Tori Avey

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Credit: @ Tori Avey

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Created: January 18, 2011

About Me

Los Angeles-based writer Tori Avey had always adored Jewish food; in fact, she’d made it her hobby to collect authentic Jewish recipes from her Israeli family and friends. Her fascination with kosher cooking earned her a nickname: “The Shiksa in the Kitchen,” and an idea was born. She combined the two things she loves — Jewish food and writing — into an online “diary” of her cooking experiences, with the name nickname.

The word “shiksa” is often used to describe a non-Jewish woman who is in a relationship with a Jewish man. Although Avey formally converted to Judaism in 2010, she'd be the first to tell you — once a shiksa, always a shiksa!  Rather than shy away from the word, Avey chose to let her background empower her. From the beginning, what captivated Avey about Jewish food was not only how delicious it was, but the stories and traditions attached to it. Avey's writing is as much about tradition as it is about recipes; she writes about the historical origins of every dish featured on her website. She specializes in her own brand of “food anthropology,” digging not only into food’s role within Judaism, but also the evolution of kosher cuisine, the history of Biblical foods and the origins of ancient spices throughout the centuries.

Avey is a home-taught cook with no formal training. When not busy writing or cooking, Avey can be found at home in Los Angeles with her family.

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