potato pancakes

To me Potato Pancakes (or latkes) are the best way to enjoy a fried potato. Yes, better than chips, better than homefries and even better than french fries. And, there is definitely something about this time of year that, regardless if you are Jewish or not, latkes just fit with the season!

I was really excited to make these because I was certain Owen would go nuts over them. What I loved about making them was how fun they were. I grated russet potatoes lengthwise on the course side of a box grater to get long strings of potato. The potatoes are then left to sit for a few minutes in cool water. From there, I did something the recipe didn't call for, I put the potato in a tea towel and squeezed as much moisture out as possible. Once fairly dry, it was simply a matter of mixing the rest of the ingredients which included eggs, beer, flour, s&p and the starch left over from the soaking potatoes.

The potato pancakes fried up like a dream with those crispy edges. I especially liked the addition of beer to the batter. It gave a subtle flavour that I'm not sure anyone would be able to detect unless they were told beer was added. However, as much as Nuno and I loved them, Owen did not. Even with the addition of applesauce he wasn't enticed enough to finish even one.