Business is Good and Round Focaccia for the New Year

The aravot (willow) selling is going really well this year. Our trees are really nice. People look for the לבלוב (luvloov) on their willow branch and we have plenty. I am not sure how to translate that to English. Google translates it as bloom. Anyway it is a growth from the top of the leaf.

Luvloov at the top

We even have a large order for willows without the luvloov. The price is lower but usually we just end up throwing these branches to the goats.

So we are all helping out. First someone goes out to the field and cuts parts of a tree. This has to be done when it is cool. The first sale day, with all the pressure for more branches, we tried to cut a few in the late afternoon. The branches drooped and died before we could get them to the air conditioned room. 

Trees this year

After cutting, the branches are removed and inspected to find the luvloov. Then we package the branches in plastic bags and seal them. The branches are packaged in sets of 2 or 5. 

Eli inspecting the branches

Branches are packaged. Now the air is removed from the plastic bags.

Bags are sealed. They will stay fresh longer.

Another set ready

The sets of 2 we sell now. The boys and Harry take them to Rehovot. Sometimes they hire friends to help. In addition, people call for large orders. We have had orders for 100 sets and even 1000 sets.

The sets of 5 will be sold for Hoshanah Rabbah. On Hoshanah Rabbah people take the 5 branches and beat them on the ground. It was done in the Temple. There are different explanations for this custom. Some say it shows the Jewish people's ability to survive persecution. Others say it symbolic of casting off sins because some of the leaves fall off.

With all that going on I just made some foccacia bread to serve to visitors to our Succah and the Meshek. I usually bake it in a rectangle pan but since I am out, l baked it in round pans. It is our custom to eat round sweet challah at the meals from Rosh Hashanah to Simchat Torah. The round challah symbolizes cyclic nature of the year.

Round Focaccia

So today we are also having round focaccia. I have a very simple recipe. No kneading and you can make the dough when you have time and let it sit in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. 

Foccacia (makes 2)

Ingredients

6 1/2 cups flour. I use several types depending on what I have. I like it best with 3 cups regular flour, 2 cups bread flour, and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. 

1 tbsp dry yeast

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp sugar 

3 1/2 cups lukewarm water

Olive oil

Additional salt (Kosher salt is also good)

Garlic and any other spices

Instructions

1. Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl

2. Mix quickly

3. Add water a cup at a time, mixing. In the end you will have a wet dough

4. Cover and let rise about 2 hours.

You can use the dough now or put it in the refrigerator until you want to use it. If you refrigerate, take it out about an hour before you use it and let it sit.

5. Divide the dough in half and press each into a 9 x12 inch pan. I spray the pan before with non-stick spray and sprinkle a little flour. I also put flour on my hands because the dough is sticky.

6. Let rise again about 1/2 hour.

7. Sprinkle dough wth olive oil, salt, and spices.

8. Bake at 200 cel for 18 minutes. If I remember I put some water in pan in the bottom of the oven. The bread is moister.