The connection between music and food is at the heart of Sephardic culture and tradition. The two sensory experiences have survived in their unique forms, despite the Spanish Inquisition, Balkan Wars, Holocaust and more. Song and food have united Sephardic Jews in their diaspora and have connected them through shifting centuries and borders.
With this in mind, we are excited to introduce you to Savor (pronounced sa-VOR, meaning “taste” or “flavor”), a unique project that brings together these cultural touchstones in fresh, meaningful ways. Conceived by award-winning Ladino singer Sarah Aroeste, Savor is the result of diligent research that led to the selection of ten songs in the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) language that focus on food. Rather than being about food in general, these songs are singular in that each one revolves around a specific food beloved among Sephardim. For example, one song is solely about stuffed grape leaves (Una muchacha en Selanika), while another adoringly lays out seven delicious ways to prepare an eggplant (Siete modos de guisar la berendjena). Songs such as these have never been compiled in one collection. Savor does just that, but takes it one step further… Stuffed Eggplant We, Aroeste along with renowned Sephardic chef and food writer Susan Barocas, have developed a multi-sensory experience by matching each song with a recipe created by a celebrated female chef who helps to preserve Sephardic food through her work. The recipes are demonstrated in special videos showing each chef preparing the dish based on the song and discussing the ingredients, flavors, connections to Sephardic cuisine and history as well as personal connections to the food.
Some of the participating chefs Ten Savor music tracks have being recorded and produced alongside ten chefs’ matching videos, the result of which is a multi-dimensional conversation between music and food embodied in a beautifully designed CD and booklet (with song translations, recipes, and QR codes to the individual videos), as well as a full digital download of an all-inclusive Savor package out April 21st!
Now, we are expanding Savor to create educational curricula for classrooms K-12, develop a Savor documentary and book, and bring live Savor programs to institutions across North America, all with the goal of working with communities to dive deeply into the connections between Sephardic history, culture, music and cuisine.
Thank you in advance for your recognition of this vital work to keep Sephardic culture alive in dynamic new ways.
