Sharon Lebewohl, Food Consultant and Co-Owner of New York's Famed 2nd Ave Deli Launches the First Hanukkah Hotline 1-866-KIBBITZ (1-866-542-2489)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joanne Cole/Cole Communications
212.995.1415 / jcolecom@aol.com

Finally, toll free help for the culinary-challenged during Hanukkah

New York City –November 2004– This December 8^th, Jewish families around the globe will gather for their traditional Hanukkah meal in celebration of the Jew’s victory for freedom over the Macabbees and the miracle of the temple oil lasting eight days.

This Hanukkah, for the first time, the culinary-challenged (and curious) have their own savior: food consultant, chef and author (of the 2^nd Ave Deli Cookbook) Sharon Lebewohl (sharonlebewohl.com). Lebewohl has launched the TOLL FREE HANUKKAH HOTLINE 1-866-KIBBITZ (1-866-542-2489) to answer questions and offer advice from how to sweeten apple sauce without adding sugar to tips for preparing perfect potato latkes to where to go to purchase (tasty and affordable) Hanukkah wine on the internet.

“Hanukkah is such an important annual family gathering for Jews I wanted to offer chefs everywhere (not just in New York) simple advice and pointers for preparing tasty Hanukkah dishes as well as tips for freeing up the host’s time after guests arrive,” says Lebewohl, daughter of 2^nd Ave Deli founder Abe Lebewohl.

Lebewohl will host the HANUKKAH HOTLINE through Wednesday December 15^th. “I’ll help cooks prepare traditional Hanukkah dishes like potato latkes, apple sauce and brisket as well as modern dishes such as Chinese scallion pancakes, fried brie with nut crust or Moroccan orange doughnut rings,” adds Lebewohl.

In advance of Hanukkah 2004 Lebewohl offers the following tips:

Spice up this year’s Hanukkah meal with non-traditional oil-infused dishes such as Mediterranean chickpea fritters, vegetable tempura, or Asian ginger curried sweet potato latkes. Remember: It’s all about the oil; in Israel Jews make jelly donuts fried in oil to celebrate Hanukkah.
To save time preparing potato latkes, grate potatoes beforehand and submerge in cool water to avoid turning brown. Tip: Drain water in a bowl and then stir the potato starch left on the bottom of the bowl back into the mixture - potato starch is the essence of potato latkes and adds substantial flavor and texture.
Never place potato latkes on paper towel to absorb the oil or they’ll soak up the oil and get soggy. Instead, place latkes on a cookie or cake rack, so the oil drips. Tip: Always keep cooked latkes in the oven, never the microwave, or they’ll get soggy.
Brisket is a traditional Hanukkah dish and ideal choice because it tastes best the day after it’s cooked and lets the host spend more time with guests. Tip: Brisket is low-maintenance cooking and doesn’t need a timer, just cook till it’s fork-tender.
Brighten apple sauce (another Hanukkah favorite) by adding ¼ cup of cranberries per 2-3 pounds of apples and sweeten with 2-3 dates instead of sugar. Tip: Other brightening techniques include using Cortland apples with the peel (process through a food mill) or adding ½ cup of grape juice per 3-4 pounds of apples.
There are many choices available today for holiday wine. Go to www.hagafen.com for affordable and tasty Jewish wine.

A graduate of the French Culinary Institute, Lebewohl is a popular culinary educator in Manhattan and around the country and appears frequently on national and local television. She has appeared on NBC-TV’s Today Show, with Martha Stewart on From Martha’s Kitchen, with Bobby Flay on the TV Food Network’s FoodNation, with David Rosengarten on In Food Today and numerous local TV and radio shows.

Proud mother of Ayalah, Tzvi and Eliyahu, Lebewohl lives in New York City and is currently working on her second cook book.

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