Since February of 2021, I have developed a dozen new anaphylactic allergies to a variety of fruits (added to the four I developed between 1990 and 2006). These allergies include apples, which make the Ashekanzi charoset I grew up lethal for me.
After researching several Sephardic and Mizrahi recipes, I realized that I was going to develop my own adaptation in order to survive (and enjoy) the charoset for sedarim. [I am also allergic to apricot, peach, plum, pear, cherries ….]
These charoset balls were a HUGE hit with everyone I shared them with:
- Figs, dates and raisins slow cooked in a sauce pan into a paste in wine (or grape juice)
- Walnuts and pecans ground with cinnamon
- Combine cooled sauce mixture with the cinnamon and nut mixture.
- Roll into balls and coat in a coconut and confectioners sugar mixture.
While this exploration and experimentation was literally life-saving, it was also a fascinating learning experience. I I enjoyed reading some family stories about different recipes and about how some of these ingredients came into use. am guilty of being in an Ashkenormative mindset and it is a pattern I push myself to break when working with pluralistic communities. However, I have never explored what traditions from other Jewish cultures I would like to bring into my own personal practice.
When is the last time you researched how a Jewish culture different than your own observes a holiday? Makes a blessing? Marks a milestone? Ideally, we would be looking for opportunities to learn from folks who grew up with and live these traditions, but the internet is rich with resources from which to learn.
Leave a Reply