Kosher Cuisine with Marcy Goldman

Milder (and early) Hanukah, Same Wonderful Treats

We can’t blame this too on global warming but it does seem that Hanukah comes earlier each year. That means the weather is usually warmer and somehow less Hanukah-ish. Or perhaps it is simply that the very first week of December is so soon (!) to haul out all the festive foods of this season of light and holiday of freedom. This year, Hanukah comes so quickly after American Thanksgiving (which Jewish homes also celebrate) that there is barely a moment to catch your breath and then you are back in the kitchen. It’s all good if you just pace yourself and offer different things, and a variety to usher in the eight days of Hanukah in fine style.

When Hanukah comes in mid December, the timing and the colder weather calls for platters of brisket, chicken soup, and potato pancakes. But when it is early – we can use the classics, but mixed in with more variety. These things do double duty as socializing fare as they do as give-away treats.

You can start with some latkes in a new way. My Almost Classic recipe uses both a packaged mix and your own potatoes for an intriguing new spin on potato latkes – that are part deli-style, part grandma. Furnish the brisket and soup with the latkes, or offer them as a snack, with sour cream and applesauce. Then for dessert, you can opt for oil-based Honey Cake Cupcakes or a mouth-watering, refreshing Hanukah Orange Spritzer Cake. For serving coffee, in case people drop by during the holidays, you might offer a Sweet Cheesecake Filo Coffee Pastries - a Middle Eastern spin pastry that incorporates cheese – one of the other Hanukah food symbols.

The trick is to have the wonderful latkes and jelly doughnuts (check our Kosher Cuisine Archives for Soufganiot, as well as Hanukah rugulah and some marvellous brisket recipes) but introduce the perk of unique treats to keep Hanukah warm with tradition but vibrant with a bit of tabletop evolutions.

Happy Hanukah and whatever you are serving, don’t forget the chocolate gelt!

Recipes

Classic Latkes Almost
Ok – these are not too classic but are they good! This recipe combines the best of homemade latkes with a package of dry potato pancake mix for a double-potato flavor in an especially crisp little pancake. What’s nice about these is they don’t spatter when they hit the hot oil, they stay white inside, don’t have any of that starchy, yucky potato water to drain, (no turning dark black as raw potatoes alone do) they fry up faster, and end up a beautiful golden color. These are gorgeous – photo opt, potato latkes. Serve with apple sauce or sour cream.

Hanukah Orange Spritzer Cake
Those meals of latkes and brisket need a citrus respite. Here is an oil-based or pareve cake that is packed with flavour and the zesty goodness of a whole orange grove.

Honey Cake Cupcakes
Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Mini honey cake takes on a whole new appeal when you present them as bite-sized cupcakes. They are good plain or you can ice them with a lemon glaze (confectioners’ sugar, bit of water, and lemon extract). Kids gobble these up.

Sweet Cheesecake Filo Coffee Pastries
A little sweetened cream cheese and semolina custard batter in a filo foundation yields a marvelous Danish style pastry, with a Middle East touch. These are unusual but the best of pastry with a golden cream-cheese enhanced custard inside. They are good fresh and still perfect a few days later.

Hanukah Gold Fruitcake
I’ve made this cake since I was a teenager learning to bake and wanted something for Hanukah that was a cake that would also last for eight days. Why, that means a great fruit cake. This is one that needs no aging but still keeps well. It is essentially a pound cake with pistachios and cherries, making it festive and a perfect gift cake. Wrap it in blue cello paper and gold ribbons for festive flare.