By Barry Schuler
A miracle you can create
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It's that time of year once again. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, carolers' harmonies, visions of sugar plums yada yada. Yes Jews have eeked out their little corner of holiday cheer with the Chanukah festival of lights but frankly, while the candles and dreidel are nice, this holiday is all about the crunchy, salty, slightly greasy slice of heaven - the potato latke.
The relationship between the potato latke and the festival of Chanukah is as amorphous as the connection of Santa and the birth of Jesus. The Jewish lore of Chanukah is based on the miracle of an oil-burning lamp staying alit for eight days on a single day's supply (huzzah!!). This provides the historical basis to celebrate by eating food fried in oil (hey why not?) And what better than a yummy latke. There are many types of latkes, most are mediocre at best. But a well crafted latke is a spiritual experience that is totally within the reach of anyone with basic cooking skills. I will show you how. Think about baking crusty, French baguettes, bread perfection created with just four ingredients: flour, yeast, water, salt. There are many recipes for French bread that provide measurements of each ingredient. But turning out a crusty, chewy, tangy loaf is all about technique. Every batch of flour is different. Atmospheric conditions at various locales will impact many variables such as how the flour hydrates and how well the yeast rises. The baker’s hand is essential in formation of gluten, the very structure of the bread. Bread making requires an experienced set of senses, particularly touch. No recipe can produce epic French bread, it requires experience to make adjustments to the proportions based on feel. Producing epic Latkes is an exact analog. Technique is essential and the recipe is only a guideline to be adjusted by feel and experience. If you are willing and patient you will be rewarded with a divine experience that will be celebrated by those you prepare them for. |
What makes an epic potato latke?
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The world is filled with latkes that make you say "Feh!!" It is almost impossible to get an epic latke at a restaurant because they cannot be prepped ahead of time. They must be hand crafted. They should be eaten immediately and cannot be kept warm for long or they lose their divine essence. Therefore spiritual Latke preparation lies in the domain of the home cook, the essential ingredient is love.
The characteristics of an epic potato latke are simple: 1. Crunchy lacy edges akin to hash browns 2. A tender, semi-dense middle section Together, this creates the perfect bite of crunchy, salty, creamy deliciousness Now grab yourself a glass of wine and read through the recipe. As is the tradition here at Real-Deal Cooking, the recipe is covered with lots of detail but it is by no means unapproachable. |
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REAL-DEAL BAGELS
By Barry Schuler
The authentic bagel is sadly is on the endangered food list. Those who know what one is scoff at the bogus bagels sold at chains like Einsteins or in the bakery section of supermarkets. They are imposters, white bread rolls posing as a bagel.
A perfect traditional bagel is an amazing form of bread. The crispy and crackly crust is prelude to a toothy interior. It will have overtones of malt and a tiny hint of soft pretzel. It is at its prime when warm from the oven, not reheated nor toasted. And therein lies the rub. Unless you have a traditional bagel baker at your corner it’s impossible to experience a bagel at its peak. This is not to say a toasted day-old bagel doesn’t have its merits, it’s simply a different experience. But fear not. If you can bake bread and have some patience, (or if you are just adventurous) you can make amazing real-deal bagels. I can teach you. Geography is not an issue. There is no special water or air needed, just your hands and a little time.
A perfect traditional bagel is an amazing form of bread. The crispy and crackly crust is prelude to a toothy interior. It will have overtones of malt and a tiny hint of soft pretzel. It is at its prime when warm from the oven, not reheated nor toasted. And therein lies the rub. Unless you have a traditional bagel baker at your corner it’s impossible to experience a bagel at its peak. This is not to say a toasted day-old bagel doesn’t have its merits, it’s simply a different experience. But fear not. If you can bake bread and have some patience, (or if you are just adventurous) you can make amazing real-deal bagels. I can teach you. Geography is not an issue. There is no special water or air needed, just your hands and a little time.
J. Kenji López-Alt defines bagel greatness. There is no substitute. (source: Serious Eats)
WHAT IS A GREAT BAGEL?
I call your attention to The great bagel manifesto authored by J. Kenji López-Alt. for Serious Eats. Kenji wrote the diatribe I would have and verified all I have said over the years about bagels, including shaming those who would defile a fresh bagel by toasting it. It’s important to understand that I mean toasting an authentic fresh bagel – not something bought at Noah's or Einstein's or Whole Foods. These are the Chef Boyardee of bagels and if you choose to eat such scat, toast all you want. Read Kenji’s article and it will further help you understand what makes a real-deal bagel and why they have become so rare. (he is one of my favorite food writers)
THE MYTHS
Let us begin by casting aside the biggest myth about real-deal bagels: you can only get a great bagel in NY because of the water. This is nonsense. New York is flush with great bagels because there is a big market for them and it is a discerning market who understand and demand perfect traditional bagels. Without a market, no bake shop can invest in the labor and equipment needed to make traditional bagels.
Sadly, the further away from New York, except for parts of Florida and LA, the harder it is to get an authentic bagel and most have never experienced them. But if you know and you want, you can now have them whenever you are so inclined.
BAGEL BAKING BROUGHT HOME
I spent a year fiddling with various recipes to create one that is as simple as possible. Still, it requires some patience, but then all good things do. I have included a lot of detail to guide you through so there are a lot of instructions and pictures which make it look laborious. But power through your ADHD, it’s not that hard just follow along.