Find me anything comparable in praise of latkes, and I may reconsider . . . but I can't think of any artwork offhand in which they figure prominently. . .
Posted on 03/05/2007 4:32:32 PM PST by Nachum
(IsraelNN.com) Two world-renowned Harvard professors – Alan M. Dershowitz and Steven Pinker – faced off last week in a debate over whether latkes or hamentaschen rules in Jewish cuisine.
Dershowitz, the Frankfurter Law Professor who has defended the likes of famous murder suspects O.J. Simpson and Claus von Bulow, argued on behalf of the classic Purim hamentaschen.
Pinker, the Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology, stood up for the Ashkenazi Chanukah favorite, the potato latke.
In the blessing recited after a meal in which bread has been consumed, there is a special prayer that is said commemorating the miracles of both Purim and Chanukah – thus the Harvard Hillel debate.
Dershowitz, a criminal lawyer and civil rights activist who specializes in the defense of high-profile personalities, attacked the latke with gusto. Addiction, dependence on oil, and high cholesterol became fodder for his character assassination of the fried potato pancake.
Pinker countered with an assertion that the three-cornered hamentaschen, particularly the poppy seed-filled variety, constituted an irregular plural which is tainted by its relationship to drugs, terrorism, inner-city crime and civil war in Latin America.
Dershowitz pointed out that latkes were not so innocent when it came to addiction – “You can stop after one hamentasch. Try to stop after one latke,” he said.
Pinker noted that the very same quality was an advantage, rather than a crime – “In times of famine, those of our ancestors who chose latkes and sour cream over hamentaschen were more likely to survive and produce,” he argued.
Although Dershowitz shot back the fact that in the U.S., obesity is more the issue than starvation, his physical condition belied his words; Alan Dershowitz looks like he has had his fair share of both.
Find me anything comparable in praise of latkes, and I may reconsider . . . but I can't think of any artwork offhand in which they figure prominently. . .
they both rule!
i'll take one of each just to be sure though. :)
Now I know why I like them so much. Mmmmmmm!
I adore latkes, never heard of hamentaschen let alone eaten it (them?).......of course I was born Irish Catholic, what do I know from Jewish cooking, OyVai.......
You don't know what you're missing....:)
Latke!!!
Triangular pastries, made with a sweet dough somewhere between cookie dough and pie crust, with a sweet filling (traditionally, the filling was made from prunes or sweetened poppy seeds; my mother, may she rest in peace, made hers with rasberry or apricot jam).
I love bakery that contains those.
How are latkes made?
OK - it sounds like I best find myself a jewish bakery and right quick..........although I seriously doubt I'll find one anywhere akin to the ones of my childholld in Brooklyn in these parts of Virginia.....but maybe I can convince a friend still in Brooklyn. (well it's a thought)
Hamentaschen, however, is as unique to Purim as paczski is to Poles on Fat Tuesday. I'll vote for Hamentaschen.
Shredded potatoes and onions, mixed with a bit of flour and fried in butter........served with sour cream or applesauce.
Ok...what's this about?
Think- potato pancakes.
Completely addicting.
Potatoes? I thought potatoes were from Peru? Did they use something else in Europe or Israel before the potatoe?
Flour maybe?
ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!
No you've got me craving them.......Hmmmmmmmmm, maybe I won't cook macaroni and cheese for dinner tomorrow :)
I'd make a comment about a rope................
oh, and some add pepper and eggs to the batter also- :)
Sounds good, but so does this hamentaschen. I just found 82 recipes here:
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?q=latkes
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