The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) is arriving in late summer this year, although the feeling it brings is more inspired by autumn and the apple harvest. The timing is fortuitous, as apples dipped in honey are the most recognized symbols for the holiday representing all that is wished for in the year ahead, including a sweet year.
As Balaboostas who regularly host family gatherings and meals with friends, our passion is in the presentation. Nothing makes us happier than a beautiful table and the gasps from guests as they approach their seats. While we put hours of planning into color themes and floral bouquets, and a well curated cheese or snack board adds a special touch. Our challah board, when not in use on Shabbat, is a great way to make guests feel welcomed, tides the hunger until the food is served, and is a nice compliment to a cocktail.
We enjoy picking out cheeses, olives, bread, and dried fruits during the year. For Rosh Hashanah we love a well curated board that is inspired by the holiday. That means that on our shopping list are pomegranates, apples, honey, dates, and round challah rolls. There is a deep symbolism to these foods.
- Pomegranate symbolizes abundance
- Apples are sweet and found in the bible in the telling of the Garden of Eden
- Honey signifies the hope that the new year will be sweet
- A round challah has many reasons! It looks like the crown, for crowning God as king on Rosh Hashanah, to show the the holiday is extra special, and to symbolize the year
When laying out our board, we used a honey block which can be found at a Middle Eastern market or even on Amazon. It adds a bit of excitement and is unexpected on the board. It tastes great too! The Apeloig Collection Challah boards have a built-in dish for honey or salt which maintains a sleek look on the board. Another great feature is the magnetically attached knife that will never harm the acrylic surface, it fits in its own nook and it is flush with the board.
It was so much fun trying out different combinations for our Rosh Hashanah appetizer or snack board. We hope that you are inspired and will try out your own combinations inspired by this beautiful Jewish holiday.
