Tu B'shvat seder
Feb. 15th, 2006 11:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidAccording to one source, the Tu B'shvat seder was started by mystics in Tzvat a couple hundred years ago. It's become a popular yet strangely uncodified tradition (compared, for example, to Kabbalat Shabbat, the introductory service before ma'ariv on Shabbat, which was started at the same time and by the same sorts of people). There's some agreement: four cups of wine, progressing from white to red, and lots of fruit, but other than that, it's flexible.
That flexibility is why it didn't feel so odd to postpone having a seder on the day itself (due to the blizzard) to tonight (and the weather cooperated, being much more springlike) (In contrast, no matter what the weather, the Pesach seders would not be postponed.).
I decided to do as on Pesach and have a variety of texts, four different seders printed out, so we could take what seemed useful or interesting from each. There were quotes from Tanach and Talmud about trees, discussion of different kinds of fruits (fruits of Israel (which seemed to be a different paradigm than the rest, but was used anyway), fruits with inedible rinds, fruits with inedible pits, fruits that are wholly edible) and how they parallel different kinds of people, analogies between the cups and the four seasons, ideas for planting trees in Israel or parsley for the (Pesach) seder, ways in which we can be better guardians of the earth.
Really, though, it's an excellent reason to get together with friends and eat fruit. Also, this year, chocolate.
Many thanks to the Electric Truffle Roommate for his exemplary chocolate skills, and his ability with a Sawzall. Also the chocolate dipping implements. Thank you.
That flexibility is why it didn't feel so odd to postpone having a seder on the day itself (due to the blizzard) to tonight (and the weather cooperated, being much more springlike) (In contrast, no matter what the weather, the Pesach seders would not be postponed.).
I decided to do as on Pesach and have a variety of texts, four different seders printed out, so we could take what seemed useful or interesting from each. There were quotes from Tanach and Talmud about trees, discussion of different kinds of fruits (fruits of Israel (which seemed to be a different paradigm than the rest, but was used anyway), fruits with inedible rinds, fruits with inedible pits, fruits that are wholly edible) and how they parallel different kinds of people, analogies between the cups and the four seasons, ideas for planting trees in Israel or parsley for the (Pesach) seder, ways in which we can be better guardians of the earth.
Really, though, it's an excellent reason to get together with friends and eat fruit. Also, this year, chocolate.
- wine
Carmel Moscato de Carmel 2003
Tonelli Joven red (no year on the label) - crackers
sesame water crackers
whole wheat crackers - dried fruit
figs
dates
raisins
papaya
apricots
crystallized ginger - nuts
almonds
pine nuts
walnuts
pecans - fresh fruit
apple
asian pear
plum
kiwi
orange
grapefruit
pineapple
raspberry
blackberry
blueberry
coconut (OK, yes, this is a nut. But it was opened at the seder, which made it feel more fresh fruit-y than the other nuts)
maraschino cherries (also not really fresh: frozen cherries soaked in maraschino liqueur) - chocolate-dipped things
almonds
raspberries
apricots
crystallized ginger - truffles*
amaretto
chambord
bengal spice
habanero
* Truffles made as before, except that this time the ganache rested in plastic bags, and was cut into prisms with a hacksaw instead of being rolled into spheres.
Many thanks to the Electric Truffle Roommate for his exemplary chocolate skills, and his ability with a Sawzall. Also the chocolate dipping implements. Thank you.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-16 05:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-16 06:21 pm (UTC)I hope you made sufficient fruit-time for Tu B'Shvat :-).