncovered, until barely tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain quinces and when cool enough to handle, peel, halve, core, and cut into slices.

In a saucepan large enough to accommodate the sliced quinces, combine sugar, 1 cup water, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add quinces and additional water if needed to cover. Simmer five minutes. Then over the course of 12 hours, bring quince slices to a boil in the syrup three times, boiling them for five minutes each time. This helps to bring up the rich red color of the fruit and allows them to absorb the syrup over time.

Transfer to a serving dish and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

Makes six servings.

Great book.......2007-03-22

Ordered, received, and as a well-travelled person who lives on the border with Italy - yes, worth every penny. Excellent recipes, easy to use.. Recommended

Good recipes, easy to use, great photos.......2006-12-20

I am Jewish and my husband is Italian, so this seemed like the perfect book for us. It is well organized with appealing photographs and clear, understandable recipes with interesting explanations of the history of each dish, as well as variations and substitions. We have tried many of the recipes and have never been disappointed. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys both cooking and the history of ethnic cultures.

OK cookbook, lousey as history.......2004-08-24

From the other reviews, I had hoped for more historical accuracy. All the recipes seemed to be modernized rather than left in their historical form. Not as historically useful as I'd hoped. As a cookbook, it should be OK, but if your trying to recreate historical flavors, forget it. Tomatos weren't around in Roman times, nor were peppers.

Is there a restaurant that serves this stuff somewhere?.......2003-03-13

Short form: vegetables + raisins and pine nuts is a good combination.

There is a certain image of Jewish food and a certain image of Italian food in this country that is widely understood. The food in this book really is neither -- it's a unique cuisine that in some ways is a throwback to Roman food, while still reflecting the Jewish heritage that influenced it. And this is one of the few books readily available that discusses it -- even Claudia Roden's monumental Book of Jewish Food -- IMHO possibly the greatest ethnic cookbook I own -- has very little to say about Italian Jewish food, though its coverage of Sephardic and Mizrachi cooking is otherwise excellent.

The recipes in here are snapshots of foods that aren't necessarily standardized -- the recipe for Riso di Sabato (Sabbath rice), for example, points out that some make it like a risotto, some don't. Three different versions of Passover charoset appear, from different parts of Italy, and even though the world-famous carciofi alla giudea show up there's a riot of other vegetable dishes, including many based on la zucca barucca, a pumpkin-like "blessed squash" that shows up quite frequently in this book.

Italian Jewish food is something very different from what the average cook might expect -- the combination leads to a fairly exotic yet very homey cuisine, and this book is one of the few I've seen that makes it accessible to American cooks. If you like seeking out interesting ethnic cuisines, there's a hole in your library if you don't have this one.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books