Nathan - Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous : My Search for Jewish Cooking in France

EACH BOOK I WRITE transports me to new worlds filled with research and human relationships. Without the melding of the two there would never be satisfying results. During this period, which lasts for three to five years, my work becomes my life.

This book took me into homes throughout France. My hope is that the reader will be enriched by my account of these experiences and the recipes gleaned from each adventure. When I started studying French in high school, little did I know how helpful it would prove to be throughout my career. My proficiency in French opened so many doors, as did my lifelong friends and relatives who led me throughout France to otherwise unavailable sources willing to break bread with me.

I have many people to thank, in addition to those appearing throughout the book, to whom I am eternally grateful. During my trips revisiting France in the past few years, I felt like a peeping Tom, watching home cooks and chefs in their kitchens, and forging new friendships.

Thanks to Connie and Dominique Borde, Catherine and Jean-Bruno Dufort, Hlne Goldenberg and Richard Moos, Marthe Layrle, Patrice and Herb Miller, Claudine and Henri Moos, Elie and Gotz Schreiber, Irene and Michel Weil, and Sandrine Weil and Mathias Laurent, who opened their homes to me.

In each city, people have extended themselves to lead me to the right cooks to tell this story and have had the patience to talk with me. Without the help of Yves Alexandre, Gilbert Brenner, Georges Dalmeyda, Marie-Christine Daunay, Lydia Elhadad, Peggy Frankton, Jacqueline Frydman, George Gumpel, Michel Gurfunkiel, Nathalia Hercot, Natan Holchaker, Julie Mautner, Alex Miles, Grard Monteux, Professor Ren Moulinas, Lucie Optyker, Jean Paulhan, Gilles Pudlowski, Bernard Saltiel, and Patricia Wells, I could never have been so well accepted into the French Jewish communities.

The staffs of museums and libraries have been invaluable: Carol Ambruster and Peggy Pearlstein of the Library of Congress; Marc Masurovsky of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Rebecca Federman, Roberta Saltsman, David Smith, and Michael Terry of the New York Public Library; the staff of the Alliance Isralite Universelle in Paris; Isabelle Pleskoff at the Jewish Museum of Paris; and the remarkable Philip and Mary Hyman, who let me work in the wonderful world of their private library.

Elizabeth Alpern, Amy Bartscherer, Claire Blaustein, Jan Buhrman, Sandra Di Capua, Krista Gallagher, Maria Gudiel, Merav Levkowitz, Theresa McCulla, Doug Singer, Jennifer Visick, and Rebecca Wall have helped me invaluably in the kitchen and with research.

In addition, I want to thank all these people in the United States, who have led me in the right direction: Howard Abarbanel, Ann Amernick, Daniel Boulud, Lori Chemla, Annick Delacaze, Richard Delerins, Franois Dionot, Carol Goldberg, Katja Goldman, Barbara Greenwood, Jean Joho, Francis Layrle, Dalya Luttwak, Patty Ravenscroft, Trina Rubenstein, Jonathan Sarna, Andr Soltner, Jeffrey Steingarten, Cathy Sulzberger, and Paula Wolfert.

Yves Alexandre, Jennifer Breger, Beatrice Fink, Thomas Head, Professor Lisa Leff, Sheila Malovany-Chevallier, Professor Ted Meron, Professor Pamela Nadell, Professor Susan Suleiman, and Eveline Weyl have carefully read over the manuscript. Knowing how busy their lives are, I greatly appreciate the time they spent on me. Thanks, too, to the marvelous MacDowell Colony, where I worked on the introduction.

And, of course, my three children, Daniela, Merissa, and David, and my husband, Allan, once again put up with my obsessions with this fascinating and delicious topic for these past few years.

My agent, Gail Ross, and editors Pete Wells and Nick Fox at The New York Times have been 100 percent behind me. I also want to thank the extraordinary people at Alfred A. Knopf. Sonny Mehta first saw the vision for this book. Ken Schneider helped me through various computer glitches, always in good humor, Maria Massey carefully saw the manuscript through production, and Kristen Bearse created the fabulous design of the book.

But most of all my editor, the legendary and phenomenal Judith Jones, went over every word of the manuscript, at least once, encouraging me to tell this amazing story and urging me to craft the book in my own words.

Also by Joan Nathan

Joan Nathans Jewish Holiday Cookbook (revised)

The New American Cooking

The Foods of Israel Today

Jewish Cooking in America, Expanded Edition

The Jewish Holiday Baker

Jewish Cooking in America

The Jewish Holiday Kitchen

The Childrens Jewish Holiday Kitchen

An American Folklife Cookbook

The Flavor of Jerusalem (with Judy Stacey Goldman)