Book of Cooking and Home Economics for Jewish Housewives

Preface

It is a not a simple cookbook that I am presenting herewith to my sisters in faith, although most room is given to the “kitchen.” This book of Cooking and Home Economics [Koch- und Wirtschaftsbuch] contains everything practical one needs to know regarding not only the entire extent of a regular household, but also for establishing and managing a religious household. This book is the fruit of many years of collecting, beginning in my 15th year, when I had to take over from my mother, and during a 20-year marriage as the housemother of many boarders and caretaker of my own large family.

Until I became a bride, I lived in France, and afterwards, due to my husband’s profession, in the south, north, and east of Germany. Wherever I lived, I studied the features of local cuisine and put them to use. The proficient housewife will find much that is new to her and will look for in vain in other books of this kind. The young wife, however, will find practical, tried-and-true advice for her work in kitchen and house, for accidents in the family, as well as for the physical education of her beloved little ones.

This work, too, will have its faults. But indulgent readers will consider the words of the poet: “Who brings a lot will bring something for everyone!”¹ The richness and comprehensiveness of this work and the low price, I hope, will win this book of home economy numerous friends and soon afford me the pleasure of adding everything that is missing in a new edition, and so achieve in this field something drawing ever closer to perfection.

May my book inspire our Jewish housewives, despite all the demands of modern cooking and house management, to be always and primarily concerned with preserving our time-honored customs, sanctifying the Sabbath and holidays, and to conduct her business in the house in keeping with the laws of our religion.

Charlottenburg [Berlin] in May 1888.
Mrs. Flora Wolff [ . . . ]

Menu for Friday Evening

Most families in Prussia, Pomerania, Posen, and Silesia content themselves with a good fish dish and a simple fruit, beer, or wine soup. In northern Germany: Hannover, Hamburg, and so on, a delicious meat soup or roast meat is served, accompanied by a suitable vegetable, no fish. In southern Germany: Soup, fish, and roast meat. Below we present sample menus for simple and fine dining.

Fancy Menus

3. Northern Germany

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4. Southern German
 

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5. Prussia, Pomerania, Silesia, Posen

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