History of Latkes

[@TastingHistory]

Pre-order the TASTING HISTORY COOKBOOK: amzn.to/3NKTSaM

[@phranerphamily]

Got mine ordered 😊

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

I do wish you'd included temperatures in Centigrade for your recipe videos. It's a pain in the 🤬 to have to convert the cooking temperatures for everything.

[@MariaMartinez-researcher]

08:50. Small mistake. The Book of Judith *has not* been left out of "almost all Bibles today." From the Wikipedia article: "The Book of Judith is a deuterocanonical book, included in the Septuagint and the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian Old Testament of the Bible, but excluded from the Hebrew canon and assigned by Protestants to the apocrypha." So, only Protestant bibles have excluded it. I highly recommend you to check the history of the Biblical canon to get the differences between canonical, deuterocanonical, apocryphal, and why different churches have adopted different canons. Wikipedia's articles are pretty decent. So you won't say anymore "I don't really know why." ✌

[@Genzafel]

Already got mine preorder! is Latkes recipe in there?

[@durandeuschle2064]

Are you going to do a book tour?

[@alanharvey7841]

Excellent episode! Quick Kosher note about schmaltz and toppings... if you keep Kosher, and you cook your latkes in schmaltz, it becomes a "meat" dish so you wouldn't eat them with a dairy topping like sour cream (no mixing meat and dairy). If you fry them in veg oil, they are "parve" and could be topped with sour cream. Similarly, if you fry latkes in butter, they become a "dairy" food. Hopes this is helpful. Chag Sameach friends!

[@zacharytrosch3406]

Great comment. Honestly, this should be pinned for those who want a more historically/culturally authentic result.

[@dfunkmale]

I totally spaced on this! My family didn't keep kosher growing up, but this might explain why my family recipe always used vegetable oil. Sour cream was always a staple latke topping during my childhood.

[@RedCubUK]

I always cook with vegetable oil for this reason. Then you can have whatever toppings you like!

[@alyson955]

Came here to say this!

[@bigdubi24]

Was thinking the same thing!

[@JamieHaDov]

The fact that you literally have 3 candles out and this aired for the third night is just…you just gained a fan for life

[@OperaTidhar]

I was just thinking the same thing in Jerusalem...

[@rickmaldoo4205]

I'm a simple man he had me interesting history and food.

[@rachelraimi19]

@@MichaelRei99 Wait, you're bothered because Max made a video about something other than Christian holidays? Hanukkah is still a holiday, how important it is in the Jewish year isn't really the issue here. Are you as upset about recipes from all other cultures, or is it just Jews that trigger you?

[@GrimmDelightsDice]

@@MichaelRei99 How to say you're antisemitic without saying you're antisemitic

[@xRepoUKx]

@@rachelraimi19 The point he's making is the exact opposite to the one you think he is!

[@morganakkerman3812]

I am Ukrainian but not Jewish and the relationship between Jewish and Ukrainian cuisine just amazes me. Sometimes it's extremely hard to see when one stops and another begins. Love is stored in the potato pancakes (in Ukraine they are called деруни - deruny). Also, I'm really happy that we have almost the same word for rendered animal fat - it's смалець (smalets) in Ukrainian - it's such a hearty word. Also also: so happy to see dishes from my culture and how they relate to other cultures: деруни (deruny), оладки (oladky), сирники/творожники (syrnyky/tvorozhnyky)... And everything is good with сметана (smetana).

[@anthonykaiser974]

Smalets is apparently a loanword from German via Yiddish. Schmalz comes from German, and is a noun form of "schmelzen" to melt, same as English "smelt."

[@darkangelsoaps8258]

I see much similarity with Polish food as well 😊

[@AntifascistBlueThing]

A lot of ashkenazi Jews relate their lineage to Ukraine which was known as the pale during the Russian empire. My great grandfather, Isaac Kenijefski came from there to America during the end of world war 1, after many Russian pogroms. Our cuisine is so similar because we once shared that land with you, a lot of us! ^^

[@anthonykaiser974]

@@AntifascistBlueThing lots of great bread bakers, I'd bet. Seems many of the historic ancestors of Jewish deli ryes come from eastern Poland, Ukraine, and up in the Baltics.

[@HowieHoward-ti3dx]

Lucky you're not Jewish. So you must have your 4skin.

[@yalllouu1094]

I always appreciate Max's great pronunciation of words from other languages.

[@FaerieDust]

From what I can tell (I obviously don't speak all the languages he's represented on his channel) he really does try hard - in the best sense of the expression! I really appreciate how he makes a real, serious effort with syllables and sounds that aren't a thing in English. He doesn't always get it perfect, of course, but he's probably the best at it that I've seen on KZbin (at least the best non-linguist).

[@ak47dragunov]

As a native Hebrew speaker I regret to say his pronounciation on this one was not very good. It was an admirable try though

[@sebaseba6710]

Yes it's always neat!

[@FaerieDust]

@@ak47dragunov I think Hebrew is a language that would be difficult for a native English speaker to tackle tbh - too many sounds that there's just no context for in English. I speak Kurdish and although there's some overlap it's still definitely a struggle (though to be fair I struggle with the same sounds in Kurdish as well, since I grew up only speaking it on and off).

[@ak47dragunov]

@@FaerieDust Funny enough, the words he used didn't have many unconventional sounds in English, but the stresses were simply on the wrong syllables (e.g. it should be SufganiYOT and LeviVOT, not SufGAniyot/LEvivot as Max said)

[@ABBAyaga]

This reminds me of a tradition from my childhood. I wasn't raised Jewish, but I grew up in NYC, so many of my friends were. Every year my family spent at least 1 night of Channukah with close family friends. The kids always had a competition to see who could eat the most latkes. We ate SO many. I can't even phathom how many pounds of potatoes our friend's mom went through. But she was such a good sport, and supported our annual fried potato feast. We don't have eating competitions anymore (thank god), so I am the last and most accomplished champion. I put away 25 latkes with sour cream in one evening when I was 11 (and maybe 75 lbs. haha) There was no physical prize, just the triumphant warmth of bragging rights. Might still be my greatest ever achievement.

[@Antonia-yr8dp]

I also am a New York kid. Had most of the same childhood. Miss it.

[@laerwen]

Another former NYC area kid checking in. I grew up vaguely Catholic but knew lots of Jewish kids. Jewish food was something I grew up with and the holidays (especially Hanukkah) was part of my life. I miss the familiarity of it all!

[@TheMeloettaful]

That was a great story. Thank you for sharing, and have your 100th like from me 😊!

[@maxbracegirdle9990]

Bragging rights amongst a group of male friends is an amazing feeling that I don't think chicks ever get to feel and I wish they could. Somehow, winning nothing is the best prize around friends, but I don't think most girls can understand that feeling 😁👌

[@Skilltagz]

Bragging rights are the best prize one can have with friends

[@xena91388]

The story of Judith actually gets more interesting when you start getting into art history. The painting in the video at 11:30 was done by a women named Artemisia Gentileschi. The artist had been raped by her tutor while fighting back and underwent a torture interrogation during the rape trial while working on the first version of that painting. After the artist had time to recover and gained some court influence, she painted that 2nd, more violent version of the painting. She also made other paintings of Judith and her maid to show strong women working together unlike previous depictions of Judith that portray her as emotionless and serene while doing the beheading as if it was an everyday chore.

[@Yearofthetiger25]

That's how I learned about the painting in the first place, I took art history in college. Though I don't remember hearing the full context of Judith's reason for killing the man.

[@zyxw2000]

Tracy Chevalier ("The Girl With the Pearl Earring") wrote a novelized version of Artemisia's life. Can't recall the title but you can look it up.

[@Rubia376]

wow..... that got dark real quick.......

