What a sweet potato can teach you

I've been thinking about Hanukkah a lot lately.  It all started with a sack of sweet potatoes my aunt bought on the side of the road...  

My large family gathered, as we always do, on Thanksgiving for an afternoon feast.  My aunt brought a sack of sweet potatoes that she had bought from a roadside vendor.  After a feast of dressing, ham, turkey, stuffed pork tenderloin, and a spread of delicious sides (including sweet potato casserole), she tried to start handing out the sweet potatoes.  In a family of 15 or so, she figured she could give them all away.  Shockingly, no one wanted to take home the sweet potatoes; instead they filled their cars up with the plentiful leftovers.  My scavenger instincts took hold, and I left with the entire bag.  

A bag of sweet potatoes, sounds like no big deal, right?  Since I cook for one most of the week, and half a sweet potato is plenty for me, these sweet potatoes are lasting forever.  I actually think they might be multiplying in my pantry.  I've had roasted sweet potatoes weeks on end, and I have sweet potato fries coming out of my ears!  I needed to come up with some more creative ways to eat these sweet treats.

4 sweet potatoes, peeled, and chopped using a food processor

Gojee is a neat little app or website that is full of recipes.  The premise of it is to type the food that you're craving into the search engine and it will pull up mouth-watering images of dishes featuring the food.  To come up with some ideas, I searched for sweet potatoes.  Amid the sweet potato pies and casseroles, I found this delicious-looking recipe for Sweet Potato Latkes with Chipotle Sour Cream.  I had never eaten latkes before, although I thought they might be a traditional Jewish dish.  So I spent some time reading up on the significance of latkes in the Jewish faith.  

Sweet potato latkes with chipotle sour cream

In 168 BC, Syrian-Greek soldiers seized Jerusalem's holy second temple.  Shortly after, the emperor Antiochus made the observance of Judaism punishable by death.  He ordered all the Jews to worship Greek gods and erected an altar to Zeus in the Jewish temple.  The Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons led a rebellion against their Syrian-Greek oppressors.  Using guerilla warfare tactics, the Jews eventually drove the Syrians out of Jerusalem.  To rededicate the holy temple, which had been defiled by the foreign soldiers, the Jews cleansed it, rebuilt the altar, and lit the menorah.  There was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the candles of the menorah burning for one day, but miraculously the oil lasted for 8 nights.  While the specifics of history are debated, Hanukkah (Hebrew for "dedication") is an 8-day festival that commemorates the re-dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem.  

Latkes are traditionally prepared during Hanukkah because the oil used to fry them is symbolic of the oil that kept the second temple of ancient Israel lit.  Latkes aren't strictly Jewish, in fact, they are found all over. These fried potato pancakes made with flour, eggs, and onions can be served as a savory side, with sour cream or cottage cheese or as a sweet treat, with apple sauce.  In North East England, a variation of the dish is called "tattie fish".  "Tattie" is the local slang for potato and "fish" because the pancakes resemble fried fish.  These can also be flavored with tomato or cheese.   Another variation, in Ireland, is called a "boxty", and Belarus boasts latkes as their national dish.

Latkes, or potato pancakes, frying in oil

                                      

Although it's nearing Christmas time, most people in my neighborhood are celebrating Hanukkah.  My house is smack dab in the middle of an orthodox Jewish neighborhood.  My neighbors strictly observe the Sabbath, and Jewish law prohibits doing any form of work on Saturdays.  Most noticeably, they do not drive, but walk to the synagogue as a family.  According to Jewish law, Hanukkah isn't the most important Jewish holiday, but it is well-known outside of the Jewish faith because of its proximity to Christmas. 

My roommate was making Christmas cookies while I was
preparing the traditional Hanukkah dish

                                          

For the last several years, certain religious groups have been under the impression they are defending their right to free speech and freedom of religion in a "War on Christmas".  It seems as if they are offended that many companies encourage their employees to greet their customers with "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".  

To support Team Merry Christmas, you can purchase your bumper sticker that says “This is America! And I’m going to say it: Merry Christmas!” or my personal favorite “Merry Christmas! An American tradition”.   …because America was a huge part of the Christmas story, right?  You can buy a rubber bracelet for $2 that says “Just say Merry Christmas”, or you can request your local radio station play the song “Say Merry Christmas”.  The beautiful voices of Carrie Rinderer and The American Christian Life United Choir encourage you to avoid stores that opt for Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.  I especially like the line “If you don’t believe the reasons for my Christmas, then it’s sure okay with me.  Please don’t tell me what to say or what music I can play, after all Christmas is my special day.”  So they don’t want you to dictate what they say, but they want to dictate what you say?  Seems legit.

I personally don’t see the problem with Happy Holidays.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are close together, and it seems like a catch-all phrase to spread cheer.  It also includes those that don’t recognize Christmas.  Perhaps, as a Christian, I should be fighting the good fight in the War on Christmas, but I’m more of the love and accept variety than the dictate and assimilate kind.  In fact, if you're wearing your WWJD bracelet right next to your Say Merry Christmas bracelet, you may want to check out John 10:22-23, where Jesus attends the Hanukkah celebration.

Then came the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem.  It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade.  John 10:22-23

Hey if Hanukkah is good enough for Jesus, it’s cool with me, and I love the latkes.  

So Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah!

These met the approval of my roommates and Holt.  They reminded
me of salmon patties but with a very distinct and savory flavor.

Sweet Potato Latkes with Chipotle Sour Cream

This recipe is from Sandi featured on the Dramatic Pancake Website

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp chipotle sauce
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 medium yellow onions
• canola oil (or vegetable)
• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 cup chopped cilatro + extra for garnish

Instructions

• For the chipotle sour cream: combine chipotle sauce and sour cream.  Mix well, and set aside in refrigerator
• Heat a splash of oil in saute pan and add onions.  Cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, for about 25 minutes until onions have caramelized.
• Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes and shred them in a food processor or with the large holes of a box grater
• Preheat your oven to 200 F.  Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs.  Add the grated sweet potato, caramelized onions, and all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large cast iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat.  Working in batches, spoon out about 1/4 cup of the latke mixture into the skillet, pressing lightly with the spatula to form 3-inch rounds. 
• Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden, then flip each latke and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer latkes to the rack in the oven while you cook the remaining batter.
• To serve: top latkes with a dollop of chipotle sour cream and garnish with chopped cilantro.