Jack’s Wife Freda: Cooking from New York’s West Village

There are a pair of Jack’s Wife Freda cafes in New York, both owned by the Jankelowitzes and named for Dean’s grandparents. The menu, represented in this collection of breakfast, lunch, dinner and drink offerings, is both multigenerational and multicultural. Spelled out in a 12-page introduction, Jankelowitzes’ culinary influences include Ashkenazi comfort food and spicier Sephardic dishes, as well as regional inspiration from Israel, Johannesburg, and Greenwich Village. These recipes (crafted by Julia Jaksic, moonlighting from her executive chef role at the famed Employees Only), include a matzo ball soup made with duck fat; lamb tartare seasoned with capers, mint, and sriracha; and mustard seed–crusted tofu. The South African spice blend peri peri, with its mix of chili pepper, paprika, and brown sugar, turns up the heat on both chicken wings and chicken giblets. Either would pair well with a watermelon margarita that they call the Pink Guzzler, or a cantaloupe melon mimosa. The many color photos capture entrees in close-up, the restaurants filled with contented diners, and the happy couple enjoying their success. (Mar.)