start

The global context, 'Personal and Cultural Expression' correlates to my product because my cookbook is based on my origin and the religious foods that I eat back home with my relatives. All the dishes that I am showcasing in my cookbook are important in their own way, having stories behind them that link to our beliefs and family history. All these stories make up to who I define as myself, since these foods portrayed a big part of my life and childhood, therefore this global context is best fitting for my product.

CRITERIA FOR THIS PRODUCT:

INVESTIGATION PROCESS

- Writing and creating a real cookbook with recipes that go back to my religion, my past, and family history.
- Research and collect at least 6-10 recipes that are the core and represent my Jewish roots. Jewish food is a collection of so many recipes from around the world. Pick and choose the most relevant and meaningful ones to best apply to me and my historical roots, geographically and culturally.
- Recreate each chosen recipe in my own home kitchen, try the recipes, taste and perfect them.
- Take images of each recipe and include them in the book.
- Give some background information or a personal touch story or tip for each recipe and how it relates to me or my Jewish tradition.
- Make sure not to turn my project into a history project but rather a nostalgic glimpse into my family past and traditions. Also, make sure not to focus on religion but rather cultural and traditional meanings.
- Find a proper name that really ties all my stories and recipes together, one that brings it all together. The idea of the book, how it came about and what it represents to me and to the potential readers.
- Create a professional look and feel to the book, in its design and sense of style.
- Include an introduction and a final words sections to wrap the recipe book up with my personal story.

The investigation process of my product was very interesting because it gave me an opportunity to dig deep into my family roots and religion, and narrow down my brainstormed recipes to 12 in total (even though it's only 1 dish over the limit I set in my criteria, I felt as though each dish in my cookbook was just as important as the other, and eventually it lead to a positive outcome in which I managed to exceed my expectations that I originally set for myself). The resources that I came across in my investigation process were very well varied, including several secondary sources (many books and websites), and primary sources too which included an interview with a jewish cook here in Amsterdam (Photos 3 and 4), research of stories and old photos of my Dutch family's tradition/lifestyle, as well as finding out about a family pickle business and visiting locations where the old factory used to be and where my family lived exactly before and after WWII (Photo 1 and 2, taken in the same location on Valkenierstraat 79 in Amsterdam), before they moved to Israel to settle there. My favorite part of the investigation process was interviewing Esther Erwteman, a Dutch jewish cook who just recently published her own Jewish cookbook “NOSH”. I found this the most intruiging, as she was able to give me tips and advice on my ideas for my cookbook, how far back some of these recipes go in the community, why publish a Jewish cookbook to a non Jewish audience, the importance of keeping traditions while at the same time bring some recipes up to date with our times etc. I was also able to educate myself a little more about what it means to be Jewish growing up in a non Jewish dutch society these days, telling me some of her personal stories and experiences growing up in Amsterdam. It is so interesting how much we can learn and feel through the tastes and smells of our traditional food. How much have we learnt from those war days and how much have we progressed. It is equally important to keep our memories and those warm-hearted traditions alive.