[@hunnypie1873]

Yes! As I watched this, my art history classes in college came rushing back to me! ❤

[@meitanteikudoKID]

Gentileschi’s painting is my favorite out of all of the paintings on this subject because of that reason. It felt more realistic and powerful than the other depictions (the only other I knew of before seeing this video was Caravaggio’s depiction)

[@Serenity_Dee]

One day, my ex and I were shopping at Trader Joe's, and they had a jar of pasta sauce that made her burst out in horrified laughter. Because, having studied art history as part of her BFA, she recognized that the scowling, vaguely medieval-looking woman whose head was on the jar to provide it with a sense of old-world authenticity was Judith from Caravaggio's Giuditta e Oloforne.

[@keithfreeman2139]

What is the significance of Judith from Car.....

[@apollyon4578]

@@keithfreeman2139 Its a painting where Judith is unaliving a man by separating his head from his body with a sword. Edit: oooooohhhhh, now I get your suspensive dots......

[@manauser362]

But it dies the whole tomato preserves thing in. Hmm...

[@spinningindaffodils]

I know exactly what jar that is and know exactly what that painting is!!!

[@self4341]

as an art history nerd myself, i recognized it as well as it is one of the most famous paintings from caravaggio. artemisia gentileschi painted the same story but hers was a bit more... brutal and klimt did as well but his just didn't have "the impact" yk?

[@mesmartgnome]

My mother-in-law is from Ukraine and has started staying with us since March. Watching her cook is just awesome. She actually uses "onion juice" in most of her cooking. She basically just grates an onion and uses the juice. Absolutely love her food.

[@SauronsAccntnt]

That's wonderful you get to enjoy her and her cooking (my heart goes to her and any family affected by what's going on). I've never heard of using onion juice for anything before this, do you mind sharing how she uses it?

[@jonesnori]

@@SauronsAccntnt I have a cheese straws recipe that calls for onion juice. I never quite knew how to get it before. (They're delicious with or without onion juice.)

[@melskunk]

I'm working at an Eastern European deli that makes a lot of its food and we make several spreads that are flavoured with onion juice (I especially like the roast eggplant one)

[@mesmartgnome]

@@melskunk I don’t know how it’s spelled but I’ll try, Katlyete is one that she uses onion juice for. There like little meatloafs and are very dangerous 😂

[@DanielPorowski]

@@SauronsAccntnt You just use it when you want the flavor but not the pieces. You can do the same thing with garlic, ginger, etc. (And making it is just "make small pieces, squeeze"; really simple.)

[@LadySuilenroc]

One of the RAs in my freshman dorm hosted latkes parties several times a semester, and he was kind enough to teach anyone who wanted how to make his grandma's latkes. It was a very imprecise recipe. Enough potatoes to feed everyone Some onion, whatever you have on hand Matzo, until it doesn't fall apart when frying Fat to fry Applesauce to top She did not include any cooking instructions, or any measurements, so it took us half a night to figure out how to get them to fry without dissolving (she said nothing about straining the liquid out). The ONLY thing she was specific about was that the potatoes and onions must be ground with a particular grinder, which she mailed to the RA. It was made sometime in the early 1900s and took us days to figure out how to work.

[@slook7094]

That's how most family recipes are: imprecise and up to the cook to figure it out.

[@Sniperboy5551]

That’s the best kind of cooking and in my opinion, the only proper way of cooking. Eyeball it, go by feel instead of by measurements. It always makes the end product better, I learned that from my grandmother!

[@catherinefuller25]

I'm Polish Catholic and we eat potato pancakes on Christmas Eve. We always do a meatless meal that night so they are cooked in peanut oil. My cousin makes so many that he always cooks them outside so that he doesn't fill the house with smoke when you get to the end of the oil. We also eat fish, fresh baked babka bread, pierogis, and lots of Christmas cookies.

[@L0rdOfThePies]

That sounds awesome! Hope you enjoy yourselves :-)

[@mramisuzuki6962]

7 fishies is great but the vegetables lasagna is where it’s at. It’s nice to see people not eating prime rib on Christmas Eve still.

[@catherinefuller25]

@@mramisuzuki6962 The 7 fishes is Italian, we just do meatless that night as a reminder of Good Friday. There's also a tradition sourkraut soup we sometime do, (most of us aren't unto it) that is supposed to remind us of the sour times before nativity.

[@TheExvangelicalCat]

This was my plan this year. I'm Polish American and I'm trying to reclaim my culture, but l don't have it in me to make the full meal. I'm for sure making potato pancakes tho.

[@jhoughjr1]

peanut oil goes great with potatoes

[@judycolella5554]

"...potatoes didn't crop up..." You're killin' me, Smalls, lol! Thanks so much for not only this recipe, but for the wonderful, rich history of this food. My family is Christian, but my mom grew up in the Prospect Park area of Brooklyn where nearly all their neighbors were Jewish. She thus learned not only to love their food, but how to cook many of their Kosher dishes. So I grew up eating latkes, knishes, bagels and lox, blintzes, bialys, and so much more. Also, when I was in kindergarten, my neighbors across the street were Jewish, and they would give me and my friend (their daughter) Sherry buttered matzo crackers as an after-school snack. And now, I'm going to the store and see if I can find some schmalz so I can have latkes with dinner!

[@nodwick4231]

Schmalz is the german word for lard, so it should be fine to just use that. Maybe not use pig lard, though, because Jews and stuff ;)

[@dfunkmale]

@@nodwick4231 In Yiddish it refers to poultry fat, usually chicken, which is both kosher and traditional. :-)

[@stephaniecowans3646]

My fave snack was and still is buttered matzo !

[@aaronsirkman8375]

@@dhuss14 Boy, you sure like wasting your time doing nonsense. Feel free to spend your efforts on trying to sow hate on the internet instead of doing a single thing to help the world, dummy. No one can stop you, you're free to act the way you want, even if it's pointless and doesn't help anyone.

[@grimdarhk]

@@dfunkmale Yiddish is a corruption of German, so it makes sense that they would change the word to suit their needs

[@BekiCal]

In college I was very good friends with a Jewish boy , he would take me home on weekends . His mother would feed us , all her food was lovely , but this was my favorite. This brought back so many wonderful memories of sitting in the kitchen with Joe , and his mother , eating comforting food , and lovely conversation

[@randomdude1rd1]

The story of Judith and Holofernes was a favorite of my childhood, the cheese was meant to make Holofernes more thirsty and the wine would make hime crave the salty cheese, and so it went until he got so drunk he passed out

[@forceoffriction]

so the movie theater soda and popcorn scheme 😆

[@PokhrajRoy.]

So nice to hear the story of Judith and Holofernes. Judith really wasn’t having any BS in her town, that’s for sure.

[@conlybasher7783]

A real girl boss, that one.

[@RadarLakeKosh]

I grew up Catholic, but my parents bought me this Judith comic book...What a badass!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@conlybasher7783 Gatekeep, Gaslight, Get a sword to behead someone.

[@marylist1236]

Judith is one of my two favorite books in the Apocrypha, the other being Tobit. If you include the books of the Apocrypha, Judith speaks the most for a woman

[@JennL919]

I'd never heard that story before, it's incredible

[@eliseleonard3477]

“hey everyone! Look what I’ve got!” 🤣🤣🤣 Judith and the head of Holofernes. Max, your historical interpretations are the greatest ❤️

[@IceMetalPunk]

I guess you could say she really helped the Jews... get a head 😏

[@sporkbot]

Judith was such a badass. Artemisia Gentileschi's rendering of this story is one of my favorite paintings of all time.

[@MossyMozart]

@sporkbot - Gentileschi's version is so masterful.

[@elizabethniemczyk3814]

Yes, a wonderful interpretation. And she's speaking about her own life experience through the painting, as well.

[@dogvom]

Yeah, you wouldn't want to call her Judy to her face!

[@fedra76it]

Bonus: the blood spilling from Oloferne's neck follows parabolic tracks. Artemisia knew her Physics, while other painters did not add such a realistic trait.

[@DonnaBarrHerself]

@@fedra76it As an artist, I'm guessing she didn't so much know physics as had been sketching at a slaughterhouse.

[@MonkeyBars1]

Very impressed your chanukiah has the correct number of candles *for the day the video is posted* That's what I call good production workflow

[@rx500android]

My thoughts exactly! Made me so happy

[@TastingHistory]

I had to think ahead for that 😂

[@threepoint14159265]

Was about to comment this. Huge respect!

