Once upon a time, when we were children, Hanukkah was a holiday of lights, a naive and beloved holiday in which we celebrated the miracle of the jug of oil, lighting candles and eating donuts stuffed with industrial strawberry jam covered with a layer of thick powdered sugar, and also fried potato pancakes, sprinkled with some sugar or Apple puree on top.
Since then, gallons of olive oil have flowed in, and Hanukkah, while remaining a favorite of the little ones, has long since become a holiday of spoiled children’s shows and desserts.
What began about fifty years ago with the modest festival of children's songs (and the late Haifa version, the Festigal) has become a flood of huge productions for children and the whole family in a variety of versions tailored to different sectors, and the classic donuts have given way to Toppings of creams, garnishes and topping, based on the fried dough.
On pancakes for years there has been a media and culinary taboo that is not violated.
The latest innovation in the world of donuts is the pipettes, those small plastic syringes that are elegantly stuck on the side of the donut and contain alcoholic cream or cream liqueur for self-injection and bounce the juiciness and taste.
The first to start with it were, of course, Roldin (who recently won the annual donut tasting here), but from there it spread like wildfire in a pastry field and every self-respecting bakery has its own version.
The truth is that this is not a bad excuse at all to review what is happening in the world of greasy liqueurs, a category that has been neglected on the fringes of the alcohol world in recent years, but is really appropriate for Hanukkah. Somehow the Irish cream, the chocolate liqueur, the corner colada and the like, got the dubious glam of a drink for old aunts or at most as some ingredient in cocktails he hesitated to mention, and a pity. In recent years, beauty products have emerged that can be a fun opening sip at an event for the whole family, a sweet joystick, as a refreshing addition to the same pipette for homemade donuts or even as a serious upgrade to invested and spoiled ice cream dishes.
Penny Bachar, Marketing Manager at Bana Beverages, tells us that "the liqueur category is gaining momentum and continues the growth trend in the last two years, when we see that the corona has accelerated the increase in consumption in this category by about 34%. "Consumers who come to our stores are offered a very wide range of liqueurs in familiar flavors, along with new flavors such as banana chocolate milkshake flavors, strawberry cream, tropical fruits, watermelon, macadamia nuts and more, which meet the growing demand for the category."
Liqueurs, Photo: Getty Images
Our recommended -
Milk jam liqueur, Lavie Winery
- 'Lavie Winery' by Asher Bentolila has already gained a regular and large customer base and the quality of the liqueurs he prepares in it beats.
It's really hard to pick one from the variety there, but it's caramel-milk jam flavor surprised us with its taste and quality.
And we generally prefer chocolate on a daily basis ... The texture is rich and creamy, it is very balanced and not too sweet and is suitable both inside and outside the donut.
Do not give up their new chocolate-pistachio liqueur either.
(500 ml, 70 NIS).
Toulon Toulon Macadamia
Liqueur - a unique liqueur cream that comes from Spain and is produced using a traditional formula that combines macadamia nuts.
The liqueur is rich but not too thick when the macadamia nut flavors are refined and smooth.
The not very high percentage of alcohol (15%) makes it ideal for drinking in combination with ice cubes, with coffee, vanilla ice cream or with any other dessert.
Obtain at Bana Beverages Network.
(700 ml, 99.9 NIS)
Volders' Vodka-Vanilla
- This ceramic liqueur, flavored with vanilla vodka, comes from the Netherlands and contains an average level of alcohol per category (only 17%).
Made of quality vodka and based on a non-dairy cream - the texture is rich and thick, smooth and sweet, and in life you would not guess that it is fur.
Fun in a small sip, with or without ice, combined with fruit juices and definitely also as an addition to a scoop of ice cream, donut or Belgian waffle.
Also try the coffee-whiskey version.
(750 ml, 99 NIS, fur)
Figling Coconut Biscuit
- an advanced and sophisticated version from the famous fig liqueur makers.
A cool combination of delicate coconut flavors, fine vodka, real Dutch cream and biscuit, which creates a delightful, sweet drink with a Caribbean aroma.
Try adding some of it to Malby too!
(Dairy, without kosher. 500 ml, 60 NIS)
Praline chocolate liqueur, Max Brenner
- the successful chocolate brand has been renewed with a new and wonderful milk chocolate liqueur that comes in a retro bottle - 'medical'.
Inside we discovered a thick liqueur with bittersweet chocolate flavors and dominant nougat.
Its texture is medium in thickness, but it leaves a taste of more in the mouth.
(500 ml, 75 NIS, dairy)
Espresso liqueur, de Carina
- coffee liqueur with an extremely low dose of alcohol (11.5%) that is also suitable for those who are afraid of the effect of alcohol.
Its coffee flavors are sweet and smooth, the texture is not greasy but quite thick and it will be especially successful on Belgian waffles or a bouncy upgrade of iced coffee.
(500 ml, 89 NIS, fur)
Dolly's white chocolate and berries
- Made in Germany from Dutch cream and quality vodka and it combines white Swiss chocolate flavors, berries and Dutch cream.
A refined ceramic drink with a fruity finish (raspberry and blueberry).
very cool.
(Dairy, without kosher, 1 liter, 109 NIS)
CAFETINO Liqueur
- In the spirit of the days, a great vegan liqueur of coffee-flavored coconut milk cream, based on selected coffee blends.
Its texture is not very thick so it will be ideal for drinking with ice or with coffee, and also for enriching delicate desserts.
Obtain at Bana Beverages Network.
(700 ml, 99.9 NIS, fur)
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