Celebrating the Tradition of Chanukah
Posted by by Susan Stillman, bakery category manager
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Anyway you decide to spell it, Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanukah or Hanukkah, it’s a very special holiday for my family and me. This year it begins on Tuesday, December 20 at sundown.
On a cold, dark Minnesota night, there’s nothing like the beautiful sight of the Chanukah candles in a frosty window, especially on the eighth night, the last night, when there are nine candles lit (eight candles in the Chanukiah plus the helper candle, the Shamash).
Our kids love to light the Menorah and then of course open a gift on each one of these evenings. Each year as they get older, we hope to instill a bit more about the joy of giving these gifts rather than receiving. It’s so important to recognize how lucky we are and the blessings we have.
Like any other Jewish holiday, food plays an essential part. My husband makes a killer sweet potato latke. Latkes are like hash brown potatoes fried in oil. I’s customary to eat latkes and other fried foods to signify and celebrate the oil that lasted the miracle of 8 days.
Grandma Marilyn always makes Chanukah cut-out sugar cookies with the kids. I swear we get about 200 cookies from the little ball of dough she mixes up for us - paper thin, sweet and crispy. Don’t forget the best bread on earth: Challah.
Our Byerly’s St. Louis Park Kosher bakery is the top pick in my book for Chanukah treats. This Byerly’s is our only full scale kosher pareve (dairy-free) bakery and everything is made from scratch. We carry a full line of assorted cakes, cookies, breads and more than seven different kinds of Challah. Every Lunds and Byerly’s store carries Challah that’s delivered from our St. Louis Park store. Visit your local store to find other kosher foods they offer.
With Chanukah over-lapping Christmas this year, it will be even more festive. So have a wonderful holiday season, whatever you may be celebrating. After all, any holiday is really about family, friends, tradition and giving.