[@vacationingourway1373]

I see 3 candles plus a shamash. Today is the second day, not the third. Tonight begins the third.

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

@@vacationingourway1373 Yes, but getting it correct all over the world is impossible so he'd have had to err in one way or the other and, since most people don't watch videos as soon as they drop, I think he made the right choice. It's already night in half the world :)

[@fractalcat3696]

My family, while not Jewish, is Ukrainian/Polish, and I have fond memories of my grandma and mom making potato pancakes, called diruniy in Ukrainian. Instead of grating the potatoes, they would actually put them in a manual meat grinder to get a super mushy consistency, which creates sort of a batter like you mentioned. They’ve always been one of my favourite foods! 💛💙 Happy Hanukkah!

[@ericreativecuts]

"The inconsistencies are inconsistent throughout time..." Lmao! My brother and I had a debate about how to make latkes *yesterday*! We both hand grate and leave more liquid in and my dad mashes some and grates the rest which is bonkers lol. Even my recipe which is handwritten has in the margin: "Bubby says to add hot oil but this doesn't really seem to matter?????" There's a famous saying: "two Jews: three opinions."

[@Hullj]

Lol. I'd not heard that before. In my family it's three Jews and no opinions because no one wants to step on anyone else's toes. It's sort of the other side of the same coin and this just completely cracked me up. Happy Hanukkah and a great new year

[@brolohalflemming7042]

I think it's one of those examples of parallel evolution, and the power of the humble spud. So when it was introduced into Europe, it was viewed with some suspicion, then became very popular given it was cheap and easy to grow. Plus they're pretty versatile, so mash, bake, chip, fry, roast, make into flour. Just needs some flavor and texture. So this style of dish became popular across much of Europe, eg Rosti. Regardless, they're one of my favorite snacks, and the secret's really getting the moisture content right so it crisps. Or doesn't. Depends how families prefer them I guess. But it being that time of year, I roasted a large goose (turkey is boring) and now have 3 large bowls of goose dripping that's now destined to make these :)

[@zocansew]

my family lives by that saying lol.

[@karenlloyd945]

This made me giggle!

[@Hullj]

@@brolohalflemming7042 since I'm a shicksa I don't have a family history of expectations. I also think I'm a little ADHD. Whatever kind of latkes you like thick, thin, gooey, crispy, a little burnt, a little raw. I make them all. For the same meal. It is not deliberate but it seems to make everybody happy. Except me because I'm embarrassed that I can't make two look alike.

[@Xanthippaa]

Carraway seeds are indigenous to Central/Eastern Europe and used in most potato dishes, including Latkas. It was not until I came to North America that I had a latka withour crushed carraway seeds and marjoram (which are in our family recipe from 1800's) - and I strongly miss those spices in the North American version. If you ever do repeat the recipe, try adding those and a bit of garlic in and enjoy a symphony in your mouth!

[@Yomi2012]

Latkes is Ashkenazi cuisine. Being a a sefardi Jew we have multiple fried foods like burekas, fried egg plant fritters, bacalitos etc.

[@Panbaneesha]

I dont know if our German "Kartoffelpuffer" or "Reibekuchen" are derived from Latkes, but they sound very similar. In our family they were usually eaten with apple puree, although many people like them with sugar. Happy Holidays, everyone, whatever (if anything) you're celebrating!

[@sailingsinbad7899]

Probably the other way around. Jewish dishes are usually derived from regional dishes where the people lived, adapted to be kosher. Although it's also not linear, and Jewish cooking also inspired gentile cooks as well, leading to a common evolution of regional food across religion very often Which is why you get such a great diversity between, for exemple, Ashkenazi and Sephardic cuisine.

[@Jensegaense]

They are the exact same. Applesauce is the english term for apple puree. Considering Prussia was the main country introducing potatoes to the common folk, a lot of crossover between German and Yiddish cooking traditions occured which most likely lead to Latkes/Reibekuchen.

[@toffeefuchs]

I just noticed that connection too. I guess most Germans (including me) don't know that Reibekuchen/Kartoffelpuffer/Latkes are also a Jewish tradition because there are not that many Jewish people left here to share their culture and the ones that are aren't very visible in society. But it would explain why they are often eaten around the winter holidays.

[@alexandreochem3142]

This is probably something very common in eastern Europe cuisine. Here in Alsace (Elsass) we cook "Grumbeerekiechle" (Alsacian for Kartoffelpuffer) which are pretty much the same but we add persil, sometimes a bit or garlic (depend of the recepies) and it's fried in butter or vegetal oil. In Lorraine ( Lothringen) they eat this with mirabelle jam.

[@whatername528]

My family also sometimes sprinkles latkas with sugar, usually if apple sauce wasn't on hand. Course we're part German-Jewish so makes sense.

[@MsAnpassad]

I can see how the cranberry sauce became a thing with latkes. I'm swedish and during that time a lot of Swedes emigrated to America. Here we have a dishes called Raggmunk and Rårakor. The first are similar to a pancake with shredded potato mixed into the batter, the second are similar to the swiss Rösti. What we eat to it? Lingonberry jam of course (surprise, surprise 😉). So, depending on if the cook squeezed out the juice out or not, the emigrants from the nordics might have said "These are just like our Rårakor/Raggmunk, and as we don't have lingonberry jam here, let's use this close relative that are a good substitute". Just having some fun with food history. 😁

[@snazzypazzy]

I was thinking about Rösti too! They look a little similar. And I love Rösti, so I'll be trying Latkes soon. (I also really love Lingon jam - brough home a bunch of jars from my summer holiday in Sweden.)

[@Ri-Val]

Important to note, vegetable oil is kosher, but so are schmalz and butter. What is distinct about vegetable oils is that they are pareve kosher, meaning they are not dairy or meat. In kosher law you must not consume dairy and meat together, and you must often wait long periods of time between eating one before you can eat the other. The only thing allowed in between being what is pareve (plant based or egg or fish). Pareve latkes leaves the opportunity to have one pareve pan going that can be used for days for latkes to be eaten with sour cream or applesauce or a beef roast. That being said, the butter and schmaltz were certainly still possible and kosher so long as you took they right cleanliness precautions.

[@sphhyn]

I grew up with the German equivalent to latkes ‚Kartoffelpuffer‘. It’s still a staple in German cuisine today. The recipe is almost exactly the same, but the trick with adding the starch after squeezing it out was new to me. I will definitely try that! Thanks for the interesting content

[@gabrieleghut1344]

The potatoe starch with a small amount of the potatoe juice is the only thing my mom and grandma put in Kartoffelpuffer. No flour and no eggs, but sometimes a small onion.

[@Streleny]

Reiber datschi?

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Another way I know is to use salt to draw the water out of the potatoes

[@_the_bomb]

The third candle on your menorah is appreciated, as is the general respect I felt towards the tradition. If I hadn’t already a subscribed, you would have gained a subscriber here. Excellent job!

[@jacekzdydni2155]

In Poland we still eat something similar. It's called "Placki ziemniaczane" what can be translated as potato pancakes. They're often fried in lard or sunflower/rape seed oil. We like to eat them with sour cream or beef stew.

[@eugenekearney6971]

the trip from placki (plats key) to latke is fairly obvious, my mom served with apple sauce.

[@ferdys1705]

But those are waaay better. As Czech you know we adds Garlic (very important), Cumin, marjoram (also veeery important)...idk why most of those other non central europe versions are mostly just salt and plain potatoes. Must be kinda boring taste in my opinion.

[@jacekzdydni2155]

@@ferdys1705 yeah. My mom used to add marjoram and a little bit of paprika but i've never tried it with garlic. Few times i've added grated cheese to the "batter" and it also was great. @Eugene Kearney - "plats key" made my day 😁

[@notgray88]

Rapeseed oil is amazing for frying! I use it quite often.

