Happy Hanukka/Chanukkah

[Guest cmp]

Good to see the site is alive and kicking ass.

 

Just wanted to wish all those who are celebrating it a very happy Hanukka, easy on the Lotkes/doughnuts/Sufganiot though! May the candle-light drive the proverbial darkness away and may every reader on this board get the Hanukka miracle of their choice.

[Guest 7Zach]

And Happy Hanukka to you.

NPR yesterday had a story on the history of the lotke. Said didn't use potatos until the 17th century, but before that used turnips, rice, and wheat. Seemed to imply that potatos didn't exist until 17th century, but then again, maybe just not existed in the areas that the Jews were migrating. Any idea on this?

[Guest WetDream]

The potatoe is a native of the Andes Mountains (Peru, I think), therefore it wasn't available to the rest of the world until after the Spanish invaded the New World. When you think of how many cuisines use this veggie, it is truely the conquering vegetable. Another winner from our hemisphere is the tomato. Another weird food fact: India didn't use hot peppers in their cooking until after they were introduced by the Portuguese. Any other questions?

[Guest LATINLUVR]

dear cmp...happy chanukah to you also...i miss you in the chat room..lets do it again real soon..may this holiday season bring you and your loved ones good health, much love, and most of all peace..god bless you for your humor and kindness always:+

[Guest Bitchboy]

Once did a play about Wallenberg during the run of which I had to eat latkes every performance for over 4 months. It took two months of heavy duty running to rid myself of the extra pounds. Those suckers really put on the pounds.

[Guest cmp]

Thanks for the wishes and the replies. Thanks Latinluvr for your kind words. I hope to meet you in the chatroom too, but unfortunately I'm too busy right now.

 

About the potato subthread - you can learn a lot about the European history of this vegetable by studying Ireland's history, as the two stories were in fact one for a few centuries. The fact that quite a few of my American friends on this board are of Irish descent (I don't know that for a fact, but Statistics would have it that way), is a result of a certain tragic episode in the common history of Ireland and Solanum Tuberosum.