JewliciousEats: Rosh Hashana Recipe Roundup 5781

WOW… THE QUARANTINED SUMMER in the Northern Hemisphere went fast; and I know that Rosh Hashana is fast approaching, since people are quickly looking for Bible passages equal to (5)781; researching honey merchants; visiting apple farmers; and investigating holiday recipes.

Plus so many authors of Jewish heritage are publishing their tell-alls of the Trump Administration before Yom Kippur arrives. (never before has Kol Nidre been as poignant, namely, can we pray in the same zoom room as felons and those who are enabling not so nice government leaders)

In preparation for the holidays, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES profiled babka-baker SHIMI AARON (babka pictured above), King of the Southern California babka-ists; a NEW YORK TIMES’ advice columnist featured a letter from a rabbi who is not fond of their cantor and in THE TIMES’ (Staying) “At Home” Sunday section, freelancer Courtney Rubin has authored an article on preparing for zoom worship services, pandemic style.

In it, Courtney quotes Rabbis Rick Jacobs (URJ), Dan Selsberg (Temple Sholom, Bridgewater NJ), Vanessa Ochs (Univ of Virginia), Dennis Eisner (Peninsula Temple Beth El, San Mateo, CA), Rachel Kobrin (Rodef Shalom, Denver, CO), Mark Asher Goodman (Brith Sholom Jewish Center, Erie, PA), Sharon Kleinbaum (CBST, NYC), Cantor Daniel Mutlu (Central Synagogue, NYC), and Rebecca Missel (Haggadot.com)

Speaking of Babka, Scott Lynch of THE GOTHAMIST writes of a $29 Medovik (constructed from layers of honey, sour cream, and chewy caramelized biscuit) available at Israeli-heritage BREADS BAKERY in NYC.

THE NEW YORK TIMES also visits the bakery and highlights its Crown Mejdool.

Keri White for Philadelphia’a JEWISH EXPONENT shares recipes for a Fall Fig Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, Honey and Apples (and cashews); Marry Me Chicken; Garlicky Kale; and a Rosh Hashana Honeyed Pecan Pie. For more complicated projects, Keri shares the more intimate Rack and Lamb and Tzimmes Anna.

The JEWISH STANDARD of Northern New Jersey highlights a holiday recipe from a new Jewish cookbook, MODERN KOSHER: GLOBAL FLAVORS, NEW TRADITION by San Diego-based, award winning author and attorney Michael Aaron Gardner. He prepares a beet tzimmes, Israeli couscous with asparagus and tomato confit, and a special take on traditional gefilte fish, oil-poached tuna with Chettinad curry and coriander chutney. The JEWISH STANDARD is also hosting a Rosh Hashana flower arranging session with a member of BLOSSOMS of NYC. Actually, you can see his recipe for ROAST CHICKEN WITH SCHMALTZ “MASSAGE” and Le Puy Lentils HERE

The Atlanta Journal COnstitution reviews MODERN KOSHER HERE

NOSHER/JTA has eight recipes for Rosh Hashanah 5781 HERE. They include Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken; Marbella Chicken Updated by Ina Garten; Jennifer Abadi’s Syrian Meatballs with Sour Cherries; Spice Roasted Chicken with Fennel, Coriander, and Lemon; Tucker Shaw’s spice-roasted chicken with FENNEL, coriander and lemon; Chef Einat Admony’s Spicy Fish in Cherry Tomato and Harissa Sauce; Nigella Lawson’s Roast Lamb for One; Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Tomato Salsa Recipe, Whole roasted cauliflower with tahini and tomato salsa from Amanda Rubin; and others.

By the way, last month, THE NOSHER had a recipe for the Icelandic JEWISH COOKIE HERE by way of Denmark.

Over in LOS ANGELES, Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff of the JEWISH JOURNAL introduce readers who are not in the know to Moroccan ‘Tortitas’ which many eat after Yom Kippur’s fast, for a jolt of flavor from the arak or anise extract, fennel and sesame seeds. (I will stick to a bagel, although I welcome all diversity and inclusion and equity in breaking fasts and the bonds of iniquity). Also… how about ABE ABRAHAM’S APPLE CAKE Abe is of Iraqi Jewish heritage *Baghdadi) by way of pre-revolutionary SHANGHAI, CHINA

Also check out the LOS ANGELES JEWISH JOURNAL on Veganism and chef ORI SHAVIT HERE

On the topic of Los Angeles… where is Evan Kleiman’s KCRW broadcast for the holidays? Not posted yet. In the interim, listen to last year’s HERE with Evan and Chef Steve Samson on Cucina Ebraica and Italian cuisine

UPDATE —– EVan Kleiman posted for KCRW — with dishes including Mexican inspired Potato Knish Quesadilla Frita, Beet Cured Salmon Tostada, and Braised Carrot Tsimmes. She also profiles the babka king HERE.

