Potato Latkes, Memories, and Simple Things

I remember the first time I ever had a Latke. I was in New York on a mini vacation. I think we were staying there for about four days. We went to the same little cafe for breakfast every morning that was around the corner from the friends house that we were staying in. I don't remember much about that trip. I have no idea why my then boyfriend and I were there. I don't even remember the name of the friend of his that we stayed with other than that she believed in Ayurvedic nutrition and she had the cutest little apartment. I wish so much that I could remember what the name of it was, but this was before I had really discovered how much I love food. The one thing I do remember, though, was the Latkes. They were light, tasty, simple, and I think I ordered them three times in those four days. I had them with sour cream and with apple sauce. They had just the right amount of crisp around the edges. It's amazing how everything else about that trip was completely blurry, but those latkes shine through the fog of memory. I love that about food.

Sometimes you don't want to have to make anything complicated for lunch. Sometimes you want the world to go your way. There are little things that make me happy... like when the mail comes before I have to leave for work, and when my guy has left me just enough milk to make my tea in the morning instead of finishing it all. I like it when food is like that, refreshing, clean-tasting, and filled with simple little pleasure.

Latkes are so easy to make. They require ingredients that you almost always have in the pantry, just onions and potatoes. You don't have to add chives to them, but if you've got them I recommend it. These are also delicious when served with apple sauce.


Potato Latkes with Herbed Yogurt

1/4 Onion, diced
2 Large Potatoes, grated
2 Tablespoons Chives
Salt
Pepper

1/4 Cup Plain Yogurt
1/8 Cup Parmesan
3 Tablespoons Chives

Grate the potatoes and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Sautee the onions in a little oil until they are translucent, then mix them in with the potatoes, salt and pepper. Chop the chives finely and add them in to the potato and onion mix. Put a little more oil in the pan and shape the mixture into thin palm sized patties. Place a few patties in the pan and cook for several minutes on each side until they are browned
and crispy around the edges.

Grate the parmesan and mix it in the yogurt with the chives to serve on top of the latkes.

Makes about four latkes.