Latkes Are Ready

Miguel Delinquento

Happy Chanukah

M

dlplumer

Happy Chanukah

adbsgicom

Those are some fine looking Latkes, and happy Latke Chefs. Happy Chanukkah!!

Mr. Quiet

Um... what is Chanukah?

Andy

Mr. Quiet wrote:

Um... what is Chanukah?

Um, you're kidding, right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanukah

adbsgicom

Jewish Festival of Lights starting on the 25th of Kislev (Jewish month, so it moves a bit year on year relative to the Gregorian calendar). It's orgins are in the successful uprising against the Greeks and Helenists (Jews wanting to adopt Greek society) and the retaking of the Temple Mount and its rededication. There is a story of there only being enough oil for the Temple Menorah to burn for 1 day, but it lasted 8 while more oil was being pressed. Thus the 9-candle candleabra (one candle is the candle for lighting the others). The oil theme is carried over into the foods of the holiday, which are fried potato pancakes called Latkes and jelly-filled donuts called Sufganiyot. Each originate from different traditions in Jewish history.

In the grand scheme of things, Chanukkah (which literally means 'dedication') is a minor Holiday (it is not from the Torah, but rather the books of First and Second Maccabbis, which are only actually in the canon of the Catholic church -- they are not in Hebrew Bible or Protestant Bibles). The books are much more about the military victory, which the Rabbis of 2000 years ago (when the canon was set) were nervous about including (additionally there are questions as to the sources and if they are on par with the divinity of other books, but that's a whole different theology discussion there).

Thus the holiday, which had large grass-roots support, was re-directed toward the themes of miracles, light and retaining identity. It is a fun holiday of food (none of it good for you), family, games and and lights that get brighter each night as the moon fades to black and a new month begins, and the nights are very dark indeed. The Jewish calendar months are lunar-aligned, so day 1 is always a new moon.

Hopefully that was long enough to be useful and not too long to be boring.... Thanks for asking....

adbsgicom

Or I could have just linked the Wiki.....

adbsgicom

Andy wrote:

Um, you're kidding, right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanukah

Andy, there are kids in my friends middle school here in Central Texas who have no idea what it is, and she was the first Jew they ever knowing knew. There are teachers at the same school who also have never known a Jew or know nothing of Jewish culture. There is a healthy Jewish community here in Central Texas, so I am not surprised at all for someone in China to have no idea of what Chanukah is.

Andy

adbsgicom wrote:

Andy, there are kids in my friends middle school here in Central Texas who have no idea what it is, and she was the first Jew they ever knowing knew. There are teachers at the same school who also have never known a Jew or know nothing of Jewish culture. There is a healthy Jewish community here in Central Texas, so I am not surprised at all for someone in China to have no idea of what Chanukah is.

I find it hard to believe

And, it's a shame for Central TX kids to be so unworldly. Crack a book, newspaper, etc. Chanukkah, Hannukah, however you want to spell it, is not exactly a minor holiday.

adbsgicom

Andy wrote:

I find it hard to believe

And, it's a shame for Central TX kids to be so unworldly. Crack a book, newspaper, etc. Chanukkah, Hannukah, however you want to spell it, is not exactly a minor holiday.

Sad, but true.

In the US it sure isn't a minor holiday, you are right. Proximity to Christmas and all helped it evolve into a more significant holiday. I have no idea to what extent the Jewish community in China celebrates it beyond their homes. Here, there is a big chanunkiah (9-candled menorah) the gets lit, and my daughter's school choir is singing with about 4 other synagogue choirs down at a park tomorrow as part of a program.

I only refer to it as minor as it isn't a core holiday from the point of view of the canon. It is a wonderful holiday with great tradition and meaning, but isn't a major holiday vis-a-vis the liturgical calendar -- relative to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or Passover.

Richard

Miguel Delinquento wrote:

Happy Chanukah

M

Mmmmm....latkes.

