Classic Jewish foods find their way into Jewish-American culture
To continue on this column’s journey of various holiday food traditions, most of which I write about as an observer and researcher, not as a practitioner, I will discuss Jewish dishes. I find these dishes fascinating in the sense that they’re derived from such a variety of places, but are now a part of Jewish-American culture.
The Mediterranean and Middle East, Spain, Germany, Ancient Egypt and Eastern Europe influenced Jewish dishes.
Food, or in some cases, abstaining from eating food, plays a major role in the Jewish religion. There are seven Jewish fasts throughout the year. There are a variety of symbolic foods associated with various holidays.
Challah, for instance, is a sweet bread, often braided and traditionally eaten every Sabbath and holiday. For Rosh Hashanah, the bread is braided into a circle to represent the circle of life and continuity of the New Year, as Rosh Hashanah celebrates the Jewish New Year.
According to Holidays.net, to represent the sweetness of the coming year, sweet foods are customarily eaten on Rosh Hashanah. Honey, apples and new seasonal fruits, such as pomegranate, are common sweet treats for this holiday.
Jewish people also follow kosher laws. About.com explains simplified dietary laws saying only animals that have split hooves and are ruminant can be eaten, but all blood must be drained from meat or broiled before eaten. These animals must also be slaughtered in accordance to Jewish laws. Dairy and meat cannot be eaten together, meaning utensils that touch meat cannot touch dairy and vice versa. Grape products made by non-Jewish people are not to be eaten.
It seems Jewish dietary law observers and fast observers consider the control and refraining of eating as a religious experience.
Homemade Hummus
Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic 1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2/3 cup olive oil 1/2 cup tahini (sesame sauce) 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Garnish: cumin parsley olive oil paprika
Directions: Put all ingredients in a food processor and mix, garnishing with any of the listed options. Source: Food.com
