What's Cooking on 1060: Gershman Y Celebrates the Potato Pancake
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Just in time for the holidays, the Gershman Y celebrates the potato pancake.
It's a milestone year for the Gershaman Y's annual Latkapalooza festival.
"It's our Bat Mitzvah celebration," says Shahar Oz, director of programming. "13 years of Latkapalooza."
Oz explains the latka is celebrated during Hanukkah because it's fried in oil.
"The classic story is that as the Maccabees fought to restore Jewish independence in the land of Israel," Oz says. "They needed to light the menorah or the candelabra. The oil should only have lasted for one day, but, miraculously, it lasted for eight days."
At Latkapalooza, you'll eat potato pancakes galore.
"Many different cultures have their own variation of the latka," Oz says, "even if they didn't actually know that it was a latka until the chefs agreed to participate in this event."
Jeremy Nolan of Whetstone Tavern is participating.
"The latka that he's preparing is gluten-free," Oz says, "and it uses green onion, potatoes and parsnip."
As is Estia, known for their Greek cuisine.
"Spinach and leeks," Oz says, "and feta cheese and fresh dill."
And chef Lance Silverman of Sabrina's Cafe.
"Yukon gold potato," Oz says, "with zucchini and yellow squash, carrots, winter herb ricotta pesto, fennel franz and dill."
Oz says the event highlights the many cultural tastes of the latka.
"You can go more sweet," he says. "You can go more savory, you can go more spicy."
And OZ stresses it's not a competition.
"It's a celebration," he says. "Nobody is vying to outdo anybody in any set amount of time, and everybody has a great time."
Hear the full podcast (runs 8:33)…
And for this week, that's "What's Cooking on 1060!"
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