If Wishes Were Like Shlishkes

Certain staples of Jewish cuisine are beloved as nonpartisan delicacies, as they should be. Steaming bowls of matzo ball soup soothe the soul, crisp latkes satisfy cravings for all things fried, and bagels are the grab-and-go breakfast for countless generations. Food doesn’t care what you do or don’t believe.

Shlishkes, however, haven’t made the same leap into mainstream culture. Originating with Hungarian Ashkenazi Jews, these humble potato dumplings are often compared to Italian gnocchi for their similar structure. Tender, soft, gently simmered morsels made from a bare minimum of ingredients, they’re within easy reach of anyone on a budget or with limited cooking experience.

Potato Shlishkes

How do you make shlishkes?

It’s quite simple:

  1. Boil and mash potatoes.
  2. Add flour.
  3. Cut into dumplings.
  4. Boil and drain.
  5. Toss with breadcrumbs and bake until toasted.

This final step is what truly separates it from the other potato-based pastas. Liberal use of vegan butter or schmaltz and breadcrumbs transforms homely dough into nutty, crunchy, rich, and savory delights.

Want to make these shlishkes your own?

Such a simple formula is ripe for creative interpretation. A few easy ideas for a tasty twist on tradition include:

  • Use coarse almond meal or crushed crunchy chickpeas instead of breadcrumbs for a gluten-free option.
  • Swap white potatoes for orange or purple sweet potatoes.
  • Add cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes to spice things up.
  • Use olive oil instead of vegan butter or schmaltz to decrease the saturated fat.
  • Finish with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.

Like any good starchy side, shlishkes are best accompanied by a hearty entree. In truth, though, there’s no bad pairing or inopportune time to serve them. Enjoy shlishke for Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, birthdays, Bachelor parties, Satanic rites; anything worth celebrating with a comforting, homemade meal!

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Making Spirits Bright

Amidst twinkling lights and fluttering tinsel, the sound of carols and jingle bells, the holiday spirit is alive again. The feeling is hard to describe, but impossible to deny when you have it. It’s the tendency towards generosity and kindness, of hope through the darkest of day, and joy for all the little things.

Whiskey Sour Candied Pecans

Want to help share the experience with those you love?

The easiest way is with a different sort of spirited gift.

Whiskey Sour Candied Pecans

Whiskey Sour Candied Pecans are an intoxicating treat inspired by the classic cocktail. Aromatic and heady, sweet and sour with a subtly bitter edge, buttery yet bright, the simple preparation belies the incredibly complex flavors that develop. This isn’t your average spiced party mix that can be munched mindlessly; each crisp toasted nut delivers a bold infusion of merriment.

Whiskey Sour Candied Pecans

In case your spirits are flagging, here’s a foolproof recipe to revive them. Scrooge himself would be powerless against such contagious wintry cheer.

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Home, Sweet Home

Building your dream home from scratch is no small project. Between location scouting, permitting, designing, and actual construction, you’re looking at years of hard work and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Don’t give up hope, though; there’s a better way to start building! You don’t need to be a millionaire or even remotely handy to enjoy the instant gratification of a newly constructed gingerbread house.

‘Tis the season for erecting walls redolent of cinnamon and spice, frosted with freshly fallen confectioner’s sugar snow. Anyone and everyone can call this place their home, at least in spirit, for a short but sweet holiday memory. Only slightly more complex than making gingerbread people, there’s definitely an art to this edible architecture. For anyone daunted by the task but drawn to the cozy abodes, I’m here to help. This is everything you need to know to make your best gingerbread house yet.

Start With The Right Recipe

You can’t build a house with shoddy materials, and the same goes for the edible version. Your foundational cookies must be strong, resistant to spreading in the oven, but still delicious. I will not compromise flavor for function, which is why my Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies are always my go-to solution. You can make a batch of each to add color variation between components, or stick with something more classic for the nostalgic simplicity of it.

