In celebration of the new year of trees, construct this edible dried fruit centerpiece with either a basket or terra cotta pot base. It’s the perfect addition to your Tu B’Shevat celebration.

To make the basket base:

1. Using a round foam shape as your base, push in short wood skewers about every ½ inch.
2. Weave the pull and peel licorice around the skewers. Each time you start a new licorice piece, you should wrap it arou nd a stick and press firmly to keep it in place.

To make the terra cotta pot base:

1. Start with a medium sized terra cotta pot.
2. Insert either a round piece of green foam or a pomegranate to use as the base that will hold your flowers.

To make the flowers:

1. String a series of raisins on a thin wire and shape into petals. Add an apricot in the center.
2. String a dried pineapple with apricot circles for a double petal flower, then add a raisin for the center.
3. String marshmallows on a wire and shape into petals, then add a jelly bean center.
4. Fold a fruit roll-up into the shape of a rose or tulip.

Note: Try not to make your flowers too top heavy. If sour sticks stems are not strong enough to support flowers, wrap a sour stick around a wood skewer for added support.

To make the stems and leaves:

1. Use a thin green wire to help stand up a green sour stick stem, or wrap a long skewer with green ribbon or tape.
2. To add leaves to your stem, use wire to shape a sour stick into an almond shape and wrap it around the stem.
3. When you have formed a few flowers, push the bottoms into the base and arrange them in varying heights to make a mouthwatering Tu B’Shevat bouquet.

Special thanks to the eighth-grade students at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Maryland.