Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is right around the corner. Celebrate with your loved ones, and perhaps a few close friends, by hosting a dinner party based in tradition, but don’t be afraid to mix it up with a few twists.
[the menu]
>> As a nod to tradition, set the table with sliced apples and round challahs, available at a variety of local bakeries, including Kohn’s Deli & Market, which offers vanilla egg and honey wheat challah. Guests will dip the treats in honey as a symbol of hope for the new year (5775). Serve an appetizer of tzimmes, the traditional dish of diced carrots sweetened with honey, brown sugar and sometimes cooked with short ribs.
>> The usual Rosh Hoshanah meal consists of a brisket, chicken, turkey or a whole fish, but consider something different. Peruse cookbooks, such as Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem or Plenty, for recipes that use traditional ingredients—fish, apples, honey, pomegranates, leeks and dates—in new and interesting ways.
>> If you’d rather let someone else do the heavy lifting in the kitchen, Protzel’s Deli, Kohn’s Deli and Whole Foods offer catered traditional Rosh Hashanah meals.
>> For dessert, serve honey cake from Breadsmith or miniature apple pies from Pie Oh My.
[the decor]
>> Unlike the secular New Year, Rosh Hashanah is a more subdued affair suitable for a classic, elegant setting. Set out your best linen and china, decorate in shades of white, cream and gold, and light tall, tapered candles.
>> It is tradition to enjoy an unfamiliar fruit as a symbol of tasting the newness of the year: Place colorful bowls of exotic fruit, such as pomegranates, on the table. Sallie Home carries a wide selection of beautiful bowls, including some in gold-flecked glass by Vietro.
>> Place small glass pots or bowls with honey around the table. Also available at Sallie Home is an elegant bee pot and spoon by Vagabond House that looks stunning filled with golden honey.
[the extra touches]
>> Send invites to guests a few weeks in advance. Etsy shop TheJoyofColor makes beautiful watercolor pomegranate cards.
>> If youngsters are attending your get-together, plan a few apple-themed games, such as Apples to Apples, for them to stay entertained. To involve children in the meal preparation, bring them to Eckert’s beforehand to pick apples to serve at the meal.
>> Have plenty of kosher wine on hand for blessings and sipping. Imbibe magazine has a list of the top 10 at imbibemagazine.com/bestkosher-wines.
