333255 Wed Oct 11 15:56:37 -0700 2006 61 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1938040 It's the classic sweet v. savory question. (Not unlike U Chicago's latke/hamentashen debate.) I like both, but I'm leaning to the sour cream side these days... Any strong preferences out there? Wed Oct 11 15:56:37 -0700 2006 46202 alisonlara 1 1938096 APPLE SAUCE!!!! Especially really chunky homemade (or homemade style) applesauce. Now I want latkes. Wed Oct 11 16:12:44 -0700 2006 1938040 26357 SuzMiCo 1 1938110 Usually for me it's sour cream, except this time of year I like to have it with some fresh homemade applesauce. Wed Oct 11 16:18:29 -0700 2006 1938040 11222 Infomaniac 1 1938117 Sour cream just doesn't cut it for you? Wed Oct 11 16:20:17 -0700 2006 1938040 46202 alisonlara 1 1938212 In my Polish (Catholic) New Jersey family, these are called "platki," but essentially the same thing, and we ALWAYS had them only with sour cream, so that's definitely my preference. I didn't know applesauce was even a traditional accompaniment until I was probably an adult. I've tried it, but it's just not the same. Wed Oct 11 16:46:33 -0700 2006 1938040 46024 allegro805 2 2122951 Our Polish Catholic side of the family called them "bleenies," and served them with ketchup. I still prefer them that way. Fri Dec 22 18:32:58 -0800 2006 1938212 54991 Atlantis 3 2130898 Blinis aren't the same as latkes, they're more like a crepe, and usually rolled around a filling of some sort. Wed Dec 27 13:46:38 -0800 2006 2122951 13807 JaneRI 1 1938241 Sour Creme all the way. Latkes should be crunchy, salty, and studded with green onion or chive and then the sour creme just is the natural accomaniment. Wed Oct 11 16:52:42 -0700 2006 1938040 24055 Atahualpa 2 1943021 I agree the latkes should be crunchy, salty and with onion and all, but still, go well with both the tanginess of the cream and sweetness of applesauce. Put me down in the must have both together camp! Fri Oct 13 05:04:00 -0700 2006 1938241 10158 susancinsf 1 1938243 I've always liked both together. Wed Oct 11 16:53:25 -0700 2006 1938040 23415 pescatarian 1 1938607 Both. The applesauce needs to be homemade and unsweetened. Wed Oct 11 18:37:32 -0700 2006 1938040 21620 Dizzied 1 1938623 both! Wed Oct 11 18:41:52 -0700 2006 1938040 23294 madisoneats 2 1939369 Both for me too. Wed Oct 11 22:26:06 -0700 2006 1938623 15697 jackie de 3 1940819 Both for me three. The applesauce has to be homemade, though -- unpeeled apples and apple cider ONLY, and the sour cream... you remember the Breakstone's commercials from (urgh) 10-15 years ago, where the guy screams, "NOT THICK ENOUGH!!!!" That's me. Or my brother-analogue. Thu Oct 12 15:18:11 -0700 2006 1939369 10811 Das Ubergeek 1 1938660 latkes get applesauce, blintzes get the sour cream (or blueberries) Wed Oct 11 18:52:50 -0700 2006 1938040 36359 sportnoy1 2 1938725 mmm, now you have me thinking of blueberry blintzes with sour cream Wed Oct 11 19:07:58 -0700 2006 1938660 23415 pescatarian 1 1938722 Yeah, both. I didn't even realize there was supposed to be a choice between one or the other. Wed Oct 11 19:06:51 -0700 2006 1938040 10264 rworange 2 1939340 Exactly!! Wed Oct 11 22:13:42 -0700 2006 1938722 22167 SarahEats 2 1939367 In my family, the other split is whether to put salt or sugar on matzoh bri. We divide pretty fiercely along those sweet and savory lines Wed Oct 11 22:24:38 -0700 2006 1938722 46202 alisonlara 3 1939410 My family has the same debate about whether the kugel should be savory or sweet. We now have a savory kugel and a sweet one whenever we have kugel. Wed Oct 11 22:42:32 -0700 2006 1939367 26357 SuzMiCo 3 1942967 Would you believe that someone in my family likes his matzo brei with ketchup? Oh, the horror! The horror! I'm the several-heaping-teaspoons-of-sugar type myself. Now, with latkes, it's sour cream all the way. I don't recall ever even trying it