Fruits of Labor

While back home in Little Rock I had the opportunity to share kitchen time with a 'hamentaschen' baking fundraising project with some women I hadn't met before but also lunch and another holiday project with friends from my past Sisterhood days. 

Thanks to my sister-in law-Terri for snapping some of these pics...

Tu B'Shevat, New Year of the Trees, was marked by a dozen of us making table arrangements using dried fruits. Each person had brought a container to create our own centerpiece. Our variety of arrangements would represent fruit trees blooming in Israel at this time of year. Although I usually think of beautiful almond trees pink blooms, it'd be awfully difficult to skewer almonds. We all had to think about the origins of some of the dried fruits and if they indeed grow on trees.  See if you can identify the fruits and name their sources.

 
Our creativity on a dreary winter afternoon brightened the day... 

                       

Dried ingredients included: prunes, dates, mango, pineapple, raisins, apricots, apple, figs, raisins... You're correct if you noted some of these don't grow on trees, but who cares? What's better than an edible arrangement and time spent with both old and new friends? What a great program idea! In fact, you just might see this project being done near the End of the Rainbow Valley next year. "Imititation is the best form of flattery." Wink, wink.