Traditional Shavuot Dishes

Shavuot is a Jewish Holiday that celebrates the day that God gave Moses and the Jewish people the Torah on Mount Sinai.  Every year in late May or early April, the Jewish people celebrate what is considered the spiritual event where the Jewish people and God were married and swore everlasting devotion and loyalty to each other.

Shavuot is not a holiday prescribed by the Torah.  Unlike other Jewish holiday, there is no abstention from work and no specific prayers.  However, Jewish people around the world celebrate Shavuot every year.  Shavuot is celebrated by special minhagim customs.  Minhagim is a mnemonic for the customs celebrated on Shavuot.  The customs include a liturgical poem during the Shavuot morning services, the reading of the Book of Ruth, the decoration of homes and synagogues with greenery, engaging in all-night Torah study and the consumption of dairy products like milk and cheese.

During Shavuot, the Jewish people traditionally eat dairy products such as cheesecake and blintzes. Dairy is consumed because upon receivng the Torah from God, the Jewish people could no longer cook meat in pots which had not been rendered Kosher under Jewish law. Instead, they opted to eat simple dairy meals. Others claim that the ritual of eating dairy products comes from the Torah itself and King Soloman’s portrayal of the Torah as “honey and milk.”

Traditionally, dairy products are served on Shavuot. The most well known of Shavuot dishes are cheese blintzes. Blintzes are fluffy fried crêpes generally filled with sweetened cheese or cream cheese and served with a dollop of thick sour cream. Blintzes are often topped with fruit such as pears, peaches or strawberries.

For great blitzes recipes go to: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/shavuot/default_cdo/jewish/Shavuot.htm.

Another traditional dish served during Shavuot is Cheesecake. For a great basic cheesecake recipe go to: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2069/jewish/Basic-Cheesecake.htm

During a Shavuot celebration two leavened loaves of bread are also usually served. The two loaves of bread originate with historical Shavuot rituals celebrating the end of the wheat harvest. Historically, every person was commanded to bring to the Temple two loaves of bread and the first fruits of his harvest. To this day, hundreds of Jewish people travel through Jerusalem on foot early on Shavuot morning to pray at the Western Wall.

Other traditional Shavuot dishes are Noodle Kugel, Strawberry Shortcake and various fruits and sour cream. For great Shavuot recipes go to: http://www.aish.com/shavuotfeatures/shavuotfeaturesdefault/Shavuot_Dairy_Desserts_Deluxe_.asp