Saturday night, the last night of Chanukah, we held Gates a little tighter and silently thought of the Connecticut families.
For us, the celebration of Chanukah is about spending time together.
With our busy schedules, often the only times during the week we get time together are mornings with Gates on Wednesdays and then at dinner. The ritual of lighting the candles and saying prayers takes us out of the hustle and bustle and puts us in the moment.
This year we did things a little differently than before. We had friends over for the first night and ordered our Chanukah goodies from Wise Sons Deli on 24th. We didn't limit ourselves to just the traditional latkes and Sufganiyot; we added Mandelbrot and a dinner of brisket and root vegetables with salad. The minimum order for the meal was enough for three dinners. The brisket was moist and flavorful, so good that one night we ate it without any sides.
The latkes from Wise Sons were smaller than those from Saul's, but tastier, less oily. The applesauce was lighter, not as sweet as Saul's or store bought, and more like a purée. The Sufganiyot, typically my favorite Chanukah treat, didn't wow me. The dough to jam ratio was off. I love my treats stuffed to overflowing with jam (Saul's wins here). The Mandelbrot, a Jewish biscotti, were my favorite. Coat a dessert with sugar and cinnamon and you have a fan for life.
Do you have any holiday food traditions?
Happy Holidays!
Eden
