Meet Susie

She has been called “a kosher cooking revolutionary” and “the kosher diva.” So when I interviewed her, I looked for some magic potion or genius code, or at least a little attitude, hidden beneath her cloak. But what I found instead was a warm, open and positive personality combined with pure passion for cooking and entertaining.

Susie’s success is herself. We love Susie because she did not go to cooking school. We love Susie because she was a public school teacher and is a mother of four. And we love Susie because she also desires to make delicious and delightful kosher meals for family and friends. She speaks our language, understands our constraints, and shares our challenges.

The most important lesson I have learned from Susie is that less can be more when it comes to cooking and entertaining. More specifically, memorable meals do not necessarily require tremendous amounts of work <big sigh of relief here>. Susie suggests making just a few dishes, but investing fresh ingredients and your efforts in them so that each dish will be wonderful.

Her less-more equation does not apply to her writing, however. Susie’s industrious nature is exceptional. In just five years, Susie has written six cookbooks. Her Kosher by Design series - with over a quarter of a million books sold so far - has become the most popular kosher cookbook series in print today. It is hard to find a kosher home in North America without one of her books.

I am already the proud owner of Kosher by Design: Picture-Perfect Food, Kosher by Design: Entertains, Kosher by Design: Kids in the Kitchen, Kosher by Design: Short on Time, and Passover by Design.

I look forward to becoming the proud owner of the soon-to-be published Kosher by Design: Lightens Up. With respect to her Passover book, Susie says she focused on encouraging busy people (that’s me!). And she says her Lightens Up book contains common sense (not diet) recipes that she feeds her own family.

Susie Fishbein – no cloaks, all aprons – was a pleasure to meet. I expect you will find her to be as enjoyable and inspiring as I did. So, with no further ado, here’s……… Susie!