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by Stella Cohen (Author), Marc Hoberman (Photographer)
To be seated at a Sephardic table is to bare witness to centuries of a mesmerizingly rich cultural heritage overflowing with traditions and festivities, symbols and superstitions, stories and insights, fragrances, tastes and culinary secrets - all handed down from generation to generation around the ever-present Sephardic feast.
Following the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, Sephardic Jewish communities spread to new shores bringing with them their rich gastronomic heritage from Moorish Spain which naturally evolved into a wonderfully complex fusion of flavours incorporating Ottoman Turkish, Greek, Hispanic, African and other influences. Deeply inspired by her roots and constantly immersed in its traditions, author, artist and Sephardic cuisine expert Stella Cohen has set out to record the legacy of this vibrant, fascinating yet vanishing world for posterity and tell the story of her own family's cultural journey from Rodos (where her great-grandfather Haham Yaacov Capouya, was the esteemed sage and Rabbi of Rhodes) to Rhodesia (today known as Zimbabwe) where she has raised her family to continue the traditions as passed on to her. In 1986, "Sephardic Cuisine" by Stella Cohen, a humble spiral bound cookbook, was independently published under the auspices of the Sephardic community of Zimbabwe and quickly became an international success, being reprinted many times over. For more than ten years, Stella has worked at revising and extending the original to include a more thorough exploration of the age-old subject and the techniques and traditions around it. Stella's Sephardic Table is a treasure trove of inspiration for the soul, filled with over 250 sumptuous easy-to-follow recipes, all lavishly illustrated and garnished with anecdotes, Ladino sayings, essays and rare insights into family-cherished tips and tricks traditionally passed from mother to daughter.Author Biography
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sephardic cuisine expert, artist, author, mother and grandmother, Stella Cohen is a passionate ambassador for the Sephardic community, dedicating her life to the celebration, preservation and education of its values and traditions. As the great granddaughter of Yaacov Copouya, The Rabbi of Rhodes, and with parents from Rhodes Island and Turkey, Stella, who was born and raised in Zimbabwe, has a family tree deeply entrenched in the Sephardi history.
Listed as one of the "Women to Watch" by Jewish Women International, Stella is the honourary Life Chairlady of the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Zimbabwe and has worked closely with the JDC of New York in projects including establishing the first Zimbabwean opthamology clinic.
Marc Hoberman is a world-renowned photographer, designer and author and has produced more than 60 photographic coffee table book titles internationally on subjects ranging from travel to wildlife to food. Marc has received numerous accolades including Gourmand and Cordon Bleu awards for his food photography and is regularly commissioned by prestigious organizations and publications including Vogue, BAFTA and the Elton John Aids Foundation.
