A fas­ci­nat­ing explo­ration of how Amer­i­ca cre­at­ed a nation­al cui­sine from the foods of many oth­er coun­tries. Jew­ish-spe­cif­ic con­tent includes the fas­ci­nat­ing sto­ry of bagels and lox‚ from behind the counter at Russ & Daugh­ters appe­tiz­ing store on the low­er east side, to Mar­vin Lender describ­ing the his­to­ry of Lender’s Bagels, to Mel Brooks rem­i­nisc­ing about lox as a once-a-week treat as a child. And there’s also the real back­sto­ry of Jew­ish love for Chi­nese food. Safe treyf anyone?