Illustrator Ben Nadler subtitled his new book, `The Jewish Deli, with the following: An Illustrated Guide to the Chosen Food. Yet, I like to think of the book as more than a guide, but as a visual encyclopedia of Jewish food past and present. Nearly every Eastern European Jewish food you have ever heard of can be found while combing through the pages of The Jewish Deli. But unlike traditional encyclopedias, this book brings entries to life with comic-like drawings. Nadler draws readers in with the “faded pastels of the old storefronts; the lined-up jars of colorful dried fruits; the intricate old labels on stacked cans of fish; the gradients of meaty pinks and reds behind the counter glass,” (page 6). It is through these visuals that Nadler hopes to help readers feel confident in what to order at a Jewish deli.
Unique amongst books about the Jewish deli, this book is not a cookbook, and not purely a book to read. Dan Raskin, Owner of Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen in Chicago, describes the intent of this book best: “People like to pick foods with their eyes and not just off a menu,” (page 162). The Jewish Deli allows readers to learn the history of Jewish deli food, by first absorbing the look of the food with their eyes. The carefully detailed, colorful drawings leave nothing out. Each photo makes you feel one step closer to a juicy bite of food yourself. The images pop to life, allowing readers to feel like deli food is within reach.
Beyond a history lesson, Nadler uses drawings to demonstrate that “the environment itself is an ingredient,” (page 71). He explains that the sounds and smells of the institutions where deli food is made are part of the flavor. Likewise, throughout the visually centered book, Nadler incorporates interviews with owners of famous Jewish delis in the United States—so that readers can get to know the places where deli food comes from, the places that are ingredients for centuries old recipes.
When you think about Jewish deli food, you likely think about meat and fish primarily. But Nadler aptly shows readers that Jewish deli food spans from the meats to so much more: to bagels and breads, soups, sides, desserts, and drinks. An experience at the deli, is a full course meal. Aaron Israel, Co-owner of a restaurant in New York City, explains in an interview in the book that the “strictly traditional Jewish deli—it’s reasonable that they should keep going, but to not change or adapt is to ignore the entire history of Jewish food, which is about adaptation to new circumstances,” (page 243). This book makes it clear that Jewish deli food comes in many forms and flavors.
While the book’s focus is on the aesthetics of deli food, my two critiques lie within the informational content. For one, the speech bubbles that accompany many of the comic strip-like sections are confusing and hard to follow. It can be difficult at times to know what order to read them in. Second, although drawings consume most of the book’s space, there is still plenty of information on the pages. I learned so much about the origin of each food item, yet I was left wondering where the information came from. For instance, Nadler writes: “Macaroons are one of the few items in Jewish culinary culture to come from Italy,” (page 216). But if you are an avid Jewish foodie like me, you have seen the large number of new cookbooks coming out, devoted solely to the many Jewish foods that originate in Italy. How do we know if the information in The Jewish Deli is accurate? Nothing is cited or included in a bibliography in the back of the book.
But if the goal is to focus on the visual components of deli food, and let anything else stay in the background, then this book certainly stands out on a Jewish bookshelf. Afterall, it is not so much about being able to regurgitate facts after reading. As Nadler puts it: “In many ways, the Jewish Deli is in the business of nostalgia,” (page 201). We read books, and in this case look at visuals, of the Jewish deli in order to discover how our ancestors ate, or to bring back memories of being in the kitchen with grandparents. With that in mind, this book will take you exactly where you yearn to be.
Photos from The Jewish Deli: An Illustrated Guide to the Chosen Food by Ben Nadler, published by Chronicle Books.
