THE PARK
Health & Fitness
LIVING
FOOD
Holiday Fare
In Israel, Rosh Hashanah is a buffet
of international cuisines.
Linda Morel
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
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September 17 2009
In most Jewish homes around the
world one will find a round challah,
sliced apples and a pot of honey.
Jerusalem
Other foods, however, are surprising
either for their appearance or absence
hat does a typical Israeli
at New Year's celebrations.
family eat on Rosh
"Fish is one of the most important
Hashanah?
items on the Rosh Hashanah menu:'
Like any question you ask two Jews,
Gur says.
you're likely to get three opinions. In a
While gefilte fish is served in
sense, it's an unfair question because no Ashkenazi homes, Moroccan Jews savor
two families in Israel, or in any country, a spicy fish cooked casserole style with
celebrate Rosh Hashanah in the same
hot peppers and garlic.
way.
Traditionally made with grouper, the
However, Janna Gur, author of The
hot-fish dish, reddened by paprika, is
Book of New Israeli Food: A Culinary
much easier to prepare than gefilte fish.
Journey (Schocken Books, 2007), offers
Gur says you can go a little lighter on
insight into Rosh Hashanah entertain-
the chili peppers, but the dish is meant
ing.
to have a kick.
Gur, who was born and raised in the
Israel's climate plays a part in Rosh
former Soviet Union, immigrated to
Hashanah fare. Summer is still going
Israel in 1974 and has been joyously
strong at the Jewish New Year, so many
consuming its cornucopia of local food
families wait for cooler weather to serve
ever since. Her cookbook is a coffee
piping hot chicken soup. The same is
table-sized collection of recipes as stun- true for potato and noodle kugels.
ning as the Mediterranean Sea.
Lamb and Quince Casserole is
She says that in most Israeli homes,
typical at Israeli Rosh Hashanah din-
one will find a combination of
ners. Quince is a tart fruit adored by
Sephardi and Ashkenazi dishes at Rosh Bulgarian Jewish cooks.
Hashanah. This is characteristic of the
"I personally love quince in cooking,"
explosion in Israeli cuisine in recent
Gur says of a fruit similar in appear-
decades.
ance to the yellow apple and available
Gur describes Israeli cooking as the
mostly in the fall. Those who avoid red
product of diverse cultures. During the
meat can substitute chicken for lamb.
20th century, Jews from all over the
As in America, on Rosh Hashanah
diaspora settled in a homeland that
you can expect apple cakes and des-
was new to them. While they brought
serts oozing honey. Often the pastries
their recipes from far-flung places, they are homemade.
also looked to their Arab neighbors for
Gur's recipe for apple cake is per-
inspiration with ingredients, such as
fumed with cinnamon and exudes the
chickpeas, that many of them had never crunch of walnuts. It's a kosher baker's
seen.
dream because the cake is meant to be
At first, the Jews from abroad clung
made with oil rather than butter.
to their culinary heritage, in part to
The following recipes are from
preserve their identity and to savor the
Gur's The Book Of New Israeli Food: A
foods they adored. Sometimes, through
Culinary Journey.
exposure to Jews from distant lands
and sometimes through exploring
BEETROOT AND
ethnic restaurants, they liked what they POMEGRANATE SALAD
tasted and adopted new recipes.
(Pa reve)
Delicacies from every continent have
Yield: 6 servings
3 to 4 medium beetroots
become the stockpot of Israeli food.
2 Tbsp. pomegranate concen-
Time has seen a blurring of Ashkenazi
trate (can be ordered online at
and Sephardi cuisine.
israelikosher.com )
"But there are certain items that
2 to 3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed
are almost mandatory on the Rosh
lemon juice
Hashanah table Gur says.
2 to 3 dried chili peppers,