Cookbook author, University of Michigan graduate, cultural storyteller… all these things and more describe our next Roadhouse Special Dinner guest, Joan Nathan.

What are we looking forward to the most about her visit with us for our Harvest Special Dinner? It might be that the multiple James Beard Award winner will prepare delectable dishes from her new cookbook using our harvest from the Roadhouse Farm. Or it might be that she will whisk us away and around the world of Jewish cuisine, right here in Ann Arbor.

About the book
King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World is a masterpiece of stories told through food. Eater calls it “A brilliant look at a culture that has adapted to and influenced nearly every region in the world…a winding journey through the foods of the Jewish diaspora, from Roman ghettos to Middle Eastern markets to homestyle flavors in Cuba.”

With 170 recipes, Joan Nathan’s book is a colorful treasure of food narratives from overseas and across time. She explores Biblical times and traces the regions influenced by Jews, connecting the dots of tradition as they developed over thousands of years. By traveling all over the globe, Joan has unearthed the roots of an ancient food culture and how it has shaped the Jewish cuisine we enjoy today.

A very special menu
The menu for the dinner looks divine. A hearty dish called Salyanka particularly catches my eye. It is a beef stew with red peppers from Georgia, a country located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. The way Joan describes it in her book, “a melt-in-your-mouth, silky stew” and “layered with flavors from onions, spices and bright red bell peppers”, has me counting the days until I can try it.

Salyanka is a beef stew with red peppers from Georgia

Aharaimi, an arctic char dish in a spicy heirloom tomato sauce, is a recipe I can’t wait to try at home after the Harvest Dinner. It is a fragrant fish casserole that the Jews of Libya make to start their Sabbath meal. Anyone can prepare it easily by simmering it slowly on the stovetop, or baking it in the oven, and the thick sauce is made from hot peppers, tomatoes, and fresh spices.

Aharaimi, an arctic char dish in a spicy heirloom tomato sauce

These dishes and more will not only be available at the Harvest Special Dinner #213 on August 28th, but they are all in Joan’s new cookbook, which will be available for purchase at the dinner. They look very approachable to prepare, and they are certain to bring the warm flavors of another time and place to your kitchen. Not to mention amazing smells.

Our Harvest Special Dinner with Joan Nathan takes place August 28 at 7 pm at Zingerman’s Roadhouse. You can see the full menu and purchase your tickets for the Harvest Special Dinner right here.