Next up we’re talking about a dish commonly eaten on Hanukkah - Latkes. They are eaten across the world, so let’s dive into its history and etymology.
It’s Hanukkah. The candles are burning. Dreidels are spinning. And gelt are being eaten. There is a crisp sound of oil frying in a pan. Inside are latkes - the traditional dish of Hanukkah. Latkes are mainly made of potatoes. I’ll let this Orthodox Jewish musical group. The Maccabeats, sing the rest of the recipe for you.
Four potatoes, peel and grate.
Shred an onion, tears streaming down your face.
Then salt and pepper to your taste.
Add a tablespoon of flour, a pinch of baking powder.
Then add two eggs.
After, they are formed into little pancakes and fried in oil. They’re usually eaten with sour cream or applesauce.
The word latke is a Yiddish word that literally means pancake. It derives from the East Slavic word “oladya,” which means small fried pancake. In biblical Greek, oladya means olive oil. Different cultures make latkes in different ways. The Persian version of a latke is served with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a baguette. In the 14th century, Italian Jews added cheese to their recipe.
No matter the variation, none of the latke recipes have faced the disrespect that bagels have faced. And hopefully, there will never be a tie dye or chocolate chip latke.
Latkes have been a staple dish for Hanukkah since the biblical times. Around 2,200 years ago, Jerusalem was ruled by a tyrant from Damascus. After the liberation of Jerusalem by the Jewish people, they sought to rededicate the Jewish temple. However, in order to rededicate this temple, they had to light a lamp.
The story goes they found a jug of oil that should’ve been enough to light the lamp in the temple for a day but it miraculously lasted for 8 days.
And while Hanukkah is a holiday of celebration, its association with latkes is surprisingly....bloody.
Wait what?!
You may have heard of the Book of Judith. In this biblical story, Judith’s land of Israel was under siege by the Assyrians.
Determined to save her people and the land of Israel, Judith fed the Assyrian general, Holofernes, potato pancakes, now known as latkes, filled with salt and cheese in order to get him thirsty. Holofernes gladly helped himself to the meal - I mean, who wouldn’t?
After eating so much salt, he was very thirsty and drank a lot of wine.
All the wine he drank ultimately led him to pass out. And let’s just say he would not be able to survive in college. While he was sleeping, Judith beheaded him with his own sword.
Talk about a girl boss!
As a result, she saved the land of Israel from the Assyrians.
Judith, and the latkes, came out as heroes indefinitely defined by their perseverance for their people. So next time you have a latke during Hanukkah, give a nod to Judith.