This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Dec. 18 and ends Dec. 26. The “festival of lights” celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Chabad.org notes, and is celebrated by the nightly lighting of the menorah and saying Hanukkah prayers. It’s also a tradition to eat foods fried in oil, to commemorate the story of the Hanukkah miracle: that a small supply of oil that should have only lit the Holy Temple’s menorah for one day, lasted eight. And the most well-known Hanukkah treat is the delicious latke, a potato pancake that is often eaten with applesauce or sour cream.
Traditional latkes don’t really need to be improved upon. But of course, professional and amateur chefs have been creating their own spin on potato latkes for as long as they’ve been fried. These 10 recipes offer up some truly intriguing variations, including a latke that’s fried in duck fat, one that’s made with sweet potatoes, and another served with creme fraiche and caviar. Hey, the holiday is eight nights long – you have plenty of time to experiment a little. Enjoy!
– Additional reporting by Mirel Zaman