Chanukah Blog Tour 5767

1. Quick! You must turn a plate of latkes into an upscale gourmet delight (as if they aren’t already?). What would you add to them to dress them up, flavor and/or garnish them?
Since it was my first year making latkes, I’d be wary of venturing too much from the very successful recipe I found. If I were going to vary, though, I might try adding a bit of honey or maple syrup to the mixture, and maybe grate a little garlic into it too. I’ve always been a fan of the sweet and savory combination, and I think that’d be a nice little kick.

2. What is the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard anyone say about Chanukah?
I don’t recall hearing anything dumb, really, other than people who just plain didn’t know what it was, a la this escapade. What’s a menorah? What’s Chanukah? Who are these Jews you speak of? (Okay, not the last one, but imagine trying to explain the whole holiday, with gestures, just so you can find a frikkin’ chanukiah!)

3. What’s the best possible use for olive oil?
Hm, I’d have to say being sizzled together with spinach, tomatoes, onions, garlic, feta or gorgonzola cheese and chicken, to be served over penne or fettucini. Possibly one of my favorite dishes ever.

4. Settle it once and for all. Latkes or hammentaschen? Which to you prefer? What about pitting the winner of that contest against sufganiyot?
Since I’ve only made latkes so far, I’d have to wait until Purim to tell you the winner of the battle of latkes v. hammentaschen. However, based on this Wikipedia article, I’d have to say latkes win hands-down over prune-filled cookies. However, if you filled the cookies with something else… like cherries, apples, pears, some kind of sweet cheese or chocolate, then I’d have to reconsider.

As for sufganiyot, I’ll be making those later today for the first time (will report back on the level of successitude - or lack thereof), but I’ll bet it’s a tie - sometimes you’re in the mood for crispy and savory, sometimes for sweet.

5. What’s the best way to mix up a game of dreidel?
Oh, I have several ways. They’d probably involve 1. my super dreidel, and 2. the secret knowledge that my dreidel is, in fact, weighted on gimmel, and 3. a bag of mint M&M’s as gelt.

Alternately, I can think of a whole slew of drinking games that could evolve out of a game of dreidel, but I imagine that’s probably not what we’re talking about…

6. My novel, Three Fallen Women, shockingly enough, is about the lives of three women. Which three women would you like to have over this year for latkes and why?
Hm… it’s probably a cop-out, but I’d likely take my mother-in-law and my two sisters-in-law, just because I know my partner is missing them on her first holiday away. Plus, they’ve probably never had latkes and I bet they’d like them (and, after the great Stew Disaster of 2003, I might even be able to culinarily redeem myself).

7. Other than Three Fallen Women (har har), what book do you think would make a great Chanukah gift this year? What book would you like to receive as a gift this year?
Ah, that’s a hard one… I’m tempted to rattle on about my three favorite Russian book, but I don’t imagine many can appreciate the, er, eccentric stylings of Gippius. So then, first I’d have to say In Short, which is this fantastic collection of short (and often very short, only a couple of paragraphs) non-fiction pieces. They’re especially good for someone who’s always busy, as the stories are all complete, satisfying little snippets of the different author’s lives and pieces that you can usually read in 10-15 minutes. Second, I recently read my first bit of Hemingway and I really loved it, so I think The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway might be a nice gift for someone who wasn’t familiar with his writing and didn’t want to jump into a novel without having tested the waters a bit. Finally, for a foodie I’d totally get Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here for the Food - I know he has a sequel, but I think starting with the original is always best. I haven’t read it, but I watch the show and I’ve visited his site, and I imagine the book would at least be as entertaining - if not more, because you could actually bring it into the kitchen with you.

For myself, it’s hard to say… I haven’t had the chance to read for pleasure in so long that I’m tempted to list something I’d need for a class next semester - that’d probably be ideal! But, for a real gift, I’d probably like best either a new copy of Invisible Man - mine’s so old and torn that it doesn’t really have (attached) covers anymore - or any collection of Brautigan’s writings (this or this or this would each do nicely). I’ve loved his writing since I discovered him in high school - maybe somewhat sentimentally, as a good friend introduced me to him - and I’d really like to have more than just one (again, very weathered) of his books.

8. What bloggers didn’t participate in Chanukah Blog Tour 5767 and you think should have? We can always get them to play next year! (link to them)
Hm, the only blogger I can think of who’s both into memes and observes the holiday would be Dreama, but I imagine with performances, family, holidays at home and Holidailies she’s already insanely busy to be participating.