the seder meal
Passover is for remembering and retelling the Exodus story. How do you want to incorporate this into your family? Do you just want to read the book of Exodus out of the Bible, sitting around a fire with your family? We love watching the Rugrats episode, although it is not Biblically accurate, it's something we look forward to every year. A word you might hear around this time is "Hagadah". The hagadah is a book written retelling the exodus story, while incorporating different parts of the story with food. This is usually read before you eat the big meal, during the time of what is called the "Seder". So, Hagadah is the book, and the Seder is the meal/retelling of the Exodus story. The seder seems like it can be very overwhelming, but it's okay! You can do this. There are two components of the seder that are Biblically commanded: unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8). As long as you have these two things when you are celebrating Passover, you are compliant! Matzo is sold all year, but especially during this time of year. This is unleavened bread that you can buy premade at your local grocery store. Bitter herbs could be cilantro, if you're like me and dislike the stuff, but usually horseradish is used.
But remember, the point of the passover is to remember the whole Exodus story. So, seder meals have many different elements that represent different parts of the Passover. Let's look at the different spots of the traditional seder plate, and you can decide what you want to incorporate in your traditions. Additionally, if you are going to read a hagadah to eat while you retell the story, many of these components are mentioned in the hagadah, assuming you have the traditional seder plate.
First, there's a spot for a shank bone. The shank bone represents the original sacrificed lamb at the Exodus. You can save a chicken bone in your freezer, or sometimes, I have even used one of the leg bones from the roasted chicken we're going to eat that night! Easy!
Maror- This is the spot for horseradish. This is definitely the bitter herbs! The hagadah has a spot where you dip your matzo into the horseradish. It talks about the Israelites crying out to God when they were in slavery, so we always take a big bite of horseradish, trying to have it so spicy it makes your eyes water! Be careful! You don't need much to feel it in your whole head! Also, horseradish can be tricky to find in the grocery store. Ours has it in the refrigerated section.
Karpas- This is a spot for vegetables, usually parsley. The hagadah has a spot where you dip the vegetables into the saltwater, again, to remember the tears of the Israelites.
Charoset- This is yummy! This is cinnamon spiced chopped apples mixed with honey, wine, and nuts. It's supposed to represent the hard clay that the Israelites used when they were slaves. It's something sweet that we only eat once a year to keep it special, and it tastes really good with cheese and matzo during the feast of unleavened bread. If you're following a hagadah, it's mentioned, but it's also delicious, so I recommend adding this to your seder plate! You can definitely google a recipe, but I've even just kind of thrown it all together in a bowl, adjusting to taste, and it's turned out great.
Many plates will have a spot for a roasted egg. Personally, I don't put an egg. People say it represents spring and life, but it's a little close to the Easter bunny, and it's not mentioned anywhere in our hagadah, so it's just more work for me to do with no point... I pass
There's also a spot for lettuce. Again, our hagadah doesn't have a particular time to eat it... I usually have lettuce in the fridge, so I add it to the plate, but if I don't, no stress!
And that's the point that I want to make to you. No stress! Remember and retell the exodus, have your bitter herbs and matzo. The rest is fun tradition to leave impressions and smiles with your family.
After snacking during the seder, we are ready to eat! It's a holiday and an opportunity to have a special meal with your family. I need a bone, so we usually have roasted chicken. My husband loves green bean casserole, and I only make it at holidays, so we always have this at our Passover meal. What are you going to prepare for your family? Do you make tamales for special holidays? This would be a great time to do that!
But remember, the point of the passover is to remember the whole Exodus story. So, seder meals have many different elements that represent different parts of the Passover. Let's look at the different spots of the traditional seder plate, and you can decide what you want to incorporate in your traditions. Additionally, if you are going to read a hagadah to eat while you retell the story, many of these components are mentioned in the hagadah, assuming you have the traditional seder plate.
First, there's a spot for a shank bone. The shank bone represents the original sacrificed lamb at the Exodus. You can save a chicken bone in your freezer, or sometimes, I have even used one of the leg bones from the roasted chicken we're going to eat that night! Easy!
Maror- This is the spot for horseradish. This is definitely the bitter herbs! The hagadah has a spot where you dip your matzo into the horseradish. It talks about the Israelites crying out to God when they were in slavery, so we always take a big bite of horseradish, trying to have it so spicy it makes your eyes water! Be careful! You don't need much to feel it in your whole head! Also, horseradish can be tricky to find in the grocery store. Ours has it in the refrigerated section.
Karpas- This is a spot for vegetables, usually parsley. The hagadah has a spot where you dip the vegetables into the saltwater, again, to remember the tears of the Israelites.
Charoset- This is yummy! This is cinnamon spiced chopped apples mixed with honey, wine, and nuts. It's supposed to represent the hard clay that the Israelites used when they were slaves. It's something sweet that we only eat once a year to keep it special, and it tastes really good with cheese and matzo during the feast of unleavened bread. If you're following a hagadah, it's mentioned, but it's also delicious, so I recommend adding this to your seder plate! You can definitely google a recipe, but I've even just kind of thrown it all together in a bowl, adjusting to taste, and it's turned out great.
Many plates will have a spot for a roasted egg. Personally, I don't put an egg. People say it represents spring and life, but it's a little close to the Easter bunny, and it's not mentioned anywhere in our hagadah, so it's just more work for me to do with no point... I pass
There's also a spot for lettuce. Again, our hagadah doesn't have a particular time to eat it... I usually have lettuce in the fridge, so I add it to the plate, but if I don't, no stress!
And that's the point that I want to make to you. No stress! Remember and retell the exodus, have your bitter herbs and matzo. The rest is fun tradition to leave impressions and smiles with your family.
After snacking during the seder, we are ready to eat! It's a holiday and an opportunity to have a special meal with your family. I need a bone, so we usually have roasted chicken. My husband loves green bean casserole, and I only make it at holidays, so we always have this at our Passover meal. What are you going to prepare for your family? Do you make tamales for special holidays? This would be a great time to do that!