APPLES DIPPED IN HONEY is a well-known Rosh Hashanah treat, but there are others. In fact, apples and honey represents just one of the Simanim Rosh Hashanah foods that hold symbolic meaning). There are a number of Simanim that serve as a reminder of the Jewish New Year’s special significance.
• Apples and Honey • Round Challah Probably the most popular Rosh • It is traditional to eat challah on Shabbat and other Jewish holidays. Hashanah treat, apples and honey On Rosh Hashanah, however, the challah is specially baked in a are historically symbolic foods. round shape to represent the unending cycle of life and creation, a After all, Israel is known as “a land cycle in which there is no beginning and no end. Many families add flowing with milk and honey” raisins and honey to their challah for an extra sweet Rosh Hashanah, (Exodus 3:8). As rabbi and author When the challah is sliced at the meal, it is traditional to smear Shimon Apisdorf suggests, however, additional honey for even more holiday sweetness. this may not be the only reason for the apples and honey tradition. • Pomegranates In his blogpost, “Seven Questions Pomegranates have many seeds. These seeds symbolize the many People Ask about Rosh Hashanah,” merits we will create with our mitzvot in the coming year. This new Apisdorf explains that an apple tree year, consider a tasty pomegranate-based recipe. grows differently than other fruit trees. “On most fruit trees, the leaves appear • Fish Head on the Table before the fruit, thus providing a Rosh Hashanah literally means “head of the year.” Some families protective cover for the young fruit,” commemorate the “head of the year” with the tradition of placing a fish he writes. “The apples, however, makes a head on the table during Rosh Hashanah meals. On this holiday, we preemptive move by appearing before wish for a year ahead in which we lead with strength and determination the leaves. The Jewish people are compared rather than being at the tail end of things. “And G-d will make you as to an apple because we are willing to live out the head, and not as the tail, and you will be only at the top, and you our Jewish lives even if it seems to leave us will not be at the bottom” (Deuteronomy 28:13). unprotected.” Rabbi Apisdorf also suggests dipping apples in honey represents a • Carrots symbolic bee analogy. “A bee can inflict pain The Yiddush word “meren” is translated as both the noun “carrots” and by its sting, yet it also produces delicious honey,” the verb “to increase.” Carrots symbolize our hope that our merits will he writes. “Life has this same duality of potential. increase in the coming year. As such, many people maintain the We pray that our choices will result in a sweet year.” tradition of preparing tzimmes, a sweet carrot-based stew for Rosh Hashanah.
• Pre-Chadash – New Fruit • On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to eat a “new fruit,” one that has not been eaten in the last year – a fruit that “participants have not tasted for a long time.” Indeed, families often take this holiday opportunity to enjoy a new or unusual fruit, such as dragonfruit or lychee. Moreover, many families complement the eating of a new fruit with the Shehecheyanu blessing, which gives G-d special thanks for granting us life, sustaining us, and enabling us to experience something new or special. Apples with Creamy Honey Dip
This is the perfect recipe to make with the very youngest of cooks!
Tip: A sprinkle of ground cinnamon is a nice garnish if you like.
Makes ½ cup dip
Ingredients: ¼ cup plain yogurt 2 teaspoons honey Tart sliced apples, for serving
Steps: In a bowl, blend the yogurt and the honey. Serve as a dip with apple slices.
Chunky Applesauce in the Crock Pot
Ingredients: 6 medium apples 1/3 cup water ½ cup sugar ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
Steps: - Have adult peel and cut apples into chunks. - Place in crock pot. - Child can add water, sugar, and cinnamon to apples and stir together. - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Fresh Apple Muffins Ingredients: 1 ½ cups flour ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 egg ½ cup milk 1 cup grated raw apples
Topping for Apple Muffins: ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Steps for Apple Muffins: - Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. - Combine oil, egg, and milk. - Add to dry ingredients. - Add apple and stir just until ingredients are blended. - Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full and sprinkle with topping. - Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes
Steps for Muffin Topping: - Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts together and sprinkle over muffins. Apples and Honey Breakfast Cookie Pops
Apples and Honey are messy! Make these ahead of time to grab and go on busy mornings!
Tip: If you are using wooden sticks, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before baking. No sticks? Make bars instead of pops!
