Is

PHOTOS BY DANIEL LIPPITT

TH E A P P L E TR EE

ANNABEL COHEN SPECIAL TO THE APPLETREE

Whether topped by sour cream,
applesauce or goat cheese,
there's nothing as tasty as a latke.

he menorah has been
lit, the children have
unwrapped (and eaten just
about all of) their foil-
wrapped chocolate gelt, the
dreidel is spinning and every-
one has sung "Maoz Tsur."
But it's not really Chanukah
just yet.
Ask many Jews what they
like best about the holiday and
they might overlook the songs
and games. They won't forget
the food: Crisp, steaming pota-
to lathes with just the right
amount of onions and smoth-
ered with sour cream, or
topped with a large dollop of
sweet applesauce.
Check around and you're
likely to find someone who re-
members when latkes were
fried in schmaltz, chicken fat.
But today most families prefer
vegetable oil, an essential in-
gredient not only in terms of
cooking, but because of tradi-
tion. The oil used in making
- lathes is one way to remember
the oil that lasted for eight days
and eight nights, a miracle of
the festival, Chanukah.
Skillets usually find their
way to stove tops soon after
the Chanukah candles have
been lit (this year, Chanukah
begins at sundown on Thurs-
day, Dec. 5). There's some-
thing about this treat that
sends diets and eating restric-
tions on vacation — at least for
one of the eight days.
Although lathes are the most
famous Chanukah dish, and
can indeed make an entire
meal, they often are served
with other foods fried in oil
(such as sufganyot/donuts; see
page 20 for recipe) and accom-
panied by a dairy dinner.
Even if you're certain you

can't peel a potato, you can't
go wrong with this foolproof
recipe for traditional lathes.
Stay tuned; more is up ahead
for the cook who wants a chal-
lenge.

Favorite Potato Latkes
3 lbs. (about five large) Idaho
or Russet potatoes,
unpeeled
1 /2 cup minced or grated
yellow onion (or to taste)
6 eggs, lightly beaten
I /4 cup flour
2 level tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt, or more to taste
I /2 tsp. ground pepper;
or to taste
1 cup vegetable oilfor flying

Grate potatoes by hand or
with a food processor (cut the
potatoes into 2-inch culDes, if
the chunks are too large, the
potato-shreds will be too long).
Place potatoes in a colander
and let them sit at room tem-
perature for about 10 minutes;
the potatoes will turn from
white to red. Rinse potatoes in
cold water until they turn
white again. Gather handfuls
of potatoes and squeeze to re-
move as much moisture as
possible. Place in a large mix-
ing bowl. Add remaining ingre-
dients, except oil, and stir well
to combine. Let sit at room
temperature for five more min-
utes, then stir again.
Heat about 1 /2 cup veg-
etable oil over high heat in a
large, non-stick skillet Drop
soup-spoonfuls of potato mix-
ture into the hot skillet With
the back of the spoon, flatten
lathes and adjust the shape. Re-
duce heat slightly and fry lathes
about five minutes or until the

LATKE page 18