This is a guest post from Israelinurse
One of the things I love about the Jewish festivals is the way they are so intimately connected to the cycle of nature here in Israel. Not only do they serve to remind us of our ancestors’ agricultural past in this land, but they also directly connect us to one place, with a specific climate and cycle of natural life – something which one does not find in many other faiths – and Tu B’Shvat is of course an excellent example.
This time last year I was making vain attempts to dig a hole in the frozen English soil in order to plant a tree for Tu B’Shvat – the New Year of Trees – but nothing around me was sprouting or blossoming and my little sapling had an aghast look of “you can’t be serious!” about it, so back into the poly-tunnel it went to await more clement times.
But here, where the festival originates, the trees are indeed waking up after winter and the first new leaves and blossoms are beginning to appear. Often, the almond trees manage to time their first blossoms exactly right for Tu B’Shvat – creating a spectacular display – but this year, perhaps due to the fact that we have only had about a quarter of our annual rainfall so far, they seem to have missed the deadline as can be seen in the picture below.
On Friday afternoon, our whole kibbutz –old and young alike – will be out planting trees as we always do. My grown-up children still enjoy pointing out every tree they planted with their own hands as they walk around the various neighbourhoods. And then of course, as with every good Jewish holiday, there’s the subject of cuisine.
Apart from plenty of nuts and dried fruits in honour of the trees, we have a favourite family dish for Tu B’Shvat. It’s my take on a Bukharan recipe given to me by a neighbour who came to Israel from Tashkent about 20 years ago, and seeing as Chas’ blog already has a bit of a foodie reputation, I’d like to share it with you.
2 medium-sized onions cut into half rings
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
Chicken thighs – about 12
4 or 5 large carrots cut into julienne strips
Peeled almonds – 1 cup
Dried apricots – 2 cups
Basmati rice – 3 cups
Chicken stock – 6 cups
Salt, pepper, ground cumin
Fresh coriander – a handful
Brown the chicken thighs in oil, and then remove and drain. In the same oil, fry the onions and garlic until soft, adding the salt, pepper and cumin. Place alternating layers of the carrots, chicken, almonds and apricots on top of the onions – 2 or 3 layers of each. Add the rice and stock, making sure that the liquid just covers the rice, and then a final layer of carrots. Cover, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently for around 25 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed into the rice and the chicken cooked. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter with fresh coriander leaves. Enjoy!
Happy Tu B’Shvat to all Oy Va Goy readers.
Sounds delicious, you rascal you. Where can I get me some chicken thighs….?
Hi – we were told last night at a special pre-Tu B’Shevat shiur (lesson) here in Karmiel that the festival post-dates the Torah by many generations. It’s origins is more of a “New Year for Taxmen” than for trees. But never mind! The mystics of near-by Tzfat took it over big time about 400 years ago and held the first Tu B’Shevat sedarim. Our synagogue held a slightly early celebration after Sabbath morning services last Saturday as the festival actually begins tonight (Wednesday) and a just the tiniest bit late, perhaps, one of our fab new friends, who’s a great cook is hosting a party tomorrow evening on an Italian theme. We can’t wait …!
For those wishing to do something really positive, I’d like to suggest planting a tree, through Rabbis for Human Rights (see http://www.rhrna.org/?p=1330+), in one of the Palestinian olive orchards burnt by settlers. A number of UK synagogues are also taking part in this campaign.
Any plans to help reforest Mt Carmel?
Very, very good idea.
Thank you so much for your guest posts (and the recipe!), “Israelinurse”, and please keep them coming. I am always glad and grateful to add to my sparse knowledge of Israel and Judaism.
Though I am not Jewish and have no personal Jewish connections (to the best of my knowledge) all things Jewish and Israeli have always fascinated and intrigued me over a long life which is now slowly drawing to a close. I will be leaving behind family and erstwhile friends who once shared my own still held beliefs in “plucky little Israel”, and of Israel being the canary in the coalmine. (I come from a NE England mining family and they know what I’m speaking of when I say that!)
