ROSH HASHANAH TRADITIONAL DINNER MORE THAN THE STEREOTYPE

Sundown, September 29, is the beginning of the High Holy Days, the Hebrew calendar year of 5780.  Jewish people around the world will be celebrating the start with family, friends and most likely a huge meal. A century old immigration brought the opening of several kosher delis in New York that had a notoriety of becoming, “Jewish food.” “Ashkenazi,” was the term used for Jews coming from Eastern Europe with cuisines from Poland, Russia and Germany. 

 

Looking back to the 17^th and 18^th century we find that it was the Sephardic settlers from countries such as Brazil, Spain and Italy that established the synagogues and traditions in American colonial port cities such as: New York; Philadelphia; Newport, R.I.; Charleston, S.C;  and Savannah, Georgia. 

 

Many Sephardic Jews hold a Rosh Hashanah “seder” where each item or recipe symbolizes a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in the coming year.

Challah bread is simply a tradition around the world and used as a symbol of “breaking bread” as each member tears a piece from a loaf. What is added to the bread in baking is less traditional but symbolizing health (seeds) and sweetness (honey, a topping of cinnamon sugar).  You can even go all out by preparing chocolate challah cranberry rolls with citrus sugar. 

Gefilte fish is all too common. Let’s go for an Italian Sweet and sour recipe using: raisins, honey, apple or red wine vinegar. With fish multiplying quickly, it is eaten in hopes that the coming year will be one of plenty.  In some communities, there is significance associated with fish heads. These have historically been placed on the Rosh Hashanah table, with a special prayer asking to be like the head and not the tail. 

Talk to Vinny or Pat at Crossbay Seashell Fish Market at 161-14 Crossbay Blvd. in Howard Beach for great choices of whole white flesh fish as well as a request for a fish head.  You can certainly enjoy a side of fish cheeks that when cut out may be the size of scallops.  Take advantage of picking their brains (Viny and Pat, not the fish) to find out how mild or stronger tasting you choice should be expected.  

Seven is a lucky number in Jewish tradition, so a soup or stew featuring seven vegetables is a Rosh Hashana favorite among Sephardic Jews. With Moroccan origins the vegetables are served over couscous.  This one includes: onions, peeled and diced turnip, green and yellow zucchini, diced ripe tomatoes, shredded white cabbage, and string beans.  Add ginger, turmeric, cumin and top with finely chopped dried apricots or raisins.

  

Apples dipped in honey are as just as much of a tradition as eating the seeds of a pomegranate which expresses the wish for a year filled with as many merits as a pomegranate has seeds.

One of the best sources for fruit and vegetables is another “mom and pop” market, Valentino Food Market located at 66-64 Fresh Pond Rd in Ridgewood. They are open from 7am to 10pm on most days. My suggestion is to shop early morning as due to both popularity and low prices it tends to get quite crowded. If fresh figs are not available ask for a jar of fig jam.   Whatever it is that they have tasted great both on bread as well as a delicious added flavor in cooking.  

Considering that none of the above suggestions fall into either the meat category, you can decide by either including dairy or meat but not both….if you are keeping a kosher meal  

 

For instance, create a chicken soup that includes beef bones for a great stock.  You can either fill the pot with a whole chicken or chicken backs will do. 

I have two recommendations for dessert of which neither are cake: If you haven’t used meat, head on over to Eddie’s Sweet Shop at 105-29 Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills.  I love that they make their own ice cream. I recently tried the banana and clear that real bananas are being used. Cost for a pint is about the same as the fancy ones with additives and so much better. 

Not that you shouldn’t  get both, but if you are choosing a meal with meat, ices from The Lemon Ice King of Corona will also have your guests drooling. Located at 52-02 108^th Street owners Mike and Vincent use real fruit. Purchase a pint of the original lemon as the perfect palate cleanser. 

“Happy New Year” is not what you would say as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and the only Jewish holidays that are considered to be “Holy Days” with the 10 days reserved for days of atonement. L'shanah Tovah is the correct greeting.  I say, “May the new year bring us one of no anti-semitism.”

