The Charlotte Jewish News- September 2025- Page 34
Around the Table: Bringing Figs to the Rosh HaShanah Table
By Charlotte Rouchouze
It is hard for us to believe, but my family and I have now been living in our Charlotte home for 10 years. In addition to the size of my children, another reminder of the considerable amount of time we have been living in North Carolina are the two enormous fig trees that I planted myself, and that have begun giving abundant fruit every summer.
When we came to North Carolina from Chicago, I was eager to get started planting vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees. I especially loved the idea of growing plants native to the Mediterranean, such as figs, olives, rosemary, thyme, and other herbs. I’ m not sure why, but that rugged bluegreen, sun-drenched foliage captured me on various trips to the South of France, Greece, and Israel, and the idea of being able to replicate a taste of it in my yard had me dreaming. While olive trees are not quite feasible in our zone, certain species of fig do brilliantly, and I have greatly enjoyed having our two beautiful fig trees( one is a turkey with their iconic hand-shaped leaves). So, this is the time of year I am swamped with figs and wondering what to do with all these sweet little nuggets, and this got me thinking about the fig tree as a symbol in Judaism.
After doing some reading, I learned that figs are considered
to be one of the oldest plants cultivated by humans, with evidence of them dating back 11,000 years … and where else but in the Jordan Valley? I also read that some rabbis believed figs to be the fruit referred to in the story of the Garden of Eden. We know that fig leaves do appear in the story when Adam and Eve attempt to hide their nakedness, a usage which gave rise to the leaves’ association with flimsy covers. Elsewhere in the Torah they appear as symbols of peace and prosperity, such as in this well-known, magnificent passage in the Book of Micah that describes the prophet’ s concept of a Messianic future.
“… and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore. And they shall dwell each man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid … for all peoples shall go, each one in the name of his god, but we will go in the name of the Lord, our God, forever and ever.”( Micah 4)
This bucolic vision of“ each man under his vine and fig tree” living unafraid, evokes a time of peace among diverse peoples, prosperity, and oneness with the natural surroundings. It is known that George Washington also frequently quoted this passage both as a vision of national security and of religious tolerance. In fact, he referred to it in a letter to a Jewish congregation, as a way of promising that Jews would live peacefully and freely in his United States,
As a Mediterranean fruit that appears at the end of summer, figs are a wonderful, sweet addition to the Rosh Hashana table. Here is a cake that I devised, inspired partly by the delicious Plum Cake my mom makes on many holidays, but with a Mediterranean twist. I brought olive oil, sweet white wine, rosemary and figs. If rosemary isn’ t your thing, by all means leave it out.( And if fig isn’ t your thing, another jam works fine!)
Charlotte Rouchouze, PhD is a local French teacher, food blogger, and beaded jewelry designer. Her blog about food traditions from around the world can be found at www. thechildrenstable. com. Contact her at charlotte. rouchouze @ yahoo. com.
Fig Jam Cake Makes 10-12 servings Equipment: 9 inch round cake pan
• 1 ½ cups sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup sweet white wine such as Moscato
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
• 1 jar fig jam— I love Bonne Maman
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs with electric beaters or whisk until creamy. Then add oil, wine, flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and finely chopped rosemary. Beat for 1 minute. Spray the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with nonstick spray and then line with parchment paper( optional if removing the cake perfectly intact is not a priority). Spray again. Pour half the batter in the pan. With a spoon, disperse tablespoon sized scoops of jam around the cake. Pour the rest of the batter over the jam and sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides. It may take a little longer, but keep an eye on it, and make sure it passes the‘ toothpick’ test.