T
he Exodus of the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt, recounted every year at the Passover Seder, is a gripping tale. Miraculous deliverance is tinged with the drama of plagues, parting seas, and a battle of will headed by a cast of characters more exciting than those in a television potboiler and played out in a prescribed ritual using edible delicacies as signposts. As the old joke goes, most Jewish holidays can be distilled to “They tried to kill us, God saved us, let’s eat.” Passover is the best example—an entire celebration is set around a lavish meal. One key element of the Seder (Hebrew for “order”) is charoset (pronounced with a hard “h” as in “ach” and derived from the Hebrew word for “clay”), typically a mixture of ground fruit and nuts that symbolizes the mortar the Jewish slaves were forced
to make for the building projects of the pharoah. In the 3,300 years since the exodus, with Jews participating in life across the planet, there is a traditional charoset for nearly every country of origin. Here’s a sampling.
Italian Charoset Makes about 4 cups 1 large firm pear, grated 1 large crisp apple, grated ⁄2 cup finely chopped golden raisins
1
⁄2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1
⁄4 cup finely chopped dates
1
⁄2 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
1
⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1
⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
1
⁄4 cup sweet (sacramental) grape wine
3
⁄2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (optional)
1
Combine ingredients in a glass bowl. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving. TD&N Nutrient Analysis (per 1⁄2 cup): Calories: 162; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 5 mg; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Fiber: 3 g; Protein: 2 g
Italian Charoset
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TODAY’S DIET & NUTRITION