Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen - Hardcover

David Sax's delightful travelogue is a journey across the United States and around the world that investigates the history, the diaspora, and the next generation of delicatessen.

 

David Sax was alarmed by the state of Jewish delicatessen. As a journalist and lifelong deli lover, he watched in dismay as one beloved deli after another closed its doors, only to be reopened as some bland chain restaurant laying claim to the cuisine it just paved over. Was it still possible to save the deli? He writes about the food itself—how it's made, who makes it best, and where to go for particular dishes—and, ultimately, what he finds is hope: deli newly and lovingly made in places like Boulder, Colorado, longstanding deli traditions thriving in Montreal, and the resurrection of iconic institutions like New York's 2nd Avenue Deli. No cultural history of food has ever tasted so good.

Praise for Save the Deli "Part elegy, part lament, part rallying cry for a generation whose nitrate levels are already dangerously low, Save the Deli is an unparalleled look at the past, present and possible future of the pastrami, corned beef, smoked meat, kishka and cabbage rolls that have given generations the strength to kvetch and a reason to do so." ? Michael Wex, author of Born to Kvetch

"A voluptuous mitzvah for schmaltzophiles, Save the Deli also is a singularly practical guide to the best delis from coast to coast and around the world." -- Jane and Michael Stern, authors of Roadfood

"What if they gave a pastrami on rye and nobody came? Unthinkable? That's what you think. David Sax knows better, and traces the history of the deli-- its arrival, its rise, its potential fall, its possible salvation-- with passion, humor, chutzpah, and tam. Enjoy." -- Ellis Weiner, author of Yiddish with Dick and Jane

"The kid knows how to eat and he knows how to write. You can't ask for more than that, although a glass of cream soda is always nice." ?Alan Richman, author of Fork It Over: The Intrepid Adventures of a Professional Eater