Recipes and Traditions

By Susanna Calimani*

My mother’s tradition wants it raw, ground with an old grinder that only lately has been replaced with a newer and rust-free one. It is made with apples, dates, raisins, almonds, walnuts and a bit of wine. Then it is scooped into small bowls, sprinkled with cinnamon and decorated with pine nuts by the kids. And while mixing it, the whole family chant the Shirat Hayam. 

On my father’s side, on the contrary, it is made of apples, plums, bananas, dates, raisins, orange juice, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon and wine. But apart from the ingredients, the main difference is that this is cooked for hours and hours and hours, and the texture is much smoother.

Nobody knows where the recipes originally come from, although I sometimes believe we are often mystifying as traditional recipes that allegedly are the result of chance and trials. Every year my parents complain about the other’s Haroseth, and force guests to have blind tasting sessions to then award the Best Haroseth of the Year Medal. 

Maybe next year we will try also the recipe of our Brazilians cousins, who do it also with mango, following my great grandmother’s “traditional” recipe.

*Susanna Calimani is a wandering economist currently based in Frankfurt.