In September, Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, begins the New Year in the Jewish calendar. The 10-day observance, revolving around the themes of judgment, repentance and renewal, ends with a fast day on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. As families gather to feast on Rosh Hashanah, or after the Yom Kippur fast is broken, they share foods made with honey (to signify sweetness in the coming year) and foods that are round (to signify a year with no endings).
PUMPKIN PULL-APARTS
These golden rolls will be the highlight of an autumn breakfast table, but they’re good any time of year, providing a boost of beta carotene and vitamin A.
OVEN-BAKED WHEAT AND WALNUT BOULE
Versions of this country-style bread have traveled from central France to Quebec, and then on to the southernmost tip of Lake Michigan and down the Kankakee River to the village of Bourbonnais in northern Illinois. With its honeycomb crumb, chewy bite and nutty flavor, it’s perfect with an aged cheese or a pungent blue, along with thin slices of fresh apple or pear.