Shirley Jacksonâs potato kugel
In my last Update from the Shirley Jackson files, I discussed Shirley Jacksonâs recipe for potato kugel. Hereâs a snippet:
âi always use as many potatoes as i think i can stand to grate, and then add one more ⊠that would be maybe eightâŠ. i always grate two potatoes and then i make myself grate one onion and then i stop and dry my eyes and light a cigarette and then i count to fifty and then grate one more potato and then another onion and then i light a cigarette and then i count to fifty and then ⊠i take the bowl â my yellow mixing bowl, that is â and i have it about half filled with grated potato and onion and i cover the top of the potato and onion with flourâŠ. i take a glass dish and put a lump of butter in itâŠ. when the butter melts â by the way, it ought to be chicken fat, but i like butter â i take the dish out and roll it around so the sides get coated with melted butter and then i pour the rest of the melted butter in with the onions and potatoes and flour and then i take three eggs, and i know itâs three because i crack the first two against each other and the third on the side of the bowl, and just drop them in without beating and ⊠letâs see. salt. it always takes more than you think you need. you always think youâre putting in more than you did last time but it always needs salt anyway. so then you put it in the oven and leave it there ⊠till dinnerâs ready.â
Naturally, everything has to be grated by hand: âitâs not a real potato pudding unless you grate a couple of knuckles into it,â as every Jewish grandmother knows.
Read the rest here.
