| Hebrew Translation I was helping to create a | | | | traditional cookbook. She said, "Oh, these are |
| cookbook with a friend of mine who was trying | | | | Rosh Hashana recipes, symbolic food for the |
| to translate Hebrew recipes into English to give to | | | | Jewish New Year. I began to write down her |
| her daughter. Jewish cooking revolves around | | | | translation of the special foods. She told me that |
| centuries of traditional recipes. Each recipe that is | | | | Challah was also eaten this day. Apples were |
| made for a special ceremony or holiday | | | | dipped in honey to represent a sweet year. |
| symbolically represents a story or person from | | | | Pomegranate seeds were eaten to represent a |
| the bible or because of ancient old traditions of | | | | year of many blessings as there are seeds in a |
| food supply. translation of these recipes was | | | | pomegranate. She also said it was traditional to |
| necessary in order for her daughter to be able to | | | | eat a fish with the head on to represent a |
| read them, because her daughter did not know | | | | successful year in which the family is the "head" |
| Hebrew. She was making the book to give to her | | | | and not the "tail." There were many more dishes |
| on her wedding day. We began by looking at | | | | she said, and she continued with her Hebrew |
| Sephardic and Ashkenazi types of Jewish styles | | | | translation of more recipes. A dish called |
| of cooking. Ashkenazi style of cooking is hearty | | | | Tzimmes, was made of chopped carrots with |
| and the food is typically relative to a colder | | | | prunes or raisins, and often beef, simmered with |
| climate. The Sephardic style represents the | | | | spices. Lastly, she said teiglach is often served, |
| Mediterranean climate, lighter food, because of the | | | | dessert she described as small, knotted pastries |
| warmer climate than that of Ashkenazi. Modern | | | | boiled in honeyed syrup. |
| Jewish cooking, she told me sometimes mixed all | | | | Then I said, "Wow, I didn't know that chopped |
| Jewish culture's recipes. A traditional Sabbath meal | | | | liver was a traditional Jewish food." "Oh yes," she |
| for the Ashkenazi's, would be potatoes and | | | | said, "it has deep roots in our culture." What was |
| possibly a roast chicken. The Sephardi Sabbath | | | | funny, she described, was the phrase 'What am |
| meal would be more salads and stuffed grape | | | | I? Chopped liver?' Came from the fact that |
| leaves or couscous. I suggested she do the | | | | chopped liver was never served as a main |
| Hebrew translation for the Challah bread recipe as | | | | course, it was always served on the side- making |
| the beginning of her daughter's book, since they | | | | it a second class dish. It is a strong flavor and a |
| would eat it so often. She agreed. Challah bread is | | | | grey color, not always a favorite food at the |
| a sweet egg-laden loaf of bread that is woven in | | | | dinner table. It was fascinating to learn all about |
| a knot pattern, a staple in Jewish households for | | | | Jewish culture, just through the food alone. I |
| centuries, often made on Fridays to eat on | | | | thanked my friend for letting me learn so much |
| Saturday. I asked her to translate a beautiful | | | | about the history of food. Without translation, |
| green script, written in Hebrew at the back of a | | | | some of these family recipes would be lost. |