Chanuka has arrived very early this year (Nov 27-Dec 4) but I’m not complaining. It just means that I’m able to eat my favourite foods a little earlier. p.s. I’m referring to potato latkes and sufganyiot.

This year I decided to do a sufganiyot crawl. But before I began, here’s the definition of soufganiot (according to Wikipedia)

A sufganiyah (Hebrew: סופגנייה‎ or סופגניה; plural, sufganiyot: סופגניות) is a round jelly doughnut eaten in Israel on theJewish festival of Hanukkah. The doughnut is deep-fried, filled with jelly or custard, and then topped with powdered sugar.^[1] At Hanukkah, Jews observe the custom of eating fried foods in commemoration of the miracle associated with the Temple oil.

Here’s a photo of a pretty nice lookin’ sufganiyah.

My crawl led me to five places in my neighborhood: Dr. Laffa, What a Bagel, Richmond Bakery, Tastes Like More, and Kosher City Plus.

Three of us, sat down and sampled each and every one of the above sufganiyot. It was a tough job but someone had to do it!!

We discussed:

• The Jelly: was it sweet? too sweet? was there enough jelly?
• The dough: was it tangy? fresh? yeasty?
• The appearance: too much icing sugar? not enough icing sugar

 

 

All of them were devoured within 5 minutes which meant that we loved each and every one of them!

I had so much fun doing the “research” for this blog post that next year I’m going to do a potato latke crawl.

Happy Chanuka – to all my Jewish readers.

The first nite of Chanuka was Saturday Dec 8. and just like every year…..I would be making Potato Latkes. However  this year I decided to make potato latkes using a different recipe (it was time to change things up a bit).

I also decided to throw a Chanuka party for a few friends for the first time in many many years.

This is what was on the table:

• cinnamon walnuts (from Ottawa that my mom brought in for me)
• lemon almonds (see above)
• smoked almonds (see above)
• phyllo cups stuffed with goat cheese and roasted garlic and olive
• roasted chestnuts
• chips
• blackberries/raspberries
• mandarin oranges (the pretty ones with the leaves)
• and booze of course: Luksusowa vodka! Perfect with potato latkes seeing as it’s a potato based vodka!!
• homemade apple sauce and sour cream
• Chex (from Buffalo – of course)

As for the latkes, here’s my not so perfect recipe: I say this as I went to a friends chanuka party and tasted her latkes and there was a world of difference. Hers were so much lighter! I asked her what recipe she used as she said “potatoes, eggs, a bit of flour and a LOT of oil”.

POTATO LATKES

10 cups of grated potatoes (oh how I love my Cuisinart)

4 eggs

1/2 cup matza meal

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Grate the potatoes (I didn’t bother peeling them)

2. RINSE

3. Wrap the grated potatoes in a dish towel and squeeze, squeeze and squeeze some more!!

4. Add eggs, and matza meal. Stir.

5. Heat oil in a frying pan. Form latkes in your hand and then place carefully into the frying pan. Fry till golden on both sides

FINAL PRODUCT:

Plus I made my own applesauce. This is a no brainer – 3 fuji apples (not peeled, chopped), cinnamon, a bit of water. Place all ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and bingo you have applesauce. I threw it into the Cuisinart to get it to the right consistency.

 

Happy Chanuka!!