Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast recipes/menus/comments


doggirl

Recommended Posts

I can't believe I'm posting this/obsessing about this in August, but here goes.

My observant in-laws recently switched synagogues to one down the block from my apartment. So this year, we are breaking the Yom Kippur fast chez moi.

Make no mistake: they take Yom Kippur very seriously, and will have been fasting since sundown the previous evening. What do you serve someone who hasn't eaten in 24 hours? (I know, "anything.")

It has to be kosher, of course. Probably dairy -- I assume that would be easier on the digestive system?

Usually my MIL serves challah, cheeses, smoked salmon, and a dreadful dairy-noodle casserole that I have no intention of emulating. PS, I am NOT fasting.

Any ideas? Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just found this previous thread on breaking the fast. Should have looked for that before posting.

I'm still hoping for new suggestions.  :smile:

ahhhhhhh [loud scream!!!] ur thinking about YK already??!@!! :wacko::wacko: u must be nervous!!

usually it's dairy, but i am sure u knew that. things change though on who is invited or coming (read ashkenazi or sephardi) -- u can have anything from dairy, like u said, to a full meat meal. dairy is usually the bagel-cream cheese-lox, kugels, cheese, cheese bagels, fruit, honey cake, tea/coffee, juices deal. OR then some people will eat -- believe it or not -- a meat meal starting with soup and then other dishes specializing in where ur family comes from. hated those meals myself. way too "grossetating" after the fast.

usually i just want COFFEE, Tylenol and something sweet. :raz: overall though, it's basically light stuff so as not to "shock" the stomach after 25/26 hrs of not eating and drinking.

i say stay with tradition though i am sure others may not agree. IMO, less problems especially after people havent eaten for hours and hours.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I guess I am nervous. Anytime I'm in charge of feeding my ultra-picky and food-neurotic (or just plain neurotic?) in-laws, it requires a lot of forethought.

The note about coffee is a good one, it hadn't occurred to me to have coffee on hand at dinnertime, coffee's always a morning thing to me. Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I guess I am nervous. Anytime I'm in charge of feeding my ultra-picky and food-neurotic (or just plain neurotic?) in-laws, it requires a lot of forethought.

The note about coffee is a good one, it hadn't occurred to me to have coffee on hand at dinnertime, coffee's always a morning thing to me.  Thank you!

don't be nervous.

coffee is essential IMO. especially after not being able to feed my addicition to it for those long hours. and no way, i wouldn't even consider weaning myself off it to avoid that damned YK headache.

but yeah, usually the first thing people do is drink coffee or tea or some other beverage to "break fast".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ahhhhhhh [loud scream!!!] ur thinking about YK already??!@!!  :wacko:  :wacko: u must be nervous!!

I'm probably the only one having nightmares about Pesach already, eh?

Coffee/tea and some baking is always good for arrival from synagogue. I always liked my baba's milky vegetable noodle soup for break-the-fast.

Keep it light - yet substantial :unsure: . (does that make sense?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do a very large break-the-fast every years. actually, it is smaller now that we have moved but still i have between 25-30 people. People may say they want to eat lightly but they eat like Sherman marching through Georgia. Lately, I have found that they do not eat as much kugel as they used to but the baked goods disappear. The amount of smoked salmon is greater than it used to be as well.

I do not try to be gourmet since it is really a very traditional holiday. I found long ago that people want what they have always had...Sometimes, I get very tired of the same old thing but it is a comfort to most people. I do make a wonderful whitefish salad that I stuff back into 5 lb. whitefish skins. That is my centerpiece and it is still just whitefish. You shouldn't fret about this. It is an easy holiday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People may say they want to eat lightly but they eat like Sherman marching through Georgia.

hahaha!!! :laugh: I love it.

I'm going to make sure there's an ocean of coffee, tea, and OJ, plus baked goods to eat as soon as everyone comes through the door. And a lot of smoked fish.

If I've taken anything away from this thread, that it is. And thanks for being so supportive, too, I appreciate it. It's funny how cooking for a secular occasion (Thanksgiving) or a non-occasion (dinner for friends) doesn't provoke the same anxiety as a religious holiday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Just found this thread...

alacarte, having the in-laws over is enough to make anyone nervous. But the breaking of the fast is not a holiday, just a human need to eat. It doesn't have any religious overtones, it's just that people want the comfort food they're used to from family tradition. Coffee, OJ - I crave those too. But it's carbohydrates that help a person regain balance after fasting 25 hours. Pasta, lightly sauced, followed by a mineral-rich vegetable soup like minestrone, then perhaps smoked fish or gefulte fish, served with hearts of lettuce and sliced tomatoes - like that. Baked goods, for sure, as everyone has said. But keep things on the lighter side: low fat and light flavors, as a heavy meal falls on a shrunken stomach like lead.

Hope this advice is timely.

Miriam

Miriam Kresh

blog:[blog=www.israelikitchen.com][/blog]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

In case any of you aren't still full from Rosh Hashana, just a week 'til break the fast and more food.

