8 days of frying

My sister in law doesn't eat potatoes. Not even french fries. We often wonder if she is real or just something we got from G-d because we were really good.

On Chanuka, she agrees to eat latkes but I suspect it's only out of politeness. 

If you have someone in your family who sighs at the sight of yet another plate of potato latkes, sigh no more. It turns out - you can fry so many other things. Who knew?

 Here's the deal: Latkes were born in a small shtetl in eastern Europe one cold Chanuka night. The rabbi told everyone about the miracle of the oil and how tradition calls for us to eat foods fried in oil in honor of that miracle. Old Gitteleh, a poor widow, wanted very much to be a good Jew and honor tradition but she had nothing in the house except potatoes. You see, in Europe, in poor little shtetls, there wasn't much more than potatoes to eat during the winter (why do you think European Jews dip potatoes in salt water on Pesach while Jews from other continents get to dip all kinds of fresh green leafy vegetables? ). So, back to Gitteleh (it's really cold and we can't leave her standing there, starving). She had nothing but potatoes and the rabbi did not specify which foods are to be fried. So she fried potato pancakes. Very common food in that part of the world. The smell (as we all know) was amazing and pretty soon, the whole town was at her door. You can guess the rest.

Fast forward to America of today. Latkes are still the number one favorite and no Chanuka will be complete without them. But there are so many other things to fry. As long as it's fried - you are keeping the tradition alive and well.



 So here are some ideas for when you run out of potatoes:

1. Vegetable tempura. Advantage: you can pretend it's healthy because it has vegetables in it.
2. Fried chicken. Advantage: you can pretend it's a balmy 70 degrees outside, just like down south.
3. Fried fish. Advantage: you can pretend it's heart-healthy. I mean: FISH, right?
4. Falafel. Advantage: it's Israeli food so you're being a good Jew.
5. Fried wantons. Advantage: my daughter says Jews have to eat Chinese food on Christmas (which this year falls smack in the middle of Chanuka).
6. Zeppoles. Advantage: anything Italian is yummy.
7. French toast. Advantage: uses up the bread that no one ate this week because they were eating latkes.
8. Beef patties. Advantage: You can be grateful that you have more than just potatoes (remember Gitteleh?). This will balance the guilt of eating red meat. See a suggested recipe below.

So there, 8 days of latkes-free frying.

Next time: A Weight Watchers meeting near you.

Happy Chanuka

Osnat



PS     Beef Patties

(My mother in law calls these Kotlets and wiggles out of sharing the specifics of the recipe so this is an approximation based on eating so many of them that I qualify for a lifetime membership in Weight Watchers. It's still awesome even if not exactly like hers)

Use 1 part ground onion to 2 parts ground (not grated) raw potatoes and 2 parts finely ground beef (remember to send up a prayer of thanks for food processors). Salt and pepper to taste. Add enough eggs (about one for every pound of beef) to make a mix that can be easily shaped. Shape into elongated patties and fry in about 2 inches of oil.

I don't know how many patties come out of this recipe since people tend to steal them before you finish frying all of them. I also have no idea how long they last in the fridge because they never reach the fridge. When my MIL makes them for company she uses all her creativity to find hiding places that her sons haven't discovered yet. Sometimes it even works.