[@eugenekearney6971]

@@jacekzdydni2155 well, maybe is should change my name here to Genusziek Mihal Czapa Kearney. I am an old surveyor, plats (subdivisions) sounds similar to plots with a soft A.

[@woodsman105]

My wife's Russian grandmother made her drink onion water before going to school everyday when she was a kid. She did it by cutting an onion (Vidalia) in half. Pressed the cut side into sugar. Wrapped a string around it so that the tail of the string would hang down from the open face. She'd put the string into a drinking glass and set the onion on top of the glass; and, leave it overnight like that. The onion juice would run down the string and fill the glass. My wife had perfect attendance in school from kindergarten through graduation. She has also never drank onion water ever again since.

[@rebekaharjaiallred849]

I'm both horrified and impressed by this. I'm allergic to onions, but I love them, so this sounds both awesome and awful.

[@Li_Tobler]

& she didn't have any friends at school because she stank to high heavens

[@kikidevine694]

I make onion syrup for colds. It sounds like a similar thing. I love the flavour, but then I also like Marmite grilled on toast with a sprinkle of brown sugar on top

[@DonyaLane]

When I got the rona last year, a Jamaican nurse told me to quarter cut a red (Bermuda) onion and boil it. Then sip the onion water before bed. It acted as an amazing medicinal! I felt so much better overnight! I did a little research on it, and it turns out that onions have a way of drawing toxins from the body. There's also an old folk remedy, where you cut an onion and wrap it against the soul of your feet. It pulls out toxins and whatever ails you.

[@KairuHakubi]

That is one hell of a recipe. I'm like "psh raw onion is delicious, and the juice is a fantastic part of pico de gallo. .. .. oh, sugar huh? well that might.. make it taste interesting.. it would certainly draw out the wa- ... left there overnight you say..." that would be so rancid. Onion goes off if you look at it funny, which is weird for something inherently antimicrobial.

[@FrikInCasualMode]

In Poland we peel potatoes, grate them whole, add flour instead of matzo, add minced onion, salt and pepper and egg. Then fry them on rapeseed oil. Voila! Placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes) are ready to eat! They are excellent with a dollop of sour cream, but my favorite is version with a hefty ladle of spicy goulash poured over pancakes. Delicious!

[@FrikInCasualMode]

@@msnanodancer Fry one big pancake (the size of frying pan), pour goulash in the middle and then fold the pancake in half like an omelette. We call that version Hungarian or brigand pancakes. Hungarian is obvious - goulash, duh. But why "brigand"? No one knows LOL

[@micheleparker3780]

Never had it, but it sounds good to me!!!🤤

[@FrikInCasualMode]

@@micheleparker3780 Like Max said: Fried potatoes. What's not to like? And I wholeheartedly support his position! 😁

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Thank you for adding this. My Dad used to make this for my brother and I. It's been a long time since I've had them. I definitely will try this weekend. Thanks for bringing back some great memories.

[@dfunkmale]

This is much closer to my family recipe, though we puree our potatoes.

[@spleeber]

I wasn't raised following the Jewish faith, since generations back there were Lutherans within the family tree, which originated in Austria, Germany and Russia. We celebrated Christmas, Chanukah as well as other Christian and Jewish holidays, but we were never educated as to the meaning of them. I have had knishes, latkes, gefilte fish and other Jewish delicacies throughout my life. Hearing your story of the origin of the Chanukah Latke was quite enjoyable, and I find you to be a wonderful storyteller. Thank you very much. I plan on starting to do some research on our roots. Better late than never. Shalom!

[@julierossbrickley146]

Thanks for sharing the story of Judith!! Great example of our unofficial reason for all holiday celebrations.."They tried to kill us; G-d saved us; Let's eat!" Chag Samaeach Hanukkah (Happy Hanukkah)

[@MsLeenite]

😄👍

[@psalm91rdwlkfpgrl]

the third candle in the menorah, the colour sceme of the Pokemon, the respect of a religion that's not his....this was beautiful. thank you, max♥️🕎✡️✝️

[@debrathornley2974]

Ohhh! Is that how the Articuno fits in? The color scheme? Bravo.

[@SidheKnight]

@@debrathornley2974 I thought the Articuno was for winter.. Could you explain the color scheme? I don't get it.

[@reasonablyreliable]

@@SidheKnight blue and white/silver are classic Channukah colors.

[@xavariusquest4603]

There is no better time than NOW to celebrate Jewish traditions. But those traditions make an important point...they are the traditions created because Jews have HAD TO FLEE AND SURVIVE IN NEW LANDS. Latkes ARE NOT ancient Jewish tradition but formative tradition caused by being forced to relocate to survive. I am a gentile. I recognize that a simple food is both a symbol of faith and a testament to the survival of an historically vilified people. This was a rather beautiful and touching presentation. Thank you.

[@Misceletric]

I’m not part of the Jewish faith and I’ve never participated in Hanukkah, but I remember my mom teaching us how to make latkes for some sort of homeschool lesson. And they were so good we kelt making them! Now I make them for my kids as a special breakfast and they can eat platefuls !! Haha 😂 I also just learned about making and using Shultz, so I’ll use that next time to fry! Delicious! Thankyou for the video !

[@alvinmarcovici3556]

You're welcome to my house for a latke party any day!

[@zocansew]

the real way to tell your family isn't jewish: you can eat latkes for breakfast without severe stomach pain :')

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@zocansew Hey, my family is Jewish, and I -- *looks at the entire box of Prilosec on my coffee table* -- and I rescind any upcoming complaints. Carry on 😅

[@musicalme27]

*schmaltz*

[@TheFoxyBard]

Chag Sameach and Yasher Koach (I promise, those mean good things). I'm so happy to see you do a Hanukah episode. Personally, I barely strain my potatoes, but I prefer them thicker with just a little crisp on the outside. One thing to be aware of: part of the reason there are some recipes that call for butter and others for Schmaltz is that Orthodox Judaism forbids mixing milk and meat. An observant Jew would choose their recipe based on what other dishes were to be served at the meal. This would also affect the options for toppings, so, no sour cream on Schmaltz Latkes. Of course, Judaism is a confusing spectrum and there have always been Jews of varying levels of observance, so I would say your Latkes are definitely period accurate. Keep doing what you're doing and Happy Hanukah!

[@melissalambert7615]

I knew about the not cooking with dairy and meat together and understood it with the frying. Didn't think of the addition of sour cream as a topping. Yes. My friends and their families all have varying levels of observance.

[@Burning_Dwarf]

I do not have much knowledge of abrahamic religion, of which Judeaism the least; what is the outlook on dairy alternatives or even mixing say dairy and meat replacers? I am very curious, lactointolorant and recently made a jewish friend.

[@MsLeenite]

@@Burning_Dwarf When I was a kid, my friends whose family kept kosher used margarine to get around the meat/dairy thing. So they could put corn oil margarine on their bread or potato, whether they were eating a meat or dairy meal. Sooooo... I would guess that if the milk alternative truly contains no dairy, it's okay to use it with a meal containing meat. Like putting margarine on one's baked potato when you're having (real) steak. It is an interesting point, though. Which counts more, the actual ingredients or the ingredients being faked?

[@kosherkitties5897]

@Burning Dwarf so long as the replacers have none of the ingredient in them (i.e., some margarine is labeled dairy) and all the ingredients are kosher, it's fine.

[@TheFoxyBard]

@@Burning_Dwarf Non-dairy and non-meat alternatives are fine to mix with milk or meat. There is, in fact, an entire industry around making non-dairy and non-meat imitations within the Kosher market.

[@TalKScribe]

For a non-Jew, your pronunciation of "Khanike" and "Aleichem" is outstanding, and shows some work. I doff my cap to you, good sir.

[@nadavpais-greenapple5669]

You did an incredible job with this video, sh'koyekh! (Yiddish for congratulations) I teach at a Jewish school and will be showing this to my 7th graders tomorrow!