Their beliefs have changed over the years to now go against Israel, but I firmly believe this is beacause they are taken in by false witnesses and they are just too lazy to dig for the truth behind the headlines. It is so easy to find the absolute truth these days but not many people seem to bother. And of course there is the common fear much abroad in Britain today of “standing out from the crowd”. I never was one for following the mob.
Please keep up your good work, IsraeliNurse *and* Chas.
Henry – thank you for your kind words; they made my day.
Henry,I’m amazed and delighted to read your reflection. My mother wrote a collection of short stories based on an idealised portrait of her father, Israel Saltman who was a very popular ‘tallyman’ (1d a week haberdasher)among the residents of the N.E. pit villages like Chester-le-Street. I wonder if the older generation in your family knew him? I’m about to start editing the few stories I have to a produce a little e-book for present-day family members. If you have any info., please get in touch via Chas. Thanks. Natalie
Hi Natalie, My family was sited quite a bit North of Chester-le-Street in the Northumberland coalfields. Mind you, we had our share of tallymen there too! (“Me Mam says she’s not in!” lol.) One I do remember was Joe Unthank who was based/lived in Newcastle upon Tyne though he covered quite a bit of Northumberland on his rounds.
Sorry I’m unable to help with your quest.
So far as I’m aware, although born in Grimsby, my grandfather spent most of his life in Newcastle, South Shields and area before moving to Bournemouth in a vain attempt to ease the emphysemia from which he died.
Lovely evocative writing Israelinurse. Tubishvat is Duvidl’s family’s favourite festival. And the song “Etz Hasadeh” (Desert tree) is so clearly an allegory for the land of Israel.
Great post, IN. You had me at “One of the things I love about the Jewish festivals is the way they are so intimately connected to the cycle of nature here in Israel.”
I took some time out from deadline week to dine with Jonathan Sacerdoti at White House Express in Golders tonight. They brought a special fruit platter in honour of Tu B’Shvat.
While back here in Calderdale the traditional English festival of ‘moaning about how cold it is’ (duration 365 days) continues to keep us entertained.. Thought I would reciprocate your post and send you a lovely trad recipe you might like to try (though I doubt it to honest)
Traditional Recipe
Ingredients
2 lb fresh, sweet variety dock leaves (polygonum distorta)
2 large onions, or 2 large bunches of spring onions
½ lb nettles
A handful of oatmeal
A knob of butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Wash and clean the dock leaves and remove the stalks
Wash and clean the nettles
Chop the onions
Fry the vegetables in the butter until tender
Add the oatmeal and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking, the pudding is then ready for eating or for storing in a sealed container
Tony, that is my favourite English festival!
Tony – oddly enough, I have family roots in Mytholmroyd – home of many a dock pudding champion. This therefore obliges me to stick to my Grandmother’s family recipe, passed down through the generations, and containing additional secret ingredients which I cannot under any circumstances reveal!
I presume you know the lovely local story about Lord Haw Haw and dock pudding during the war.
I am afraid to say that trad local dish it may be but I have never tried Dock pudding.. The chicken thighs seem infinitely tastier!
By the way there is not a cloud in the sky today so perhaps we should stop moaning (It’s still freezing though.)
I believe Lord Haw Haw accused us of resorting to eating grass. Dare I say that looking at the ingredients he might have had a point?
Beautiful post Israelinurse. We have an almond tree right across from our building, planted by one of my neighbours when he was a boy (he’s around 60 now). Every year it blossoms bang on time on Tu Bishvat. I remembered to across and have a look just before – and lo and behold, it has blossomed! I took a couple of pictures on my cellphone. If they come out alright I’ll post them here.
Further to my post above, here is a photo of the almond tree in not-quite full blossom, taken today in brilliant sunshine.
Oh, oops, the photo didn’t come out. Here’s a link to it:
Almond Tree
Here’s another one:
another shkedia