T
he Passover tale of the Exodus
from Egypt has been well told for
thousands of years.
Less known to many, however, is the
Passover
seder
, the festive, commemorative
meal that Jews share to remember this
part of our history, and to celebrate both
the renewal of Springtime and freedom
from tyranny. And, of course, to feast with
family and friends.
First-timers at a seder might notice a large
plate in the center of the table displaying
different, symbolic foods. So, what are
these foods, and what do they mean?
First, is the
maror
, or “bitter herb,” usually
grated horseradish root or, for some,
arugula. Some families, usually of Eastern-
European descent, prefer horseradish
sweetened and dyed bright red with beet
juice. Bitter herbs are eaten to remind Jews
of the bitterness of slavery. Traditionally,
they’re also dipped once in salt water, also
by
Scott Gold +
photo by
David Gallent
The Passover Seder Plate
on the seder table, to symbolize the tears of
the beleaguered Hebrew slaves.
Of course, you’ll also find matzoh, the
crispy, unleavened bread that was cooked
on the backs of the fleeing slaves, who
had no time to allow it to rise (and which
makes an excellent pizza, if one is keeping
kosher for Passover and avoiding leavened
breads).
Next, and the favorite of many Jewish
households, is
charoset
, a sweet, flavorful
mixture of nuts, apples, cinnamon and
red wine, and some recipes also call for
dates and honey, as well. While it doesn’t
taste like cement, charoset symbolizes the
mortar used by the Hebrew slaves to build
the Egyptian’s tombs and pyramids.
Also on the seder plate is a roasted shank
bone, usually of a goat or lamb, symbolic
of a sacrifice made by Jewish elders in
the First Temple, then eaten during the
seder. A hard-boiled egg also graces the
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Plunges into a basket of freshly
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seder plate as a reminder of this Passover
sacrifice.
While modern Jews no longer sacrifice any
animals, we certainly enjoy a lovely, roasted
lamb leg with rosemary during Passover.
After all, it is a feast, and what better way
to celebrate!
For more on local Passover traditions, go to
louisiana.kitchenandculture.com
ROUSES.COM
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