In planning your Rosh HaShanah menu, consider it a fun challenge to incorporate symbolic foods associated with good omens. While the Talmud mentions five (gourds, fenugreek, leeks, beet greens or chard and dates) Ashkenazim eat apples dipped in honey, seeds of all kinds and pomegranate arils. Sephardim may incorporate leeks and quince while Italians eat pumpkins and gourds. We’ll skip the heads of fish although many still serve fish as a starting course.
This raw salad is loaded with color and positive omens. It’s a bonus that it’s a cinch to throw together.Rainbow hues and crisp textures combine perfectly in this symbolic salad created to bring positive omens to your Rosh HaShanah table.
Incorporate these ingredients loaded with positive energy:
Carrots: prosperity
Beets: safety and separation from our enemies
Apples: inclusion of the divine presence
Dates: symbol of beauty and strength
Pomegranate arils : fertility and love of mitzvot
Honey: immortality, truth and sweetness (absence of negativity)
Seeds or nuts: fertility or plenty
[yumprint-recipe id=’105′]Liz Rueven is Founding Editor of www.kosherlikeme.com, a food blog and resource for those who love to cook seasonally. Liz has made numerous appearances on WTNH TV, sharing her passion for all things local and Jewish. In 2017, she received the Gil Marks Memorial Award, a peer nominated recognition of her as a mentor and a support for others in the Jewish culinary world. She is a board member of the Westport Farmers Market in CT, a passionate cooking instructor and irrepressible locavore.