with applesauce -- it just seemed wrong to me -- despite my mother putting it on the table (and other people eating it happily) at the latke party every year. Fri Oct 13 04:32:16 -0700 2006 1939367 22011 Kitchen Imp 4 1943574 Matzo brei: Cinnamon sugar and whipped cream cheese Blintzes: Sour cream Kugel: No topping for either sweet or savory (My family has both sweet and savory kugel specialists). Fri Oct 13 15:16:27 -0700 2006 1942967 12829 Bob W 4 1943727 I love ketchup and matzo brei! But my favorite is tabasco and jelly together. Fri Oct 13 16:14:45 -0700 2006 1942967 18466 a_and_w 1 1938854 I like to eat my sour cream with latkes Wed Oct 11 19:48:35 -0700 2006 1938040 11634 saeyedoc 2 1939018 Hear, hear! Wed Oct 11 20:38:46 -0700 2006 1938854 24055 Atahualpa 1 1938939 Applesauce, for both latkes and blintzes. Sour cream wasn't even mentioned for these when I was growing up. Wed Oct 11 20:13:51 -0700 2006 1938040 10666 Chocolatechipkt 2 1939334 We never did applesauce on blintzes. Usually we used frozen strawberries or raspberries, ocaisionally blueberries. Wed Oct 11 22:11:18 -0700 2006 1938939 26357 SuzMiCo 1 1939361 Mom always served them with canned peaches- the syrup was a pretty good accompaniment. Now it's sour cream first, applesauce second for me. Wed Oct 11 22:20:58 -0700 2006 1938040 10027 Chris VR 1 1939366 sour cream, applesauce mixed together with a dash of rough cut kosher salt-man that's good! Wed Oct 11 22:22:30 -0700 2006 1938040 36312 HillJ 1 1939387 I wonder if it started as kosher thing. Sour cream for dairy meals and apple sauce for meat/parve meals. Wed Oct 11 22:30:43 -0700 2006 1938040 46202 alisonlara 2 1940872 I don't think so, my understanding is that Ashkenazi Jews from Russia tend to prefer sweet and those from Polish prefer savoury - hence the debate re kugel, sour cream vs. applesauce, sweet vs. sour cabbage borscht. A lot depends on how your mother or grandmother did it. A lot of course have influences from both Polish and Russian and like both. In my family growing up, my mom always made everything savoury and sour (borscht) and my aunt always made sweet (they both still do :) I tend towards the savoury, but I like certain things sweet - like my applesauce mixed with the sour cream. Someoe mentioned matzoh bri, I vote for lots and lots of salt. Thu Oct 12 15:40:12 -0700 2006 1939387 23415 pescatarian 3 1941955 Sorry but I don't think that is correct.....I am Polish Jewish on both sides of my family and it was ALWAYS sweet or sweet and sour.....matzoh brei, stuffed cabbage, noodle kugel, etc., etc., etc. Thu Oct 12 21:02:10 -0700 2006 1940872 10612 mshpook 3 2111869 It's actually the opposite: Russian is savory, Polish and further west, including Vienna, is sweet. There is actually something called the Gefilte Fish Line which helps explain the exact divide. You can Google it or look up the Cowhound thread about Gefilte Fish. The link is in my post. Viennese Gefilte Fish = sweet. The Gefilte Fish I had in Krakow was also sweet. Don't like it that way. Fish + sugar = yuck. For latkes, applesauce is essential. There's already enough fat from the frying. I need something to 'cut' the heaviness, not add to it. Tue Dec 19 03:50:27 -0800 2006 1940872 10156 Steve 1 1939556 Major debate in Jfood land. I am purist on applesauce with latkes, sour cream on blintzes. DW is just the opposite. Oh, and blintzes can ONLY be cheese, cherry, blueberry, potato, etc. Blueberries have ruined bagels and I fear my children will suffer from these catastophic mistakes. Only kidding guys! Wed Oct 11 23:40:23 -0700 2006 1938040 11290 jfood 2 1946626 I am exactly the same! ONLY applesauce with latkes. Sour cream is for blintzes. Sun Oct 15 02:53:55 -0700 2006 1939556 13875 Nicole 1 1939581 Both! and/or maple syrup. Wed Oct 11 23:51:57 -0700 2006 1938040 10732 JMF 1 1939685 Sour cream and salt here! Thu Oct 12 00:34:31 -0700 2006 1938040 