What is Tzimmes? It is a popular stewed or roasted dish of Jewish cuisine, consisting of carrots, plums, apples, among others. Served at festive meals, it has a distinctive sweet taste. The name “tzimmes” comes from Yiddish and also functions in Polish speech as a synonym for a rarity.

Tzimmes is a wonderful Jewish dish made up of vegetables and fruit that delights with its sweet taste. The main ingredients are juicy carrots, dried plums, sweet apples and cinnamon, but it can also be enriched with potatoes, meat and various kinds of dried fruit, depending on personal taste. This dish can be stewed or baked, which produces a unique flavour and texture. Traditionally, tzimmes is served at Jewish festive meals, where it is an integral part of the main course.

According to the 1906 publication ‘The Jewish Encyclopedia’, tzimmes was a dish specific to Central and Eastern Europe.  In fact, it was a dish created by combining Jewish culinary art and food customs from this part of the world.

In Yiddish, the word ‘tzimmes’ also functioned as a term describing a particularly complicated, intricate procedure or undertaking. Perhaps it has to do with a dish that required a long preparation time.

The dish won the hearts, or rather the stomachs, not only of Jews, but also of lovers of other cuisines. Different versions of it are available, depending on taste preferences. Whichever version of tzimmes is chosen, the word itself is still associated with a unique taste and a unique culinary experience.

Originating from Yiddish, the name ‘tzimmes’ has over time passed into Polish speech, becoming synonymous with a unique taste, a rarity.