“Who doesn’t love a knish?” asks Joan Rivers, in one of the epigraphs for Knish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food (Brandeis), by Laura Silver. While Jews might or might not believe in God, knishes have few doubters among the Children of Israel. Most Jews salivate at the thought of a filling of mashed potatoes, kasha or spinach wrapped in flaky, buttery dough. In researching knish lore, Silver travels the world, including our Land of 10,000 Knishes: a chapter is dedicated to Sholom’s Delicious Knishes, which were sold at a stand outside of the Minnesota State Fair for many years. And Silver will return to Minnesota next month for appearances at Sholom East (June 1) and at Rimon’s P’Chotchka arts sampler on June 2. — M.S.
(American Jewish World, 5.23.14)