Happy Hannuka!

[magid]

Last night, first candle (+1) and homemade latkes*.

Sweet potato latkes, actually, since sweet potatoes are more easily able to sit around in grated state without unpleasantness. Plus, well, sweet potatoes! Yum. Other than that, they were pretty basic. I think the next batch(es) of latkes will be more creative (cayenne or fermented black beans with the sweet potatoes, celeriac or parsnips with the potatoes, etc). Still, I was pleased to have such a colorful meal that I'd made wholly from scratch (albeit at different times): sweet potato latkes, applesauce from this fall, red cabbage sauerkraut, and cucumber-mint-feta-lemon salad.

Tonight, second candle (+1) and read The Animated Menorah (plus start using "v'ten tal u'matar livracha" in the amidah).

This morning, second turkey sighting in two days, which is a first. A gift of the season?


* Making latkes requires the use of my food processor** and cast-iron griddle, both of which were gifts. Thanks again to Bitty, Bubblebabble, Queue, and Zzbottom for making latkes possible.
** Yes, I could theoretically use a box grater. Except (a) I have none, and (b) I've always been a bit paranoid about scraping my knuckles accidentally. Which is why (a), of course.

Comments

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have a box grater, and no food processor. Just say No to box graters. Trust me on this one.

[magid.livejournal.com]

No NO NO box graters!
(Unless the box asks very nicely to be grated?)

Do you just not shred stuff? (I didn't, for years, when not yet endowed with food processor.)

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Well, let's say I have to be seriously provoked to shred things. If I can avoid it, by chopping or dicing or almost *anything* except grating or shredding, I will.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I was in avoidance for years; provoking did nothing towards grating or shredding. I still love my knives best; there has to be serious utility before I'll haul out the annoying-to-clean food processor. (So far, the two things that are always worth it are latkes and cranberry relish.)

[feygele.livejournal.com]

Noooo! That's just... wrong! Using a food processor makes the potatoes too watery. Grate by hand, my friend! (Each year at my latkah party, I grate all of the potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, onions, etc, by hand. Last year that amounted to a whole lotta grating (http://feygele.livejournal.com/387006.html). It's just not the same with a food processor.)

Besides, a little knuckle adds to the flavour ;)

[magid.livejournal.com]

OK, that sounds like an excellent party!

My plan is grate by processor, wring out extra liquid, add in some of the potato starch that leaks out if feasible (only with white potatoes; sweet potatoes don't have the same liquidity).

I am so not needing more ways to mangle my hands. Really.

[queue.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you would frequently have grating accidents, given your proclivity for hand-mangling.

On a mostly unrelated note, how do you zest citrus?

[magid.livejournal.com]

Of course I'd have grating accidents. Even though I managed never to grate myself when helping my mom in the kitchen.

I believe I have some sort of citrus zesting device somewhere, that makes little narrow curls, but I never use that. I use my vegetable peeler, which gets a little pith, but very little, and is pretty fast.

[bitty.livejournal.com]

I bought a rasp for zesting citrus and dealing with ginger and garlic. Er, I can show you what I mean next time you're over. It's a lifesaver.

[rethought.livejournal.com]

That sounds brilliant with the sweet potatoes. :)

I thought the pictures in this entry (http://nancykayshapiro.livejournal.com/35633.html) were hilarious. And so clueless...

[magid.livejournal.com]

I'd seen one of those photos on my friends page; all together they're just... impressive. Yes, that must be it, impressive. Or something.

I adore sweet potatoes (plus, even though they're not related to white potatoes, there's still the potatoes part, sort of), so it was an easy recipe tweak, unlike other veggie substitutions. It'd be a much bigger mental stretch to use all carrots and parsnips, for instance, even though the point of the thing is the friedness, not the root veggie.

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

I'm incapable of even *looking* at a grater without starting to bleed, practically. I've gotten myself on them when just moving them around in drawers, and it's pretty guaranteed that if I try to actually grate anything, it'll end up being my fingers. After a few years of using microplanes, I've now started cutting myself on them half the time I use them. sigh.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I've never attempted a microplane. I did have a mandoline in a box for a while, but passed that on when I found a willing victimrecipient, since I was certain I'd cut myself on it if I used it. Heck, I've given myself great gashes from pop-top lids...

Another benefit of marriage: someone else to do the grating :-)

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[fetteredwolf.livejournal.com]

Oops. I always forget about that difference between Israel and outside Israel and you remind me every year. Well, it's not like I daven every day, so I guess we're all set.

[magid.livejournal.com]

V'ten tal is different hutz laAretz? (Did you tell me this before and I've forgotten?)

[fetteredwolf.livejournal.com]

7th of Cheshvan, where I come from!

[(Anonymous)]

Box grating feels more authentic, but pikuach nefesh is more important. Good for you for taking care of yourself!