"rosh hashanah" news and stories

Photo: joshbousel Flickr.

Tonight marks the beginning of the Jewish new year -- Rosh Hashana -- and with that, a whole new cycle of holidays and special meals to go with it (in case you need another reason to justify that trip to Whole Foods).

This celebration involves quite a few riffs on the ever-popular salty-sweet flavor pairing. The sweetness in honey, apples, pomegranates and dates are added to many Rosh Hashana dishes and is often offset by the rich, savory taste of brisket or chicken.

It's tradition to begin ringing in Rosh Hashana with sliced apples and honey -- like a toast to a sweet new year. No recipe needed here, just hit up your farmer's market for some tart, crisp apples (try Macoun) and local honey.

Rosh Hashanah started last night at sundown and people all across the world ushered in the Jewish New Year with festive meals and family gatherings. The picture you see of the pomegranate salad above is from Elana's Pantry. In preparation for the holiday, she put together a holiday menu that was completely gluten-free.

Thanks Elana, for adding your lovely picture to the Slashfood pool!

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Rosh Hashanah, the start of the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown tonight and kicks off the High Holy Days. As we head into this season, I thought I'd feature my very favorite Jewish holiday cookbook. Called The Jewish Holiday Cook Book, it was written by Leah W. Leonard and was printed in 1955. The recipes in it are homey and make me think of the food that my Aunt Doris used to make (she was an hors d'oeuvres hobbyist).

The book is organized by the Jewish holiday calendar and so opens with recipes appropriate for celebrating Rosh Hashanah. A key at the beginning of the book reminds us that traditional foods for this holiday include Honey and Apple (to remind us that life is sweet), Honey Cake (delicious stuff if done right) and Tzimmes of Carrot (which according to the recipe in this book includes carrot, potato, sweet potato and beef brisket, although I find that it is most frequently made as a carrot-based sweet side dish).

While this cookbook has an unfortunate fondness for foods molded in rings (also, much like my Aunt Doris) the recipes are wonderful for people who want to evoke a sense of classic, Americanized Jewish holiday cookery. In addition to offering recipes for every Jewish holiday, it also offers sections on Sabbath cooking as well as recipes to make home celebrations (like weddings and bar/bas mitzvah ceremonies) more festive.

• Rosh Hashanah starts on a Monday this year, which means it could be a bit challenging for working folks to get a festive meal on the table. Try some of these do-ahead tips to make your holiday run smoothly.
• Jose Garces and Marc Vetri are inspiring a new wave of chefs in Philadelphia and making their mark with multiple restaurants and now, new cookbooks.
• Marc Vetri has worked to bring true Italian cooking to a town that has thrived on red sauce and meatballs for years.
• Iron Chef winner Jose Garces has made latino food cool in a city that was ready for a break from French and Italian cuisines.
• This week, you'll find a mortar and pestle, Annie's cucumber yogurt salad dressing and square, Moroccan-style dishes in the Market Basket.
• The Rush Hour Gourmet is cooking up Sauteed Scallops With Honey-Onion Chutney.
• Rick Nichols checks out the Oktoberfest menu at the City Tavern and ponders the dearth of German restaurants in a city that was home to the first German settlement in the New World.

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• The Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah is coming up and one of the food traditions that goes with it is the consumption of honey, to represent the sweetness of life.
• This week, the Recipe Finder features a Graham Cracker Brownie recipe. Yum!
• Rob Kasper searches for the perfect Maryland Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy and comes up with a winner.
• Cherry tomatoes are an easy crop to grow on a patio and make a terrific pickled addition to a martini (in place of the olive).
• Geof Manthorne, the enigmatic right-hand man on Ace of Cakes, has become something of a heartthrob since the show's inception.