Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 20, 1995 TAG: 9509200007
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: |By ALMENA HUGHES FOOD EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Indeed, the foods aassociated with the High Holy Days, including the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah, observed this year on Sept. 25, and Yom Kippur on Oct. 4 - are steeped in tradition. For example, tzimmes - in various combinations of meats, vegetables or fruits cooked over low heat - show up on many celebration tables. The following classic brisket tzimmes can be prepared in advance to leave time for hosts to enjoy the Rosh Hashanah meal with guests. Honey - representing hopes for a sweet year to come - also is traditionally part of the festive meal celebrating the new year.
Fiszer and Ferrary, whose joyful little book begins each chapter with a succinct history and explanation of a specific holiday, write that as part of the Rosh Hashanah observance, a slice of apple or bread is dipped into a pot of the sweet condiment, accompanied by a prayer, "May it be Thy will, Oh Lord our God, to renew unto us a happy and pleasant new year."
Yom Kippur, the most solemn of the Jewish Holy Days, is marked by reflection, atonement, abstinence and fasting, the authors report. They suggest the following eggplant spread and moist, long-keeping pear cake as excellent choices among the light, simple foods traditionally served to break the fast. Both cake and spread can easily be prepared ahead of time as they actually improve from a day of allowing their flavors to meld. Try the spread on fresh bagels or on the delectable honey whole wheat challah from the National Honey Board.
Of course, even in tradition there's room for improvement. Anita Hirsch, nutritionist and author of "Our Food: The Kosher Kitchen Updated," and "Celebrating the Jewish Holidays," likes to lighten up traditionally heavy holiday meals. A favored ingredient for doing so is Just Whites, a 15-calorie per serving, high-protein, fat-, sugar- and cholesterol-free powdered egg white product recently made available to home cooks. The product has the kosher seal of approval and requires neither refrigeration nor cooking, although it received high ratings cooked into meringues, cakes, souffles, mousses, omelets, batters, glazes, candies, and just about any other recipe where egg whites are essential.
If not yet available in local supermarkets, or natural food stores, Just Whites may be ordered for $9.99 plus $3.95 for shipping and handling from Deb-El Foods Corp., 2 Papetti Plaza, Elizabeth, N.J. 07206.
Recipes for: CLASSIC BRISKET TZIMMES
NEW YEAR'S CHICKEN
HONEY ALMOND AND CHEESE SQUARES
SPICED PEAR AND AND ALMOND CAKE
TOASTED BAGELS WITH EGGPLANT SPREAD
HONEY WHOLE WHEAT CHALLAH
by CNB