About the Book

AS SEEN IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

Foreword Reviews INDIES — Gold Winner in Cooking

PubWest Book Design Awards — Silver Winner in Cookbooks

“Gorgeous” —The Washington Post 

Whether you are a longtime host of weekly Shabbat dinners or new to this global Jewish tradition, 52 Shabbats will spice up your Friday night in one way or another. This book offers a holistic scope of the Shabbat tradition for every reader, Jewish or otherwise. In it you’ll find:

  • Over fifty primary recipes to anchor your menu
  • More than twenty recipes for side dishes, accompaniments, and desserts
  • Short essays that detail global foodways and histories
  • Explanation of the Shabbat ritual

Faith Kramer outlines recipe pairings in a mix-and-match friendly format, incorporating easy substitutes throughout the cookbook to make Shabbat accessible for all lifestyles. From gefilte fish to challah, berbere lentils to cardamom cheesecakes, these seasonally organized recipes will never fail to inspire your weekly dinner menu. 

MORE PRAISE FOR 52 SHABBATS:

"Imaginative" —Los Angeles Times

“For anyone who appreciates world flavors, history, and great techniques….A worthy companion to Joan Nathan’s King Solomon’s Table (2017).” —Booklist

Educational and tantalizing” —Foreword Reviews

"[Faith Kramer's] inventive dishes are...packed with flavor." —Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write for Food

Clear and approachable....Faith has included recipes that not only have you rethinking Shabbat but dinner year-round.” —Calvin Crosby, The King’s English Bookshop

Awards and Press

The New York Times

Florence Fabricant

[Kramer] explains Shabbat, kosher food and the Jewish communities around the world that inspired the recipes, many featuring the elaborate spices or spice blends that are typical of places like Ethiopia, India and Mexico.

Publishers Weekly

Packed with flavor and history, this is sure to give home cooks of all persuasions a reason to celebrate.

Foreword Reviews

52 Shabbats is an informative, treat-laden cookbook full of ideas for those who want to set their weekly holiday tables in style.

Jewish Image

52 Shabbats offers a truly modern take on this age-old tradition.

Booklist

Kramer ventures into new publishing territory with a wealth of information not just for Jews but also for anyone who appreciates world flavors, history, and great techniques.

San Francisco Book Review

An almost bewitching selection of mouth-watering recipes.

Cleveland Jewish News

This foodie-based read, along with its nuggets of history, also makes it a conversational tool for the weekly meal... Perhaps that’s just what is needed right now—a little creativity and forethought to make Shabbat dinners more interesting. After all, who couldn’t spice up their weekly routine?

Emily Paster

food writer and cookbook author

Kramer’s recipes ensure that everyone will want an invitation to Shabbat dinner at your house!

Jamie Schler

award-winning food writer and author of Orange Appeal

A fascinating, mouthwatering journey of Jewish cuisine.

Calvin Crosby

The King's English Bookshop

Clear and approachable....Faith has included recipes that not only have you rethinking Shabbat but dinner year-round.

Leah Koenig

author of The Jewish Cookbook and Modern Jewish Cooking

Kramer captures the particular culinary and convivial delights that come along with experiencing a Shabbat dinner, and expands those delights out to anyone open to sharing them.

Dianne Jacob

author of Will Write for Food

[Faith Kramer's] inventive dishes are...packed with flavor.

Meet the Author

Faith Kramer is a food writer and recipe developer concentrating on the foodways, history, and customs of the Jewish diaspora. She has written hundreds of posts on her website about Jewish customs and food, travel, and global ingredients with accompanying recipes, which can be found at clickblogappetit.com. As a columnist for the j., the Jewish News of Northern California, she writes articles twice a month on food and cooking along with original recipes. Faith lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Meet the Photographer

Clara Rice is a Bay Area photographer, capturing whatever beautiful or delicious subject lands in front of her camera that day. Her images are clean, and compelling, and she is always looking for a new view on an old subject.