My favorite holiday memories revolve around my mother’s Hanukkah parties.
Three generations of Americans, Israelis, and Russians gathered in our small home by moonlight, their stories and voices and accents braiding together.
Old Hanukkah tapes would play, the almost-twangy music filling the spaces between food and loud and food and talk and food and fun.
Latkes were eaten, sufganiyot were devoured, and more than a few dreidels were spun.
My memories of these parties are golden, and their lesson equally bright: Hanukkah is meant to be a celebration. A fun one.
Today, my husband Jason and I are ready to create our own version of my mother’s parties for our (adult!) friends, with a twist.
Enter: The Vodka Latke Party.
Quietly whispered about for many years, Jews on the east and west coasts have paired these two lovelies–vodka and latkes–for no other reasons than they’re both delicious, and they rhyme.
And this year, we’re following suit and bringing this perfect pairing to our home.
I’m sharing our Vodka Latke Party Recipe below, because I want to see this kind of fun and celebration come to you, too.
Latkes
1. Potato Latkes (We’re trying this recipe: Potato Pancakes Even Better via Smitten Kitchen)
2. Sweet Potato Latkes (We’re trying this recipe: Sweet Potato Latkes via Martha Stewart)
3. Zucchinni Latkes (We’re trying this recipe: Latke Minus Vodka via Smitten Kitchen)
4. Carrot Latkes (We’re trying this recipe: Carrot Latkes via Food.com)
Vodkas
1. Referent Horseradish Vodka (We’re trying this recipe: Dirty Horseradish Martini via Referent Vodka)
2. Pinnacle Vanilla Flavored Vodka (We’re trying this recipe: Pineapple Upside Down Cake via Drinks Mixer)
3. Absolute Pear Flavored Vodka (We’re trying this recipe: Pear Rosemary Cocktails via Martha Stewart)
We’ll be serving the vodka in waves–as people come in, with latkes, and afterwards.
And as for the latkes? Those will be mixed by me, fried by Jason, and eaten by everyone. Exactly the way they’re meant to be.
For more Hanukkah party inspiration, be sure to document it all with this DIY Hanukkah photo booth, start up a rousing game of dreidel, and check out even more Hanukkah recipes ready to serve.
