HEART& SOUL

The fourth book from the Monday Morning Cooking Club is a treasury of mouthwatering heirloom recipes. Here, we share the Club members’ personal favourites…

Food, family, celebration, laughter and cultural identity are all gently combined in the recipes created by the Monday Morning Cooking Club (MMCC). The MMCC’s four members – Lisa Goldberg, Merelyn Chalmers, Natanya Eskin and Jacqui Israel – describe themselves as a unique sisterhood. They’re from Sydney’s Jewish community and they meet every Monday morning to collect, test, curate, publish and share recipes.

They began meeting 14 years ago, originally intending to create a book of recipes that reflected the diverse culinary offerings of the Jewish diaspora. “We said ‘let’s think about the best eating experiences we’ve ever had’ – and then collect all the ‘best’ recipes from around the world,” says Lisa.

Since then, they’ve produced three best-selling cookbooks and have just released a fourth, Now for Something Sweet, a collection of heirloom recipes for dreamy cakes, jammy strudels, glossy baked beauties, puddings and more. There is also a small chapter on savoury treats to counter the oozy, delicious sweetness.

The group still meets every Monday. “And every Tuesday, and a few other times during the week,” says Lisa. They have a website, a blog and a worldwide following. “Many people want a recipe that reminds them of their grandmother, others want a recipe to wow people at their next dinner party, and others are looking for a collection of memories.”

The women scour the globe for recipes, but they always find themselves coming back to Australian sources. “We find our home cooks in Australia are the best in the world,” says Lisa. “Jewish communities here represent rich, diverse backgrounds and foods.” The MMCC goal is to preserve the recipes of the older generations for the current and future generations. “It’s the most beautiful, rewarding, delicious project to work on,” says Lisa. “And it’s a joy every week.”

“This focaccia-like loaf – a traditional Shavuot bread – is dotted with fetta and topped with melted cheese. Between the delicious crunchy edges and soft crumpet-like middle, it’s really difficult to stop eating – so I don’t !” Jacqui

The Monday Morning Cooking Club sisterhood (from left) Natanya Eskin, Jacqui Israel, Lisa Goldberg and Merelyn Chalmers.

TOP Natanya (left) and Jacqui put the finishing touches on a freshly baked babke.

LEFT Merelyn (left) samples a Viennese Ishlas biscuit; and Lisa serves up almond meringue torte.

Frojalda recipe adapted and printed with permission of the author. Extracted from Jewish Soul Food: From Minsk to Marrakesh by Janna Gur (Schocken Books, 2014).