Hoffy's: The Jewish Kitchen

"There can be no Antwerp without Hoffy's and no Hoffy's without Antwerp." - Margot Vanderstraeten (author of Mazzeltov) The traditional Jewish restaurant Hoffy's has been a household name in gastronomy for more than thirty years. Since the much-discussed visit of TV chef Jeroen Meus to the Hoffman brothers for his television series Goed volk, and the restaurant's appearance in Margot Vanderstraeten's book Mazzeltov (2017), Hoffy's has been known throughout Flanders and the Netherlands. Judaism has many traditions and rituals, including in the kitchen. The practice of kosher is well known, but the fact that there are different dishes for each of the many Jewish festivals is less familiar. The Jewish religious calendar determines which meal ends up on the table. For example, there is the typical gefilte fish on the weekly sabbath, latkes or potato pancakes during Hanukkah, stuffed cabbage rolls for the Feast of Tabernacles and filled hamantaschen pastries at Purim. For this book, the Hoffman brothers delve into the rich history of Jewish ritual feasts and reveal their family recipes for these dishes, which have been handed down from generation to generation. For each recipe, they also briefly explain the link between the dish and the festival. As a reader you gain a special insight into the culinary habits of an otherwise very closed community. With enlightening texts by Marijke Libert and atmospheric photos by Piet De Kersgieter.