Eat Small Plates
Ben and Zikki Siman-Tov
September 9, 2025 Avery
320 pages
Nobody knows how to have a good time like a “gingi.” The affectionate nickname means something more than just “red headed.” It conveys a sense of free spirit and adventure. In short, the kind of person you’d love to party with. Which is why Ben “Gingi” Siman-Tov and his wife Zikki are the ideal couple to write a book about hosting.
Their cookbook, Eat Small Plates, is more than just a collection of recipes. It’s a philosophy of hosting that will allow your home to always feel gracious and welcoming without too much fuss. Don’t be fooled by the word ‘small’ in the title. It refers to the size of the serving plates, not the amount of food guests will be eating. Essentially, they recommend having lots of options so people can try different types of food and never fight over the sole platter of a dish. You can see an example on the cover, but the pictures of Ben and Zikki laying out their numerous serving plates onto a feast table are an entire lesson in party planning.
I could eat an entire pan of the onion mechshe, and Zikki’s quick Amba is a life saver when you don’t have days to prep and ferment traditional amba. Meanwhile, Ben’s rugelach were versatile and I had fun trying different fillings in addition to the chocolate presented (pomegranate jam was my favorite). The main thing to know is that proteins are more limited – high quality, very fresh, and often raw. If you need to serve a full turkey or a roast to feel like you’ve truly fed everyone, then you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Eat Small Plates is also a wonderful peek into what happens when two different yet complimentary personalities get together and cook. There are asides from Ben and Zikki, and certain recipes are credited to one or another of them, but overall it is mostly a fusion. We hear about both their families and their journey to finding each other.The food is fun and flavorful, but also very thoughtful. I got the sense that enjoying a meal in their home would be a truly memorable experience.
The book itself is smaller than some cookbooks in height, which made it easier to hold and fit onto my kitchen book stand. There are photos for all the recipes and they are vibrant with bright colors and mouth watering food. While not strictly kosher, most of the recipes required no adaptation or could be adapted quickly. I’m excited to try more of the breads section. The feast table may be full of dozens of small plates, but I’m serving myself on a large one, because I really did want to try everything!
Note: BookishlyJewish received this book from the publisher after we inquired about a different title in their catalogue. We are so glad they sent it!