“While the Haggadah, the symbolic foods of the meal and seder plate remain fairly consistent (and have for hundreds of years), the main course and side dishes are based on family traditions and preferences.

Take, for example, one side dish that we ate—charoses. It symbolically represents the mortar the Israelites used to bond bricks when they were slaves. But that’s where the symbolism ends and family tradition comes in. My friend’s version had apples, golden raisins, honey and cinnamon. Another guest of the meal brought charoses made with mango and cranberries. Both were absolutely delicious. Many versions include other fruits, walnuts or almonds.”

Since chorses represents the mortar that the ancient Israelites used to make the pyramids in the story of Passover, the food can be made of any stable.  While fruits and nuts are common, the type of fruits and nuts used usually reflect the most popular fruits and nuts in a given area.  The guest who brought charoses made from mango probably comes from a tropical place where mangoes are a staple fruit in most people’s diets.  The author is from Illinois so apples, golden raisins, honey and cinnamon must be common.

This article was written by Kristin McCann and can be found in the link below:

http://downersgrove.patch.com/articles/a-taste-for-tradition