[@nirhar-chen9565]

umm actually. it's just short for yishar koch (יישר כוח(

[@nadavpais-greenapple5669]

@@nirhar-chen9565 yes, your point? sh'koyekh is still the yiddish shortening of the full hebrew expression

[@BornofIron]

Thanks for the very tasteful and insightful video Max! I remember this absolutely sweet Jewish family would come to my class and explain the holiday and bring in all sorts of goodies, treats, and games for us to play. Latkes were something I've always itched for year after year, and the brilliance of that family came with the fact that those latkes were served piping hot, as if the student's mother JUST made them before opening our classroom door. Such an incredibly sweet family and honestly, it breaks my heart I never had the insight to stay in touch since then. But, I'm just happy to have these warm memories of simpler times. Max, you do have that effect on people, even if you're talking about ancient history. Food culture is so incredibly powerful.

[@zacharyrosenberg3037]

This is a wonderful recipe! As a Jewish person, I love how respectful, sensitive, and knowledgeable Max is with the varied cultures he tackles, just like with the Adafina episode. And this is a great way for folks to enjoy latkes! Everyone should make some

[@jsidaho1957]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Max. My great grandmother used to make these for us on special occasions. Sadly she has been gone near forty years and I never knew what she did to make them taste so good. Thanks again for another great episode and Merry Christmas!

[@markiobook8639]

Pork fat

[@silentrift63]

I would just like to add that my Jewish family's tradition for the frying oil is none of the ones you mentioned, Peanut oil! I highly recommend it as it is way tastier than the other vegetable oils and has a high smoke point, its especially useful for those with vegetarian/vegan friends.

[@giratina6665]

High smoke points have not much to do how healthy frying in a certain oil is, if that's what you wanted to imply. Olive Oil is probably healthier.

[@danbrodt977]

Peanut oil was a Cajun staple when I lived in south Louisiana, especially for fried whole turkey, precisely because of the high smoke point. I live in an apartment now, so no fried turkey, alas.

[@adams7724]

I’ve got a question for you. I’m not Jewish but could it be that the chicken fat fell off because it would prevent you from also eating dairy like sour cream or cheese in the same meal? Idk if chicken is exempt from that rule or not.

[@silentrift63]

@@adams7724 that's a good question, it's a possibility, though incidentally for the holidays my family has latkes with apple sauce, and had roasted brisket as a protein, so shmaltz would still have been doable.

[@boointhelotus5332]

@@adams7724 Yes Chicken is meat if you keep kosher, so sour cream wouldn’t be used as a topping if latkes are fried in schmaltz. (I explain this further in my response to oaktree_ above, whose comment begins “Max (and Jose’!)...״)

[@Starbean89]

The tiny clip from Fiddler on the roof made me so happy. It’s one of my favorite musicals to watch.

[@HerLadyship1800]

Not too long ago I was telling my therapist how I wished Thanksgiving could last eight days like Hanukkah.

[@TastingHistory]

I’d be the size of a whale

[@eburel506]

Oh gosh I’d go home 300 lbs after 8 days.

[@bluedingo1186]

Only then would I be truly happy!

[@Susanfuzz]

It kinda does… with leftovers, lol!

[@HolyKhaaaaan]

@@eburel506 300 lb.? Oh no, I'd be starting at that!

[@aquariusfriar]

I'm a convert, I made latkes (from a mix) for the first time! I used avocado oil. It was pretty good! This is the first time I've cooked something that didn't involve a microwave.

[@MossyMozart]

@Friar Dat Babyfur - Keep adding to your kitchen repertoire!

[@drothberg3]

Mazal tov and Happy Chanukah!

[@summerlaverdure]

heck yeah friar :3

[@asmallsanctuary]

Mazal Tov, Friar! Welcome to the Tribe and happy cooking. Enjoy filing your Jewish memory bank over the years with lovely memories and delicious foods! 😊

[@MsLeenite]

Congratulations! In the Spring, you can go look for matzoh ball mix with the Passover stuff.

[@em8620]

Your pronunciation of some of the words is incredibly impressive for somebody who isn't Jewish. So, consider this a well done!

[@basicallyno1722]

Most Jews in the US don’t pronounce the Yiddish and Hebrew words well if they didn’t grow up speaking it…

[@ShannonSouthAfrica]

Agreed!!! Most Americans can't say the CH sound, it comed out as a K

[@Anamnesis]

As someone who's made these every Hanukkah for decades, the recipe isn't especially useful for me, but your exhaustive history lesson and incredible retrospective on the culinary tradition is spectacular. 🕎

[@elektraeriseros]

@@dhuss14 pack it up, Kanye. No one cares about your spam comments

[@BlackJesus8463]

@@elektraeriseros What did Kanye ever do to you?

[@L0rdOfThePies]

@@BlackJesus8463 kanye has said some very unkind nazi glorifying things. I believe it is deserved judgement

[@BlackJesus8463]

@@L0rdOfThePies He wasn't glorifying Nazis bruh. He was comparing the way Jews treat non-Jews to the way Nazis treat non-Nazis.

[@L0rdOfThePies]

@@BlackJesus8463 oh you're one of those.. :-/ bro literally said he could "see good things about Hitler" how is that not glorifying the nazi regime? How else should that be enterpreted, he said he wanted to kill jewish people how else are you supposed to interpret that man 💀

[@Mgraf06]

I made latkes last night for Hanukkah and I’m so excited to see them covered on my favorite food and history channel. ❤️

[@adedow1333]

Happy Hanukkah!

[@SydneyBlanton97]

i made them last night too!! i ate some while watching this, it felt like home

[@Cheryl407]

My grandma used schmaltz, there were always containers of it on or near the stove. When my mother made latkes she spooned them into the oil. I’ve never seen a crunchy latke like you are eating. This was such a great episode, I learned so much ❤

[@lhfirex]

I've never had latkes, but they sure do sound wonderful. That's including the nice crunch sound when Max ate one at the end!

[@telebubba5527]

The crunch did it for me. Now I've got to make some, just to find out.

[@gadgetgirl02]

Latkes make great winter food. They're special to Hannukah, but in many places they're a popular way to eat potatoes for both Gentiles and Jewish people.

[@jackielinde7568]

YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING. (Seriously, go find a Jewish Deli and try some. You'll thank everyone for it.)

[@susangarvey9415]

The crunch got my attention, I think I'll have to make some, I'll bet they'll taste good with anything on them or even just as they are.

[@DaydreamingArtist322]

There’s a lot of variation in the diameter, thickness, and texture of latkes depending on who makes them. Every family seems to have their own version. I would recommend thin or medium latkes. Thin ones are more likely to make a delicious crunch like the one that Mr. Miller made.

[@julscatten2640]

Never used schmaltz… and definitely will in future years. A word on the composition of latkes prior to the 19th century, at least in Eastern Europe - usually was a root vegetable. I’ve never heard of buckwheat being used historically, but I have heard of turnips, parsnips, and even carrots being the root veg made into latkes prior to use of potatoes. As for the pressing out of moisture - depends on what your bubbe did. My mother’s bubbe went for a more moist center, opting to even grate in apples for a bit of extra flavor. Finally, I really felt that “don’t grate your fingers” part. If you want to make these authentically Jewish, you have two choices: either work smarter, not harder, and use a food processor - or use the hand grater and make sure you kvetch about it the entire time. 😂

[@lorassorkin]

Nailed it! 😂

[@mwater_moon2865]

My daughter did latkes and jelly filled doughnuts for her end of semester class project (her group did Hanukkah and she got assigned food) and we started with the kvetching of hand grating before I pulled out the food processor, because for class of 32, we did over 100 of them. Oddly enough, EVERY SINGLE ONE was devoured, while several of the Jelly doughnuts made their way back home (as did several of the other groups' foods, like the chile powder watermelon for Kwanzaa)

[@lynnbean7200]

A friend of mine's mother (Jewish from Egypt, came to Australia in the 1930s) taught me to make latkes using potato, onion and carrot. Always delicious and I still make them 50 years later.

[@slwrabbits]

​@@mwater_moon2865 now I gotta try some chili powder watermelon.

