Sarah Sassoon
Illustrated by Viviana Garofoli

This is Not a Cholent

KAR-BEN Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781728486482

Reviewed by Rochelle Strauss¹

My mother, from Lithuania, never made cholent; my mother-in-law, from Poland, never made cholent. I have never made cholent. A few years ago, my shul had a cholent tasting contest, and I did not participate as a taster. I can unequivocally state that I have no preconceived notions about how to cook a cholent. To most Ashkenazi Jews, a cholent is a slow cooked stew with beef, potatoes, beans, barley, and seasoning prepared to eat on the Sabbath, when cooking is not permitted. Sarah Sassoon's book, “This Is NOT a Cholent.” is a fun read as each ingredient Amira and her Nana (grandmother) add to the pot is scrutinized for its role or not in a cholent.

Amira, about eight years old, and her Nana live in Australia. They are preparing an Iraqi cholent, a t'bit, for the annual Best Cholent Competition Down Under. The recipe is included in the book. Each ingredient that was added to the big pot is then tasted by the judges. They still insist, “this is not a cholent,” but admit it is a delicious stew; the cholent cooked Iraqi style. The t'bit is the hit of the contest, happily shared by everyone for its different flavors.

The book is written for grade level Pre-K to second grade, and age level four to eight years old. The text is simple and the font easy to read. When encouraged by adults, many in this age group start to participate in food preparation. The closeness between the two generations, Amira and her Nana, is evident in their enjoyment of cooking together. Although Amira is questioned by those observing the preparations as each ingredient is added, she confidently follows the recipe; it is obvious that she has made this many times for the Shabbat meal. Despite the doubters, she reassures her Nana that, once tasted, the t'bit will be enjoyed. The reader shares her excited anticipation of the tasting at the contest. Whether they win or not, we want the tasters to enjoy the flavor of this atypical cholent.

The digital illustrations, by Viviana Garofoli, are simple and colorful. The figures are cartoon-like, with large heads with small, expressive features. The darker-skinned Amira and Nana, reflect their Middle Eastern origins. The pictures add to the fun of reading how a cooking contest became a cultural experience. Amira's proud expression at the tasting, encapsulates how the challenge of the refrain, “This is NOT a cholent,” did not deter her from cooking the t'bit, to share her heritage with others.

The author chose to set the story in Australia where she grew up. The illustration of kookaburra birds on the trees at the competition site is the only reference to Australia. There may be minor references to the location of the story, but Ms. Sassoon has subtly opened up a wider world to the reader. Among many questions to ask are:

“Where's Australia?”

“Jews live in Australia?”

“They eat cholent, too?”

“They make t'bit?”

The curious reader can think of other questions and learn that Jews share many traditions and foods wherever they have made a home.

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1 Rochelle Strauss is a retired librarian, Brooklyn Public Library, New York