Hope And Honey

Lekach, or Jewish honey cake, is a honey-sweetened cake. It is one of the symbolically significant foods traditionally eaten by Ashkenazi Jews at the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah in hopes of ensuring a sweet New Year. Rosh Hashanah was back in September, but today is my New Year's Day. Liz sent me a recipe for honey cake 

Emma's Honey Cake – from Ramona Koval in Jewish Cooking, Jewish Cooks

3 eggs
1 cup (250 ml) honey
1 cup (250 ml)sugar
1 cup (250 ml) warm strong black coffee
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
2¾ cups (680 ml) self-raising flour 
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground allspice
Optional ingredients:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground ginger
2 teaspoons (10 ml) whisky
Small handful slivered almonds
Small handful raisins

With a fork, beat the eggs with the honey and sugar. Add the coffee, then the oil. Continue to beat for a few minutes, then add the flour, gradually, with the remaining ingredients. Pour the batter into a 9-inch bundt tin and bake at 350F (180C /160 fan) for about an hour.

I didn't want to make a huge cake- so divided quantities by 3 and made it in my small bundt tin.Bundt means fellowship, community, or gathering of people, But there are only two of us here to mark the turn of the year!

When the Israelites travelled with Moses during the Exodus, God promised them a 'land flowing with milk and honey'. Sustenance and sweetness. And because nomads cannot be beekeepers, it also reflected their hope of being settled somewhere.

After all the awful things which have happened in 2020, I pray that in this new year, you will be blessed with all you need, and sweet surprises too - and that life will be truly more settled for all of us. 2021 - a year of hope...

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