A Cavalcade of Fried: Chanukah Pakora, Zeppole and Chickpea

Last year I gave you latkes for Chanukah, both traditional and fancypants. And latkes will be on my holiday menu this week as well. But really, why stop there?

This December I decided to push Chanukah's greasy fried-food tradition a little further, and rustled up some recipes for cauliflower and onion Indian pakora fritters, smoky Iberian fried chickpeas, and, in what was nearly my downfall, some oh-my-goodness amazing Italian zeppole doughnuts filled with an orange-scented, chocolate-studded creamy mascarpone filling (I posted the picture on Facebook, and an eager friend showed up on my doorstep within 45 minutes and relieved me of the remainder, before I ended up with a delicious stomachache). You can get recipes for all of the above deliciousness over at The Oregonian.

And what better to wash this down with than a frosty mug of Hanukkah beer? What? You think beer is a bit too goyische for the Festival of Lights? Then click on over to NPR to hear about the surprisingly long history of Jews and booze. Happy Hanukkah!