[@mwater_moon2865]

@@slwrabbits it's very common here in Texas to put chile power* on fresh fruits, from what I can see the mango version especially is catching on farther afield. *not chili powder, that's not just the powdered peppers, it's got salt and garlic added-- though if you want the salt, there's a popular sauce called chamoy that's vinegar, salt, sugar, and peppers and becoming more popular too

[@ssgtslick]

Thanks!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you!

[@Cara-39]

Thank you for doing a Hanukkah episode Max!!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you for watching it 😁

[@mastathrash5609]

Agreed, i like the part where Max said: please use the schmaltz! Definitely earned his latke card.👍

[@zenkakuji3776]

I love the schmaltz on a slice of thick rye bread. I was surprised how good it was when I first had it. It made me realize that schmaltz got a bad name over the years when people thought it was unhealthy to eat fat. Glad the truth is emerging!

[@XxIkeWittxX]

I also like that there is the right amount of candles in the hanukkiah for today.

[@NotContinuum]

​@@mastathrash5609 Use the schmaltz, Luke! That's what I kept hearing.

[@AKnightWhoSaysNi]

What I sense, listening to Max, is respect. Respect for the era, the people and the languages he is referring to.

[@Rixoli]

It's hit very nail on the head when he mentions in a recent Q&A people complaining "You focus too much on the history part" To which he answered "The recipes are just an addition to the history lesson of the video, i'm more interested in the history parts" to summarize.

[@JaxdoesArt]

Oh, look, a video tangentially related to Judaism, I cannot wait to sort by new! Wow I’m pleasantly surprised, you’ve got a super wholesome community here

[@JohnDoe-nq4jz]

true, I also do that, athough I don't know why I want to dissapoint myself. Luckily not on this channel

[@MachoMan_Vert]

Lol it's exactly what I'm doing right now except for some bad apples the comments are pretty civil.

[@kathybidler8843]

My favorite Friday dinner in lent was when my mom would make potato pancakes. We're Bohemian/ Czech so she added caraway seeds to hers and topped with applesauce. Yum! Thanks for a fun episode as always.

[@beth12svist]

I don't think I've ever seen applesauce used here in Czechia. Bramboráky (our local version; there are also regional names for them) often contain garlic and marjoram, too. And will often be fried in lard which, of course, is decidedly not kosher. :D

[@kathybidler8843]

@@beth12svist I'm 4th generation Czech in the US so that's probably why we had applesauce. Or maybe it was to help fill up the 6 of us kids so we didn't eat all the potato pancakes before mom could get a chance to eat. But I definitely remember the caraway seeds.

[@beth12svist]

@@kathybidler8843 I've come across caraway seeds, too, and I will often use them myself (in addition to the garlic and marjoram). We Czechs do love our caraway. :D

[@kathybidler8843]

@@beth12svist you bet. I never make sauer kraft without it.

[@beth12svist]

@@kathybidler8843 Sauerkraut. Bread. Boiled potatoes. Baked potatoes. Potato soup. Sausages. Roasted chicken. We don't do seedcakes with it, though. We live under the impression that caraway is a mostly savoury spice.

[@JacobGeller]

you're an honorary member of the tribe, max

[@TheFungusPatrol]

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your Jewish food videos, Max! They are so accurate, even teach me things I didn't know about my own history and make me just feel the love 🥰. A note about shmaltz/butter (and crisco) is that kosher laws include a prohibition on mixing meat and dairy products, so using oil is often more convenient in that there's no problem with serving the latkes with either meat or dairy (I would imagine this also had an impact on cheese being taken out of the recipe).

[@leapingkitties]

"Let's have a party, we'll all dance the hora, shining tops to play with and latkes to eat and while we are playing the candles are burning bright..." a song I learned in the 6th grade and never forgot although I really hadn't a clue what the title was, all sorted now, many decades ago. Latkes are delicious. Thank you for sharing.

[@MRKapcer13]

In Poland we have Placki Ziemniaczane (literally Potato Pancakes) which are pretty much the same thing. They're absolutely eaten with toppings though, but sometimes as simple as just sprinkling of sugar. I have had them with tomato sauce as well and they're pretty great.

[@rachelwoodcraft3783]

I first learned about potato pancakes from my polish friends. They call them Pączki. Then I moved to Germany almost 8 years ago, and found out "Kartoffelpuffer" are really popular here too! I didn't realise that Latkas are basically the same thing. They're delicious!

[@andreabartels3176]

And "Kartoffelpuffer" taste very good with either applesauce or a thin slice of salmon and sour cream with dill.

[@armandfleming2371]

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, Max! I peel the potatoes and use the coarse side of my grater for both potato and onion. This causes the "potatoes sticking out" around the edges you mentioned. I only partially remove the water, and add a little baking powder, salt, and enough flour to make them look right. Since I live in the Deep South, I fry in peanut oil. Sour cream is my favorite topping. Happy Hannukah!

[@apostately3384]

At work today my colleague mentioned this great video she’d just seen about the history of latkas and right away I knew it was you, Max! I’m a fairly new subscriber and loving everything. You are doing something unique, fun, and informative! In my (Ukrainian-Canadian) family, we just squeeze the potato/onion mixture by hand so it is more pancakey. HOWEVER we’ve never used schmaltz, it will be life changing I’m sure 😋

[@slook7094]

We used a heavy bowl to squish the water out through a colander. We also never used schmaltz. I didn't even know that's how you were supposed to do it. From other comments, it seems our grandparents might have been doing it to keep kosher so they could use sour cream.

[@toonezon4836]

so in arabic jewish cuisine there is a similar dish called ejeh, its its grated potato, grated onion, parsley, matzo meal, salt, cinnimon, allspice, and egg. typically though theyre not just made on chaunakka, theyre actually quite popular as beach food. there are also many other types of ejeh beyond potato, like ones made from meat, eggplant, cheese and egg, and lots of other vegetables. however, traditionally in sephardic and mizrahi jews, we tend to make atayef (a sweet fried stuffed, usually with a cheese filling or nuts, and folded pancake in rose simple syrup) or zingol, which is kinda like zapoli, but with black anise seeds in it and covered in granulated sugar rather than powdered sugar.

[@TheDiplomancer]

A couple notes I'd like to add. 1) I love skin-on potatoes. My mother CONSTANTLY warned me off keeping the skin on for latkes because she said it made them like concrete. 2) While schmaltz is, in fact, delicious, an observant Jew would NEVER top a latke fried in schmaltz with sour cream, as that goes against the provision against mixing meat and dairy. 3) Half an onion, Max? HALF? I could never abide with that little onion in my latkes. Otherwise, a great episode! Always glad to see my culture represented.

[@suebursztynski2530]

Very true. Personally, I use olive oil. Never heard of it being cooked in schmaltz. And my latkes are just grated potatoes with onion and a bit of salt. Very simple!

[@Strider_Bvlbaha]

I am hoping we will be honored with a video on hamantaschen at Purim next year! Food videos highlighting badass Jewish women are always welcome. Pretty sure Deborah's Song also mentions Jael's outstanding dairy-based hospitality for Sisera just before she knocks a tent peg through his face. Seems to be a theme!

[@WinterSown]

Bovitl for filling.

[@bugeyedmonster2]

Don't mess with Jewish women, obviously

[@Hullj]

OH G-D YES!!!!! 1111 ❤️😁👍😎

[@Hullj]

@@bugeyedmonster2 most people don't do it the second time

[@gillianlindeen5823]

Yes! Max if you see this, please make Purim food!! :D

[@ritebrayn]

Fun Fact: The Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Greek version of the Old Testament Scriptures (the Septuagint) which includes the deuterocanonical books such as Judith. Incidentally Judith is recognized as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church and is commemorated on December 17th every year.

