More than 100 keen community cooks have contributed to a new book celebrating how food brings people together in Wimbledon’s Jewish culture.

The Wimbledon Synagogue Community Cookbook project was started nearly two years ago as a blog by a small group of amateur chefs called the Wimshul Cooks who are now celebrating their ideas being published.

The book features a combination of family recipes including lockshen pudding, stories and articles which give an insight into the Jewish community.

The book’s editor Liz Ison, said: "It has been really exciting for us to see the finished product.

"The reaction from people has been totally amazing.

"One contributor even had tears in her eyes after seeing her recipe in print."

Mrs Ison emphasised the group had made a big effort to ensure that the finished hardback looked professional and it has full colour photographs.

Mother-of-three Mrs Ison said: "The book has very authentic feel.

"For example, all the photos of the food in the book are not staged. Our photographer had to be quick to snap the photos before the food was eaten!"

The book includes a mix of traditional recipes and modern takes on Jewish cuisine, including a recipe by Claudia Camhi for almond, honey and whisky lemon cake which won a Great Taste Award from the Guild of Fine Food.

One article describes how synagogue volunteers for the Wimbledon Night Shelter, which is hosted by the synagogue and local churches, put on a Polish-style Christmas Eve dinner including borscht, a beetroot soup, served with special dumplings filled with cabbage and mushrooms, drizzled with sour cream.

There is also a piece about Hallah, a plaited loaf a bit like a brioche, which is cooked on Fridays and enjoyed by the children in the synagogue nursery.

The Wimshul Cooks meet regularly to put on cooking workshops in the community and also run their own blog which features recipes and articles. It is the popularity of the blog which led to the cookbook.

The books have been selling like hot cakes and have already sold three quarters of the initial 500 print run in the month since it was released.

The Wimbledon Synagogue Community Cookbook is available from the Wimbledon Village Book Shop, directly from the Synagogue in Queensmere Road or online from a link on the blog at wimshulcooks.wordpress.com and costs £18.