During the second century BCE, the Jewish people were taking part in a revolt which resulted in them regaining Jerusalem and rededicating the Second Temple. During this time the only oil found in the temple that had remained sealed by the High Priest, and had not been profaned by the soldiers of Antiochus IV, was a mere one-day supply for the temple's menorah (lamp). This was a problem for the Jews because it takes eight days to press olive oil. You can do the math to figure that out. At any rate, the Levite priests used that oil to light the menorah, and miraculously it remained lit for eight days--a period now named Hanukah. Because of this historical event, oil, and thus fried food, plays a large part in celebrating Hanukah. Latkes are one of those fried foods. They are a potato pancake that is shallow-fried in oil, so they are a perfect food for Hanukah celebrations.
For those of you who have never had latkes before and would like to try making them, I have good news for you: they are easy to make if you are morally willing to take some shortcuts. The easiest method is to thaw some frozen shoestring hash browns and wring them out in a tea towel or paper towel until they are relatively dry. Then add them to some instant pancake mix and add milk until it forms a thick batter. Place a few tablespoons of oil in a cast iron fry pan or hot skillet and spoon about 1/3 cup of the batter into the oil. Flip them when they are a crisp and golden brown to ensure even cooking and serve them warm, topped with applesauce or sour cream.
I am pleased to say that the cooks in the cafeteria did not take shortcuts with their potatoes. The grey color of their latkes, while unattractive, was an indicator that they used freshly-grated potatoes which were not coated in preservatives (unlike their frozen friends) to prevent oxidization. There were a few non-traditional ingredients in these latkes, however. For some odd reason the culinary staff chose to prepare these latkes by using a savory herb (I believe it was marjoram, although I am unsure). While I was a little disappointed that the latkes were not a traditional recipe, and while I am also not a fan of whatever herbs were in these latkes, I must admit that kosher cooks agree that there is nothing wrong with giving the recipe a modern twist. It would have been nice to have the latkes presented in their traditional round shape, and not in the rectangle cut-outs that the cafeteria used, however I understand that the cafeteria's need for quantity sometimes overrules the need for quality. This also explains why the latkes were unusually thick and were mushy on the bottom, instead of crispy. Nevertheless, I am going to overlook those last two drawbacks simply because of the challenges of corporate cooking. The latkes were served in the cafeteria with the traditional condiments of applesauce and copious amounts of sour cream (perhaps a little too much sour cream), that were appropriate for the dish. I was happy to see those included with the meal.
It's a Jewish holiday, so what kosher lunch wouldn’t have a little bit of fish? Fish is a culinary challenge for most kitchen personnel. On the one hand, it heats quickly and is supposed to be served barely-cooked. On the other hand, most consumers treat their fish like a heartier protein and prefer it to be firm and slightly over-cooked. I was curious to see how the staff would handle this dilemma, and I have to say that I am very impressed. The fish was just a little more than barely-cooked, so it was still tender, yet it was just firm enough to satisfy those of us who prefer their meat to be hearty. It appeared to have been poached, which is the best, yet most finicky, method for bringing out the flavor of the fish. It was delicious, and my classmates and I raved about it. For this, I would like to say a big mazel tov to the kitchen staff.
Before I give my overall impression of the meal, I need to review the vegetables that came with it. Don't ask me why, but for some reason I was served curried vegetables with my Hanukah meal. Not only do I know that curry is not a traditional spice in kosher cuisine, but I am also convinced that it is not a pleasant combination with latkes. It may have tasted fine with the salmon, but it was repulsive with the latkes. Clearly the chef in charge was not aware of how wrong it was from a religious, cultural, and a culinary perspective, to have this flavor on the same plate as latkes. I am hoping that none of the Jewish students on campus were as unimpressed as I was by this amalgamation.
In spite of some of the undesirable aspects of this meal, I have to say that I nevertheless would have this again anytime (although I would make sure to ask for vegetables that are not curried), and I would definitely recommend it to other students. It's wonderful to see the chefs in the cafeteria making an effort to celebrate a cultural holiday that comes with unique foods. It also makes me hope that matzoh ball soup will be on the menu for Passover.
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