Haroset is a paste that symbolizes the mortar and bricks in the Exodus story told at the Seder, recalling the work done by the Israelites in Egypt. Ben-Abu's haroset is made from chopped dates, pecans, and almonds simmered together, then rolled into balls and wrapped in rose petals. Ashkenazic Jews, descendants of Eastern European families, make an apple-nut paste. One is the blessing of all the platters of food as they're carried from the kitchen after the Seder readings. The menu is rich with spices, cilantro, nuts, and dried fruits.
Dinner ends with fruit salad and sponge cake.
Sephardic cooking is dramatically different from food in Ashkenazic households. Kranz's husband, Morris, an Ashkenazic Jew, was raised on brisket of beef and gefilte fish, and his mother makes those dishes for the Seder. She is also accustomed to being in a house where the table is laden with food. There were six Ben-Abu children, and her mother cooked all the time. The daughter remembers her mother going off on her bicycle every day to the market.