It’s Hanukkah, and sufganiyot are an inseparable part of our holiday experience! If you’re unfamiliar with Hanukkah, a sufganiya is a traditional sweet, a round donut with a sweet filling מילוי (mee-looi) at its core. The fillings vary from the good old strawberry jam to more unusual and sophisticated flavors. Some bakeries take this concept to the extreme and construct crazy sufganiyot with all sorts of toppings – not necessarily better than the originals. A choice of filling can say a lot about a person’s character, so choose your favorite filling and discover your true colors:
Strawberry Jam ריבת תותים (ree-baht too-teem):
You are a humble person who enjoys the simple things in life: a walk in the park, jogging around the neighborhood, curling up with a good book. You don’t like surprises, you like your routine שגרה (sheeg-rah) and believe that “if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it.” Like the classic strawberry jam, everyone likes you, likes being around you, and listening to your advice. You’re the kind of person who says hello to people on the street in the morning: thank goodness there are still people like you in the world!
Dulce de Leche \ Caramelized Milk ריבת חלב (ree-baht chah-lahv)
You are a rising star, my friend. Maybe in middle school, you weren’t the most popular kid: you liked to stay at home and play the guitar, you occasionally stole books from the library and wrote some horrible poetry. But now, you’re surrounded by a few very good friends (it’s not the quantity, it’s the quality), you have your own sense of style, you’ve written a couple of killer stories, one of them got published in the local paper עיתון (ee-tohn). Not everyone has to like you, but those who do – LOVE you, and that’s all that counts.
Chocolate Ganache with Sprinkles שוקולד פצפוצים (shoh-koh-lahd peets-poo-tseem)
99% of the time, you are being extra. You are energetic, unapologetic, talkative, probably addicted to caffeine or the show “Is It Cake?” on Netflix. Don’t get me wrong, you shouldn’t change להשתנות (leh-heesh-tah-noht) for anyone. You are who you are, and there are plenty of chocolate enthusiasts out there. But perhaps, at times, this over-the-top energy is a bit unnecessary, like too many toppings on a sufganiya. Don’t worry; you are beautiful even without the sprinkles. Sit down, take an Adderall.
No-filling Sufganiya בלי כלום (beh-lee kloom)
You really dislike this holiday but go along because you care about your mom’s feelings. You hate kitsch, singing in canon, and receiving socks as a gift from your aunt (SOCKS are not a valid gift, Sharon!). You listened to Metallica when you were eight, you enjoy playing solitaire (not just on a plane) and you think the beach is overrated. Eating a not-filled sufganiya and seeing the shocked faces and murmur of discontent is your own little rebellion. I say – knock yourself out.
Whether you savor the classics, enjoy the fancy flavors or feel like rebelling a little, I hope Hanukkah this year is full of warmth and quality time with your loved ones.
