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Reader's Guide

Miriam's Kitchen
by Elizabeth Ehrlich

1. There are quite a few "food memoirs" that look into family relationships and family history, but this one also tells the story of a spiritual journey. How does Ehrlich's sense of her own spirituality and her religious commitments evolve in this book?

2. In this book, food nourishes the body, the family, the congregation, and the community. Why is this true? How does this work, specifically? Can you think of other cultures in which this is as true as it is for Judaism?

3. One of the central issues of this book is the challenge of assimilation: how far should an individual go to adapt her/his inherited cultural practices to the practices of the surrounding, alien culture? How do different characters in this book answer this question? How does Ehrlich answer it? If this is an issue in your life, how do you answer it?

4. This book, like Simple Gifts, is a "layered" book (or "braided," if you prefer that metaphor)--that is, it is a memoir that is made up of several different stories. Trace some of these stories. How are they different from one another? How are they similar? How do the stories of Ehrlich's foremothers shape and illuminate her own story? Is your story shaped by your foremothers' stories? How? Why? Why not?

5. Which is your favorite recipe? Do you have a family favorite you'd like to share?

Last updated: 10/27/02