By JANET K. KEELER from staff and wire reports
Published December 17, 2003
[Times photo: Scott Keeler]
Sweet sufganiyot, jam-filled yeast doughnuts
Springform pan
Tart pan
Deconstructing sufganiyot
It's a tradition in Jewish households to eat foods fried in oil during Hanukkah to symbolize the meager but mighty oil that lit the reclaimed temple in Jerusalem for eight days and nights in 165 B.C.
Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Lights, which begins at sundown Friday, celebrates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem by the Maccabees after their victory over the Greeks, along with freedom from religious and ideological persecution.
Sweet sufganiyot, jam-filled yeast doughnuts, and latkes, potato pancakes, most commonly represent the miracle of the oil. Sufganiya, a modern Hebrew word, comes from the Greek sufgan, meaning "puffed and fried."
The eating of sufganiyot (pronounced SOOF-gahn-ee-yot) is a modern tradition, melding East and West for the holiday. The fried fritter is of Sephardic origin and the jelly filling and sugar coating comes from Western immigrants, probably German.
Cooking class
Chopping dried rosemary on a cutting board often sends little pieces of woody herbs flying. To keep them in their place, place a few layers of paper towel over them and then chop. Surprisingly, the knife doesn't tear the paper and the bits of rosemary stay in place.
Amazon.com continues to grow: Edibles are now on the menu with its new Gourmet Food store. There are thousands of items offered (for example, 700 cheeses, 326 baking mixes and 500 cakes) from nationally known companies such as Peet's Coffee & Tea and Harry and David to smaller niche firms like California's A.G. Ferrari Foods and Florida Crystals, maker of granulated sugar cane.
Tart pan vs. springform pan
A tart pan usually has fluted sides that form an open ring. A round, flat bottom piece sits inside to form the bottom of the pan. To remove the sides of the pan, you merely lift out the bottom. A springform pan, often used for cheesecakes, has cylindrical sides that can be expanded via a spring clasp. When expanded, you can set the bottom of the pan into a groove around the base of the side piece and then close the clasp to secure the pan bottom. To remove the side of the pan, you cut down around the food within the pan, release the spring clasp and remove the side. Using either pan, you remove the side but leave the bottom in place under the tart or cake for serving. With most tarts, a springform pan can be substituted for a tart pan. However, in most instances, a tart pan with its low fluted sides cannot be substituted for a springform pan.
Seafood stand-in
Many delicious seafood chowders, stews and gumbos begin with a delicate fish broth. Homemade broths that rely on fish bones are beyond the scope of most home cooks. Bouillabaisse and bisque lovers, take heart: An admirable substitute is an equal blend of low-sodium canned chicken broth with bottled clam juice. Clam juice alone is too salty, and the broth mellows and rounds out its briny taste. If using this combination, however, it doesn't hurt to modify the overall salt in the recipe.
The gift of ice cream
Have any ice cream lovers on your holiday gift list? You can give them Chubby Hubby, Cherry Garcia, Phish Food and other popular Ben & Jerry's flavors without setting foot in a grocery store. The ice cream company is offering six pints of its most popular flavors, or any six pints of its new organic flavors, via mail delivery throughout the continental United States. Cost is $64.95. For information or to order, log on to http://store.benjerry.com/icecreambymail.html
Cookies online
Looking for Christmas cookie recipes but missed or lost last week's Taste section? Go to the bottom of the www.sptimes.com home page and look for the cookies. You'll find two dozen Times-tested recipes, plus a link to last year's cookie bonanza.
