Although I was not born Jewish, I did marry into a Jewish family. Now, over 20 years later, the culinary traditions of that religion feel as much like my own as those I share with my own family. One of my favorite of the Jewish traditions is making Charoset for Passover dinner, a task to which I have been assigned for some years now.
Charoset is a pasty mixture of fruit, nuts and wine that symbolizes both the mortar used by the Israelites to build the pyramids of the Egyptians and the sweetness of the freedom they would one day live to see. Charoset is eaten during the Passover ceremony, and later, spread between two motsah halves with a bit of horseradish, it makes Hillel’s sandwich. The Charoset we serve is a traditional Eastern European recipe. Sephardic versions may use dates or figs, mixed nuts and even fruit juice.
The Charoset recipe I use never varies, but every batch is unique. That’s because I’ve never actually written the recipe for Charoset down. It’s impossible really since the flavors evolve as you make it, and vary depending on the size and variety of apple you use in a given year. Thus, every year’s Charoset making is a bit of an adventure to see if I can get it as close to perfect as I can, or at least as good as it was last year.
I begin each year by assembling the tools of the task – an old wooden bowl (did Irene give it to me? Did I get it at a house sale? I don’t remember) and the old rocker-bottom metal cleaver I bought at an antique market. Although the bowl is very occasionally used for salad during the year, the chopper is never used for anything else but this one task, and never unless it is used with this bowl.
I then gather the ingredients – Apples (Fuji or gala with a granny smith or two), pecans (How many? I have no idea – at least a cup but not more than two cups), a bottle of Manichevitz wine (I used about 3/4 of the bottle) and some ground cinnamon (2 tbsp? 3 tbsp?…). maybe some brown sugar or honey if your apples aren’t sweet enough…
There is always one, and sometimes more than one phone call to my mother-in-law. How many apples? (5-6 seems about right ) Which wine again – elderberry or blackberry? (Blackberry) Do I peel the apples? (Yes)
I peel the apples, cut them into eights and toss them into the bowl, working quickly because I don’t want them to brown. Next, I toss the pecans on top, sprinkle some cinnamon and pour some wine over the lot. And then the fun really begins.
There is nothing, I tell you, more satisfying than the Fwick! Clunk! sound the cleaver makes as it slides through the apples and pecans and then bounces against the wooden bottom of the bowl, only to repeat itself again, again and again, interrupted only long enough to sweep across the bottom to gather up more apples into the center so the symphony of chopping can begin anew. Here – just listen to it and see what I mean –
How long to chop? Until the mixture is evenly chopped, almost but not quite mushy, but not chunky either. As the wine is absorbed, you keep adding more. You stop to taste, and add more cinnamon. Then more wine. Maybe some brown sugar or honey, but not too much, just a teaspoon or so. Then more chopping. Until it is perfect. Or as perfect as you can make it until tomorrow, when you bring it to your mother-in-law’s kitchen for the final taste test. There, you won’t mind at all if she tells you that you added too little cinnamon. Or didn’t chop long enough. Or need a little more wine. She will help you adjust it and she will always be right.
Each time you make Charoset, you remind yourself to stop and write down exactly what you are doing so that you get the quantities right once and for all. But then the Fwick! Clunck! begins, and you are lost in the sounds and a tradition that reminds you to savor this moment, and this task, and to just let what you are making be whatever it will be. And in that moment, you know that, perfect or not, it will be wonderful.
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If you want a recipe for Charoset, here a few –
- Traditional Apple-walnut Charoset from Epicurious
- Some Sephardic Charoset recipes
- Charosets of the World from the LA Times
- Charoset recipe thread from Chowhound
your wooden bowl and chopper are identical to the ones my mother had (and that I gave to my cousin after my father died – mom had died 3 years earlier). She used the bowl to make her famous chopped liver (though she had a non-antique double blade chopper for that). Good memories (of the charoset and mom – the liver still makes me cringe)
Lovely post. The video of chopping is a nice touch: perhaps there are those who have never seen objects so familiar to some of us.
Yes, like my mother’s wooden bowl. However, her chopper had 2 blades! My recipe: about 4 good-sized crisp apples (Granny Smith), 1 1/2 cups walnuts (plus or minus…), lots of cinnamon (probably 1-2 TBSP) and a generous cup or more of a good red wine (we don’t keep kosher, so we’ll often use the wine for dinner. Chop, mix, and taste until it is just right. I’ve been in charge of my family’s charoset since I was a little girl. The recipe has never changed (tho I don’t remember what apples my mother used to get.) I love it!
Your charoset is perfect. Shall I tell the good news/bad news story that goes with this? On the NJ turnpike, heading to Philadelphia I got a phone call saying that you had made the best charoset ever (good news). (Bad news), I left it in New York. Fortunately, we had all the ingredients to whip up another batch and it too was perfect. Peggy saved the seder!!
Looks delish! Plus, healthy. First time I’ve heard of it. Not really Jewish 🙂
Looks delicious! Next time a few more seconds of chopping video would be fun.