At Oma's Table: More than 100 Recipes and Remembrances from a Jewish Family's Kitchen

Ostensibly a Jewish family cookbook, Schechter's loving ode to her family, in particular her grandmother, achieves more than that, compiling in food and family lore a shining portrait of what it means to be an American. After fleeing Vienna for small-town Italy during the height of WWII, Grandma Schechter's family made the trip to America by troop ship, dodging Nazi planes and submarines along the way. Each stop in her family's pilgrimage influences the dishes Schechter offers in this nostalgic collection: traditional Jewish fare such as cholent (a beef and bean stew) rests comfortably next to a classic Italian pepper ragout, Backhendl (a Viennese take on fried chicken) and a turkey pot pie culled from Thanksgiving leftovers. Though her grandmother never wrote down a recipe in her life, Schechter dutifully recreates her most memorable dishes, ranging from Liptauer, a savory cheese spread so beloved it's offered in four variations, to hearty classics like Beef Goulash with Carrots and Potatoes, Brisket and Stuffed Cabbage. Supplemented throughout with vivid anecdotes of the family's pilgrimage and resettlement, this is a warm account of one family's journey to America and how food kept them close long after their arrival. (Aug.)