Making good latkas is really a science—or is it?

It is almost impossible to take a good picture of fried grated potatoes and onions, but we all know that no matter what it looks like, the smell of potatoes in bubbling oil is something engraved in our DNA right next to matza slathered with salted butter. These are the things we wait all year for, knowing that if we ate them all year round, our arteries would never be able to handle it.

As I was making this year's first batch of latkas, I was reminded as I always am at this time of the year, of one of the Chanukkah traditions on Kibbutz Adamit (where we spent 10 of the best year's of our lives).

30 years ago of course we all lived in small apartments, with our children in children's houses, and had all of our meals in the communal dining room. At some point during the 8 days of Chanukkah, we had a latka competition. Every family came to the chadar ochel (dining room) with their hot plates and frying pans in hand. All the ingredients—flour, eggs, potatoes, onions, seasoning and oil—were waiting for us on tables.

It is hard to remember all of the details, but you can be sure that every family had their own special way of making latkas. Was there a recipe book in sight? Not on your life. An actual measuring cup? Not likely. But the aroma of potatoes and onions, the light dusting of flour on every imaginable surface, the wide eyed children watching blobs of gooey grated potatoes and onions forming into unimaginably delicious golden latkas—well it was priceless.

I can't remember how the competition actually went. It would have been hard to find a bad latka in the place. What has really stuck with me was the experience itself.

I follow the same process today. My latkas are never from a recipe. I lay out my ingredients just like I did 30 years ago with little Aaron at my side in the chader ochel. I keep adding this and that until it feels right—and you know, it has never failed me. So the science of latkas for me is—who you are making them with—and who you are making them for. It is as simple as that.

I bet you have a latka story. I would love to hear it.

Happy Chanukkah everyone!

I don't know about you, but for me, the hardest part about my Chanukkah preparations is remembering from which side the first candle is lit. Of course, I also have trouble remembering how to set the table correctly (fork on the left or right?) Luckily for me someone once told me that "fork" is four letters and "left" has four letters so you can usually see me mouthing these words as I set the table raising my left hand to be sure I know which is which.

I don't have that handy tool for Chanukkah. but luckily I have the internet and can each year check to be sure I have it right. I just checked—and wouldn't you know it it is the far right side. Well from now on, I will simply remember that doing it "right: is to put the first candle on the far "right".

My second problem is remembering the third blessing. For some reason I can always remember the first two but the third one eludes me. it is not that I always forget one of the three, but that I always forget the third one...

So if there are any of you out there with a similar problem. Here are the three blessings for this evening and instructions for the second through eighth night:

1. First Blessing to Recite
   Borukh Ato Adoynoy Eloyheynu Melekh Ho-oylom Asher Kiddeshonu Be-mitsvoysov Ve-tsivonu Lehadlik Neyr Shel khanuko.
   Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.
2. Second Blessing to Recite
   Borukh Ato Adoynoy Eloyheynu Melekh Ho-oylom She-oso Nissim La-avoseynu Ba-yyomim Ho-heym Ba-zzman Ha-zze.
   Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season.
3. Third Blessing to Recite (only on the first night of Hanukkah)
   Borukh Ato Adoynoy Eloyheynu Melekh Ho-oylom She-hekheyonu Ve-kiymonu Ve-higgi'onu La-zzman Ha-zze.
   Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this time.
4. How to Light on the Second through Eighth Night
   The second night, place two candles in the Menorah's far right (as you face the Menorah) candle holders. Another candle is placed for the Shamash (helper candle). Say the first two blessings above and then light the candles using the Shamash candle. Light the left-most candle first and then light in order, from left to right. Follow this procedure for each night of Hanukkah.

And if you want to practice Maoz Tzur for tonight, you can listen to the song and print out the words here.

Chag Samach everyone!

But she MADE me do it!

When two of my  DIY Hanukkah decorations listings sold on Sunday, I got really pumped! When I checked to see who had bought them, I was surprised to see that a certain cousin of mine in Winnipeg had bought the second one! I shot off an email right away—hey you didn't have to do that! Family after all have privileges. I know he reads this blog, so I will keep his name to myself, but his reply still has me giggling. “She made me do it” he wrote, blaming his adorable wife who is probably right now cutting out dreidle and candle decorations.

Well I couldn't help myself. I sat down and designed this new set of cards for them.

These cards are on their way to you my unnamed Winnipeg cousins, as a thank you for being so cute and for supporting my new business!

The rest of you can find the new listing at my shop. But hurry, Hanukkah is only a couple of weeks away.