Hanukkah is celebrated on the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the Jewish calendar, which can be in early November or late December.

With eight nights to celebrate Hanukkah, there’s plenty of opportunity to cook various delicious dishes in honor of the Festival of Lights.

Popular foods eaten on the Jewish holidays are loukoumades, pancakes, and latkes. Loukoumades are deep-fried puffs, which are dipped in honey or sugar. Pancakes are a traditional dish, served along with the oil they are fried in. Latkes are potato/vegetable fried pancakes. Also, many kinds of cheese and dairy dishes are served on the Jewish holidays.

The traditional foods served during the Hanukkah holiday are symbolic of the events being celebrated. Most of these traditional foods are fried in oil, symbolic of the oil that lasted eight days. Others contain cheese to celebrate Judith’s victory.

Popular Hanukkah holiday favorites are challah, apple cake, hamantaschen, soft pretzels, beef brisket, and cream of artichoke soup.