Latkes, Rugelach, and Bubbles!

We started last night’s latke class with a glass of sparkling Loire wine that Beverage Director Adam Chumas picked out specially for us. Then Tom’s co-author and longtime coworker and friend, Shelley Lance, showed us how to make latkes in the style of her Grandma Pearl- that means golden, and delicious with crispy edges and a pad of potato-y, onion-y goodness in the middle. Shelley also showed how to make the best loved cookie in the Jewish playbook- the rugelach. After the demo, everyone rolled and shaped rugelach, set their sheet pans in the oven and got down to business grating potatoes and frying latkes. You can only imagine the savory fragrance of a room filled with 26 people frying latkes! When the latkes were golden brown, we heaped them with pink Braeburn applesauce, sour cream, and one of the big hits of the evening- lox sauce- and we feasted! The rugelach came out of the oven golden brown, sweet smelling, and oozing apricot jam, so we made room in our bellies for a few of those too. Happy Hanukkah! Tonight we light the first candle!!