SYMBOLIC CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY STEPS IT UP WITH CONTEMPORARY ARTIST CHUAN TENG

Artist Chuan Teng exhibited his Chinese calligraphy a few years ago at the Rainforest Art Foundation’s 80 Plus and Going Strong. Whereas typical Chinese calligraphy done in ink, symbolizes a few words, Teng took it up a few notches adding various colors of acrylic paint and poetry.  Most noticeable is that the paintings are also done on canvas vs. the old tradition of applying the calligrapher to rice paper.

 

With the benefit  of the art center in downtown Flushing’s Chinese community, Teng presented a number of his talented contemporary pieces Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1. The exhibit’s opening brought a crowd of what appeared to be collectors, artists, family and friends all invited to view his works.  

It was at the age of 8 when Teng was inspired by Chinese calligraphy having a father who was an accomplished poet and calligrapher. During Teng’s school years he racked up many competition prizes, going on to further awards in Taipai. A scholarship from Ohio University brought him to the U.S.A.

Throughout his career Teng would practice his form of art one to two hours per day, resulting in his being invited to many culture sites to demonstrate his calligraphy in front of live audiences. After retiring from his job, in a different field, Teng devoted himself to serving the Chinese community on Staten Island.  

It was more recent that Teng started to use acrylic and canvas as new tools for his work as he had taken advantage of the esthetic lines from the Chinese characters’ form by extending them to make shapes that resemble their pictorial origin. Using a group of the characters that adopted a saying or passage of a poem, he carefully arranged them in a way to have them stand out in all its artistic beauty. 

Following are his bright colored acrylics completed in 2018-2019.  Afternoon Nap – in a tired afternoon, nap on a rattan pillow; Tower – Climb up the tower to view mountains after rain; Chat – Good Friends gather together at night to chat near the bamboo window; Smiling – Smiling in front of flower garden with a cup of wine in hand; Flute – East Neighbor plays flute under moon; Enlightenment – There never is a Bodhi tree, nor does the bright mirror exist. Where there begins with nothing, on what would dust stain; Summer – Soaking feet in cold spring water during hot summer days; Sail – Sail on shallow clear spring water.  

  

In addition, Teng had taken the symbols of Longevity, Happiness, Inner peace and Health to total creativity using the symbols in the middle to be the main point of view surrounded by floral designs and colors. 

 

Teng’s exhibit also included a series of poems from several ancient authors using ink on paper, such as one by Tao Yuanming titled Drinking. “I gladly pick up some mums near the east side fence and the tranquil Southern Mount scene gently meets my eyes. The evening haze enshrouds the Mount in fine weather while flocks of birds flying home in company.”

Another poem written by Wang Zhihuan, Climb Up White Stork Tower reads, “The white sun sets behind the mountain, and the Yellow river flows into sea. To have a thousand mile view go up another floor.

In regards to the presentation of the exhibition, Teng remarked. “I am happy to say that it received tremendous responses from viewers on three fronts. One was to present the Chinese characters with their various forms and writing styles side by side, where viewers can see a whole picture of this art form. Secondly is to link the Chinese characters and the Chinese poems/sayings to create works not only to have the individual character’s pictorial beauty but to have the subtle meaning of the whole work stand out.” 

“Thirdly was to use acrylic-on-canvas rather than traditional brush-ink-paper in order to extend the lines that forms the Chinese character to create modern art works that  are very appreciable to the eyes of today’s  viewers. My works “Carving Insects” and “Afternoon Nap” have received most enthusiastic comments. Overall, the success of this calligraphy show inspires me to continue using new tools to present the Chinese calligraphic aesthetic for more modern viewers.”

Artist and founder of the Rainforest Art Foundation Marlene Yu remarked about Teng’s work saying, “I had already admired his artistic talent as a calligrapher. This new form using colors on canvas is the best I have seen anywhere. I particularly love the soothing colors and hope to see more of his future works.”