Latkes vs. Sufganiyot – The Real Story

Holiday food is very seasonal in Israel. It’s hard to find a slice of honey cake in February, and for the eleven months before Passover season, you have to search the supermarket high and low if you’ve a yen for matzah (there’s plenty of matzah meal, though – what would Friday night soup be without matzah balls?)

The holiday treat with the longest “season” is the sufganiyah – the Israeli equivalent of what’s known as a donut in the U.S. I saw my first sufganiyah of the season three days after Sukkot ended, and by now, a couple of weeks before Chanukah, sales are at a fever pitch. As every American knows, there are donuts (Entenmann’s style, chocolate with the hold in the middle), and donuts (Dunkin style, fried up and stuffed with fillings). Israeli donuts are more like the latter. The traditional version leans to a jelly filling, but each year there are more varied options – the other day, for example, I got one with a creamy peanut butter filling, and one covered with enough green frosting to make it look like something they’d give out at a St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Sufganiyot are seen as the “Israeli” Chanukah treat, while potato pancakes – “latkes” – may be more familiar to folks in the U.S. and Europe, meaning that, to Israelis, they’re the preferred holiday food in the Diaspora. Hence, among some locals, it is considered déclassé to prefer latkes; real Israelis go for the donut. But the story is a bit more complicated. Sufganiyot vs. Latkes is not an Israel – Diaspora thing, it’s a Sephardic – Ashkenazic thing. That’s right – like with the general acceptance of rice and legumes on Passover, the Sephardic majority has given its imprimatur to Israel’s Chanukah food culture.

Potatoes were more common in Russia and Poland, while the Levant and northern Africa had more access to wheat; hence, both cultures took what was available, fried it up, and served it. Since plain fried potatoes – or fried flour – aren’t the most appetizing foods, both cultures came up with ways to enhance the appearance and taste of their dishes; sour cream and jam for latkes, and honey or sugar syrup for the fried flour creation. Thus, the modern sufganiyah, with its jelly filling, actually takes a bit from both cultures – and, with the expansion of western donut culture, the traditional sufganiyah now has competition from American-style donuts and fillings.

The common denominator between sufganiyot and latkes, of course, is that they’re deep-fried in oil, commemorating the miracle of the oil of the Chanukah menorah. Lots of oil guarantees lots of calories – flying in the face of another Western import that many of us subscribe to, healthy eating. But there’s another, less fattening aspect to Chanukah cuisine, not as well known but quite traditional; the consumption of cheese and milk products, based on the story of Yehudit, who drugged the Greek general Holofernes with cheese, putting him to sleep and killing him, thus enabling the Jews to achieve a major victory. For Israelis who want to avoid the fried stuff but still eat Chanukah-style, then, the answer is easy; just indulge in some of the many low-calorie yogurts, puddings, ice-cream, and other dairy treats Israel is rightly famous for!

Hi Peter,

Thanks for all of the great information my Friend. The Sufganiyot look and sound delicious. Unfortunately, I grew up with both Dunkin Donuts and the "Down South" version, Krispy Kreme.

Krispy Kreme also has the traditional fried Donuts, complete with the hole in the middle, where they take the calories out, but they also have the fried Puff Donuts, similar to the Sufganiyot, which are served either powdered or unpowdered and filled with everything from Jelly to Cream Cheese. Back on Valentines Day they had a wonderful one that was covered with Strawberry Icing and Sprinkles, and then filled with Cream Cheese. Below is a Mixed Dozen of the little devilish delicacies...

And, just to prove that us "Rednecks" can be Gourmets too, just sink your teeth into one of thiese scrumptious "Bubba Burgers"....

If you wanna step up to the big leagues, just try one these "Heart Attacks Waiting To Happen". Can't you just almost hear your arteries hardening? This 1 Pound beef patty is covered with grilled onions, cheddar cheese, and 5 strips of bacon, and then sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme Donuts. I saw these down at the State Fair, and they were brought to us by the same fine Folks who gave us "Deep-Fried Twinkies", "Deep-Fried Baby Ruth Candy Bars", and "Deep-Fried Sticks of Butter".

All kidding aside, I hope you enjoy your Sufganiyot, and I wish you a Blessed Hanukkah.

Shalom My Dear Friend,

Phil

Hi Peter,

I was just recently introduced to another delicious Pastry, which even though it's not fried, I understand that it is still considered to be a Tradition by some for Hanukkah.

Rugelach can be made with sour cream or cream cheese doughs, but there are also pareve variantions with no dairy ingredients, so that it can be eaten with or after a meat meal and still be kosher. Cream cheese doughs are the most recent, probably American innovations, while yeast leavened and sour cream doughs are much older. The different fillings can include raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chocolate, marzipan, poppy seed, or fruit preserves which are rolled up inside.

This was my first attempt at making Rugelach on my own. I couldn't believe how good it was! I've used a different preserve for each ball of dough and they have all been excellent!” This is truly a melt in your mouth cookie with an apricot filling that will have people beg for more.

Rugelach

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 6 tablespoons white sugar

• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Beat in 1/4 cup of sugar and vanilla. Combine the flour and salt; stir until well blended. Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press together to form a ball. Divide the ball into 4 portions, wrap each one in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, toss together the brown sugar, 6 tablespoons white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and the chopped dried apricots. Set aside.
3. Roll out each portion of dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves over each circle, then sprinkle each one with some of the dried apricot mixture. Using a knife, cut each circle into 12 wedges like a pizza. Starting at the wide end, roll each piece individually up towards the point. Bend the ends around to form a crescent. If dough is sticky, return it to the refrigerator to chill. Place rugelach point sides down, two inches apart into a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Brush with milk then sprinkle with a mixture of the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar.
4. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden. Rotate the cookie sheet halfway through to ensure even baking. Remove from baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

Have A Wonderful Hoilday Season,

Phil

Peter I certainly hope you and yours are enjoying the Hanukkah holidays.