As Jews prepare for Rosh Hashana, the New Year that begins at sundown Sept. 29, they may be checking their cupboards for honey. That's because apples dipped in honey is a traditional start of the holiday meal for the New Year.
Honey symbolizes the wish for a sweet new year, and the apples stand for a well-rounded new year.
There's likely to be a honey-rich egg bread, or challah, on the menu, as well. For New Year's, the challah's braids are often shaped into rounds, and sometimes golden raisins are added to the batter for more sweetness. Using honey in the marinade adds a flavor of its own and allows the spices to bind and adhere to the meat. Linda Polk, of Polk Apiaries, which supplies honey to New Leaf Market and some other local health stores and farmers markets, also has recipes for foods appropriate for Rosh Hashana. And she says for a great fruit salad, sweeten it with a mixture of orange juice, honey and ground coriander.