Hidden Recipes
Before the Second World War, Ica and Ernő each lived a comfortable life in Czechoslovakia. Their lives were shattered by Nazi cruelty, prejudice and devastation. Hidden Recipes tells the story of their will and determination, and their struggles to survive. By sharing stories about their lives when food was abundant before the war, Ica secretly wrote down hundreds of recipes that she and her fellow inmates shared. Ironically, many of the delectable recipes were written on the reverse sides of papers that carried information about ammunition that was manufactured and used to annihilate the Jews during the Holocaust. Ernő spent several years in various Hungarian forced labor units, where he was required to perform strenuous manual labor. He courageously escaped with the help of righteous people, which saved his life.
Hidden Recipes is a story of endurance, will to survive, courage, faith and finding joy and happiness again.
“Hidden Recipes is a loving tribute to Elena and Ernest Kalina by their daughter Eva… Because of her act of resistance these women will live on through their recipes.”
—Jodi Elowitz, Director of Education, Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center
“From courage to cuisine, this incredible story shows how the best of humanity can survive in the darkest of times… a story of struggle and redemption as scraps of paper will keep alive the memories of joy for generations to come.”
—Steve Isakowitz, Space Industry Executive, Child of Holocaust Survivors
“Eva Moreimi’s book is a unique Holocaust survival story… A fascinating story of uncanny coincidence and serendipity, resilience and defiance.”
—Janet Horvath, Cellist, Child of Holocaust Survivors, Author of Playing (Less) Hurt and her upcoming memoir, Piercing the Silence
