The celebration of Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown Friday, Sept. 26, will be even more special than usual this year because my wife, Leslye, and I will enjoy it in our new home in the Napa Valley. It will afford us the opportunity to harvest special foods from Leslye’s garden and pair the festive New Year’s meal with fine kosher wines from our neighbor Ernie Weir of Hagafen Cellars.
Our daughters Stephanie and Leslie, son-in-law Matt and grandson Sam will gather at sundown on Rosh Hashanah day for this meal to celebrate the New Year and reflect upon the personal and broad-reaching events of the past year. The only question will be whether we enjoy this repast outdoors overlooking the vineyards or inside beside a glowing fire.
To create a splendid meal, we’ve enlisted the talents of our One Market Restaurant chef and partner Adrian Hoffman. Adrian graduated from Brandeis University as a philosophy major, then realized that his true love was in the kitchen.
With the New Year beginning in late September, there will be beets in the garden and at the farmers’ market. The onions will be sweet and the squashes right for roasting. While available year round, a plump local free-range chicken is always a treat. For dessert, the O’Henry peaches will be full of flavor.
Our meal begins with the traditional apple dipped in honey, symbolizing our hopes for a sweet new year, followed by an aperitif of Quady Winery’s new Vya vermouth — a half-and-half combination of the herbaceous extra dry vermouth and the spicy sweet vermouth, served on ice with a peel of orange.
As a first course, a variety of garden beets are the best for both presentation and flavor. This autumn vegetable starter is a refreshing way to begin a New Years’ dinner. The beet greens in particular symbolize the departure, or passing, of “troubles” from the previous year.
The fricassee is a take on a classic Sephardic combination of chicken with pomegranates and squash. All ingredients are symbols of the mitzvot to accomplish in the new year. This dish is exceptional served with saffron scented rice.
This O’Henry Peach-Polenta Cake is reminiscent of desserts that were prepared in Israel by North Africans. The polenta gives a similar texture to cakes made with couscous, and sweetened with sugar and almonds.
Michael Daller, who will do an occasional guest chef column, is co-founder of the S.F.-based Lark Creek Restaurant Group, which includes The Lark Creek Inn,
One Market, Lark Creek, Yankee Pier, Parcel 104, Arterra and Bradley Ogden restaurants.