Malke's Secret Recipe: A Chanukah Story

By David A. Adler

Book Overview

Berl steals the recipe for Malke's light and crunchy potato latkes, but the results are just not the same. A tale about the "wise people of Chelm." This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 093049489X
• ISBN13: 9780930494896
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Kar-Ben Pub
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.3" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

More fools

In this darling tale of Chelm, where the not-so-wise-men live, everyone has their recipes for Chanukah latkes. Malke, the tailor's wife, guards her recipe with her life. "I may be a poor woman, but I make the best latkes in Chelm, and I'm the only one with the recipe," she says. As a young bride, she would let people taste them, but afraid that people could taste each of her ingredients, she closed her doors to all but her own.In their memories, the Chelmites remember Malke's latkes tasting even better than they did. Finally, Berel the shoemaker could stand his wife's heavy latkes no longer. To ensure that he will again eat latkes that taste like clouds, he hides behind a tree outside Malke's kitchen until she starts cooking. He writes down everything she does.Berel gives the paper to his wife. The recipe calls for 5 potatoes and 2 eggs. His wife Yentel says, "Some secret recipe." "Scallions," he says. "Scallions," she screams. "Who ever heard of using scallions instead of onions!" She uses an onion, as always. Next Malke used flour, but Yentel uses bread crumbs like always. Malke used pepper, but Yentel objects to that too, and uses salt, as always. When the recipe calls for lemon and parsley, Yentel balks again, just as she does when the recipe calls for frying in vegetable oil. "That's not a secret recipe, that's secret nonsense!" Malke protests. So, she fries in chicken fat, as always. Needless to say, the latkes come out as heavy as ever. "They taste just like ours," Berel concludes. To which Yentel replies, "Well this just proves that no matter how you make them, latkes always taste the same."When you have finished reading the story, you and your children can make the secret recipe, which is happily provided. Trust me, latkes DON'T always taste the same. But the fools of Chelm will never know. Alyssa A. Lappen