Nick Zukin - The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home

Honestly, if we had known up front how much work would be involved, this cookbook probably would have been pushed aside for other less rigorous pursuits. And though the laboring oar was borne by the two of us, this was a group effort for sure.

From beginning to end, there has been Jean Lucas, our editor, along with the rest of the ever-positive crew at Andrews McMeel. They supported our vision about what this book ought to be and helped us produce a beautifully designed and useful volume.

We are also grateful to Diane Morgan. Diane is a gifted and prolific cookbook writer in her own right who somehow found the time to step in and help us with the huge task of organizing the book and overseeing the first edit. Diane also happens to teach a food-writing course every year or two, which was invaluable in helping plant the seed from which this book sprouted.

We are indebted to Andrea Slonecker for, among other things, her pretzel expertise, turning Michaels family keegal formulation into a real recipe, and, most of all, helping Nick develop recipes when he decided he just had to open another restaurant in the middle of writing a cookbook. Thanks, also, to Deena Prichep for her Jewish-hippie-pescatarian insights and recipe wrangling. Further thanks to others who contributed to the book: Nach Waxman, Joan Nathan, and Sharon Lebewohl, whose love of deli is evident in these pages.

We had what seemed like a legion of willing testers and tasters to whom deepest thanks are owed. We are especially grateful to Jolene George and Liz Crain for taking on many of the books comparatively technical bread recipes; and not least to the crew on Nicks popular food and restaurant forum, PortlandFood.org, including VJ Beauchamp, Jamie Green, Nadine Fiedler, Jill R. Oppenheim, Veronica Vichit-Vadakan, Jennifer Perrella, Ben Wolff, Pamela Wilkinson, Kathy Mayers, Carin Moonin, Kris Pennella, Kristi Van Damme, Eva Bernhard, Judy Pohutsky, Keith Orr, and Sarah Sugarman.

Also due evolutionary credit is David Sax, author of Save the Deli . After reading Davids book and getting to know him, it occurred to us that we needed to close the circle that David had begun to draw.

Of course, this book would not exist without the handful of folks who have been foresighted and gutsy enough to buck a longstanding downhill trend by opening Jewish delicatessens over the last several years: Noah Bernamoff, Rachel Cohen Bernamoff, Zane Caplansky, Evan Bloom, Leo Beckerman, Jeff Sanderson, Josh Marcus, Barry Koslow (and his business partners), and Ken Gordon.

Michael also wants to extend thanks to his many professional colleagues who have supported his odd dual passions: judge by day and writer by night. Particular gratitude is due Multnomah County Circuit Court Trial Court Administrator Doug Bray. Among writers and editors who have worked with Michael, no one has been more influential and appreciated than Karen Brooks.

Special thanks to Kelly Zusman for her edit of the books introduction; Joshua Brody and Juliana Grenzeback for their scouting mission; Gil Marks and Ted Merwin for their scholarship and help and Tim Healea for the sourdough starter recipe.

Michaels final thanks go out to his close friends and family who have put up with him, at a minimum, for decades. The immediate family: Ma and Dad; Steve and Diane, Amanda, Natalie, Cassidy, and Jake; Auntie and Uncle Mel, Bruce, and Lisa; Grace Maritka; and the memories of David and Rose Fertig and Abe and Edith Zusman. The longest-time friends: Gerry Birnbach, David Richenstein, Vince Bernabei, Karl Weist, James Greenblatt, Michael Evans, Victor Richenstein, The Coasters, and the poker circle.

Nick would also like to thank the several online communities and friends that helped him reconnect with his culinary heritage, ultimately leading to Kenny & Zukes and this book. In particular, it was on eGullet where he first got excited about making artisan pastrami, rugelach, and knishes. The folks at PortlandFood.org, starting with the founding membersJill-O, Ducky, Amanda, Aristo, and Dimsumdivahave always been a wonderful sounding board, both encouraging and grounding him. And finally to the folks at LTHForum, the best food forum in the country, a hearty Midwestern thank-you.

Nick has the deepest gratitude, of course, to his friends, family, and, especially, his wife, Lisa, who have supported him in both large and small ways so that his hobby could be his profession.

Both Michael and Nick would like to thank the benefactors of Bnai Brith Summer Camp.

Nick Zukin (right) is the Zuke in Kenny and Zukes Delicatessen and a prominent Portland, Oregon, food blogger. He approached Kenny Gordon in 2005 with a recipe for killer pastrami and the dream of connecting with his heritage. The proposition: open a Jewish deli specializing in house-made pastrami and hand-rolled bagels. After testing the waters selling at the farmers market and pop-up brunches, Nick helped open the first of a new wave of Jewish delicatessens focused on producing artisanal eats. Ever versatile, Nick debuted a solo venture in 2012, Mi Mero Mole, a restaurant specializing in Mexico City street food.

Michael C. Zusman (left) is a state court judge by day and a freelance restaurant and food writer at night. His culinary observations and insights have appeared in multiple publications in Portland, the city where he was born and raised. Michael is also a serious amateur baker and supplied the bread and bagel recipes used by Kenny and Zukes. He is a travel fanatic, too, chalking up frequent flyer miles to destinations around the United States and the world, usually with an eye on what's best to eat.

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