A new cookbook has appeared just in time for Chanukah fare, and has provided parents with the opportunity to sit back, relax (well, sort of) and turn over the kitchen to their children, in the secure knowledge that something good is almost certain to result from the experiment. In The Cherry on Top: A Kosher Junior Cookbook (Feldheim Publishers, $16.99) by Chaya Feigy Grossman, kids learn how to make latkes (that fried potato-onion pancake with which Ashkenazi Jews annually commemorate the Chanukah holiday) and sufganiyot (read: doughnuts), deep-fried delectably sweet and eaten obsessively for the holiday in Israel. (The two foods are associated with the holiday because of the use of oil in preparing them.) They also learn to make other treats. The book itself is a compilation of recipes that appeared in the Binah Bunch Magazine cooking pages. Clearly no novice when it comes to recruiting kids to the kitchen, Grossman's Table of Contents features huge, professionally-shot, brightly-colored photos. The list begins with BROWNIES, arguably the most popular food on the face of the planet, followed by chocolate chip cookies, which rates a tie, hands-down. She even includes a brightly-colored photo with a recipe for… Play-Doh Cookies! How can you go wrong? The only complaint a parent might have with this book is the fact that the vast majority of the recipes require white flour, sugar and/or fat – although there are some "healthy" bits as well. One can find, for instance, a recipe for "apple chips" and "refreshing fruit salad." But still, this is definitely not a cookbook for a kid on a diet. However, for adults who have always wondered how to make those fancy "homemade" party foods that people always serve at celebrations that are so scrumptious, -- this is the book. The secrets are tucked within, cheerfully bequeathed with the attendant calories to the next generation. The layout and safety instructions are clear and easy-to-read, making the book very enticing to a child who might otherwise not enjoy reading. Directions are easy to understand, and each page is graced with a photo of the finished food that inspires one to drool. Grossman takes care to warn the young reader when a food contains dairy products, and thus must be separated from other utensils. She also provides helpful hints, such as, "First make the filling, then the dough." And every now and then, there is a sweet personal comment, such as, "These potato knishes always remind me of my Bubby (Yiddish for grandmother –ed.), who used to make them for us to enjoy!" A great read and a great gift for the holidays.
