Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights in the Hebrew calendar that commemorates the rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Jews celebrate this event by lighting up the menorah, exchanging gifts, and eating special traditional food items associated with the holiday. Traditional Hanukkah foods include fried potato pancakes called latkes, and doughnuts called sufganiyot. Other savory and sweet delicacies are also associated with the holiday.
Latkes
Latkes are fried potato pancakes often served during Hanukkah. To make latkes, shredded potatoes, onion and egg are mixed together and formed into pancakes. The pancakes are then lightly fried in oil or margarine. The oil and margarine are popular ingredients during Hanukkah because they symbolize the miracle of oil that the Maccabees experienced. Latkes are usually served with applesauce or sour cream.
Sufganiyot
Sufganiyot are round, jelly-filled doughnuts. They are an important food item associated with Hanukkah as they symbolize the victory over the Greeks. Sufganiyot are typically deep-fried in oil and then served with a generous amount of powdered sugar.
Other Foods
Other traditional foods related to Hanukkah include:
- Kugel: a savory pudding made with egg noodles, potatoes, or matzo.
- Challah: a plaited bread made with eggs, oil, sugar, and flour.
- Tzimmes: a side dish typically made with carrots, prunes, and sweet spices.
- Cheese Blintzes: crepes filled with creamy cheese.
- Kreplach: a type of dumpling filled with ground meat and/or cheese.
- Hamantaschen: triangular cookies filled with jam, poppy seed, or prune.
Throughout history, families have gathered around the menorah during Hanukkah to share these traditional dishes. The various recipes may have changed over time, but they continue today as a reminder of the holiday, its traditions, and the same miracle of oil that experienced by the Maccabees thousands of years ago.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.