Q&A: Susie Fishbein on Cooking for Teens
This blog is cross-posted from the Joy of Kosher. Click here to read the original post.
The release of “Kosher by Design Teens and 20-Somethings” marks the seventh cookbook in the Kosher by Design series for best-selling author, Susie Fishbein. Susie’s latest book is designed for those who don’t want too many steps and/or have limited kitchen space or skills. This cookbook has a manageable 100 recipes perfect for students, newlyweds, young people at home or those living in their own apartments or dorms. Susie spoke with Joy of Kosher about her new book and kitchen survival skills.
Joy of Kosher: Your new book is written for the next generation of kosher cooks. How do today’s teens and 20-somethings approach food?
Susie Fishbein: I believe there are two types of kosher teens out there. The first group is composed of those that have grown up with the luxury of incredible take-out choices. There was a kosher pizza store in the town I grew up in. If you wanted anything else it was an event. My whole family got in the car and drove to a restaurant or for a bigger deal we took the train into the city. The array of food within a short walk to many of the Jewish neighborhoods is huge. So, my hope is to reach out to those eaters and break them of the fast-food habit, let them experience the joy of cooking for themselves and the benefits of it. The 2nd group is the part of this generation that is health conscious and food savvy, and that often goes hand in hand. A large part of these kids are very in tune to what they are putting into their bodies, the effects of food, the health benefits and I wanted to give those readers plenty to work with. These readers grew up watching cooking shows, surrounded by cooking media, and hopefully have grown up on “Kosher by Design” food so they will have high expectations.
JOK: What kitchen survival skill should every teen and 20-something learn?
SF: Learn to clean as you go. Dirty stuff only gets dirtier when left on the counter for hours. Your family, dorm mates, or suitemates will only invite you back to cook if you leave the kitchen clean.
JOK: What do you see as the next big trend in kosher cuisine?
SF: This is not a new trend, it is a continuing trend: as new ethnic companies realize the value of kosher certification, new doors open to kosher cooks. As new ingredients hit the markets we have great options in what we can play with at home.
JOK: Describe your best cooking moment?
SF: My favorite cooking moments happen in my own home, serving great meals to people I love. My best one however, was cooking at the Disney-Epcot International Food and Wine Festival alongside many famous chefs. I got to cook for audiences of foreigners who likely had never known what kosher was.
JOK: After you finish your cookbook tour and take a well-deserved vacation, what do you have planned next?
SF: It doesn’t work like that for me. I began a cooking tour eight years ago and thank god, have appeared almost every single week to a new or repeat audience. My calendar is filled for the foreseeable future. As for the books, I am already working on the next. Traditionally I finish a book, take a day off to celebrate and begin the next. And I wouldn’t want it any other way!
Susie Fishbeins Recipes: Mexican Pizza Empanadas, Pineapple Maple Glazed Salmon, Molten Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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