"When you enter a deli, the sights, smells, and sounds thrill your senses - from the simple, comforting decor of Formica tables to the pungent odors of pastrami and sour pickles," writes Sheryll Bellman in America's Great Delis. She continues " Here you are family in the best sense of the word." These words set the tone of Bellman's ode to the joys of deli eating.
The deli culture was originated by German and Alsatian immigrants to the United States. When a large Jewish immigration followed, the immigrants established the delis that gave them a feeling of community, establishing a style would endure into the 21st century. Bellman traces the rise of the deli culture, starting with the early pushcarts selling food on the lower East side to the classic and enduring delis, many of which are still around today .Bellman has charted the rise of deli foods with a unique and entertaining timeline. She tells us that seltzer was sold from horse-drawn carts in New York City as early as 1790, and that the first Coney Island hot dog stand in Brooklyn, New York was established in 1867. Accompanying the timeline is a history of deli foods from bagels to cheesecake, from matzo to pastrami with additional notes on schmaltz (chicken fat), latkes, the Reuben sandwich, seltzer and even kosher salt.The heart of the book lies behind the counter with the people who ran the popular delis, all of whom have offered their most classic recipes. Though New York delis are heavily represented (the Stage Deli, Ratner's, Lindy's among others) Bellman has searched out delis all over the country from the great southern delis, such as The Old Tyme Deli,to Shapiro's in Indianapolis,to the later Los Angeles delis, such as Langer's and Nate and Al's.And then - the recipes. Who doesn't love the thought of a deli chicken soup, hopefully with matzo balls or a great deli egg cream, a babka, a borscht, a deli stuffed cabbage or a rich cheesecake? Gleaned from all the deli's, Bellman hasn't overlooked any of our favorite foods. Bellman has included a page of Yiddishisms, giving us an insight into the meaning and essence of kugels, knishes, and strudels while teaching us that geshmak is tasty but fressen means you've overeaten or devoured that great pastrami sandwich. (A New Yawk accent helps when announcing that something is geshmak. ) There's a page of 'deli-speak,' a list of terms used in delis. When you hear someone behind the counter shout "burn it and let it swim," you will know that a shake has been ordered. When you order a pastrami sandwich and the waiter shouts out 'pistol,' you'll know your order has been placed. This is a colorful book, filled with the characters who have worked in or owned our great delis. With such a cast of characters assembled, this is a humorous book. Who wouldn't laugh when learning that when we hear the delighted shout "eighty-seven and a half," we know that an attractive female is approaching. What is a mere 'ten' compared to a deli 'eighty-seven and a half!'The book is illustrated throughout with photos of deli foods, the delis themselves, the streets of old New York, and celebrity guests, from Frank Sinatra to Rudy Giuliani, smiling as they eat their food. About the author: Sheryll Bellman attributes her interest in deli culture to growing up in corned beef-deprived Arizona. Her writings have been featured in USA Today and on NPR, and she is the author of Through the Shopping Glass: A Century of Christmas Windows in New York City. With a degree in microbiology, Ms. Bellman found that writing about cultural history and pop culture sparked her interest more than science.
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