For many people Chanukah is party season, eight days of rushing from event to event. Whether it’s the entire extended family or a few friends, Chanukah is a time of connecting with our loved ones. When you find yourself hosting this holiday season, a little insider knowledge will turn your party from a flop to the talk of the town.
A Twist on Tradition
Holiday parties come with certain expectations. It would be hard to host a Chanukah party without potato latkes and donuts. While you can’t go wrong with the classics, make an impression by trying variations on the traditional dishes. Try red-wine donuts or fruit latkes (for recipes see sidebar) or makeup your own latke recipes experimenting with new combinations of vegetables.
Embrace old friends
In the rush of party planning, it can be tempting to try out the latest gourmet menu. Avoid the temptation. Stick to the things you know with only a few new additions will reduce the burden of catering. Those tried and true recipes will not let you down if you find yourself in a last minute rush to get everything ready. If possible, test out any new recipes beforehand to prevent any unwelcome ‘surprises.’
To make any dish look like a gourmet extravaganza, pay attention to presentation. A few strips of colorful pepper or a few endive leaves can transform a dish. . Use brightly colored vegetables as a garnish to add life to a savory plate, and place fruit around desserts to make any dish a work of art.
Give wine recommendations
Wine can make any event into a party. Encourage your guests to be adventurous with their wine choices. At a dinner party it’s easy to serve different wines with each course. A buffet party is harder to control. Try printing up a suggested wine list and posting it near the drinks table. Try to offer something unusual, like the Mt Hermon Indigo, which has a distinctive purple color, and is a fruity blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Start the evening with sparkling wine ready for guest to take as they arrive. You could serve a classic like Gamla Brut or for a low alcohol option the Mt Hermon Moscato is a popular choice. The oily traditional Chanukah foods need wines with a little acidity to balance out the heaviness. For red wine lovers, Gamla’s Cabernet Merlot is a wonderful choice. Or try a Gamla Sangiovese, a classic Italian style wine, with relatively high acidity that goes wonderfully with traditional Chanukah foods. For desert Yarden Muscat will make all your guests leave with a smile on their faces.
To keep wine at the correct temperature throughout the party, have a cooler filled with ice for the white wines. Red wines should be served at about 16-18 degrees Celcius, unless recommended otherwise on the label. For added decoration, wine bottles can be arranged on the table between dishes to add height and vary the arrangement.
Don’t leave them waiting
We won’t all have waiters passing out hors d’oeuvres but it is important to have something available for your guests as soon as they arrive. At a sit down dinner, you could try bowls of nuts and unusual dried fruits, which can also become a talking piece as guests try to guess what they are eating. When making a buffet, if you can’t have all the food ready, have a salad bar with various cut up vegetables and dressings for guests to make their own salad as a starter.
Delicate Decorations
We eat first with our eyes before the food reaches our lips. With only a little expense and effort, you can easily create tantalizing Chanukah themed table. Stick to one color. Buying choosing one color as a base for your napkins, flower arrangement and dishes if your using disposables, you quickly create a theme for your party without using any expensive items. To create an instant Chanukah twist, scatter dreidels and chocolate coins between plates.
With careful planning and an arsenal of party planning pointers, whatever the size of your event, this year’s Chanukah party promises to be an event to remember. Wishing everyone a happy Chanukah.
***
Rachel Gross is based in Jerusalem. She writes extensively about trends in the Israeli food and wine scene.
Quick Guide to Wine Pairing:
Mt Hermon Indigo
A medium bodied red wine, made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes which give it a distinctive purple color. Goes well with the heavy traditional Chanukah foods.
Serving Temperature: 13-16° C.
Gamla Brut
A light sparkling wine produced strictly according to the traditional method, made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It pairs beautifully with rich or salty foods.
Serving Temperature: 5-8° C.
Gamla Cabernet Merlot
Perfect with a crispy thin crust pizza or a potato latke, this medium-full bodied red wine will complement any Chanukah gathering.
Yarden Muscat
Sweet enough to be desert in itself, this white wine goes beautifully with any desert course whether it’s homemade donuts or a fresh fruit salad.
Gamal Cabernet Sauvignon
A classic with nice body and an appealing flavor. See if you can taste the notes of ripe cherry and plum fruit. Goes well with full-flavored foods.
Serving Temperature: 17-20° C.
Mt Hermon Moscato
Perfect for guests looking for a low alcohol option, only 6% , this slightly sweet sparkling wine is an excellent choice for a pre-dinner drink.
Serving Temperature: 5-8° C.
Low-fat Red Wine Donuts
Yields 12 donuts.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 9 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose pastry flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 egg
Dash of salt
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Mount Hermon Indigo
2 tablespoons 2% Greek Yoghurt
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Liberally grease a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder until combined. Add in egg, skim milk, red wine, canola oil, yogurt and vanilla.
- Stir until all ingredients are fully combined.
- Add in chocolate chips.
- Fill donut cavities about 1/2 – 2/3 the way full with batter.
- Bake for 7 – 9 minutes, or until they bounce back after you touch them.
- Let cool completely and remove from the pan.
- Ice with chocolate glaze if desired
Recipe adapted from www.nutritionfor.us
Fruit Pancakes
Prep time 20 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes per batch
Ingredients:
(Fruit combination can substituted for any available fruits)
2 kiwis, peeled
2 persimmons, peeled
1 pear, peeled
2 red apples, peeled
1 banana, peeled
1-cup coconut flakes
2 eggs beaten
Oil for frying
Method:
- Grate the fruit on a large blade.
- Mix the fruit blend.
- Add the eggs and mix again.
- Add the coconut until it becomes a thick batter.
- In a frying pan with heated oil drop 1 Tbls of batter and flatten with a spoon.
- Fry in the oil until golden on both sides.
- They can also be baked at 325 F (175*C) for 20 minutes.
Recipe curtesy of Tzyiona Kantrowitz