Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on November 25, 2021

Food and food traditions play a significant role in many Jewish holidays and celebrations, and the eight days of Hanukkah are no exception. This year, Hanukkah begins at sunset on Sunday, November 28, and ends Monday, December 6. Atlanta-based food and culture writer Robbie Medwed delves into the origins behind the fried foods served during Hanukkah, including latkes and fried cheese.

When it comes to celebrating the Jewish holidays, theres an old cliche one should understand: They tried to kill us, we won, lets eat! During Hanukkah, that old adage could not be more true, with food taking center stage throughout the eight-day celebration.

Over 2,200 years ago, the Assyrian-Greek Empire conquered the Jewish land centered around Jerusalem and its surrounding area. During the conquest, Judaism and its rituals were banned and the Temple in Jerusalem was defiled. Study of Torah, lifecycle events, and anything else Jewish were also outlawed. Unwilling to become Hellenized, a small group of Jewish zealots, known as the Maccabees, launched a violent revolt against their conquerors. Over the course of a few years, this small group of vigilantes successfully defeated the Greeks and restored the Temple to its former glory, re-instituting its services and rituals.

According to legend, when the Maccabees restored the Temple and prepared it for service again, they only found one days worth of olive oil to light the menorah, which was supposed to always burn. Miraculously, that small amount of oil lasted long enough to press more olives (eight days, of course), and from then on the celebration of the Hanukkah festival became inextricably linked with olive oil.

Today, Jewish people across the world eat foods fried in and cooked with oil during Hanukkah to symbolize the miracle which allowed the restoration of the Temple. Below, Eater rounded up a few dishes fried in oil from Atlanta restaurants to consider checking out for Hanukkah this year.

The latke, a fried pancake made from grated potatoes and onions, is Americas most common Ashkenazi Jewish Hanukkah food. It originated in Eastern Europe in the late 1800s when potatoes were ubiquitous and affordable. For traditional latkes, stop by the General Muir at Emory Point or Sandy Springs, the multiple Goldbergs Fine Foods locations around Atlanta, and Breadwinner Cafe in Dunwoody. Theres also tater tots, or heaps of bite-sized fried potatoes.

Though the latke is most known today for being made using potatoes, onions have long been a primary ingredient. Why not branch out this year and enjoy scallion pancakes, too, including from Green Sprout Vegetarian on Piedmont, Gaja Korean Bar in East Atlanta Village, La Mei Zi at Asian Square on Buford Highway, and Harmony Vegetarian at the Orient Center on Buford Highway.

The Maccabees arent the only heroes of the Hanukkah story. A woman named Judith is often considered the first of the Hanukkah heroes. Before the Maccabees ever came on the scene, Judith was fighting for her family and for her peoples survival. Apocryphal stories tell how she sweet talked her way into the army compound of Holofernes, the general sent by the Assyrian ruler Nebuchadnezzar. After some deception and cunning guile, Judith seduced Holofernes with a feast of cheese and other dairy. With Holofernes in a cheese-induced sleep, Judith beheaded him with his own sword. In Judiths honor, cheese has become a Hanukkah staple food. In fact, before potatoes, latkes were most commonly made from cheese.

For fried cheese in Atlanta, check out the fried mozzarella at LLoyds on DeKalb Avenue or the fried mozzarella sticks at Varuni Napoli on Monroe drive or the restaurants stall at Krog Street Market. For something truly indulgent, consider ordering one of the white pizzas topped with olive oil and fried spaghetti covered in cheese at Ammazza on Edgewood Avenue.

Theres more to fried cheese than a simple stick of breaded mozzarella. The cheese-filled chile relleno at Grant Parks Mi Barrio is a great dish to consider during Hanukkah (or any time of year,) as is the vegetarian chile relleno at Nuevo Laredo Cantina on Chattahoochee Avenue.

Hanukkah is a celebration which bridges the gap between ancient Israel and the modern state of Israel because its so tied to the land there and to Jerusalem. And though falafel, deep-fried chickpea patties, are found at street carts and vendors throughout the Middle East and isnt unique to Hanukkah, falafel is still a solid way to celebrate the holiday.

Located next door to Aziza at Westside Provisions District, Falafel Nation features some of Atlantas best falafel on the menu. Grab a pita filled to the brim with fresh falafel balls paired with zaatar spiced fries or a falafel salad before grabbing a Hanukkah takeout feast from Aziza. The family meal includes latkes, brisket, and sufganiyot and feeds six. Over at Krog Street Market, street food stall Yalla serves the fried chickpea fritters with labne, tahini, and sumac radish. Head to the small counter in back of Tip Top Kosher Market on Savoy Drive to order sandwiches and a side of crispy falafel.

Sufganiyot, jelly-filled doughnuts, are a traditional Hanukkah dessert. But there are other fried dessert options to consider for Hanukkah, too. In an ironic twist, the Greeks include baklava among their culinary traditions, a layered pastry treat wrapped in filo dough and stuffed with chopped nuts sweetened with syrup or sometimes honey. Baklava can be found on menus at many Atlanta Mediterranean and Greek markets and restaurants, including great versions at both Kyma and Cafe Agora in Buckhead. For a decidedly modern (and decadent) fried dessert in Atlanta, try the tempura-fried Oreos topped with Nutella or chocolate sauce from Asian street food pop-up Mushi Ni. The pop-up serves out of Little Trouble at Westside Provisions District and S.O.S Tiki Bar in Decatur.

Robbie Medwed is an Atlanta-based food and culture writer and regular Eater contributor. His food writing has appeared in the Atlanta Jewish Times, the Jewish Food Experience, Grok Nation, and Eater Atlanta.

Disclaimer: Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here. It is highly advised people wear masks indoors or in crowded situations, regardless of vaccination status, to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

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From Latkes to Scallion Pancakes, Add These Fried Foods to Your Hanukkah Feast - Eater Atlanta

Category: Ashkenazi
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