Over 500 free Latkes were donated by gracious HSBA Member Restaurants; Grendels Den, The Red House, and Upstairs on the Square. The Latkes, all extremely delicious, were diverse in shape, size, and texture and were delivered with homemade condiments.
Kari Kuelzer delivered a batch of delicious homemade “Latke Squares” in keeping the Square theme of Harvard Square complimented by her secret recipe “Rosemary Applesauce.”
Chef Stephen Brand, of Upstairs on the Square came outside in his kitchen whites and gave his approval to our Latke party production line.
The Red House was kind enough to let us come back when we ran out of Latkes – due to the unexpected public demand at our event – and whipped up a second batch on a very busy Holiday Saturday Dining out evening in Harvard Square.
The party was attended by over 300 Latkes Fans including a team of young women in blue track suits from Brandeis, a large number of employees of local Harvard Square businesses, a few unofficial mayors, a few Cambridge Officials, a number of chefs and restaurant owners, nice families, a few members of the press, and the HSBA Staff.
We played Klezmer music and read two stories “The Runaway Latkes” by Leslie Kimmelman and Paul Yalowitz and the “The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story” by Lemony Snicket and Lisa Brown.
The HSBA was very pleased to bring this first time “Everyone Loves Latkes Party” to Harvard Square. We loved being able to display our 4 foot Menorah and to celebrate Chanukah outside in the park, in the Harvard Square community in a way that has never been done before. Because of the overwhelming response the “Everyone Loves Latkes Party” will become an annual Harvard Square Holiday Event. We are grateful to Grendels Den, UpStairs on the Square, and the Red House for their delicious donations of Latkes and to Nantucket Nectars for their contribution.