In today\u2019s climate, it\u2019s more important than ever to live life as loud and proud Jews\u2014to own our identity, celebrate our roots, and shine our light in the world. Melinda Strauss embraces this lifestyle every single day.<\/p>\n
A Jewish content creator from New York, Melinda has spent years sharing her life and the joys of Jewish food with her 1.6 million followers across social media. Now she\u2019s put it all into one cookbook titled\u00a0Eat Jewish, a beautiful compilation of\u00a0\u201cover 100 recipes that blend Jewish heritage, modern flavors, and family traditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Featuring dishes like Aunty Bobbee\u2019s Potato Kugel, Mom\u2019s Baked Macaroni and Cheese, and Grandma Shelly\u2019s Chocolate Walnut Banana Cake, this cookbook feels like an invitation straight into the Strauss family home\u2014complete with a squeeze from bubby.<\/p>\n
Pomegranate-Braised Pot Roast (From\u00a0Eat Jewish\u00a0by Melinda Strauss, (c)2025, used with permission of Rock Point, an imprint of Quarto)<\/p>\n
Leah Grossman: Melinda\u2014the book is gorgeous. I\u2019m salivating already! After years of sharing kosher recipes on your blog, this seems like a perfect extension of your expertise. Was writing a cookbook something you always wanted to do?<\/b><\/p>\n
Melinda Strauss:<\/b>\u00a0In the back of my mind, I always thought that maybe, one day, I\u2019d write a cookbook. But for the longest time, I had no idea what it would actually be about so I never pursued it. Back when I was food blogging full time, I didn\u2019t really have a specific niche, other than the fact that everything I made was kosher.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t until I started sharing my weekly Shabbos meals on TikTok that something clicked. I began to realize just how curious people were about Jewish food and our traditions. That\u2019s when the idea of writing a cookbook shifted from being a \u201cmaybe one day\u201d to something real, something I knew I could really do.<\/p>\n
LG: Have you always loved to cook? Do you have an early memory of being in the kitchen that sparked this passion?<\/b><\/p>\n
MS:<\/b>\u00a0Well, I\u2019ve always loved to eat, that\u2019s for sure! Growing up, I wasn\u2019t much of a cook myself, unless you count baking brownies in my Easy-Bake Oven. But I loved sitting in the kitchen, watching both my Savtah and my mom cook for Shabbos. I wasn\u2019t really helping\u2026just watching, soaking it all in, talking their ears off. I do remember helping my Savtah crush peppermint candies for her homemade ice cream, but let\u2019s be honest, I was really there for the taste tests.<\/p>\n
Yakir\u2019s Biscoff Babka Buns (From\u00a0Eat Jewish\u00a0by Melinda Strauss, (c)2025, used with permission of Rock Point, an imprint of Quarto)<\/p>\n
LG: I love that you include the classics as well as inventive new takes on our favorites. Personally, I gravitate straight to the dessert section: Cold Brew Cheesecake? Bagel, Lox, and Cream Cheese Hamantaschen? S\u2019mores Coconut Macaroons? Yes, please! Can you share some of your favorites that you can\u2019t wait for people to try at home?<\/b><\/p>\n
MS:<\/b>\u00a0Oh my gosh, I really hope people try the recipes that intimidate them, the ones they\u2019ve been curious about but never thought they could make. The sweet and sour tongue, oxtail soup, chopped liver, rainbow hamantaschen\u2026I\u2019ve always been passionate about encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones, both in the kitchen and in life. You never know what you\u2019ll end up loving.<\/p>\n
LG: This cookbook proudly embraces your Jewish roots, but clearly isn\u2019t meant to be exclusionary. You include sections like \u201cWho are the Jewish People?\u201d and \u201cWhat is Kosher?\u201d for those who may not know, as well as transliteration of any words written in Hebrew. What\u2019s your hope for how this book will be received outside of the Jewish community?<\/b><\/p>\n
MS:<\/b>\u00a0This book feels like a natural extension of my social media, where I use my platform to teach people about Judaism and answer the questions they\u2019ve always wanted to ask but weren\u2019t sure who to ask. For many people, I\u2019m the first Jewish person they\u2019ve ever met, and I\u2019ve always wanted to create a space where it feels safe to ask anything, no matter how out there it might seem. I know not everyone agrees with me, but I truly believe there are no stupid questions. If you\u2019re thinking it, chances are someone else is too.<\/p>\n
More than anything, I want people to take away from this book that food is meant to be shared, that anyone can make challah or hamantaschen, and that Jewish food, and Jewish stories, are for everyone who wants to learn.<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nLG:<\/b>\u00a0As someone who was proudly and publicly Jewish long before October 7th, have the past two years had any effect on your online presence and messaging? Do you feel you\u2019ve pulled back at all, leaned in more, or remained consistent?<\/b><\/p>\n
MS:<\/b>\u00a0Since October 7th, I\u2019ve only felt more determined to be louder, prouder, and to show up every single day as a proud Jew. The more they try to bully me with their hate, the more they try to push Jews into hiding, the louder my voice gets. I\u2019m not going anywhere, and I want other Jews on social media to know they don\u2019t have to hide either. We will not apologize for existing or for contributing to the world in beautiful, meaningful ways. We can take up space. We can speak up. And we can do it with our heads held high and our Magen David necklaces worn proudly.<\/p>\n
Broccoli Kugel (From\u00a0Eat Jewish\u00a0by Melinda Strauss, (c)2025, used with permission of Rock Point, an imprint of Quarto)<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that Jews love to eat\u2014maybe as much as we love feeding others. Our community\u2019s enduring association with food evokes Alan King\u2019s famous quote in which he summarizes the origin of every Jewish holiday: \u201cThey tried to kill us, we won, let\u2019s eat!\u201d<\/p>\n
Eat Jewish\u00a0is a fantastic addition to any culinary toolkit, it\u2019s pretty enough to display on the counter, and it\u2019s the perfect gift for anyone who loves to feed their tribe. As Melinda says, it\u2019s \u201cJewish food, Jewish life, and Jewish pride all wrapped up in one beautiful book.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eat Jewish\u00a0hits bookshelves September 2.\u00a0Pre-order<\/a>\u00a0your copy and keep up with Melinda on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n
This article originally appeared on the Times of Israel blogs.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Eat-Jewish-with-Melinda-Strauss_htm_caf4a308.jpg\")
Pomegranate-Braised Pot Roast (From\u00a0Eat Jewish\u00a0by Melinda Strauss, (c)2025, used with permission of Rock Point, an imprint of Quarto)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Eat-Jewish-with-Melinda-Strauss_htm_549b8d63.jpg\")
Yakir\u2019s Biscoff Babka Buns (From\u00a0Eat Jewish\u00a0by Melinda Strauss, (c)2025, used with permission of Rock Point, an imprint of Quarto)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Eat-Jewish-with-Melinda-Strauss_htm_1ad4f37d.jpg\")
Broccoli Kugel (From\u00a0Eat Jewish\u00a0by Melinda Strauss, (c)2025, used with permission of Rock Point, an imprint of Quarto)<\/p>\n