Are potato pancakes Jewish or German?

Potato pancakes are associated with various European cuisines, including German and Austrian (as Kartoffelpuffer, Reibekuchen, Reiberdatschi, Erdäpfelpuffer and Erdäpfellaibchen), Dutch (as aardappelpannenkoek, reifkoeken, reifjes), Belarusian (as дранікі draniki), Bulgarian (as patatnik), Czech (as bramborák or cmunda …

What is the origin of potato latkes?

But potato latkes weren’t originally a part of Hanukkah cuisine. The holiday’s roots date back to 168 BC, when the Syrian-Greek King Antiochus captured Israel, plundering and defiling the holiest site of the Jewish people, the Temple in Jerusalem.

When did Jews start making latkes?

The latke, it turns out, has its roots in an old Italian Jewish custom, documented as early as the 14th century. That, it seems, is where Jews first fried pancakes to celebrate Hannukah. Only back then, they were made of cheese.

Why do you have latkes on Hanukkah?

Crispy, fried, slightly oniony potato pancakes with decadent (that’s a euphemism for fattening) toppings. Why latkes? The simple answer is that they’re meant to remind Jews of the miracle of the oil associated with Hanukkah. Centuries after the fact, Jews were told to celebrate by eating foods cooked in oil.

What nationality are potato pancakes?

Although many Americans associate potato pancakes with Hanukkah, they have more broad origins. They originated in the eastern European countries of Germany Austria, Russia and Poland as a peasant food. Potatoes were cheap, plentiful and easy to store, making them a staple and necessitating inventive potato recipes.

Are latkes like potato pancakes?

Latkes are similar to fritters and can be made from all sorts of vegetables. Potato pancakes turn up in most European cultures, from Polish placki to Swedish rarakor, German kartoffelpuffer and Irish boxty. They range from smooth cakes of leftover mashed potatoes to crispy shredded potatoes that resemble hash browns.

What does latkes mean in Hebrew?

A latke (Yiddish: לאַטקע‎; sometimes romanized latka, lit. “pancake”), is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah.

Why do you eat applesauce with latkes?

Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah by consuming fried foods like latkes, as well as other foods cooked in oil during the eight-day holiday. The applesauce conceals the oiliness of the potato, while creating an explosion of fall food flavors in your mouth.

What does latkes mean in English?

pancake
A latke is a small pancake usually made with grated potatoes. Latkes are traditionally eaten during Hanukkah. Officially, though, a latke is simply a pancake—the word itself comes, via Yiddish, from a Russian word meaning “little pancake.” Latkes can in fact be made from almost any vegetable, bean, cheese, or grain.

Why do Jews eat oily food on Hanukkah?

Why Are Fried Foods Eaten for Hanukkah? Fried foods are an important part of the traditional Hanukkah dinner because they represent the small amount of oil that miraculously burned for 8 days instead of just one when the Jews rededicated the Temple after overcoming oppression.

Why are latkes fried in oil?

“It burns too quickly.” She recommends pure olive oil, which burns hotter. Frying latkes in hot oil is what makes them crisper, she said. At home Shapiro makes her latkes from scratch.

What country did potatoes come from?

Peru
Potato Facts: Origins of the Potato The Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes around 8,000 BC to 5,000 B.C. In 1536 Spanish Conquistadors conquered Peru, discovered the flavors of the potato, and carried them to Europe.

How did potato latkes become a Hanukkah dish?

Consequently, cheese pancakes, because they combined the two traditional types of foods–fried and dairy–became a natural Hanukkah dish.” Potato latkes are a more recent Ashkenazi invention that gained popularity in Eastern Europe during the mid 1800?s.

Where did the first potato latke come from?

Of course we associate potato latkes with Hanukkah, but in reality latkes descends from Italian pancakes that were made with ricotta cheese. The first connection between Hanukkah and pancakes was made by a rabbi in Italy named Rabbi Kalonymus ben Kalonymus (c. 1286-1328).

When was the first time Jews ate latkes?

( Some food scholars suggest that latkes were originally fried in goose fat and were eaten in early winter to correspond with the seasonal goose slaughter.) However, Marks points out that potatoes didn’t reach Eastern Europe until the mid-19th century. Before then, Jews ate pancakes made out of buckwheat flour, similar to Russian blini.

Where can I buy schmaltz for potato latkes?

Schmaltz can be made at home or purchased in the freezer section of most kosher markets. While it may seem like an obscure ingredient to some, schmaltz imparts a truly authentic potato latke flavor. I use a bit of schmaltz in the frying oil for my latkes for a hint of schmaltzy flavor.