[@evelina7794]

Oh, in Ukraine we call it Derynu, and Tert'ukhy in my region, Galicia. I love it so much, I cook it at least once a week. I love to use garlic, herbs, and mushrooms while I cook it. I didn't know that it's have such important place in Judaism, it's so cool that so many people can enjoy this dish, because it's really incredible 🥰

[@90littlebeagle]

In German we call them Kartoffelpuffer and in the Bavarian dialect we say Reiberdatschi. No matter how you call them they are delicious 😍

[@jackielinde7568]

As Max pointed out, eating eating foods fried in oil is one way to celebrate the holiday. And yes, doughnuts are considered Hannukah food. (And, just as a side note, we Jews are not above adapting the recipes of our neighbors to our own diets and traditions. Your food secrets are (or are not) safe with us.)

[@julietsmith5925]

So hush puppies and globi would also be good Hanukkah food?

[@jackielinde7568]

@@julietsmith5925 Yeup! As long as what goes into them are Kosher, and it's made with oil.

[@DrIgnacious]

Legendary spotted. And Articuno too. Fantastic episode Max. I was actually surprised to not see Prof. Ken Albala on this episode. As someone from a potato growing county in Idaho I love any sort of potato recipe. This spuds for you 🥔

[@TastingHistory]

Gotta get him back on!

[@DrIgnacious]

@Tasting History with Max Miller His Calliope is such a cute kitty too.

[@lauranemeth8184]

Being of Polish decent, I grew up with potato pancakes. My dad still makes them, very much the same way as you did in this video. And it's always sour cream for me. Sometimes ketchup, but always sour cream. Thank you for the history of one of my favorite childhood meals.

[@cayteowands]

!Great episode! Your Hebrew & Yiddish prononciation is better than my newscaster brother's lol. The latkes look perfect🥰 I'm sitting here thinking about my Great Grama, who I knew till I was 18, and seeing her in my mind's eye at her stove adding chicken feet to her soup. And schmaltz is everything 💋

[@paulasimson4939]

Every family has its own recipe, but in our family, we finely grate the potatoes and onion (we do peel them) and fry in corn oil. We top them with salt, sugar and sour cream. They're a labour of love to be sure, when you're making them for a large group!

[@zamara211]

My family does sugar too!

[@mrbean2520]

Wanted to say that I love your channel so much! Been with you since the beginning and see you grow has been amazing! This video hits home for as my dad used to make these all the time, and they were one of my favorite treats. He passed in 2019, this video makes me want to make them again and relive my childhood

[@justrosy5]

Thank you for working on this! Request: Hamentashen for Purim. Would love to know the history of when/where Hamentashen first appeared, how it evolved, etc.

[@Kleineganz]

Thanks for sharing this recipe. I was raised by my German grandmother and the schmalz I grew up with was rendered bacon fat, although when she made potato pancakes (we weren't Jewish, we just loved them), she'd fry them in vegetable oil because it was cheaper. The recipe you made is very similar to what my grandmother made; except she used flour instead of matzo meal. She also never squeezed out any liquid, so her pancakes were a bit moister than the ones you made. (She was born in 1910, so she probably learned how to make them from her mother around 1920 or so). We always served them with apple sauce.

[@roeesadan8862]

your dedication to the history and the stories that you tell is truly astonishing. as a jew seeing the level of detail that you went to truly warmed my heart (especialy that you lit only three candles on the third day instead of all of them which would have looked better in the video). but I wanted to correct you on one detail that you weren't wrong in, in fact you didn't even mentioned it, but it seems like it would clear up some of what you said: Hanukkah is not a religious holyday for jews, it is a traditional holyday. Hanukkah and the Maccabee revolt are not mentioned in the Tanach nor the new testament either, the story is a historical one that got a religious meaning because of the miracle that happened in it. whether you believe in miracle or that some other way the Menorah stayed lit for 8 days (like someone keep filling the Menorah with unpure oil without anyone noticing or however you want to explain it) is up to you, but the holyday stays a traditional one and not a religious one either way. I want to thank you dearly for your dedication. you have earned my subscription and my undying respect for your incredible knowledge and talent, and the amazing idea of combining two of my favorite things: History and cooking

[@bonnienichalson5151]

My feelings exactly ❤️👍✨🎆

[@OrlindeEarfalas]

Fantastic video and recipe as always! I love the story of Judiath as well, and really enjoyed all the art you picked to illustrate it ! My favorite depiction has to be Jules-Claude Ziegler "Judith at the gates of Bethulia" (from the Musée des Beaux Arts de Lyon) - the way she stands with the head of Holofernes, looking straight into the eyes of the viewers is so striking!

[@OrlindeEarfalas]

@@MichaelRei99 Well when you think about it , the crucifixion is horrific as well. So Easter shouldn't be celebrated? And as for the story of Judith and the Hannukah story , it's one of resiliance. Of triumph after suffering. Of light in the darkness. Holidays aren't all about good vibes and fun stories, they have deep meanings and are times for reflexion as well :)

[@aaronsirkman8375]

@@MichaelRei99 My god, you really put the effort into orthogonally antisemitic comments throughout the comments. I have to at least respect the effort to make unique comments each time, unlike the douche who just posted the same screed multiple times. Joke's on you though, the one about frying latkes in pork fat is legit pretty funny, and the rest are just silly.

[@kyihsin2917]

If you care about keeping kosher, you can't serve latkes fried in schmaltz with sour cream (meat + dairy)! Use butter (or clarified butter) if you want to serve them with a dairy product. The advantage to Crisco is not so much that it's kosher but that's it's parev, which means it can be used regardless of whether the latkes are being eaten at a meaty meal or a milky meal.

[@Justanotherconsumer]

The logical reading of “more wine than he had since the day he was born” was that he popped out and was quite the lush. Babies are devious little cuties!

[@GeneaVlogger]

My preferred latke recipe uses 2 potatoes for every 1 onion, potatoes skinned, both potato and onion shredded very thin (if you do the onion first it helps keep the potato from browning), with one egg, and flour instead of matzo meal (I always eyeball it). Schmaltz is a must and something I actually use all year round for lots of dishes, especially for anything with potatoes. Interesting you mention onion juice because I always joke that when you thinly shred an onion it basically is just onion juice.

[@dawnmichelle4403]

My family is not Jewish, but we do hail from the Ukraine/Prussia area. We are quite fond of potato pancakes. Ours are made with mashed potatoes instead of grated. I'll have to try this version! ❤️

[@Barakon]

I discovered that microwaving the potatoes & mashing them give it a nice fluffy texture that works really well with the grease.

[@Susanfuzz]

My dad’s recipe is awesome: grated potatoes, one grated onion and 1 egg per 2 large baker spuds, about 6-8 crushed saltines per 2 spuds, depending on wetness of the mixture and pepper to taste. Mix it all together until it gloops. Let it sit while you heat the oil, add more saltines, if needed. Then drop your latkes into the hot pan and fry until golden brown. Mmmm!

[@QueenCityHistory]

Thanks for the Hanukkah episode!!!! We get forgotten with all the Christmas hype. I think the chicken fat comes from because lard was so prevalent at the time and lard is pig fat which is a forbidden animal and not kosher. Chicken fat or butter was available more readily. I personally use vegetable oil cause it’s easier to get. And for setting the menorah properly for night 3 😘

[@cam4636]

There was actually a whole Jewish Eastern European/immigrant economy based around poultry as the main livestock! Basically, yes, in terms of livestock who're easy to raise on a small plot of land with plenty of fat to keep you from starving in the Russian winter, you've got pigs...or you've got geese.

[@MossyMozart]

@@MichaelRei99 - Why do you keep posting that? Hanukkah is as important as Christmas.

[@fluffycritter]

@@MichaelRei99 When people start posting Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur videos with as much tenacity and loudness as Christmas videos, you'll have a point. Until then, STFU.

[@adeluxe9764]

@@MossyMozart This is false. The most important Jewish holidays are Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Pesach (Passover.) Chanukah is an extrabiblical holiday (the events that it celebrates occurred well after the writing of the Torah, and therefor it is obviously not mentioned in the holiday.) It's absolutely the true that the reason it has so much cultural significance nowadays are from its proximity to Christmas.

[@WinterSown]

My husband's late grandparents emigrated early 20th century from Minsk. I"ve always heard the whole family say: Lot Keys. Or Laht Keez. The generations went to Brooklyn, Bronx and out on Long Island, so maybe it's regional. We serve with applesauce and purple horseradish, maybe some sour cream. Enjoy! Bless you for al you do and happy new year.

