Rice Fritters for Hanukkah

Fritelle di Riso

Here's a great way to end your Hanukkah meal (after you’ve had Hanukkah gelt on your dinner plate). Like the carote alla guidia, this dish comes from the culinary traditions of the Jews of Italy. Since I’m of Italian descent,[1] these dishes resonate with me.[2] I really like rice-based desserts, as one of my family’s great traditional dishes is another rice-based dessert.[3]

This recipe comes from The Classic Dolci of the Italian Jews; A World of Jewish Desserts, by Edda Servi Machlin. Machlin was born in Pitigliano, a village in Tuscany, later emigrating to the United States. In a way, they’re sort of the Italian dessert version of latkes, and when they’re cooking in the skillet, if it weren’t for the presence of the raisins, they would look very much like them (rice, potatoes—little bits of starch). The recipes are even fairly similar, as you have starch bound together with egg then fried. No onions in these though. Save those for your latkes.

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Knish — A Delicious Book

Yum!

Knish, by Laura Silver, Brandeis University Press.

Full disclosure: I have never eaten a knish.

“Does it mention Mrs. Stahl’s’?” was my mother-in-law’s first question when I told my her that I had read Laura Silver’s Knish. Yes, it’s a major topic of the book. “What about Yonah Schimmel?” That too. As with Ms. Silver, knishes evoke memories for my mother-in-law.

I certainly understand the nostalgia that can connect to certain foods. There are foods that bring me back to my childhood, it’s just that the knish isn’t one of theme. Thanks to Laura Silver, I can understand my mother-in-law’s reaction.

As a huge coincidence, this book arrived at my door while I was off in New York City. My steps took me on several occasions within an easy walk to Schimmel’s. Had I read this book before this trip to New York, I undoubtably would have made it a stop on my travels. Next time.

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You can follow my blog on Twitter (@impofthediverse) or on Facebook. If you like this post, share it with your friends. If you have a comment just for me, e-mail me at impofthediverse@gmail.com.

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This blog runs solely on ego! Follow this blog! Comment on this post! Let me know that you want to read more of it!