Cookbook steeped in rich history, Brampton Guardian

Spice & Kosher - Exotic Cuisine of the Cochin Jews  By Bala Menon, Kenny Salem and Dr Essie Sassoon

ByAshley Goodfellow, Brampton Guardian, Oct 24, 2013

BRAMPTON— Spice &  Kosher: Exotic Cuisine of the Cochin Jews, is not your typical cookbook— but its recipe is simple.
Take one-part history, one-part tradition, one-part religion, a whole lot of food, let it simmer and serve to the masses.
It’s a book about the preservation and significance of a specific cuisine from the dying community in Cochin, India.
That’s what sparked Brampton resident Bala Menon, along with co-authors Dr. Essie Sassoon and Kenny Salem, to share the historical significance of Cochin’s cuisine. continue reading Brampton Guardian

On the same shelf:

• New Book On Cochini Jews Is Full Of Flavour | Weekly Voice
• The Jews of Cochin and two men's quixotic quest | Toronto Star
• Spice & Kosher: serving up the Cochini Jews' story | South Asian Focus ...

By SUNIL RAO
Staff Writer, South Asian Focus, Print Edition:  Nov 21 2013, volume: 7 issue: 47
Ever heard of ‘Cochini Jews’? No? Yet they continue to reside in the original, white-walled streets of Jew Town — even if there are just eight among them there around the synagogue today, all elderly.
And GTA residents Bala Menon and Kenny Salem — both originally hailing from Kerala in India — are determined to keep the Cochini Jews story alive.
Their quest has today resulted in a book, ‘Spice & Kosher: Exotic Cuisine of the Cochin Jews’, written jointly by Menon and Salem, along with Dr Essie Sassoon, a Cochini Jew, and today living in Ashkelon, Israel.
The book contains some 200 recipes — and, through the recipes, seeks to outline the history of the Jews of Cochin.
“It’s such an important part of India’s history and Kerala’s heritage,” says Menon. contiue reading southasianfocus.ca