Ingredients: 2 cups quick oats 1 ripe banana 1 cup almond or sunflower butter ½ cup apple butter ¼ cup honey ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup raisins ¾ cup dried apples, diced ½ cup shelled roasted pumpkin seeds ¼ cup ground flaxseed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional glaze: 1 ounce cream cheese, softened ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 3 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar 2 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
Steps: - Preheat oven to 325 degrees. - In a large bowl, combine all cookie ingredients using a mixer until well-blended. - On parchment paper-lined baking sheet, place golf-sized scoops. Use hands to flatten. - Push a stick into each cookie from the bottom until it nearly reaches the top. - Bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are slightly browned. - Let cool on baking sheet. - To make glaze, mix together cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar. - Add lemon juice ½ teaspoon at a time, until glaze is liquid but not runny. - Drizzle glaze over completely cooled cookies. Homemade Apple Sauce – No Sugar Added
Ingredients: 3 lbs apples 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 pinch nutmeg 1 ½ cups water 2 thin lemon slices ¼ teaspoon salt
Steps: - Peel and core apples (leave the skin on some if you prefer – for taste and texture) - Cut apples into approximately 1 inch cubes. - Add all ingredients to pot, and turn heat on high. - Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. - Simmer for 20 minutes or until the apples have softened significantly. Stir frequently, making sure that the apples are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add more water if necessary. - Remove the lemon slices. - Mash with a potato masher or use a food mill for a smoother consistency. - Serve warm or at room temperature. Rosh Hashanah Honey and Apple Chicken
Tip: This recipe yields four servings.
Ingredients: One 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons honey 2 shallots, sliced 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices ½ cup chicken broth Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Steps: - Preheat the oven to 425˚ F and arrange a rack in the top third of the oven. - In a wide, ovenproof skillet or small (9 x 13 inch) roasting pan, toss the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season them well with salt and pepper. - Arrange the pieces skin side up and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the honey over them. - Roast, basting occasionally during the second half of the cooking, until the juices run clear when the thigh or leg is pierced, about 50 minutes. - Meanwhile, in a large skillet, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. - Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and sauté until the shallots are translucent, 2 minutes. - Add the apple slices and sauté until they begin to soften, 3 minutes. - Stir in the broth, lemon juice, mustard and remaining tablespoon of honey. - Simmer, stirring, until the sauce has thickened and the apples are tender, about 3 more minutes. - To serve, transfer the apple mixture to a deep platter and arrange the chicken on top. Tori Avery - Honey Apple Cake
Cake Ingredients: - When the cake browns all the way across the 3 large eggs surface, insert a toothpick deep into the thickest ¾ cup honey part of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. It’s ½ cup white sugar a very moist cake, so it’s easy to undercook it – err ¼ cup light brown sugar on the side of caution and let it bake a little longer 1 ¼ cup canola oil if you’re unsure. 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla - Let the cake cool for exactly 10 minutes, then 3 cups all purpose baking flour invert it onto a flat plate. 1 teaspoon baking soda - Tap the Bundt pan gently to release the cake. If 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon your cake sticks, use a plastic knife to carefully ¾ teaspoon salt loosen the cake around the center tube and sides. ¼ teaspoon allspice - Allow cake to cool completely (very important to Dash of ground cloves let it cool before frosting). 4 Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored, and shredded - Now it’s time to decorate your cake. Decorate this cake the same day you serve it; the cake is moist so Icing Ingredients: it tends to “soak up” the powdered sugar, plus the 1 cup + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar icing looks prettier fresh. ¼ teaspoon vanilla - First, put 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar into a 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy creamer handheld mesh strainer or sifter. - Sprinkle sugar onto the top of the cake by tapping You will also need: the strainer or sifting to release an even shower of 9 inch Bundt cake pan, sifter, wire cooling rack, sugar around the surface of the cake. parchment paper, Ziploc bag - Next, make your drizzle icing. Sift 1 cup of powdered sugar into a mixing bowl.Add ¼ Steps: teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of - Preheat oven to 325 degrees. non-dairy creamer to the bowl. Stir with a whisk or - In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they are fork to blend. frothy. Whisk in the honey, white sugar, brown - Add additional non-dairy creamer by teaspoonful, sugar, oil, and vanilla. mixing constantly, until the mixture has the texture of very thick honey. You want the icing to be quite - In a separate medium mixing bowl, sift together thick, but still pourable. When you can drizzle the the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, icing in stripes across the surface, and it takes a few salt, and spices. seconds for those drizzles to dissolve back into the - Incorporate the flour mixture into the liquid, stir to icing, the texture is right. blend. Fold in the shredded apples. - Place a Ziploc bag inside a tall water glass, open - Spray your Bundt pan with cooking spray, making end facing upward and wrapped around the edge sure to evenly coat the entire inner surface.Pour of the glass, so there is an open space for easy your batter into the pan. Bundt pan depths vary, so filling. Pour the icing into the Ziploc bag. make sure the batter fills the pan ¾ full or less. Do - Close the bag, leaving a small bit open to vent. not fill beyond ¾ or your cake might overflow Guide the icing towards one of the lower corners of during baking. the bag. Cut the very tip of that corner off the bag. - Use a spatula to gently push the batter to the - Drizzle icing in a zig-zag pattern around the cake by outside of the pan, pushing slightly up the walls. squeezing the Ziploc bag gently to release the This will help to get rid of any air pockets that glaze. might interfere with the pretty details of the pan. - Allow icing to dry completely before serving – this Smooth the batter on the top so it is flat and even usually takes about 30-60 minutes. all the way around the pan. - Slice and enjoy! - Bake cake in preheated oven for 75-90 minutes. - When the edges darken, pull fully away from the sides of the pan. Apple Sangria
Make-Ahead Tip: Sangria is the perfect make-ahead cocktail since it must sit for at least 6 hours. You can also make it one day in advance!
