Yesterday saw the rare convergence of two holidays: Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. The last time these two overlapped was in 1899, and they won't overlap again for...I don't know, a very long time. Some people were saying 70,000 years; Wikipedia said it'd be in 2070; I don't know who to trust! But that's not important. What's important is that they overlapped in 2013, and also on my last day of classes, and boy did I celebrate.
In my group of friends, I'm one of two Americans and the only Jew, so this holiday was important to me but theoretically not to anyone else. Nonetheless, when I organized a Thanksgivukkah celebration, my friends got really excited! I am so thankful that they shared this celebration with me, even though neither holiday is their own, and I am especially thankful for their contribution to the dinner. People brought potatoes, gelt, and eggs; my housemate Rachael made a turkey and my housemate Ross made sufganiyot from scratch. It was so much fun and I am so appreciative of everyone who helped make it a great night.
All told, about a dozen people were there to eat turkey (complete with gravy and stuffing), latkes, sufganiyot, and gelt. We were all so full, but so happy.
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| The sufganiyot dough. Ross used a recipe for Israeli sufganiyot from my copy of Joan Nathan's The Jewish Holiday Baker, which may actually be the first time that book has ever been used. (I've had it for like, ten years.) |
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| TURKEY!!!! |
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| I used a recipe for latkes from Smitten Kitchen, using gluten-free flour so my celiac housemate could eat them, and removing the onions so I could eat them. |
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go figure out what to do with all these leftover potatoes.
