Jelly donuts, kibbeh and latkes: Hanukkah traditions

Hanukkah, the celebration of the miracle of light, is actually a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar. But it’s a focal point this time of year because it’s close to Christmas and involves eating lots of fried foods with abandon. American Jews represent a diaspora that began 2000 years ago, a long enough time to become culinarily acculturated all over the world. Leah Koenig’s epic “The Jewish Cookbook” contains a variety of dishes that span the world.

According to food writer and author Leah Koenig, Jews have lived and cooked on every continent but Antartica. The global representation is explored in her book, “The Jewish Cookbook.” Photo courtesy of Phaidon.