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		Secular Latkes I'm just a country goy, but many years ago I inadvertently made some latkes while tweaking the process for hash browns. I was trying for a faster-cooking version of the grated-potato hash browns served in greasy spoons everywhere, and which are almost always made from processed (e.g., slightly precooked) frozen spuds. So I grated some potatoes, mixed in an egg and some flour to hold things together, and called the crispy fried patties potato pancakes. As my cultural and culinary horizons broadened, I learned that I was making latkes. Our large blended family includes a couple of Jewish stepsons, and they report that my latkes compare favorably with the hundreds that they've consumed. Since I was shooting for hash browns originally, I've always eaten mine with ketchup instead of the traditional sour cream and applesauce. Aaron and Daniel tell me that, at least in the celebrations they attend, which are more culturally Jewish than religious, there's always a few folks out in the kitchen sneaking ketchup on their latkes, too. If you want traditional potato pancakes to celebrate the miracle of the oil, use the procedure for Tex-Mex Latkes and just leave out the spices. For something a little different, try Celeriac and Scallion Latkes with Red Pepper Sauce (it's almost like ketchup!).