Chanukah Blog Tour 5767: Night Three

It's day three of Chanukah! You know what that means? Ok, it means that now you start to get the sucky gifts. Otherwise though, it means it is time for day three of Amy's Chanukah Blog Tour 5767. Before anything else, go buy Amy's book Three Fallen Women, I promise that it will be one of the most memorable and lyrically beautiful reads that thoroughly engrossesyou for a long while.

For more on Amy, check out her swank website Guthagogo.com, or read her daily musings on her blog.

And just to keep the links rolling, check out the other participants in today's postings, Laurel at Jewishy Irishy and the wonderfully named Orieyenta. And without further delay...

1. Quick! You must turn a plate of latkes into an upscale gourmet delight (as if they aren't already?). What would you add to them to dress them up, flavor and/or garnish them?

There is a wonderful, traditional Sephardic recipe for cauliflower latkes (as a complete aside, I think that cauliflower is the most underrated of all vegetables). Hey and look at that! I am going to be way helpful and link to the recipe.


2. What is the dumbest thing you've ever heard anyone say about Chanukah?

Chanukah 5765, Grand Army Plaza in NYC, the Chabad Chanukiyah lighting. Standing there waiting for things to start, the Rabbi was being lifted up to the gynormous shammas on a cherry-picker, and I overheard a tourist passing by say, "Since when do the Amish use microphones?"


3. What's the best possible use for olive oil?

What isn't it good for? Umm, I suppose that if I am pressed to give one answer (haha, get it...pressed?), it would be to serve as the base for really creamy, garlic-y hummus. Otherwise, sautee anything and you have yourself good living. The smell of sauteed garlic and onions is one of the best things that can emanate from a kitchen. The worst? Umm bubonic plague?


4. Settle it once and for all. Latkes or hammentaschen? Which do you prefer? What about pitting the winner of that contest against sufganiyot?

Definitely latkes. I mean, I do enjoy hamantaschen, but it is not as if I really crave it any other time during the year other than Purim. Latkes, however, I could eat just about anytime.

Just an aside, it's kind of annoying that the whole latke/hamantaschen debate never includes any non-Ashkenaz food in it (since the debate that they have is "Which is the quintessential Jewish food.") Just a thought. Wow I am a party pooper. Perhaps if I am ever invited to one of the debates, I can make that argument, that the whole debate ignores so many of the world's Jews. And thus proving that the debate is unfair, and thus pointless, they will cancel the event, and I will be hated by all the students and faculty at U. of Chicago. Awesome?

What can I say, it's an issue that I give some serious thought to, and I think in many ways is the biggest stumbling block that we face as a community; namely of definition. There are so many artificial constructs that keep us apart (Liberal, Conservative...Reform, Conservative, Orthodox...Ashkenazim, Sepharadit, Mizrahim) that we often lose sight of the fact that we are one people, and if we don't look after each other, no one will.


5. What's the best way to mix up a game of dreidel?

Extreme dreidel? Ehhh, no. How about high stakes dreidel? It can be televised on ESPN, and have different repeating characters appearing in the World Series of Dreidel.

Saul "Shin-master" Weinstein. Moishe "Gimel" Gimmelfarb. This time it is personal. Let's get ready to dreiiiiiidellllllll.


6. My novel, Three Fallen Women, shockingly enough, is about the lives of three women. Which three women would you like to have over this year for latkes and why?

Ok, Henrietta Szold, of course (I wrote my master's thesis about her. Though I would have to provide her with a booster chair (seriously, she was about 4'11"!). Basya Schechter, though she might be a little pissed that I would want her to sing while we played dreidel. And lastly, Dorothy Parker, because she would be a blast to drink with.


7. Other than Three Fallen Women (har har), what book do you think would make a great Chanukah gift this year? What book would you like to receive as a gift this year?

I think Jewish With Feeling, in spite of it's kind of lame title, would make a wonderful Chanukah present.

Here's something sad. With the end of my semester, I actually said to mysef, "Sweet! I can now read only for pleasure!" instead of, say, "I don't want to stare at another book for a month."

Anyway, umm, I have really been meaning to read Andrew Sullivan's The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It, How to Get it Back. Seriously, there are some rational, non-Xtian fundamentalist Conservatives out there who stand for libratarian ideals, and they deserve our support and attention, even if we disagree about specific issues.


8. What bloggers didn't participate in Chanukah Blog Tour 5767 and you think should have?

Hmm, how about My Urban Kvetch, and the everso interesting Blogs of Zion.

I bet that I have the longest, most incoherent ramblings out of all 36 bloggers...Chag Chanukah everyone, may your lives continue to be filled with shining light, miracles and beauty.