Jews & Food: A Love Story I
About this course
Is chicken soup really a Jewish invention? Why is there a hole in a bagel? What is the history and meaning behind the Jewish people's love of food?
Join Ilana as we present Judaism on a plate.
Ilana Epstein cannot look at a recipe without seeing hundreds, if not thousands of years of migration, resilience and Jewish pride in every ingredient. A product of her own migration journey across the Jewish globe, Ilana's Jewish food and lifestyle brand, Ta'am, always leaves a sweet aftertaste.
Course Outline
Perhaps the most recognisable of Jewish foods, matzah is a central part of Jewish history and identity. Ilana takes you on a journey from the exodus to blood libels, from Ethiopian matzah to the matzah machine, and how Jews became a people.
The famous Jewish bread eaten on Shabbat has thousands of years of history kneaded into its taste. Ilana uncovers the story of challah like never seen before. Learn how a demonic witch played a role in shaping this Jewish staple.
How did Jews from every corner of the world come up with variations of the exact same Shabbat dish? Ilana teaches about ancient cooking methods and delves into the history of the Shabbat stew in a journey that spans the entire globe.
Ilana explores how fish was cultivated in the ancient world and the important symbolism of fish in Judaism. She then tells the story of how gefilte fish went from people a food consumed by Jews to a worldwide phenomenon in America.
Journey on the Silk Road, the famous trading route of the ancient world, and discover the role Jewish spice merchants played in globalisation and the discovery of the New World.
