By Tina Wasserman,
Author of Entrée to Judaism - A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora and Entrée tp Judaos, for Families-Jewish Cooking and Kitchen Conversations with Children
Hanukkah is synonymous with foods cooked in oil but what do you do if your classroom kitchen is limited, non-existent or you have students too young to safely navigate the frying process? Do not despair, you can still tell the stories, involve the students and tantalize their taste buds. The following are some suggestions and recipes that can engage students of all ages.
Why not enlist parents to help you make latkes beforehand and on their own time schedule? Following my detailed recipe for Potato Latkes it is easy to successfully make latkes in advance, freeze them and then re-heat them, (even in a toaster oven, if necessary) before serving them to the students. There is absolutely no reason to serve tater tots or frozen triangular shaped potato cakes to the students!
Why not make Fresh Applesauce to go with the pancakes? One burner (whether portable or on a small kitchen stove) 1 pot, 1 apple corer/slicer and a food mill are all the equipment you need to safely involve students as young as 2! No knives involved, no peeling necessary, and an activity that develops their gross motor coordination. An added bonus is that my recipe does not include any sugar, just that natural sweetness of 1 stick of cinnamon and the fresh apples!
For older students, the story of Judith thwarting General Holofernes’ plot to annihilate her Jewish community focuses on recipes that include cheese. Recipes such as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes or Cheese Quesadillas can reinforce the teachings of the story while only requiring the use of an electric frying pan or griddle and no oil. I have taught these recipes to students as young as 7 with full class participation.
Want a way to include a lesson about the Jewish Diaspora and the Ethiopian Jewish community and provide a recipe that is Gluten-Free? My Ethiopian Sweet Potato and Carrot Latkes incorporate all the indigenous spices and vegetables of the region while providing a healthy alternative that all educators can approve.
The recipes listed above can be found in Entrée to Judaism-A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora or Entrée to Judaism for Families-Jewish Cooking and Kitchen Conversations with Children
About the Author:
Tina Wasserman is an award-winning cooking instructor, specialiing in contemporary kosher cuisine. Trained in nutrition and education, Tina holds degrees from Syracuse University and New York University, and is a popular food educator in her own cooking school and as a scholar-in-residence in communities across North America. In 1994, Tina was elected to Les Dames d'Escoffier, an international culinary society that honors women in the food and beverage industry. Tina has been the food columnist for Reford Judaism magazine since 2003. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Richard, and is the proud mother of two grown children.
