Ready, Set, Hanukkah with Simply Beautiful Eating
Hanukkah is almost here so I wanted to share this special post with you. I’m showcasing all these fab decor finds from HomeSense Canada I used to create this super stunning tablescape. I’m so happy to be able to host this holiday for my family and love to incorporate a myriad of Hanukkah inspired colours to go hand in hand with the festival of lights.
For most, it’s still just about the lights, for me it’s the whole shebang. Bring on the latkes, dreidels and everything that goes along with the eight days of celebrating the traditions that were instilled in me since I was a small child.
Although Hanukkah is considered a “less important” holiday, according to Jewish law, than Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it’s become a bigger deal because of its proximity to Christmas. In our family, there has been an infusion of religions, so we always blend a “Chrismukkah” aspect into our celebration in order to be thoughtful, welcoming and inclusive.
The standard “Hanukkah tradition” is to get presents eight days in a row, but we have leaned towards a “one shot deal” since the children are grown-ups now with busier lives than ours. What has stayed traditional, and one of my favourite things to do, is the nightly lighting of the menorah candles. Why do we light on each night for eight days? This is what Jewish troops did after their victory. They wanted to purify the temple by burning ritual oil in the temple’s menorah for eight days. But, they only had one day’s worth of oil! OY VEY. To their surprise, that small amount lasted eight days. That’s why candles and oil are used for the scrumptious fried food that is the highlight of this particular holiday celebration. And speaking of which….I’m sharing my mom’s latke recipe with you today!
When it comes to the deciding on the decor for my Hanukkah table, I like to go for an elegant table with pops of fun and frivolity. I used tableware in beautiful shades of indigo accompanied by a vintage handmade menorah borrowed from my neighbour (thanks Wendi!). Dark blue drinking glasses added a special touch to go with the theme. Don’t you just want to sit down and stuff latkes in your face with me?
Hanukkah is such a happy holiday – and there’s definitely no fasting involved so that makes me even happier. You can manage to celebrate the holiday tastefully with a huge assortment of tableware from HomeSense Canada. They carry simply stunning pieces that are functional for any time of the year and have the ability to be styled beautifully. I wouldn’t hesitate to re-purpose this exact colour scheme on an outdoor summer tablescape.
Making your tablescape extra special is easy. I like to blend traditional with contemporary influences and throw in a bit of my own creative personal touches while while staying true to the original concept of the holiday.
Setting the tone is most important for a wonderful party. A Hanukkah table can be fancy, formal or playful. Use this opportunity let your creativity shine and enjoy the holiday!
FRIEDA'S LATKES
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs red or russet potatoes (peeled and placed into very cold water)
1 medium sweet onion (peeled)
3 large eggs
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour or potato starch
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
vegetable oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS
Grate the potatoes and the onion.They need to be grated as finely as possible, not shredded. This is what gives my mom's latkes their specific texture that is quite different than when shredded potatoes are used for this recipe.
To prevent the potatoes from oxidizing (turning brown), I shred them directly into a bowl with ice cold water. Once everything is shredded, place the onion into a fine mesh sieve and shake out all the liquid. Repeat with the potatoes to ensure that all the starch is removed and the potatoes are well drained from liquid.
Transfer to a large bowl and mix with the eggs, flour or starch, salt and pepper.
Heat 2 - 4 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the potato pancakes in batches of 4, adding more oil as needed, until deep golden brown on each side. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel lined platter. Serve warm with your choice of toppings.