In Northern California, where rabbis and leaders prepare sermons on the wildfires and racism, the virus, pandemic, and election, the NORTHERN CALIFORNIA JWEEKLY recommends PLUMS PLUMS PLUMS including a Plum Good Pot Roast and Aunt Lee’s Pear-Raisin Kuchen.

THE JEWISH NEWS OF GREATER PHOENIX AND NORTHERN ARIZONA and a tiny bit of New Mexico and a corner of the Zuni and Hopi nations posted a few holiday recipes HERE. Recipes from the community include one for Linda Zell’s Apple Cake. Linda is from Cape Town and lived in Israel and the USA and arrived in the Southwest 23 years ago; one for Tina Sheinbein’s Carrot Ring, which uses a Bundt pan (of Hadassah lore); and Arizona-native Jennifer Starrett’s Pomegranate Chicken

On Tuesday, September 8, 2020, 18DOORS of JEWISH BOSTON will sponsor an online cook-along using Jewish New Year recipes from The Rosh Hashanah Seder Cookbook: Stories and Recipes from the Reform Jewish Community of Madrid/Comunidad Judía Reformista de Madrid including Margarita’s Squash Fritters” and “Date Truffles.” (recipes at the link)

On THursday, September 10, THE FORWARD will have a live talk on the Asian secret of the Greatest Challah – the tongzhang challah recipe Join National Editor Rob Eshman and Avidan Ross as they show you the step-by-step way to adapt the Asian technique behind famous Japanese sandwich breads to your challah.

On September 11, join Congregation Shaarey Zedek of Southfield Michigan for a class on how to make a round challah with Rebecca’s Kitchen HERE

On September 13, join Rosh Hashanah Cook and Sing with Sarah Aroeste as she prepares Keftes de Spinaka & Rodanches de Kalavasa, while singing Ladino songs.

Also in JEWISH BOSTON, Ben Helfgott, founder of a local food co-op recommends Tunisian Couscous with seven new year vegetables HERE, specially made for everyday, pandemic budgets.

In October, Jewish Boston has a class for making etrog liqueur or you can use a lemon

For THE NEW YORK TIMES’ A GOOD APPETITE (BTay AVon) column, Melissa Clark goes small, maybe since everyone is still in quarantine. Her Roast Chicken with Plums can use small chickens or hens. It is sweet and makes use of plums which are now in season. Melissa uses red, yellow and purple plums. Italian prune plums are common in September farmers’ markets.

FLORENCE FABRICANT of THE NEW YORK TIMES recommends that you toast the New Year 5781 with a kosher single malt whiskey from Israel’s whiskey distillery. Milk & Honey, or M&H Distillery, in Tel Aviv.

Also in THE NEW YORK TIMES, ISABEL KERSHNER writes from KIBBUTZ KETURA in the Arava Desert about JUDEAN DATES which are sprouted from 2,000 year old seeds.

To Flanken or not to Flanken…
Burying the lede??
Yes. The reigning Rosh Hashanah chef has a much anticipated article in THE NEW YORK TIMES. Joan Nathan leads with a not so FUSSY story about TSIMMES HERE, complete with a recipe. Dipping her fork into Debbie Goldberg’s TSIMMES was like the memory rush of things past. How Proustian. Ms. Nathan explores the evolution of this side dish and/or entree, .. back to the 15th Century…

For THE NEW HAVEN REGISTER, Stephen Fries celebrates the Jewish New Year with stuffed cabbage.

On September 8, The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center in NYC hosts author/chef JOAN NATHAN in a live free New Years cooking class HERE

The AUSTRALIAN JEWISH NEWS posts an oldie but goodie Honey Challah HERE. In Atlanta? Why not bake a studly one and drop it off for Australian-accented singer/songwriter/actor Troye Sivan who has just returned from Melbourne and SoCal to sojourn among Georgians and their ROsh Hashana apples, peaches and muscadines. And as long as we are talking about Melbourne, the Aussie BROADSHEET writes that its babka expert, Elissa Goldstein, reckons that if lasagne is Australia’s national crisis dish, then babka might just be Melbourne’s lockdown dessert. They list more than half a dozen favorites.

