Food writer Alissa Timoshkina (Picture: Lizzi Mayson)[Missing Credit]
Alissa Timoshkina, food writer
I didn’t grow up with any Jewish tradition back in the former Soviet Union, and only really began connecting with my heritage in a meaningful way when I became a mother. This means that most of our custom and practice is relatively new to me but I love exploring it all with my children, and cooking has been my way in.
My great grandma’s poppy seed loaf is a signature bake in our family, but it was never attached to any religious holidays. So when I learnt that for some Jews it is a traditional cake to serve after Yom Kippur, it made perfect sense and I started doing it too. As well as being nostalgic for me, this is also a satisfying cake that is full of nutrients so it ticked all the boxes. I have a slice with a cup of oat latte (because I have to add my north London persona to the ritual too!).
Chef Mark Jankel (Photo: Blake Ezra)[Missing Credit]
Mark Jankel, chef and founder of Osher
When I was growing up, you’d get back home, and the first thing you’d do is have a cup of tea. Then it was proper Ashkenazi feast: probably some fried fish balls, chopped liver, that sort of thing. But since being introduced to the Sephardi tradition by my wife’s family everything has changed – apart from that cup of tea.
My wife’s family has a recipe that is loosely based around the Moroccan fish stew chraime. They mince up the fish and make little patties – ktzitzot, as they’re known in Israel – with spices (we buy a chraime spice mix from a guy called Israel in HaTikva market in Tel Aviv, but paprika and ras el hanout work), some challah, ginger, coriander and parsley. You fry the patties on both sides, and then cook them in a tomato sauce made from onions, celery, chopped tomatoes and more of the spices, and bake it all in the oven for a couple of hours.
I like to eat it with amba-tahini (which I make by mixing the two sauces together), loads of fresh coriander and some challah. It’s one of those dishes that makes you feel emotional while you’re eating it.
Food influencer Falmer (Photo: Hannah Couzens)[Missing Credit]
Falmer, food influencer
About four years ago I went straight in for the honey cake, bagels, all the heavy stuff, and I felt absolutely terrible, so now I ease myself in with something light. In a realistic world, this is a cup of tea and maybe some dates, but ideally I’ll break my fast with my chicken bone broth.
I make my bone broth with a chicken carcass, mirepoix (onions, carrot, celery), lemon, ginger, turmeric and cayenne pepper. This year I’ll make a massive batch so all my family can have it. It feels so good to replenish your body and soul with something that’s nutritional, tasty, and easy on the stomach.
We break the fast at my aunty and uncles house, and have a traditional Ashkenazi spread – basically a ‘make your own bagel bar’ with tuna, smoked salmon, egg and onion, some pickled herring for my dad, crisps and honey cake.
When I have my own family I think we’ll probably spice it up a little bit. I definitely want to carry on my family traditions, but I love spice, and just anything that’s not gefilte fish to be honest!
Iraqi-born cookbook author Sophia Baruch (Photo: Giora Hirsch)[Missing Credit]
Sophia Baruch, author Bil’eifi: The Taste of My Iraqi Home
Growing up in Baghdad, we would start the fast with two dishes: timmen ahmar plao b’gig (red rice, raisins and shredded chicken) and shorba bel gig wil timmen (chicken soup with rice) – which both keep you full for a long time.
To break the fast we would start milky, with chai mechader (brewed tea), ka’kat (a soft, circular bread), sambusek (little pastries which we fill with cheese or walnuts) and mechbouz b’tamir (date cookies). All of the pastries are made with the same dough, and all of the recipes I’ve mentioned are in my book. Then, because we would break the fast early – around 6.30 or 7 – around 9.30/10ish, we would go back to the shorba.
Nowadays, things are a little different – we live in London, so we have adapted. We don’t have the meat course, as we break the fast much later here, but we still have the brewed tea and all the pastries, and my daughters make carrot cake, cheesecake and scones. So we still keep our Iraqi traditions, but with an English touch!
Shedletsky's pickles co-founder Natalie Preston (Photo: Natalie Preston)[Missing Credit]
Natalie Preston, co-founder Shedletsky’s pickles
We usually have about eight friends over – people who, like us, don’t have family nearby – which I love: a magical moment of togetherness after such spiritually and physically an intense day.
Food wise, we do a big spread. We have a bagel platter (with bagels from Shaloms in Gants Hill), a fish platter (featuring smoked salmon, mackerel dip, fish balls – unsweetened, because we aren’t mad!), a couple of salads for freshness (last year I made a tomato panzanella with challah and a roasted pepper salad), a crudité plate with labneh, hummus and olives, a cheese board – and, of course, all the Shedletsky’s pickles! My husband, James, also makes a lentil soup, and last year I made vegan lox (with carrots, capers, seaweed and smoked seasoning) as one of our guests didn’t eat fish.
For something sweet, we have a fruit platter and chocolate mousse. Drinks wise, traditionally we keep it simple with water and tea, but this year I’ll also be handing out pickle juice shots, as it’s fantastic for dehydration and electrolytes and very on-brand!
