OY VEY! EATING HABITS IS GOING KOSHER!

…In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. -Leviticus 16:24

I thought today would be a fun day to put up a recipe to celebrate the upcoming Jewish holiday, Rosh Hashanah, which falls on sunset September 18, 2009 – nightfall September 20, 2009 and is after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement where they observe a long fast.

Just so you don’t think I’m smart or anything (because I’m not), the following is a description of Rosh Hashana by Wikipedia.

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday commonly referred to as the “Jewish New Year.” It is observed on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, as ordained in the Torah, in Leviticus 23:24. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim (“Days of Awe”), or Asseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance) which are days specifically set aside to focus on repentance that conclude with the holiday of Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah is the start of the civil year in the Hebrew calendar (one of four “new year” observances that define various legal “years” for different purposes as explained in the Mishnah and Talmud). It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts.

The Mishnah, the core text of Judaism’s oral Torah, contains the first known reference to Rosh Hashanah as the “day of judgment.” In the Talmud tractate on Rosh Hashanah it states that three books of account are opened on Rosh Hashanah, wherein the fate of the wicked, the righteous, and those of an intermediate class are recorded. The names of the righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life, and they are sealed “to live.” The middle class are allowed a respite of ten days, until Yom Kippur, to repent and become righteous; the wicked are “blotted out of the book of the living.”

This morning I was reading a story written by a Chicago Tribune columnist, Barbara Brotman, who wrote about her deep appreciation for religious holidays. She went on to write about all the wonderful traditions surrounding the Jewish holidays, such as Sukkot, the Feast of the Tabernacles, where, on October 2nd, they set up little huts up in their backyards and decorate with lights and pine boughs that are laid over the open air roof which leave a wonderful “woodsy” scent as they sit under the stars and dine al fresco. (And I can tell ya…it can be pretty cold in Chicago in October!)

They also have the Simchat Torah, a dance to celebrate the completion of the annual cycle of Torah readings where people dance around the synagogue holding the Torah scrolls. How cool is that? A religious conga line! It makes us Catholics seem pretty darned boring with our chants, incense, and candles.

Then they have the celbration of Purim, commemorating Esther’s rescue of her people from planned annihilation by Haman. In fact, according to Orthodox Judaism online, they write, “according to the Talmud, a person is required to drink until he cannot tell the difference between ‘Cursed be Haman’ and ‘blessed be Mordecai’, though opinions differ as to exactly how drunk that is.”

I love these Jewish traditions!

Ok…on with the cooking show, as usual my post is getting out of control.

So, today I decided to put up a few Kosher recipes to celebrate my friends of the Jewish faith. Of course, anyone can use these recipes, so don’t be shy. Bring out your “Jewish side” and celebrate!

What would Rosh Hashana be without Rosh Hashana Hallah? I don’t know…but this looks to me like a recipe worth trying. Don’t forget to “Take Challah” as described in the recipe!

ROSH HASHANAH HALLAH
Source: Cleveland Jewish News

* 1 cake or 2 pkg dry yeast
* 1 t sugar
* 1/8 t saffron
* 3/4 C warm water
* Bread ingredients
* 8 – 9 C sifted flour
* 1-1/2 t salt
* 3 T sugar
* 3 whole eggs, lightly beaten
* 1-1/4 C lukewarm water
* 1/2 C vegetable oil
* 1 T oil for bowl and pans
* 1 C raisins, softened in hot water, drain and pat
* dry (optional)
* 2 T honey, warmed slightly

DIRECTIONS:
Make the sponge: In a medium glass bowl combine yeast, sugar and saffron in warm, not hot, water. Let stand five minutes until thick and bubbly.

Bread: Sift flour. Stir 1-1/2 C flour into yeast mixture, blend well. Cover with a towel; let rise 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine 4-1/2 C of remaining sifted flour, salt and sugar. Form a well. Mix in eggs, remaining 1-1/4 C water, oil and yeast mixture. Stir in as much flour as needed to form a dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a large, clean, oiled bowl; turn dough so top is also oiled. Cover, let rise two hours until doubled. Punch down dough; knead in raisins on a lightly floured surface for five minutes.

“Take challah.”*

Divide dough in half, roll each half into a 2-inch thick smooth rope, 18 inches long or longer; coil dough into a circle with a large knob on top. Place on an oiled baking sheet or in two 10-inch round pans. Cover, let rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400° F; brush challah once with warm honey, bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F. Brush with warm honey while baking. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped. Cool; remove from pan, cool on rack, store airtight or freeze.

*”Take challah” refers to an olive-sized piece of dough, removed from the dough mass, to be burned before the final rising. It represents the Temple offering by the priests. The burning of the challah remains the “woman’s obligation” and should be accompanied with an appropriate blessing during preparation.

Bon Appétit!

!בתיאבון

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