I'm almost looking forward to fasting this year...

With all the talk about breaking the fast, I'm curious about what people have Erev Yom Kippur. Once upon a time we would have chicken soup, gefilte fish, always grilled steak with lots of sides and dessert (I think these family traditions were leftover from my fathers' childhood on a farm - lots of food all the time - it took a few decades to shake the habits). Nobody in my family can handle that much food anymore and it's always a much simpler meal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tapenade bought a special dried fruit stuffing that I am going to use to stuff a chicken. The dried fruit is:

Raisins

Sultanas

Currants

Papaya

Passion Fruit

Kiwi

Mango

Coconut

Apple

Cranberries

Lemon

We will have chicken soup. Believe it or not, but I couldn't find any matza before I left for my business trip, so I am on a mission to find a box before Friday and will make matza balls. Otherwise, I will buy some homemade kreplach from my butcher. He makes really good ones. Sorry, Pam, I don't have the energy to make them this week. I can make matza balls in my sleep.

For sides:

Roasted potatoes

Not sure what vegetable, maybe asparagus

Something fruity for dessert

Edited by Swisskaese (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

our break fast is a potluck at shul, so most of my cooking is for the erev meal. i'm excited to try the kreplach recipe -- i don't eat meat, so a recipe like this seems ideal to adapt to the less-than-moist mock meats out there. after an amazing sephardic rosh hashana meal at a friend's (phyllo filled with artichokes, mint and lemon; halibut in a glaze of pomegranate molasses, seeds, and pistachios; grilled bread with taramosalata; individual savory kugels with fideo noodles and eggs and parsley and lemon zest, etc etc etc), i'm trying to think of more western european accompaniments...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmmm, here I am responding on Friday night to a post about Yom Kippur....

Dairy seems to be the most popular approach. We always did smoked fish (you can put out several types) bagels, kugel, and fried potatoes (home fries). We also always made eggs to order. I say made because we break the fast at my brother's now, and I'm off the hook ;)

You say you don't like noodle pudding!!! You must not have the right recipe. Feel fine to try mine that you can find <a href="http://www.recipesonrails.com/recipes/show/39"> HERE </a>

<br>

<center>

<img src="http://www.recipesonrails.com/recipes/photo/39-noodle-pudding.png?1155321279">

</center>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have finalized my menu for tomorrow and break-the-fast:

Erev Yom Kippur:

Chicken soup with matza balls

Roasted chicken stuffed with rice and tropical dried fruit (see my earlier post)

Asparagus

Crepes stuffed with fresh figs that I have marinated in plum liqueur I bought in St. Paul de Vence and a small drizzle of chestnut honey on top

Break-the-fast:

Smoked Salmon

Tzfatit cheese with nigella seeds

Gouda

Edam

Eggplant spread

Hummous

Labane

Bulgarit spread

Crackers and bread

Spinach Bourekas (I bought some homemade ones at a specialty shop)

Herbed omlette

Banana bread

Start drinking lots of water and don't drink a lot of caffeine today.

Shana tova, G'mar Hatima Tova and Tzom Cal

(Happy New Year, may you be sealed in the Book of Life and have an easy fast)

Edited by Swisskaese (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I realized sometime late this afternoon that although I'd like to be at Michelle's tomorrow night, it likely wasn't going to happen (B'Shana Ha'Ba'ah!). So somebody had to do something about dinner tomorrow night.

I made a pot of chicken soup this evening - just chilling now. And I made a small batch of meat kreplach (they are so good!). Rib steaks are thawing in the fridge - and I'm thinking kasha and roasted cauliflower. I have to be at work in the morning - until early afternoon. If I can, I'll bake a spiced plum cake when I get home for dessert (but I only have a few plums, so it may be a spiced plum, peach and apple cake).

Break-the-fast is somewhere else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

As my thoughts start to turn to Rosh Hashana, it's obvious that Yom Kippur isn't far off. Anybody know what they're cooking for break-the-fast this year?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure a lot of the same dishes we make year after year. Oven baked french toast, kugle, bagels, lox and cream cheese. For the last year or so I've been making smoked Nova "lox". I have been making it a couple a times a month so this year as last year the lox will be homemade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

Reading some of my post from past years, I realize that we don't vary the menu much from year to year.

Tonight, pre-fast dinner will be a rib-roast, cornish hens, kasha, roasted vegetables and maybe a mushroom and onion kugel. Lots of beverages.

Tomorrow, for breaking the fast, our family will do dairy. My aunt hosts, and always starts with a soup. Usually a milky vegetable soup, but rumour has it she's changing it up this year. We always have some form of sweet yeast baking (last year I made blueberry filled buns, this year it will be cinnamon buns). Cheese kugel, fish (halibut I think), salad and ratatouille. Assorted baking and tea to finish.

But ice cream sounds like a great idea. Maybe I can talk the family into that for next year. :wink:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...