12099 sivyaleah 1 1939975 Applesauce! Thu Oct 12 02:32:06 -0700 2006 1938040 27312 lvecch 1 1940309 For most of us, it is hard to get away from that which are taste buds were imprinted with when we were young. But now, we are grown up adults and can discriminate more objectively. Come to think about it, with food, it may be more difficult! I grew up with applesauce with latkes, sour cream on blintzes. Now, with my adventures with Indian food, I think of the makeup of chutneys, where fruits are combined with vegetables. I find that that the applesauce has a moderating affect on the salty and oil nature of the latke. For me, it brightens up the experience of the latke eating. I find that sour cream creates a different effect - not worse, but different. My preference is for applesauce. Sour cream on the blintzes enriches that experience - blintzes/sour cream vs. latkes/applesauce are foods of different textures. I know it's subjective, but to me, the combination of applesauce with the fried potato mixture and sour cream with warm gooey blintzes (what fruit and cheese fillings aren't delicious? - what is also to be savored is a tender dough in which the fillings are enclosed - some dough is stiff and tough to chew through whereas others are very tender, rich and yet light) are matches made in heaven. L'chaim! Thu Oct 12 06:09:19 -0700 2006 1938040 11936 FelafelBoy 2 1940652 That was great and an excellent reason for using applesauce with latkes. Thu Oct 12 14:13:21 -0700 2006 1940309 10264 rworange 2 1943067 Ahh, great description... I prefer both, and one time I sneaked in a little goat cheese on top. Very yummy. Fri Oct 13 05:43:48 -0700 2006 1940309 14388 theannerska 1 1940665 So far it's always been sour cream for me, but you know, I never even thought to have them BOTH together! I'm definitely going to try that the next time we have latkes...which will be soon because now I'm thinking about them and craving them! Mmmmmmmm! Thu Oct 12 14:18:35 -0700 2006 1938040 46380 Magdalene 1 1940683 Both, of course. Transcend the binary opposition! Thu Oct 12 14:27:56 -0700 2006 1938040 18466 a_and_w 1 1941389 Sour cream and horseradish, my default garnish. Thu Oct 12 18:10:17 -0700 2006 1938040 23675 phofiend 2 1941971 Oh my...horseradish sounds marvelous...have to write that down :) Thu Oct 12 21:04:47 -0700 2006 1941389 36312 HillJ 1 1942053 I eat them plain. Seriously. I don't put applesauce or sour cream on my potato latkes. Thu Oct 12 21:25:39 -0700 2006 1938040 10914 PaulF 1 1943551 sour cream. I grew up in a predominantly jewish town, had many jewish friends and got to experience the loveliness of a homemade latke. Now I don't know where to eat this lovely morsel where it isn't a hard, dense hockey puck. Should I attempt to make it myself? Is there such a thing as a good store brand Latke? Will someone lend me their bubbe? Fri Oct 13 15:04:57 -0700 2006 1938040 25247 Veggietales 2 1943562 I've never encountered a good store bought version. If you're ever in TO around Chanukah, you can stop by our family party, lol - or I can give you a recipe, they are not that hard to make - just can be a "putchke" because you have to make sure you remove most of the water from the grated potatoes and then you have to cook them in small batches (helps if you have more than one pan going at once. Fri Oct 13 15:10:47 -0700 2006 1943551 23415 pescatarian 3 1946247 thanks for the invite. it's only a 30 min. from toluca lake. I think i'm going to try to make latkes. I'll report on the outcome. Sat Oct 14 21:33:52 -0700 2006 1943562 25247 Veggietales 2 1946827 Veggietales - the absolute essential key in having any chance to making a decent latke is to positively soak the shredded potato in water, let some of the starch rinse out, drain the destarched potatoes, let it dry, and then add the required ingredients afterwards. You can add your own variety of vegetables after