Rosh Hashanah Family Dinner

Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה‎, literally "head [of] the year"), is the Jewish New Year although the real name for this Feast of the Lord is called Yom Teruah (Hebrew: יום תרועה‎, literally "day [of] shouting/raising a noise") or the Feast of Trumpets according to the correct biblical calendar of the 1st and 2nd temple period, not Rosh Hashanah. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im("Days of Awe") which usually occur in the early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration, which begins on the first day of Tishrei. The day is believed to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of mankind's role in God's world. Rosh Hashanah customs include sounding the shofar (a hollowed-out ram's horn) and eating symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey to evoke a "sweet new year".









For Rosh hashanah this year I had 7 people for dinner. and on reflection I probably shouldn't have took the photo's with my phone!
Before dinner we say prayers with kiddush wine and apple challah dipped in honey. The reason why we eat sweet things during this holiday is to signify a sweet year ahead. 

This year for a change I hollowed an apple and filled it with honey! It looked good for about 5 mins and then leaked out, but I think that still looked really interesting. 


First course - gefilte fish platter. Gefilte fish was bought from the kosher butcher along with salmon cutlets, served on platters of green leaves with smoked salmon.

Second course - chicken soup with knaidlach, this was brought by grandmother in law, but when I do one next, I will link in a recipe.

Main course - Roast chicken cooked in pieces with stock and lemon slices, boiled green veg, white cabbage cooked in butter and roast potatoes.

Dessert - Apple & honey cake

Prior to Rosh Hashananah, I was perusing many websites for recipe ideas, and came across this: http://theshiksa.com/2013/08/16/honey-apple-cake/ so thought id give it ago. Well it tasted great, but certainly didn't look as great as Tori's, I will try better next year.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs

• 3/4 cup honey

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

• 1 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 3 cups all purpose baking flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp allspice

• Dash of ground cloves

• 4 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and shredded

Method

Ok I am not a trained chef, I am a busy working mum of 2 very little children, and although I want to eat proper home cooked food and like to eat well, I don't have all the time in the world. If you want to do this recipe properly, check out the link above. I just throw everything in the electric mixer and then into a cake tin. I did buy a bundt tin especially for this and it did look more interesting than a normal cake tin.

Bake at 190 degrees for 75 mins until skewer comes out clear.

Finished product is a lovely light moist fruity cake