Posted on 12/02/2021 12:47:54 PM PST by mylife
Through the eight days of Hanukkah, it almost doesn't matter what you eat, as long as it's cooked in oil. A good case could be made for eating potato chips with every meal throughout the holiday.
The story goes that in 165 B.C., the Maccabees, a small band of pious Jews, led a revolt that defeated the powerful Hellenist imperial army. The Hellenist forces had mandated pagan rituals into Jewish life and desecrated the Jews' temple.
There was only enough consecrated olive oil left to keep the temple lamp burning for a single day, so a messenger was sent for more. When he returned to the temple eight days later, the lamp was still burning. And to celebrate this miracle, Jews cook with oil during Hanukkah, which begins Saturday.
For most American Jews, that means cooking up latkes — potato pancakes fried in oil. But other cultures toss different foods into pots of boiling oil. In Austria, Jews eat deep-fried breaded meat called schnitzel, and in Morocco, Hanukkah couscous features deep-fried, rather than boiled, chicken.
"Italian Jews are not latke people," writes Joyce Goldstein in Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen. But deep-frying is an old Roman Jewish tradition, according to Goldstein, and cooks known as friggitori used to sell fried vegetables from street stands.
Today, restaurants in what was the Roman Jewish ghetto sell all kinds of deep-fried foods. One of the best known is carciofi alla Giudia, crispy-fried artichokes, Jewish style.
"The first time you eat one of these artichokes, it is so delicious, you will want to cry," Goldstein writes. She goes on to say, however, that the dish is difficult to make with American artichokes.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
I need some Tempura now (with RICE flour!)
Potato chips are a lousy substitute for Latkes.
My Mom didn’t make a lot of fried Jewish food (Her Mom’s side of the family is East European Jewish) but she made a mean Challah Bread.
Bigtime fail!! even sour cream and chive chips.
Roll with it, it’s NPR...
But no applesauce for me. I’ve never ‘gotten’ that. They’re wonderful with sour cream.
Oh yummmm! That looks so so good!
My wife is from the Philippines, and a few years ago, my rabbi’s wife declared her lumpias (egg rolls) an approved food for Hanukkah.
Applesauce goes on pork, Ooops, or in apple kugen, sour cream too :)
LOL!! love Lumpia!
Now I’m hungry.
5.56mm
Well, my work here is done...
8^)
5.56mm
In Israel they eat sufganiot(donuts).
I’m sure they do, they have beignets in NO... :)
Love that show!
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