“Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli”
New York University Press, $26.95
Few things are as quintessentially New York as the Jewish deli, a fixture that has appeared in countless television shows and movies (“I’ll have what she’s having”). It’s a familiar place, no matter where you come from.
In “Pastrami on Rye,” author Ted Merwin captures the essence of the New York deli experience: the hustle and bustle, the intimate interactions between customers and staff, and the constant wise-cracking of the waiters. Merwin recalls the “mouthwatering” food he grew up with in Great Neck, Long Island: “the peppery pastrami, the chewy corned beef, the sour seeded rye bread, the fluffy matzo balls in parsley-flecked chicken broth, the crunchy fresh pickles, the tangy coleslaw.” He remembers being “entranced” by the almost theatrical nature — the very specific rituals involved — in the preparation of the sandwiches.
An associate professor of religion and Judaic studies, Merwin also happens to be a terrific writer. Reading his descriptions makes you want to run to your nearest deli, even if deli food isn’t your thing. He’s that good. More than just detailing the goings-on at the Jewish deli, he explores its rich history. The deli, he contends, not only reinforces American Jewish identity, but it’s also a comfortable place for non-Jews to get a taste of Jewish culture.
Despite the book’s fairly short length, Merwin offers a thoughtful, “overstuffed” look at all aspects of the Jewish deli by examining the role of its food in America through, as he puts it, the “greasy … gluttonous lens of the pastrami sandwich.” The journey begins with an exploration of the first delicatessens in Eastern Europe and the United States, where the original deli owners in New York were from Germany and the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. He delves into the deli’s transformation into a “secular synagogue” and the influence of the New York Jewish deli to other parts of the country, such as Chicago and Miami Beach (the “Shtetl by the Sea”). He paints a vivid portrait of the Jewish delicatessen waiter, many of whom were former actors straight from the Yiddish theater or vaudeville stage, and looks at how Woody Allen and Larry David, among others, have portrayed the deli in pop culture. A chapter devoted to the present and future of the contemporary Jewish deli caps off this
delightful exploration of one of America’s favorite culinary institutions.
“The Mad Feast: An Ecstatic Tour Through America’s Food”
Liveright, $35
Crawfish and etouffee, Philly cheesesteak, key lime pie, Boston cream pie, deep-dish pizza. Some foods are inextricably linked to a particular place, a specific region of the country. In “The Mad Feast,” Matthew Gavin Frank turns food writing — and travel writing for that matter — on its head with his entertaining examination of American regional cuisine. From bratwursts to bagels, he details how various foods reflect their states’ history and geography. Offering his idiosyncratic take on the unique personality of each region, Frank also includes recipes for the many dishes that make up this quirky, irreverent tour through the 50 states.
June Sawyers is a freelance reporter.