And speaking of pop music (Round Challah-Pop) and Rosh Hashana, the progressive Jewish community of the LAND OF BTS (HaKehillahKorea) has Rosh Hashana info HERE Check out the famous Seoul Toaster-Oven Challah recipe HERE

If you are passing through Philadelphia, drop by HUDA at Rittenhouse Square. It opens September 8, and is the brainchild of chef Yehuda Sichel, of Zahav and Abe Fisher fame. And if your can’t make it to Philly this week, imagine you are there by making a melon salad of 5 melons with some lime sorbet.

Israel21c shares a recipe for a special chocolate/apples Rosh Hashana cake Its is part of their TAYIM series and titled Moist Chocolate Apple Cake with Coconut Cream Ganache. It also shares a refreshing rcipe for POMEGRANATAE SORBET HERE

THE PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE shares recipes for Braised Sweet and Sour Cherry Chuck Roast; Festive Easy Basmati Rice Pilaf; and Grandma Millie’s Apple and Nut Cake.

On New York’s Long Island, THE JEWISH STAR highlights recipes for Roasted Chicken with sticky sweet chili tzimmes from Rebecca Firkser (The Nosher); and Salted Honey Sweet Apple Upside Down Cake, which is milchig and recommends Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples. They also recommend the savory-not-sweet beef and noodle-kugel-roni HERE

Chicagoland’s CHI TRIBE shares a recipe for DUVSHANIOT HONEY COOKIES straight from the kitchen of Chef Yosi Alhadif of LaShuk. He is a graduate of the French Pastry School in Chicago.

The Jewish Food Society has added a page for A Persian Grandmother and Her Secret Rosh Hashanah Recipes from Rottem Lieberson, the Israeli cookbook author and her grandmother Hanom. Recipes include those for Sweet Challah with Caramelized Quince; Olive Salad; Cucumber, Mint and Sumac Salad
Red Cabbage, Date and Beet Salad; Fried Eggplant with Mint Vinaigrette; Ashe Anar (Pomegranate Soup with Meatballs); Khoresh Sib (Lamb Stew with Quince and Dried Apricot); Dolmeh Beh (Stuffed Quince with Beef and Cardamom); and Rice with Barberries, Saffron and Potato Tahdig… Oh and also Faloodeh (Chilled Apple Drink with Rose Water)

Carrie Gabriel, MS RD, has invented a recipe for an apple crisp using a trader joe’s no bake nut butter bar coating

Imola Toth for PEACEFUL DUMPLING shares a Hungarian Rosh Hashana treat with Vegan Gluten Free Flódni (Hungarian Jewish Apple, Walnut, & Poppy Seed Pastry) Juhea Kim is the editor of PD. It was born in NYC and now HQ’d in PDX, Oregon.

Irene Muller for SOUTH AFRICAN MAGAZINE features q quick Jewish tart recipe HERE.

THE VEGAN ATLAS shares a tzimmes, challah, honey cake and other recipes for Rosh Hashana HERE

Sarah Lohman for the AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCEITY shares an Apple Sauce Cake recipe from 1918 1918! a century ago. fascinating

GLUTEN FREE EASILY shares a few GF Challah recipes

Laura Williams for THE NOSHER/MYJEWISHLEARNING shares over a dozen – actually 18 – Vegan Rosh Hashanah recipes HERE

Tori Avey in Southern California shares a step by Step braiding and prep for her Apple Honey Challah

Jayne Cohen for 18DOORS has recipes for Transylvania style AROMATIC BRISKET WITH CHESTNUTS, EGYPTIAN BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH CILANTRO (LUBIA), CARAMELIZED ONION AND CARROT TSIMMES WITH CANDIED GINGER, MAPLE-FLAVORED QUINCE AND RASPBERRY COMPOTE, and INDIAN-INSPIRED PINEAPPLE-COCONUT MILK NOODLE KUGEL.

JAMIE GELLER shares 15 honey cake recipes HERE with tips on baking with honey, 5781. See also her Matzo Ball RAMEN SOUP HERE.

MARTHA STEWART shares 20 Jewish New Year recipes from Kelly Vaughan, including Sweet and Sour Brisket and Raisin-Challah Apple Betty

In a surprise to me, GARDEN AND GUN MAGAZINE, the cultured read in The South, has a sweet take on Southern/Hungarian BAKLAVA. Chef Ian Boden, and his 3-start restaurant THE SHACK in Staunton, Virginia, famous for fried Pink Lady apples and latke okonomiyaki has a baklava that use local pecans and black walnuts, and gets heightened with Appalachian-made syrup, honey, vanilla, and butter. Happy New Year, y’all.

…. MORE…..

