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From the New York Times
Why is it that there are eight days of Hanukkah and only one really traditional holiday food, at least in this country?
Sure, I’ve read all about what other cultures eat in “The Book of
Jewish Food” by Claudia Roden. The Israelis savor doughnuts, the
Hungarians, cheese pancakes. The Sephardim nosh syrup-soaked fritters, and the Italians deep-fried chicken.
But
here in the states, it’s the latke that most Jews will fry this
weekend, letting the grated-potato cakes turn golden and crisp before
slathering them with sour cream or applesauce or both.
Being a
documented latke lover, I’ll do my own unctuous time behind the stove
at least twice during Hanukkah. But that leaves me wondering what to
make on the other six days.
As long as it’s fried in olive oil to
commemorate the miracle of 165 B.C.E. (when a day’s worth of oil burned
for eight), almost anything goes. But I wanted something other than
doughnuts, fritters or chicken — a dish unfussy enough to throw
together on a weeknight.
Naturally, I thought of grilled cheese.
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