Tastemakers: Sufganiots Hanukkah Donuts - Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix

Dec. 6, 2006

Sufganiots Hanukkah Doughnuts

This time of the year brings out the best in culinary traditions. Much of the celebration is spiritual in nature with Christians celebrating Christmas; those of Jewish faith celebrate Hanukkah while others celebrate Kwanzaa and still others celebrate the pagan rituals of welcoming in the Winter Solstice. Regardless of your celebratory choice, food is a common denominator and over the next four weeks in Tastemakers we will highlight some of these traditions.
Certainly Latkes (potato pancakes) are a mainstay for Hanukkah, which begins December 16 this year. Another popular treat during this season is Sufganiots (Hanukkah doughnuts), often filled with jelly and are the customery food in Israel during Hanukkah. Rather simple to make, Sufganoits are tasty and you don’t have to celebrate Hanukkah to have an appreciation for them. They are great in the morning with coffee or after dinner as dessert. A Google search will produce some easy to prepare recipes.
One misconception by many is Hanukkah is the Jewish Christmas. This is not the case; actually, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana are the biggest religious celebrations within the Jewish faith. It wasn’t until the 1800s that Hanukkah became more than a minor celebration. Essentially, it is a period of “re-dedication,” and is celebrated during an eight-day period with prayers and the lighting of the menorah, or candelabra. Regardless of your religious beliefs anyone can take stock in re-dedicating themselves to those things that are important in their lives. So this season take time to search out a Sufganoits or make your own. Happy Hanukkah.

Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix

There are a million ways to make a Bloody Mary and connoisseurs of this drink take great pride in their recipes. For years one of the best Bloody Marys in the north was at Dill’s on Union Street in Traverse City. The drink’s origin dates back to 1920 when American bartender Fernand Petiot was working in Paris, when two Americans came in from Chicago. Petiot handed them the first two “Bloody Marys”—an experiment he created with vodka, tomato juice and spices. They loved it and responded that the drink reminded them of a waitress back home nicknamed Bloody Mary and the name stuck. When Petiot came to New York in the 1930s he tried changing the name to Red Snapper, but the drinking public would not accept the name change.
While working at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City Petiot’s customers were asking for a spicier version of the drink so he added Tabasco sauce and along with Worcestershire sauce both have become essentials. Petiot (he was also the world champion beer guzzler in his day) is even attributed with serving a short glass of beer with a Bloody Mary.
Recently I was at a convention and I ordered a Bloody Mary at cocktail party. It was one of the best I have ever tasted, so I asked the bartender for the recipe. He told me his secret was in the bottle and he produced Zing Zang. Developed by Chicago construction executive Richard Krohn, Zing Zang is among -- if not the best -- Bloody Mary mixes on the market and has the awards to prove it.
Krohn developed the recipe while in the hotel business and then one rainy summer 10 years ago when construction work was slow he started bottling it. Drawing from 14 vegetables and several solid spices, Zing Zang requires no doctoring, do not waste top-top shelf vodkas or mix with pepper vodkas. Instead, mix with any decent vodka, add a stalk of celery, some green olives and a few peperoncinis and you have met your daily vegetable requirement. Enjoy with a side short glass of beer. Look for Zing Zang at your favorite store or order online at www.zingzang.com