By Renne Ghert-Zand

New York Knicks power forward Amar’e Stoudemire is developing a real taste for his newfound Jewish identity, and he’s sharing it with a cookbook published this week that highlights his interest in keeping kosher.

Stoudemire, the 6’11” part owner of Hapoel Jerusalem, has written “Cooking With Amar’e” with his personal chef, Maxcel Hardy, whose first job out of culinary school was with for a glatt kosher caterer in Florida. With Hardy’s help, he has learned over the past five years how to cook healthy dishes that are for the most part pork- and shellfish-free.

The 31-year-old basketball player is particularly excited about having learned to cook for family and friends. He and Maxcel often choose to serve their own twist on brisket for Shabbat dinner: braised barbeque beef ribs. Carrot tzimmes and cholent (served over couscous or quinoa) also make it on to Stoudemire’s Shabbat and holiday table. Potato kugel is a big hit with his four children with his wife Alexis, whom he wed in a 2012 Jewish-style ceremony.

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