For the past several years Kay has invited us to join her for a Passover Seder. Monday, the first day of Passover, nine of us gathered for the Seder, the central ritual of Passover. The Seder refers to the carefully ordered Passover dinner. Everyone enjoys food, wine, and the reading of the story of the Exodus from Egypt.
The Seder plate with the ritual symbols that retell the Exodus story served as the centerpiece on the Seder table.
We read from the Haggadah. The text retells the story of the Jewish liberation from slavery described in the Book of Exodus in the Torah.
Our meal started with Matzo Ball Soup, a food traditionally served at the Passover Seder.
The main course of the meal: prime rib, but the charoset is my favorite Passover Seder dish. Charoset is one of the symbolic foods that Jews eat during their Passover seder every year. It represents the mortar that the Israelites used to make bricks while they were slaves in Egypt. Kay agreed to share her recipe for this sweet dish made of fruit and nuts.
Choroset
Ingredients:
- 6 lb red delicious apples
- 1/2 to cup white wine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup cinnamon
- 2-3 cups silvered almonds
- sugar (to taste)
Peel, core, and coarsely chop apples.
Add and stir together the remaining ingredients.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
This dish is better if made at least 24 hours ahead.
I’m glad we’ve been included in this celebration. It’s been a wonderful way to understand the traditions of Jewish friends and better understand the story from the Old Testament.