"Love You a Latke"

Mom enjoying her latkes

I recently went through some old family videos of our holiday celebrations over the years. I always find watching the chaos and commotion of the kids so much fun. The piles of presents and the hours spent watching everyone open their gifts seemed exhausting at the time, but what I loved even more was our family tradition of making and eating potato latkes! A small batch of the potato goodies turned into platters and platters of the fried deliciousness! There was always plenty left for both me and my         brother and we usually kept eating them until we couldn’t move

Latkes are traditionally cooked on Hanukkah, along with other fried foods, to commemorate the miracle of the menorah oil lasting eight days in the Jewish Temple.

In my family, we had a tradition of making latkes and having a huge family Hanukah party every year. I loved all of the food and the presents, and I just recently found out how this tradition began.

Apparently, two of my Bubie's (yiddish for grandmother) brothers had been drafted into the Russian army and sent to opposite sides of the country to fight. Their family, who lived in the town of Belarus, figured they would never see them again because of the hardships of the war and the landscape of Russia. By coincidence, both of her brothers arrived home on the 5th night of Hanukkah, surprising everyone. They had a huge celebration cooking up latkes and trading gifts together. Since then, the tradition has been carried on every year in our families!  

Latkes can be topped with most anything, but our condiments of choice were sour cream and applesauce. (As a kid, I wouldn’t let the applesauce touch the sour cream, but love it all mixed together now).

When our son was born, my husband decided to carry on the latke-making tradition in our family. With our then 6 month old in the kitchen playpen, Jack instructed him on the step-by- step process, and has made latkes every Hanukah since.

Latke maker extrodinaire

All ready to help make the latkes

It’s a tradition that makes us feel close to family, even though we live in different places around the country and around the world.

This year was no different. But having moved from our house to a smaller place, we had trouble finding all of our typical “tools” of the trade. (because when you make latkes, the whole neighborhood knows from the smell).  The cookbook with our dog-eared latke recipe was stuffed in a box in our storage closet, but we finally dug it out. Making them fresh is the only way to go!

Some years we shred the potatoes; some years we chop them. More egg, less flour. More salt, less pepper. Fewer people, but we did our part eating the latkes. 

Still has the seal of approval

We all live in different cities and even different countries, but the latkes always connect us. 
Carrying on a tradition that takes me back to my childhood, I love that our kids and now our grandaughters are still eating the crunchy potato latkes and in some way, honoring their ancestors from 100 years ago in the process.