Passover isn’t a holiday known for its food. In fact, it’s largely known for the food you can’t eat during it (no leavened or fermented foods; ditto for foods made with wheat, oats, barley, rye, and spelt). And yet, I find myself looking forward to it every year because there is one thing I can’t wait to stuff into my mouth: my mother’s charoset. It’s the world’s simplest recipe (chop stuff up and throw it into a bowl!) but unlike, say, matzo ball soup, which I order often at diners, I don’t get to eat it any other time of year.
When I emailed, asking for her recipe, here’s what I got in return: “Two apples, chopped walnuts, and kosher wine. I don’t measure any of it. I eyeball it. Add wine but make sure it isn’t soupy.”