Tis the Season

While the sun was shedding its rays on the Jewel today the thermometer barely reached 40 degrees and this evening is expected to bring below freezing temperatures, so just in case you weren't aware winter is knocking at our door. For some the thought of cold is more than chilling but this holiday season offers warmth with friends, family, food and drink. While Christmas brings bells, holly and Santa, Chanukah brings the festival of lights and as last year's photo reminds us, Betterton is and will be a town of bells, holly and lights for all and if you listen closely perhaps you'll hear Santa's reindeer as they lite on our Community Center's roof, thank goodness its been repaired. Oh! have you seen the trees that have been planted around the Center thanks to the grant that Joe Stock helped us secure?

To get the holiday spirit into full bloom, the Blogger has decided to use this post as an opportunity to share good wishes and good food. So our readers are encouraged to post their good thoughts and hopes and offer up their favorite recipe. To get us started the Blogger wants to wish all his fellow Bettertonians much happiness and health in the coming year and may B-Town blossom in 2011.

Now here is the Blogger's favorite recipe for Latkes (pronounced LOT KA's), potato pancakes served during Chanukah.

Ingredients:
6 Yukon Gold Potatoes ( about 2 lbs) peeled and halved
1-2 yellow onions (finely chopped)
2 large fresh eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons of all purpose flower
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4- 3/4 tsp of ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying, or if your arteries can take it, Chicken fat

Chop the potatoes in a food processor to a slightly lumpy slurry, or grate them by hand like my grandmother did. Use cheesecloth to drain the water from the potatoes, give them a good squeeze. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and add the onion, eggs, flour, and seasoning. Mix well.
In a large fry pan heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil or chicken fat until it bubbles
Use about 1 tablespoon of the potato mixture for each pancake and cook a batch at a time depending on the size of your skillet. Cook the each latke for 2-3 minutes on each side until it browns. It is ok to flatten the latke as it cooks.
Drain the hot latkes on paper towels and then keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

You can augment the latkes by adding applesauce or sour cream as a topping.