One way that people come together is through food. I have always found food to be at the epicenter of my family and the culture in which I grew up in. Initially, this project started out of pure curiosity to learn more about Jewish staples that I had thought of fondly as a kid. Exploring different avenues and potential ideas, I had eventually carved out an interesting story: The story of the Jewish Deli. I wanted to investigate the roots of the aged and cultured lifestyle and cuisine. This book is a collection of articles and writings about the ways in which deli’s had arrived in America, and the way that they have changed American and Jewish culture. While researching this topic, I had noticed a trend within Deli menus, and this had inspired the layout of the book. Jewish deli is modest due to its roots, and larger than life due to the portion sizes and the character of the established deli’s. Jewish deli is synonymous with attaining the American dream for many of the immigrants whom came to America and had eventually started their own delis. This is a story that I share with honor, and respect of my roots, and out of sheer admiration and mourning of a dying culture.

Published: May 15, 2015