If it tastes great, there is no wrong way to serve a latke. Salty, crispy fried foods like latkes are made even better when paired with sparkling wine — either Champagne, like the NV Nicolas ...

But eating latkes—potato pancakes fried in oil for Hanukkah—is worth ... using delicious-but-deadly schmaltz—chicken fat—for frying. Variations on the basic recipe are endless.

fried donuts, chicken, tempura, or anything else was verboten in our family because only latkes would do. And forget about sweet potato latkes, latkes with zucchini or summer squash, or anything else.