Mr. Quiet

Please remember that I live in China

Mr. Quiet

adbsgicom wrote:

Jewish Festival of Lights starting on the 25th of Kislev (Jewish month, so it moves a bit year on year relative to the Gregorian calendar). It's orgins are in the successful uprising against the Greeks and Helenists (Jews wanting to adopt Greek society) and the retaking of the Temple Mount and its rededication. There is a story of there only being enough oil for the Temple Menorah to burn for 1 day, but it lasted 8 while more oil was being pressed. Thus the 9-candle candleabra (one candle is the candle for lighting the others). The oil theme is carried over into the foods of the holiday, which are fried potato pancakes called Latkes and jelly-filled donuts called Sufganiyot. Each originate from different traditions in Jewish history.

In the grand scheme of things, Chanukkah (which literally means 'dedication') is a minor Holiday (it is not from the Torah, but rather the books of First and Second Maccabbis, which are only actually in the canon of the Catholic church -- they are not in Hebrew Bible or Protestant Bibles). The books are much more about the military victory, which the Rabbis of 2000 years ago (when the canon was set) were nervous about including (additionally there are questions as to the sources and if they are on par with the divinity of other books, but that's a whole different theology discussion there).

Thus the holiday, which had large grass-roots support, was re-directed toward the themes of miracles, light and retaining identity. It is a fun holiday of food (none of it good for you), family, games and and lights that get brighter each night as the moon fades to black and a new month begins, and the nights are very dark indeed. The Jewish calendar months are lunar-aligned, so day 1 is always a new moon.

Hopefully that was long enough to be useful and not too long to be boring.... Thanks for asking....

Thank you very much for the explanation!

I was just hungry two minutes ago, but thanks to you, I am now famished

Mitchell

Those look delicious!! Nice photo!

My wife added spinach to her latkes this year. They were "Wicked"!

divamum

Happy Hannukah!

(And Mitchell, while I haven't had latkes of any kind in many MANY years, spinach latkes sound absolutely divine and make me want to learn how to make them. You care to share your wife's recipe by PM?! )

adbsgicom

Mitchell, curious as well. "Wicked" latkes sound yummy....

Miguel Delinquento

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

I'm especially glad to trigger some vital learning for my young friend Aaron. It's a big world and a small world at the same time.

Mitchell, tonight we'll attempt the addition of spinach (though I'm sure our chefs would appreciate the original version, or perhaps latkes spiked with candied ginger). Please share your recipe right here!
Thanks.

M

adbsgicom

Miguel, mind if we add more Latke pix to this thread?

Richard

adbsgicom wrote:

Miguel, mind if we add more Latke pix to this thread?

You know you're a photography addict when you want to take pictures of latkes instead of gobbling them down.

adbsgicom

Richard wrote:

You know you're a photography addict when you want to take pictures of latkes instead of gobbling them down.

Easier on the digestive tract...

Miguel Delinquento

Not at all. Chanukah is an 8-day party after all


M

adbsgicom wrote:

Miguel, mind if we add more Latke pix to this thread?

adbsgicom

1. Creation.


2. Tasting


3. Satisfaction

Mitchell

Fun series, Andrew.

Here's the recipe for the spinach latkes.

3 large potatoes
1 sweet onion
2 oz fresh spinach
Salt and coarse black pepper to taste
2 eggs
3 tbsp flour or matzo meal

Of course you also need oil.:D We use canola oil.

Grate the potatoes and onion.

Mix together with the spinach, eggs, flour and S&P to taste

Coat the bottom of a pan with oil over medium heat.

Spoon in the mixture and flatten until 3-4 inches across and cook 4 minutes on each side.

Best if eaten immediately.


I prefer the latkes with the above recipe. The coarse texture of the grated potatoes is really a treat. My kids prefer the potatoes, spinach and onions blenderized to a very smooth texture. This turns the mixture into a "Wicked" green color. The exact shade of Elphaba!

adbsgicom

Thanks, Mitchell. We now have our next recipe.... Need to get through the overage we have from tonight first...

anwmn1

Now I am hungry for some Latkas!!

Happy Chanukah and keep the pics and recipes coming!

dychui

Miguel Delinquento wrote:

Happy Chanukah

M

Great photo! I love latkes and now have latke envy.