Happy Holidays...however you celebrate them...

THE HOLIDAYS...the frenzy of shopping, cooking, giving, receiving and wondering if the family holidays that you see in the movies are actually celebrated anywhere.

When I was a child we celebrated Chanukah by lighting the menorah every night for eight nights, commemorating the eight days of light that the empty oil lamps shone in the far past of our history.  I was ok with hearing the story year after year, and far more into receiving a gift following each candle lighting...

                                                     

 We devoured my mother's delicious potato pancakes, brisket and homade apple sauce.  I can still feel the crunch of the latkes in my mouth and the sweet surprise of the cinnamon and sugar that my mother sprinkled on their golden crusts.  Donuts were the dessert on Chanukah...things prepared in oil.  We played  dreydel, devoured the dark chocolate lollypops in the shapes of stars and dreydels, and the milk chocolate "gelt" in the golden wrappers...

                                                                   
and we excitedly opened ONE gift each night. 

                                                                       
It was simple...  NOT! 

In those days no stores, large or small, even thought about Christmas decorations until after Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. What is now known as Black Friday was then the day beautiful windows and holiday decor was revealed. Sales started after Christmas.  Indeed, the stores were more crowded but not like the frenzy that seems to prevail today.  Sitting on Santa's lap was a treat I still remember. So, how do you explain to a little Jewish child that Santa and all that  holiday fun wasn't for her...That the beautiful trees laden with magical ornaments were not to be found in her home...the wreaths and garlands would not adorn her mantle...and  that Santa was not invited to her house...YOU DIDN'T!
 
My mother's four single sisters livedtogether  in a huge, beautiful apartment in our building, and there was no way that my sister and I would be denied anything, least of all something as easy to give us as Christmas!  The "Aunties" lived on the top floor of our building and always had us for a sleep-over on Christmas Eve since Santa "could see into their apartment easily as he rode by on his sleigh..." and be aware that there were two little girls waiting for him! They hung red stockings with our names written in sparkles on the mantle of the fireplace. 

                                                                   
Gaily wrapped gifts sat beside the fireplace, so tantilizing for two little girls.  We were tucked into bed, and just before we fell asleep, my Aunt Anna  shook a set of sleighbells...and my Aunt Lucy would come in and tell us that Santa was on the roof and we had to be very still...and we listened to the rustling in the outer room, sure that the elves and Santa were busily unloading the entire contents of his sleigh in my Aunties living room!

 Every once in a while Aunt Ethel or Aunt Rae would shake those sleigh bells, piqueing our imagination and bringing us to the very edge of excitement.  At last it was quiet and the aunts came in to" see if we were asleep'...of course not!  So we dashed out of bed to find the living room alive with... Christmas!  Our stockings were overflowing with candy canes and other goodies...a yoyo, a slinky, anything small that The Aunts could manage to jam in there.  But the big attraction was the piles of beautifully wrapped packages, beside, in front of and all around the fireplace. At this point my parents would appear and we were allowed to open one gift...leaving the rest until morning...and that was when the fun began.  Dolls, doll houses, beautiful clothes, games and toys were excitedly unwrapped.  My parents came up for breakfast and my Aunt Ethel (along with my mother, one of the best cooks I ever knew!) set out a gorgeous brunch of french toast, fruit and lots of other goodies.  My sister and I would wolf down a token mouthful in order to quickly return to our new treasures.  I love remembering the pleasure The Aunties derived from this holiday extravaganza...it was like having four extra grandmothers to love and spoil us shamlessly!  And that love was returned tenfold.

As we grew up we did versions of this and when I had my own family I stressed  the celebration of Chanukah and diligently lit the candles with my children...told the story of the oil in the lamps...played dreydel...and, of course served potato latkes and brisket, just as my mother had done...but we also hung stockings and had a little Christmas celebration as well, with a Christmas morning breakfast of french toast...I can never think of the holidays without remembering those four adored "elves" who brought such love and joy to my life.


                                     Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

 Potato pancakes are easy to make...there are different ways to prepare them and every family swears by their own method.  The only "must" for me is Yukon Gold potatoes...and rinsing off the starch so the batter doesnt turn black.  Here are three ways we prepare them in our family...

    
                  

 POTATO PANCAKES

 LARGE AND THICK

ingredients:

 4-6 potatoes peeled and cut into chunks

1 large onion
flour
1 1/2 tsp.baking powder
2 eggs
salt
pepper
oil
Grate potatoes in Cuisinart.  Do not make mushy.  Empty into strainer and wash with cold water.  Grate onions in cuisinart and add to potatoes.  (Use the S shaped blade for this)

 Drain potatoes and onions well and add eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Dip your finger into the raw batter to see about the seasoning.  The amount of flour depends upon the consistency of the other ingredients.  You want a batter with the consistency of a thickish pancake batter.

 Heat about 1/2  cup of oil in a large skillet.  Cut the top off of a small onion and place cut side down into the oil.  This will season the oil.  When this begins to sizzle, the pancakes can be dropped into the oil.  Fry until golden brown on both sides.  Drain on brown paper.

                                                                                       

 PASSOVER STYLE

instead of flour and baking powder use matzo meal and another egg.  To make them lighter you can separate the eggs and whip up the whites.

 COCKTAIL OR THIN AND CRUNCHY STYLE (My particular favorite!)

Same basic ingredients, but use shredding disc on Cuisinart and shred potatoes.  Pour into strainer and wash with cold running water.  Place in bowl of cold water to cover shredded potatoes while shredding the onion.  Drain the potatoes well and add onions.  Add eggs and flour use about 1/4 cup of flour and judge consistency from there...(or matzo meal)  omit baking powder.  Season to taste.

Season oil with an onion the same way and drop( large spoonfuls  for entree size  or small for hors d` ouvre)
into oil.  These have a crispy, shaggy look.
*The reason I always taste the batter is that it needs plenty of salt and pepper...season it to your own taste...   
We serve apple sauce, sour cream and a cinnamon and a sugar mixture with the latkes (pancakes)...Everyone seems to have a favorite topping or combo of toppings...for cocktails I often serve miniature potato pancakes with a dollop of sour cream topped with caviar...  However they are served, they are always delicious!

(HINT: To remove excess water from shredded potatoes, drain well and then place in a clean dish towel or  cheesecloth and squeeze water out!)


Regardless of how you celebrate the holidays, I hope it is filled with love, peace,  joy and laughter...and of course...delicious food!