Tzimmes, tsimmes, and other spelling variants (Yiddish: צימעס) and (Hebrew: צִימֶעס) is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish sweet stew typically made from carrots and dried fruits such as prunes or raisins, often combined with other root vegetables (usually yams). Some cooks add chunks of meat (usually beef flank or brisket). The dish is cooked slowly over low heat and flavored with honey or sugar and sometimes cinnamon or other spices.
Tzimmes is often part of the Rosh Hashanah meal, when it is traditional to eat sweet and honey-flavored dishes.
The name may come from the Yiddish words tzim (for) and esn (eating). "To make a big tzimmes over something" is a Yinglish expression that means to make a big fuss, perhaps because of all the slicing, mixing, and stirring that go into the preparation of the dish.