[@Vanda-il9ul]

I am Slovak and one of our national dishes are potato pancakes. As you said, the recipes vary from family to family. Interestingly enough, the only Jewish recipe for Latkes I know is without onion but with lots of garlic + some seasoning. We use both + herbs and pepper and salt to season them. Potatoes are peeled, onion finely chopped. And so on ... every family ...

[@SM-br7br]

My dad is Slovak and these things are his favorite food.

[@kiksmika]

also, I did not know schmaltz was jiddish, our granny (Christian) and her generation would call any lard (chicken, pork, goose, duck, whatever origin) a schmaltz - thought it was just typical for Vienna/Bratislava region

[@Vanda-il9ul]

@@kiksmika Yes, you are right. It is getting obsolete, though. Sorry. It is still used in a different Slovak dialect as well but the form of the word is slightly different. Meaning the same - any animal fat acquired by heating animal fat, skin, ...

[@RosenHawk]

Good sir, your pronunciation of all the Hebrew and Yiddishe things is ON POINT. Thank you for your allyship this holiday season. 💜

[@lunarose9]

I have noticed this with a lot of the words from other languages he uses. Sometimes he even gives an accent to dead languages. It is one of the details I really appreciate with this channel.

[@fedisc]

THE LOVE OF YOUR TONE AND THE INSPIRING PASSION YOU TRANSMIT IS SO WONDERFUL. THANKS FOR THIS CHANNEL. NEW FAN

[@The_Kentuckian]

I've always been curious about Latkas & how they're made. My mom makes what she calls "potato cakes" that are leftover mashed potatoes dusted in flour & fried.

[@mountainmolly2726]

My sister in law does that, too. Sometimes she will add a little green onion. So good.

[@hyperbunnygirl101]

My great pap used to make those for breakfast with mashed canned potatoes. So good

[@MossyMozart]

@Ethan Powles - A common post-Thanksgiving morning-after dish for my partner.

[@jpicking]

my grandma was from Russia came to the usa around 1910 she went through Germany so not sure if its a German meal or Russian but she use to make fried potato pattys like that as well. left over mashed potatoes salt pepper little milk onion. form into pattys and fry. so good as sandwiches or just with like bacon and sour cream on top. i still make them to this day. she use to put sweeter things on top which i never got a taste for like apple sauce or a little bit of powder sugar .

[@The_Kentuckian]

@@jpicking I've always topped mine with ketchup.

[@cantordavid613]

So glad you did this episode, AND you coordinated the décor to align with the third night of Hanukkah (which is tonight!) ... The history lesson was quite nicely done, as well! L'chaim! 😍

[@jadiapackard3065]

This sounds like lefsa(?) from Norway. My great grandma was Norwegian and lefsa is a mashed potato pancake. You make mash potatoes or used left over mash potatoes because the potatoes need to be in the fridge over night then you add four until its not sticky but enough were you can make pancakes out of and then cook them on a super hot lefsa pan. I remember one year my grandpa and I cracked the counter because of the pan. Thankfully when it cooled off the crack went away. I remember eating it these every year during the holidays and putting my grandpa’s homemade plum jelly on them and they are so good.

[@omerrudnick8195]

The Hebrew word for latkes is 'leviva'-לביבה. That might help you find older recipes

[@daveab36]

In Germany it's called: "Reibekuchen" "Reibe" meaning "grater" and "Kuchen" meaning "cakes". Today it's very common on christmas markets. Fried in lots of oil

[@ulfflehmann3759]

Thanks for pointing this out, saves me writing a separate comment.

[@ottifant64]

Kartoffelpuffer

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@ottifant64 Or even Rösti A food culture as regional as there are neighbors

[@1337Jogi]

I have encountered them here in germany as Reibekuchen, Rösti or Kartoffelpuffer. Indeed my mother used to make them all year round every now and then under the name Kartoffelpuffer and as a topping we used Applesauce.

[@shunitg]

I liked this video before even watching. I just KNEW it will be so great! Just hearing Max saying levivot and sufganiot was priceless. You are always welcome to our home during Hanukkah, and I'll make both my potato and cheese latkes. :)

[@benhelmenstein6669]

When I was 13, I worked in my dad's food cart that sold potato pancakes and sausages on 6th street in Austin Texas. Instant nostalgia just from the thumbnail lol.

[@JonahIronstone]

Thank you for this! My mom used to babysit for a rabbi when she was younger, and some of the recipes she learned through his family stayed with her. Her latkes (kartoffelkuchen) tend to be softer, more like a pancake in consistency, and are best with applesauce. Any chance you could do an episode on hamantaschen, please? They're so fiddly to make, but so, SO good, especially with poppyseed!

[@PhoenyxAshe]

The first grocery store my daughter worked at (part of a big chain) was about three blocks or so from the Jewish Community Center, and that was where I first came across hamantaschen. Admittedly, I chose the chocolate ones over the poppyseed - forgive me, but I am addicted to cacao... I miss that store. She and her husband moved to a different area of town, so it's hard to come up with an excuse to be in that area anymore.

[@adedow1333]

My husband joined the Jewish veterinary club at the university he attends (we are Christian but it was so much fun learning more!). We learned how to make hamentachen. They are so tasty and fairly easy once you get the technique. They are mostly made for Purim.

[@shmuelhirsh]

Shalom Max! Excellent episode! Thank you! ~ I love to REwatch it from time to time. Everything is spot on! One thing that I would have mentioned is that although European Jews call "Hanukka pancakes "Latkes" Spanish and North African Jews ( the majority in Israel) call them "LEV'I'VOAT" which is Hebrew for "Latke! Since potatoes originate in South America, and only brought overseas AFTER Columbus, most Lev'i"voat were made of grains. The idea is to eat foods made with oil to commemorate the miracle of the oil, which lasted eight nights.

[@leoniesableblanc]

I really enjoyed this episode. I am not Jewish but would love to see some more Jewish food recipes in the future. I love learning about all different countries and cultures foods and the history attached.

[@ohiko9594]

They are called деруни [deruny] in Ukrainian, драниики [draniki] in Belarusian and placki ziemniaczane in Polish. I'm half polish, half ukrainian and my best friend is belarusian, so just trust me on that :) . I know so many variations of deruny that you cannot even imagine, because every person I've ever met have a different recipe. My grandmother's one are plain, without any additions, only potato, onion, eggs and condiments, they are really thin and fried in lard (smalec' in ukrainian), my mom grates potatoes into the tiniest pieces, basically into a wet potato paste, often adds other vegetables to it apart from onion, such as zucchini, adds eggs and sometimes even grated cheese, but her special ingredient is dry semolina (called "manka" i ukrainian) which makes them super crunchy. Then she fries them on sunflower oil and serves them with sour cream. Hers are basically the size of big chicken cutlet. I mainly used my mom's recipe as an inspiration, so mine are very similar, but I fry them on lard or on olive oil and add panko or polish style breadcrumbs instead of semolina. None of us had ever pressed the water out of it, because it always seem like very important part of the dish which keeps it soft, and, funnily enough, my mom would kill me if I grated them in such huge bits like Max did in the video😅. However, last time I fried these amazing pancakes, I decided to have some fun, and tried make them into actual pancakes. I pressed out the water, added more eggs, added milk, flour and baking powder. They were absolutely amazing, looked like pancakes, smelled like fried potatoes and tasted like heaven. I highly recommend this dish, it's very easy, very delicious and simple wonderful. P.S. Also, oladka is more often used in Ukrainian to describe sweet pancakes with addition of apple, not potato pancakes

[@ohiko9594]

Yes, I spent half an hour writing this comment, but I love deruny way too much not to do that

[@rwolfheart6580]

My friend had a solstice party yesterday and I got to participate in lighting a menorah for the first time! We also ate some potato and onion cakes but they weren't proper latkes (and weren't trying to be), they were baked. But definitely great comfort food.