At this time of year, as the days shorten and the sun dips lower in the sky, many cultures and religions help offset the weather with holidays that celebrate light.
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which begins at sunset Thursday (Dec. 10), is one such holiday. In fact, Hanukkah takes place at what is arguably the very darkest time of the year.
This lunar holiday takes place just as the moon joins the sun in getting closest to its darkest time. It lasts for eight days.
Also known as the festival of lights, Hanukkah recalls a time in the second century B.C. when Israel was under the control of Greek Syrians. As they had for centuries before and after, the Jews did their best to get along with their oppressors. The Syrian king, Antiochus IV, eventually pushed the Jewish people too far, banning their faith decreeing that they worship Greek gods.
He dedicated the temple in Jerusalem to Zeus and slaughtered many Israelites. The Jews rose up. After battling for three years, they finally managed to rout the Syrians. They rebuilt the temple and its altar.
To rededicate the temple, they lit an oil-powered menorah (candelabrum) that was supposed to burn continuously. Unfortunately, they had only enough oil to keep the flame burning for a single day.
Miraculously, it lasted for eight days and nights, until more oil could be brought to the temple.
Hanukkah celebrates several things: a Jewish victory (not a common thing in world history), the strength of religious faith and, above all, the power of light. Each night of Hanukkah, Jewish people light candles. The eight main lights of the Hanukkah menorah symbolize each of the days for which the oil lasted. The ninth, called the shammash, serves to light the others.
On the first night, the shammash lights only one other candle. Candles are added daily until all eight are lit on the final night.
I was fortunate to have a Christian parent and a Jewish one. Consequently, our family celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah. When I was a child, I saw this as a plus mainly in terms of presents: the month of December was one long series of gifts. (My birthday falls in December, adding to the pile.)
I still enjoy giving and receiving gifts at this time of year. As I get older, however, lighting the menorah and trimming the Christmas tree help me to remember my parents and their families and to celebrate my rich dual heritage.
Those activities also brighten my home at this darkening time of year. Naturally, as a food writer, I celebrate the season with food.
The main food associated with Hanukkah is oil, in commemoration of the miraculous oil that burned for so long in the temple. Olive oil, a mainstay of Middle-Eastern cuisine and life two millennia ago, was the oil used in the temple in Jerusalem, but one may use pretty much any oil one likes in cooking Hanukkah treats. For frying, I often choose a neutral oil like canola oil. Someday, I’ll try to make sufganiyot, the traditional deep-fried jelly doughnuts many use to celebrate this holiday. For now, I’m giving you the recipe for my family’s traditional latkes (potato pancakes). I have added a twist to them, however, by cooking them in something not available to the ancient Jews — a waffle iron. I call them (drum roll, please) … WaffLatkes.
To be frank, the WaffLatkes can’t quite match the crispiness of the fried version of this dish. They are pretty tasty, however, and the waffle pattern is fun. They’re also exceptionally easy to make and lighter than traditional latkes.
My second recipe, for mini pumpkin breads, isn’t necessarily a Hanukkah tradition, but it is made with oil. It makes a nice small gift for a friend, helper or neighbor during this week-long holiday.
If this combination seems overly laden with carbs, remember that the festival lasts for eight days so one doesn’t have to consume the latkes and the pumpkin breads at the same meal.
Happy Hanukkah! Enjoy the light and the season.
2 large baking potatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten (you may need another one)
Chopped fresh chives to taste (optional but tasty and colorful if you have them on hand)
2 to 4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
Lots of freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Canola or olive oil for greasing the waffle iron
Wash the potatoes well. Grate them with a box grater or with the grater attachment of a food processor. Wrap the potato shreds in a dish towel. Carry it to the sink, wring it out, and allow the potato pieces to drain while you get out the rest of the ingredients and maybe drink a cocktail or two.
In a medium bowl, combine the egg, the chives (if you’re using them), 2 tablespoons of flour, the salt and the pepper. Stir in the onion and potato pieces, followed by the olive oil. If the batter doesn’t seem to hold together at all, stir in a little more flour and/or another egg. Don’t worry about making it perfect, however. WaffLatkes are allowed to be a little ragged.
Brush your waffle iron with oil. Preheat it to a medium-high setting. When it is ready, plop small spoonfuls of batter onto its quadrants. Flatten them a bit if you wish. (The waffle iron will do this for you, but I tend to become a little paranoid.)
Cook the little cakes just a little longer than you would normally cook waffles, making sure they are golden brown. Serve the waffles immediately as they come out of the iron — or pop the first ones into a 300-degree oven until you have finished cooking the rest. Serves six to eight as a side dish.
1¾ cups pumpkin puree
1 cup canola oil
⅔ cup water
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ginger
3½ cups flour
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour five small loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin, the oil, the water and the sugar. Beat in the eggs, followed by the baking soda, the salt and the spices.
Stir the flour into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake the breads until a toothpick inserted into their centers comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes or so. Check the breads at the half-hour mark. If they are brown on the outside but still very soggy on the inside, reduce the heat to 325 degrees, and continue to check every five minutes until the toothpick test works.
Turn the loaves onto a wire rack to cool before wrapping them in foil for gift giving. Makes five loaves.
Tinky Weisblat is the award-winning author of “The Pudding Hollow Cookbook,” “Pulling Taffy,” and “Love, Laughter, and Rhubarb.” Visit her website, TinkyCooks.com.