For culi­nary expert Michael Ruhlman, the ulti­mate goal in cook­ing is fla­vor, and for cer­tain dish­es noth­ing intro­duces it half as well as schmaltz. A sta­ple ingre­di­ent in tra­di­tion­al Jew­ish cui­sine, schmaltz (or ren­dered chick­en fat, fla­vored with onions), is at risk of dis­ap­pear­ing from use due to mod­ern dietary trends and mis­per­cep­tions about this ver­sa­tile and fla­vor-packed ingre­di­ent. The Book of Schmaltz acts as a primer on schmaltz, tak­ing a fresh look at tra­di­tion­al dish­es like kugel, kishke, and kre­plach, and also ven­tur­ing into con­tem­po­rary recipes that take advan­tage of the ver­sa­til­i­ty of this mar­velous fat. Schmaltz pro­vides a unique link to the past that ought to be pre­served. ​“Schmaltz is like a thread that runs through a great tapes­try,” says Ruhlman’s neigh­bor Lois Wax­man, whose cook­ing inspired his own jour­ney into the world of schmaltz. ​“It’s a secret hand­shake among Jews who love to cook and eat.”

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