Here’s the deal: It’s the end of the year, and here come the holidays. One of the highlights is Hanukkah — The Festival of Lights.
The gist of the holiday is that after the successful rebellion against Antiochus IV, the Jews wanted re-purify the Holy Temple. Part of the purification involved lighting the Menorah. However, they only had enough oil for one candle on the first night. Miraculously, the next evening, there was enough oil to light two candles. This continued for eight nights. To commemorate this miracle, most of the foods prepared on Hanukkah are fried in oil (putting a spiritual angle on deliciousness).
Despite your religious affiliations, Hanukkah is a time to reflect, be with friends, and share in food, glorious food. Whether you’re adopting a new tradition, or putting a few new slants on your family’s favorites, here are some notes on what should be on your menu, where to get it, and (if you’re feeling ambitious) how to make it.
Start with jelly donuts, traditionally called sufganiyot. You can go with the old-school approach and fill your fried dough with jelly, jam, or marmalade. Or you can go new age and try them with custard. Either way, a great place to start, locally, is Sweet Tammy’s in Squirrel Hill.
If you are not into the donut, a new twist is the pretzel. This is the more American take on Hanukkah, when yummy pretzels are striped with chocolate and nuts or candy. Try The Pretzel Shop on the South Side. They have pretty much every kind you could want, and they bake them in a brick oven. Get ‘em while they’re hot.
If you are a shiksa like me, you may be hoping for an invite to a Hanukkah dinner just so you can taste some latkes (grated, fried potato cakes — yum). To ensure your invitation, offer to bring the goodies yourself.
Smallman Street Deli has great latkes togo. They are about a half-inch thick, lightly crisped on the edges and warm and soft on the inside. Try dipping them in applesauce or sour cream.
Or, for a twist on an original, get the Smoked Salmon Boxty at the Monterey Pub: potato pancakes layered with smoked salmon, spring mix, tomatoes, red onion, and capers. (Available for take-out. Promise.)
You can also try making the latkes yourself: Grate up about 6-8 potatoes, throw in baking soda and a little lemon, salt, and pepper. Then fire up a non-stick skillet, filled about half way with canola oil. Fry those taters up, until crispy and golden brown on the edges.
Finally, it is time for the brisket. The main attraction is generally braised as a pot roast in traditional Jewish cooking. It falls apart with the prod of a fork, and melts in your mouth.
Pittsburgh Barbecue Company’s beef brisket is on the top of the list of great places to pick up this delicious dish. But, if you are motivated, you can do this.
Pick up a 5- to 6-pound brisket. This is the breast or lower chest of the beef, and you’ll want to look for a cut that’s not too fatty. Put the meat into the oven with salt and pepper for seasoning and a little oil for about 25-30 minutes. In another pan, sauté onions, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, and oil. When the brisket is done, add in your onion mixture, and put it back in the oven for 3 or so hours. If the roasting pan gets dry, add a little bit of water. Check it every hour or so to determine if it is tender. Use the trimmings to make a delicious gravy. It’s a nice touch.
During this holiday season, go traditional, do it yourself, solicit an invitation, or throw your own time-honored feast. The food will be worth it, and the company memorable.