the basics, but I have found that de-starching the potatoes allows for a latke of better consistency. (Do a google search for latke+recipes to get some ideas.) Another poster in this thread mentioned that they add ketchup to the latke. As a joke, I had thought of that too, because I do like ketchup with potatoes (except for mashed), and a latke is potato-based, in most cases ... I have read recipes where a different starch is used, such as a sweet potato or yam. Yes, ketchup would go with the latke, but ... a latke is a different critter than a french fry! It requires a more sophisticated accompaniment! You can have ketchup with it, but it really is a more enriching experience to have something else with it, like applesauce, or perhaps some other fruit sauce (cranberry sauce?, pear sauce?) or as some swear by, the sour cream. As it is stated somewhere in the bible, "Do to the Latke, and the Latke will do to you." In other words, you eat it with ketchup, you will have a ketchup experience. Eat it with applesauce, you will have an applesacue experience. Not better or worse, just different depending on what you can handle and/or desire. Just remember, the Israelites would have had a different experience, and perhaps evolution, if Pharoah had been presented with a Latke. I can almost hear him doing a Homer Simpson-type response of ... " Mmmmm, Latke! Do what you want, but just get me more of this stuff!" Sun Oct 15 06:51:02 -0700 2006 1943551 11936 FelafelBoy 1 1943565 Sour cream ONLY for me. I don't like apples and potatoes, as I'm never a fan of sweet & savory. Fri Oct 13 15:12:08 -0700 2006 1938040 13807 JaneRI 1 1943570 Applesauce AND sour cream for me. Mrs. W., who makes a mean latke, eats hers with ketchup and shredded cheddar cheese Fri Oct 13 15:14:24 -0700 2006 1938040 12829 Bob W 1 1945191 With really good latkes, neither! With decent ones, either. Crappy ones - forget it. But I used to love ketchup on my latkes.....everyone looked at me weird. But the prototypical ketchup food is ---- french fries (fried potatotes) so why not latkes? Sat Oct 14 01:22:06 -0700 2006 1938040 27868 plf515 1 2111102 I like apple sauce and I like sour cream-it depends on my mood-salty or sweet Mon Dec 18 23:18:53 -0800 2006 1938040 55914 marlie202 1 2111794 Normally sour cream only, that's because I can't stand the store brought apple sauce. If I have time to make homemade apple sauce, then it's both. Tue Dec 19 03:21:47 -0800 2006 1938040 46671 notmartha 1 2111872 APPLE SAUCE! Tue Dec 19 03:50:54 -0800 2006 1938040 50041 whiner 1 2111887 Sugar. Tue Dec 19 03:58:59 -0800 2006 1938040 27123 beef 2 2112155 I had totally forgotten about sugar. I think this what my mother put on them for us when we were really young and hadn't yet developed a taste for either sour cream or applesauce. Wow. That brought back a long lost sense memory. Thanks. Tue Dec 19 07:13:11 -0800 2006 2111887 10612 mshpook 3 2112838 We always eat them with sugar. My grandmother makes her latkes a bit different, she pulverizes the potato and uses no onion. I haev to try to recreate these this year, as she's not up to cooking now. Tue Dec 19 16:24:40 -0800 2006 2112155 49957 annimal 1 2112374 Sour cream. You know what happened to the kids who used apple sauce? They joined the Taliban, that's what. Apple sauce is sacrelige in my house. Tue Dec 19 13:35:40 -0800 2006 1938040 49180 jpschust 1 2122843 I was making potato pancakes before I knew they were "latkes". I always add lots of onion, some garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Like that, they're terrific plain. Fri Dec 22 17:51:35 -0800 2006 1938040 61417 chefmommy 1 2123741 Sour Cream, sour cream, sour cream, until about the 6th or 7th one..... then the sour cream starts to get rich, and I like to switch to apple sauce... :) My wife reaches for the ketchup though.... Fri Dec 22 23:56:46 -0800 2006 1938040 45690 UnConundrum