This is just not possible. Seriously, Rosh Hashanah starts on Wednesday night? How did we get so far into the year? I dealt with the fact that Harry started kindergarten. He’s in big-kid school, eating in the big-kid cafeteria (last year they ate in their Pre-K classroom). He’s learning to read. He’s learning Spanish. I’m dealing with this. Really, I am. But the fact that the Jewish holidays are upon us has thrown me for a loop. This morning I spent a good 45 minutes Googling for inspiration, looking for an apple- and honey-based recipe that went beyond the ordinary. I think I found it. “Honeyed Gingerbread with a 20-Hour Apple Terrine” just sounds too intriguing not to try, don’t you think?
That photo above is of my apple terrine, just born. Beneath those layers of apple rings is a simple caramel. It’ll mature over the next day, the apples softening and sinking into the sugary syrup below, and eventually the whole thing will be married to a honeyed gingerbread I’ll bake on Tuesday.
What are you planning to make this year?
Since I won’t know if this recipe works in time to help you with your own holiday baking, here are some of the other intriguing treats I found:
- An absolutely gorgeous honey-and-apple challah, courtesy of the LA Times.
- Here’s a roasted buttercup squash and apple soup and a traditional honey cake, both courtesy of Emily Franklin, who I’ve written about before.
- In addition to apples, pomegranates are traditional for the New Year. Cookstr’s got an intriguing recipe for grilled eggplant with pomegranate vinaigrette.
- Cheryl Sternman Rule, like me a Jewish food writer married to a nice goyishe boy, calls this a Christmas Salad with Fennel, Celery, and Fruit. But since that fruit includes apples and pomegranates, I’m rechristening it (ha) “Rosh Hashanah Salad.”
- Just look at this fresh, unusual tabbouleh using apples, walnuts, and pomegranates, from the New York Times.
- It’s no secret: I love kasha. So why haven’t I tried this kasha-stuffed roast chicken yet?
- You can’t have a Jewish holiday linkspalooza without a Joan Nathan recipe. Here’s one for “Lick-Your-Fingers” noodle kugel, with brown sugar and pecans. That’ll get your new year off to a sweet start!
- Olga at Sassy Radish tweaked a recipe for Applesauce Cake with Caramel Glaze created by Merrill at Food 52, subbing in whole wheat pastry flour and olive oil—which always makes me happy.
- Rebecca at Cooking with My Kid offers what she calls a “Cheater’s Caramel Apple Cake” which calls for boxed cake mix. That’s normally a no-no for me, but her explanation is making me reconsider.
- If you’re not looking for a recipe, but rather a stop-you-in-your-tracks beautiful piece of writing related to the holiday, look no further than Elissa Altman at Poor Man’s Feast. Her Rosh post from last year still moves me.
And here are a handful of Rosh-appropriate recipes from Words to Eat By’s archives:
- The traditional challah I used to bake with my mom on Fridays—add a handful of golden raisins to sweeten the new year.
- Another classic, good old-fashioned matzo balls.
- Float those babies in some Overnight Chicken Soup.
- Follow with some Oh-So-Good Brisket.
- End with this spectacular Chocolate Honey Cake.
- And of course, Rosh wouldn’t be Rosh without what I still believe to be the best apple cake on the planet—which I can say without boasting, since it’s not my recipe.
L’shanah tovah, all!