During Selichot services in North America on Saturday night, THE WASHINGTON POST uploaded this orange citrus scented and soaked semolina cake for Rosh Hashana to its site by Leah Koenig. It is called a Tishpishti (quickly done) and originated in Turkey and is popular across Sephardi, Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities. Those who prefer a dairy-free cake can substitute high-quality vegan butter and unsweetened coconut yogurt.

Judy Zeidler’s CLASSIC HONEY CAKE can be found in THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL It was baked by Rabbi Joel Alter, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid in Glendale.

Faye and Yakir Levy in the Orange County Register (CA) share recipes for Apple Honey Cake with Dates, Lemony Apple Cake with Candied Ginger, and Apple Hazelnut Crisp with Honey and Dried Cherries.

In the state capitol of Albany, NY, WNYT (an NBC affiliate) shares a holiday recipe for Chicken Soup.

Badger Alessandra Bulow for NBCs TODAY compiles a dozen recipes including ones for Carrot Beet Borscht, and Braised Short Ribs with Vegetables and Golden Raisins by Alon Shaya

The PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE added to its recipes with Ruth Stone Lasday, 90, of Squirrel Hill on round challot.

… EVEN MORE …..

For THE BOSTON GLOBE Karoline Boehm Goodnick shares a recipe for the Jewish New Year for grilled carrots with parika. May we pull carrots fro mthe eart like we pull our enemies from their hiding places.

The GLOBE also has a story about chicken soup and if your grandmother was on a LANCASTER ONLINE and LANCASTER FARMING — the Lancaster in PA, not the one from GOT — shares recipes for a brisket of beef and a sweet noodle kugel.

In Metro Detroit, Michigan, JEWISH NEWS Annabel Cohen added recipes for CHICKEN WITH RAISINS AND FIGS (Figs, because of their many seeds, are perfect for the holiday. May you have as many mitzvot as there are seeds) and FIVE-INGREDIENT NOODLE KUGEL (dairy).

G. Daniela Galarza for THE WASHINGTON POST has compiled nearly a DOZEN recipes for CHALLAH! One is quite frightening … if you fear marzipan

Remember PARADE MAGAZINE.. the Sunday insert in many newspapers? They reached out of TV celebrity Andrew Zimmern and he shares his SWEEEEEEEET noodle kugel recipe with Kelli Acciardo If if are lactose unfriendly…. eating this with sour cream, butter, and cheeses will start your new year off to a not so nice start.

Diana Spalding for MOTHERLY has compiled ten recipes for the holidays

The JI – JEWISH INSIDER shares a recipe for Montreal-spiced braised brisket from FLEISHIG magazine a product of Shlomo and Shifra Klein of Cedarhurst, Long Island, NY.

The food scene in UAE – United Arab Emirates for the holiday week can be seen MITZI’s CHOPPED LIVER Mitzi is the mother of chef Jeffrey Weinberg, owner of Sunnyvale-based JW Catering. Also includes a chat with Chef Beth Needleman of Schmaltz and her Gravlax with Roasted Beets, Whipped Mascarpone, Cucumbers and Dill

For Rosh Hashana, the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles pays a visit to starts of the FOOD NETWORK, the apparently identical twins Adeev and Ezra Potash. They play a little jazz on the video also.

Liza Schoenfein for THE FORWARD shares recipes for Covid-19 (Think Food in the Time of Cholera).. from Addeena Sussman (Rude Vegetables Stew with Mejdool Dates… get the dates from the UAE or Bahrain for a special new year)… from Joan Nathan, a PLUM PIE….. (she is going to eat cod cakes for the new year, like the head of a fish… since… she is holiday’ing of the Vineyard… (say hi to Larry David for us)… and Evan Bloom of WISE SONS DELI in the San Francisco Bay Area (and now Beauty Bagels in East Bay… so close to SNOWFLAKE in San Mateo, no?) there is a HONEY CAKE recipe based on a Betty Crocker vanilla cake mix… and Eden Grinshpan of Brooklyn by way of T.O. (Toronto Ontario) has a recipe for her semolina, olive oil and honey cake with a delightful honey-lemon glaze. AND MORE!!! (a real jealousy inducing post)

DAVID KLEIN at CHOWHOUND has a recipe for a Spiced Honey Fig Cake… plus over a half a dozen additional recipes for Rosh Hashanah.

AMY DREW THOMPSON of the Orlando Sentinel talks HONEY CAKE

WINE SPECTATOR shares nearly half a dozen super famous classic recipes, including ones from Geller and Nathan and recommends twelve kosher wines.

And BLOOMBERG talks CHICKEN SALAD

… MORE TO COME…….