Measure, Cut, Then Bake

Some recipes suggest baking off large sheets of cookies and cutting them afterward to ensure the sharpest, most accurate lines. That would make sense if we were talking about woodworking or sewing patterns, but that same logic doesn’t hold up to baking scrutiny. This approach is more likely to cause walls to crumble or crack in the process, leave rough, crumbly sides that can muck up the icing, and either under-baked centers or over-baked edges. Measure carefully, cut the shapes you want first, then bake.

Prep Royal Icing In Batches

As the edible glue holding everything together, royal icing is critical for sturdy construction. The thing is, it hardens very quickly once exposed to air. Only make a small amount at a time to prevent crustiness or excess waste at the end. Only make enough to fit in a piping bag at a time.

Seek Support

Putting up the walls and keeping them up is always the most difficult step. Use unopened canned foods to prop them up and keep them in place until the icing has set. Don’t rush this, and don’t add the roof until you’ve removed the cans!

All About That Base

Use royal icing to adhere the foundation of the house to a sturdy base, like a flat plate, platter, or cake cardboard to prevent it from sliding around. This also gives it greater stability, and makes it easier to transport if needed.

Don’t Sweat The Details

Even if your best efforts look more like a run-down shack than a grand Victorian mansion, no one will care if it tastes good. Lavish it with candies, make a mess, and just have fun!

Barring any premature nibbling, your gingerbread house will be good to eat for 5 – 7 days after baking.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Side panels baked unevenly or don’t measure up?

You can use coarse sand paper (new, never used for wood or anything non-edible!) to carefully remove some height.

Pieces cracked before assembling?

Use royal icing to glue it back together, letting it set on a flat surface first. Let it dry completely before continuing. If it’s very noticeable from the outside, use more icing, candies, or fondant decorations to cover it.

Royal icing won’t set?

It might be too hot or humid where you’re building your house. If need be, scrape the failed icing off and make a new batch with much less liquid to start again.

Can’t find vegan candies for decoration?

Colored sugar and simple sprinkles are still plenty festive! You can always emphasize royal icing designs instead for a more elegant approach.

The beauty of gingerbread houses is that they’re only short term dwellings, meant to house the holiday spirit, which is always a gracious guest. If you build it, Christmas cheer is sure to come.

Coal For Christmas

For as long as I’ve understood the rites of Christmas, I’ve wanted to give coal as a gift. Why? The fact that it goes against all common courtesy as a twisted, backwards way to show affection, it feels like an incredibly compelling suggestion to me.

Merry Christmas, I love you, and I think you’re ungovernable, too!

Good trouble is something I’ll always sign up for, so I feel for the equally rebellious people that inadvertently end up on the naughty list. Coal doesn’t have to be a bad omen or a punishment. There’s a whole lot it has going for it, especially when mixed up into a super simple body scrub.

What are the benefits of charcoal?

I’ve been known to include small amounts of food-grade charcoal as food coloring for various recipes, including pasta and pizza crust, but for daily use, it’s much more beneficial as a topical ingredient. Famously touted as a detoxifier, charcoal has a much more positive impact when applied directly to the skin. It’s especially helpful in…

  • Removing dirt and bacteria
  • Balancing oily skin
  • Reducing acne and preventing future breakouts

There’s a whole lot to love about this charcoal scrub!

  • It’s a homemade gift with no skills necessary. All you need to do is dump and stir, then package it up in a pretty little jar with a cute wooden brush for maximum effect.
  • All the ingredients are incredibly affordable, and in fact, prevent food waste! Spent coffee grounds all too often end up in the trash, but they still have a lot of life in them. Mixed into this energizing scrub, they serve as an effective exfoliant and smell like a brilliant, eye-opening cup of Joe.
  • For any last-minute gifting needs, you won’t find a faster present. Your guests could be walking in the door and you can still have thoughtful gifts for everyone before they can even sit down around the Christmas tree.

To all the rebels and renegades out there: Carry on. The threat of coal is no longer a punishment, but an encouraging promise.

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