BUBBY COOKS THE BOOKS

A recipe book hailed by Mishpacha magazine was exposed as a fraud when author Sheina Goldberger- who claimed to be a Bubby from Williamsburg - was revealed as Shaindy Goldberg, a Bubby from Borough Park.
"Geshikta Grandma’s Geshmaka Goodies” was published last week to generally rave reviews. “The greatest thing since canned gefilte fish and sliced mandle-bread”, trumpeted the L.A. Jewish Times.
Publisher Gelungin Books was forced to recall all of the 2300 copies of the book yesterday after Goldberg admitted her recipes sections “from the Alta Heim” and “10 minute parve flanken” were really recipes she copied from old Reader’s Digest and the back of Corn flake crumbs packages. "Gelungin Corp. is saddened by this turn of events," the publisher said in a statement. "We feel that readers were cheated and won’t have the opportunity now to live the dream of eating pizza and flanken together." Esra magazine also backed off its praise. "While it was a delicious read, we now know that it should have been classified as fiction, rather than as a recipe book, said Aryeh Peisner, editor in chief.
Goldberg, 72, was exposed by her sister, who read a profile of the author last week in the Yated and then contacted the paper. The Yated confronted Golberg, who was tearful and contrite in admitting the deception.
Gelungin Books canceled a planned kiddush tour for Goldberg sponsored by Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus Dip. The publisher will offer refunds for anyone who bought tickets. Shloime Gertner also backed out of the events.
The latest scandal came despite the efforts of Goldberg's editors, who fact-checked the book. Gelungin said Goldberg's duplicity included bogus photos, ingredients and even made-up vegetables, which she produced to verify her recipes.
The hoax demonstrates the difficulty publishers face in separating truth from fiction in cooking.
"One cannot protect oneself one hundred percent from one dedicated hoaxster any more than one can protect oneself one hundred percent from one spoiled ingredient," said Moshe Bren, once editor in chief of Heimish Cooking Weekly.