Last week, I wrote about the history and traditions of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. It’s one of many High Holidays that 15 million Jews around the world observe.
Rosh Hashanah, which translates as “Head of the Year,” is marked by wonderful meals, temple services, the blowing of the shofar, and spending quality time with loved ones.
I married into a Jewish family, and I absolutely adore the traditions and customs around particular holidays—Rosh Hashanah is high on the list. From the sweet, round challah and apples dipped in honey to the tzimmes and delicious matzo ball soup, what’s not to love?
This is the first High Holiday we hosted where I am not just married to a Jewish man but in the middle of the conversion process. For the last several months, I’ve been attending Intro to Judaism classes, participating in Torah classes, and learning Hebrew. Because of this, I wanted the holiday meal we were hosting to be extra special, so we went all out.
Setting the Scene
I love putting together a dinner party. Planning the menu, inviting the guests, and creating a beautiful table are really important to me. We invited our lovely friends who belong to the same temple as we do and their youngest daughter since their two oldest are away at college. After considering all dietary restrictions, we then began planning the menu.
Now, if you are Jewish or know anyone who is, you know the menu is a very big deal for Jews. And not having enough is a crime against humanity. This is not hyperbolic. For weeks, my husband (who loves to entertain as much as I do) and I worked on what we were going to serve. But I will get back to that later.
First, let’s talk about the table setting–my favorite part of hosting.
Rosh Hashanah is a fall holiday that represents the harvest that occurs around this time of year. Root vegetables, apples, and gourds are often used in their symbolism, as are traditional fall colors. Imagine dark greens, golds, burnt sienna, deep reds, and burgundies.
I purchased a beautiful runner with a simple yet colorful fall design, including shades of apricot, orange, red, green, and gold. The centerpieces were essential to me, and they had to be just right and homemade by yours truly.
I opted for three understated, low bouquets made from silk flowers in colors matching the runner. I added them to glass bowls filled with dark moss, wanting them to exude that earthy, harvest feeling. Of course, I couldn’t forget the gold Shabbat candle holders.
I borrowed the Noritake fine china from a good friend. The green flower pattern had the simplistic elegance that I wanted in the place settings. Gold, leaf-designed napkin holders encircling the sage green Laura Ashley linen napkins were the right touch to round out the setting.
Onto the Main Course
Enough about decorations; let’s talk food! I mean, it’s a holiday feast. It’s not uncommon for many Jews who live in the States to prepare juicy brisket, sweet and/or savory kugel, and matzo ball soup. We have made all three of those in the past. This year, we wanted to do something different.
We scoured the Reform Judaism website and Instagram for recipe inspiration and had long conversations with my mother-in-law. Finally, we settled on honey-soy glazed chicken, tzimmes, black eye pea salad, and a vegan potato “au-gratin” dish for the main course. However, we weren’t going to skip the matzo ball soup to begin the meal.
We recently received some Cutluxe knives, and let me tell you, these bad boy blades were a game changer. There was so much chopping that we had to do for this meal—the sweet potatoes, the carrots, the celery, the chicken, the veggies, the apples, the kitchen sink—but it was 100 percent worth it. I highly recommend these knives. If I’m being honest, I actually like them more than my Wusthof blades.
Life is Sweet
Rosh Hashanah is all about the blessing of a sweet and prosperous new year. Traditionally, many Jews enjoy a delicious Honey Cake for dessert. However, this year, I wanted to make an apple pie to once again incorporate the symbolism of the apples.
I’ll be honest: there are better pie makers than me, but I love to bake. I really do. However, pies with a homemade crust are not my forté. Nonetheless, I never back down from a challenge.
I searched the internet, looking for the perfect recipe. I found this one, and we were not disappointed. However, I would tweak the crust-making directions a bit by adding more water to make it less crumbly. It tasted like heaven, though. The filling was sweet and tart with just enough cinnamon flavoring to remind you of autumn and all the good things that are to come.