Ingredients: 3 cinnamon sticks (plus more for garnish) 2 honey crisp apples, chopped 1 orange, thinly sliced 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine 1 and ¾ cups apple cider ½ cup brandy ¼ cup orange juice (or juice from 2 medium oranges) Juice from 1 lemon Club soda, to taste
Steps: - Place the cinnamon sticks, apples, and orange slices in a large pitcher. - Add wine, apple cider, brandy, orange juice, and lemon juice. - Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 6 - 24 hours. - Taste; if you'd like it to be sweeter, add 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, honey, or agave. - If you would like a cinnamon-sugar rim (highly recommended), simply moisten the rim of your glasses with water, turn the glass upside down and dip it into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. - Pour in the sangria with fruit and add a splash of club soda (this unsweetened fizz is wonderful with the sangria!) - Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired. - Cheers! Apple Cider Sangria
Ingredients: 1 bottle or 750 ml of Moscato wine (semi-sweet white wine) 1 cup light rum 1 ½ cups apple cider 1 cup ginger ale Apple slices for serving Ice
Steps: - In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir well. - Serve sangria over ice with thinly sliced or chopped apples. Apple Paintings
This fun print-making activity is a great way to make use of any surplus on hand. Try pairing your painting activity with a book about Rosh Hashanah like Apple Days by Allison Soffer or Apples and Honey by Joan Solub. -If you grow an apple tree from seed, it probably won't grow the same type of tree. This is because apple seeds don't grow true, which means that every seed is unique.
-Since you're growing a whole new variety of apple tree, it's possible it might take 10-15 years to actually fruit, if it even does fruit. You aren't guaranteed that it will!
-Statistically, only about 30% of the seeds successfully germinate. And some that successfully germinate may not live long afterwards. This is completely natural, don't give up!
-If your trees do eventually produce fruit, you aren't guaranteed they will taste good. Since you've created a whole new variety, there's no sure way to tell!
-A plastic sandwich bag -Somewhere cold, like a refrigerator -Paper towel/napkins -Apples!
First, you need to gather the apple seeds. Some apples may only have a couple, while others may have six or seven- use about four or five apples worth. Whatever you do, make sure not to damage the seeds, as they most likely won't ever grow. It's best if you cut the apple with an apple cutter, or eat the apple down to the core then split it in half with force. You can use a knife if you wish, but it might damage the seeds. Once you've gathered your apple seeds, make sure to wash any remains of the fruit so that they don't rot. Using a small strainer will help you not lose any of the seeds.
Now that your seeds are prepped and ready, you will need to prepare your paper towel. All you need to do is stick it under a faucet so it becomes slightly damp. Then you will need to squeeze most of the water out so there isn't too much moisture. Once you've done that, you can place the seeds on the napkin, and then fold it up and place it inside of the sandwich bag.
Now that your seeds are in the sandwich bag, make sure the bag is sealed up and place it inside of your refrigerator. You can expect to wait up to two months before you see any signs of growth. Essentially, what you are doing is simulating nature. When apples mature and fall from the tree, they decompose yet the seeds remain on the ground. Unless animals get to them first, they remain on the ground throughout winter.
Once spring hits, the seeds come out of dormancy and start to sprout! They are programmed to germinate after a period of coldness. Make sure to check on them around once a week, and if any seeds start to rot, it would be best to remove them and replace the paper towel so the rest of the seeds do not rot as well. Also keep an eye on the moisture level, if it seems a little dry you should add a small amount of water to it.
After two months or other signs of growth, take the bag out of the refrigerator and place it in a sunny location. South facing windowsills work best, but any sunny location will do. Blow some air into it (which creates a mini greenhouse), and then seal it up.
Leave them in the bag until they sprout. They should start sprouting within two weeks. Any seeds that haven’t sprouted within a month and a half, probably never will.
Good luck and happy growing!