Word Prompt – KARPAS – Cheryl Kupfer

Growing up many decades ago, before Pesach became a culinary event, with hundreds of choices that are tasty Pesachdik versions of what was eaten all year, holiday food basically came in two colors: white and brown.

There was white horseradish, marror, boiled chicken, hard boiled eggs, and white potatoes – mashed, fried, boiled, etc. There was brown ground beef, or flanken, or hamburgers, also broiled or boiled. On the seder plate there was an egg, a charred bone and charoset, which is also brown, made up of nuts, apples and a drop of wine that turned the ingredients into a paste.

But that color monotony was broken by deep green karpas! Karpas in my home was parsley, although celery was another option. (We did not use potatoes as karpas, although in later years, many families with fussy kids who refused the green vegetables succumbed and used potatoes.) Karpas was eye candy and literally brightened up the seder!