Hanukkah is a holiday for family, but for Niki Russ Federman of Russ & Daughters, family has a more expansive meaning. Every Hanukkah, the 111-year-old “appetizing” store on East Houston Street in New York City flips and double-fries what she calls “an unknowable!” amount of latkes. As if serving lines of customers that wrap around the block and fulfilling orders from across the country wasn’t enough, the store also hosts a Hanukkah party every year, complete with an extensive latke bar and cocktails.
“We gather everyone around for lighting the menorah, and it’s just a beautiful experience for me to get to share the holiday with so many people who find a sense of community and connection through being a part of Russ & Daughters,” Federman told Wine Spectator.
This year’s party will be extra special, as Federman and her cousin Josh Russ Tupper will also be celebrating the holiday season with their new cookbook, Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing (Flatiron Books, 2025). Together as fourth-generation Russes, Federman and Tupper have not only taken on the mantle of running their family’s business, but also compiling, contextualizing and memorializing the food traditions of “appetizing” culture into this impressive compendium, a job they have taken extremely seriously.
Russ & Daughters is one of the last businesses in New York City to proudly still refer to itself as an appetizing store, while many of their fellows have embraced the term “deli” as all-encompassing over the past century. “Appetizing and deli are sister food traditions, which both grew out of kosher dietary rules prohibiting meat and dairy from being consumed together,” Federman explained. “Deli was for meats like pastrami, whereas an appetizing store was where you would go for fish and dairy. The combination of smoked salmon and cream cheese, that’s quintessential appetizing.”
Another example of quintessential appetizing is one of Federman’s own creations, which she has fondly dubbed the “Caviar Lover’s Black and White”—a play on New York’s signature black and white cookie, covered half with chocolate icing, half with vanilla. These treats originated in kosher bakeries, and are still one of the few items at Russ & Daughters that sell just as fast as their latkes. This savory version is a latke schmeared with crème fraîche and festooned with caviar, exemplifying the combinations both common and celebrated on an appetizing spread, while also demonstrating one of Federman’s favorite rules: “latkes are a year-round food.”
While the store originally only sold them during Hanukkah, it became quickly apparent to Federman that Russ & Daughters’ latkes were just too popular for only once a year sales. She explained the conundrum succinctly: “People would try to order them from us, and we would have to say, ‘No, they’re only for Hanukkah,’ and so finally we just asked, why? That doesn’t make any sense. They’re delicious; they’re the perfect vehicle for whatever you want to put on top. Why is this not a year-round dish?”
Thus Russ & Daughters’ year-round latke rule was born, and soon the Black and White version emerged. “We are just making latkes all day every day, and black and white cookies all day every day, so these are not just food items but visuals that live in our minds and in the Russ & Daughter’s universe. It was just this natural progression. Just us playing around one day and going, “Oh look, I made a black and white cookie on a latke!”” Federman recalled with a smile and self-effacing shrug.
No sooner did the idea appear than it was given a permanent place on the menu, and Federman hasn’t looked back since. “With this dish, you really get everything that you want; you get the hot, crunchy latke and then the cool, creaminess of the crème fraîche, and then that pop, that kiss of the sea, from the caviar. So it’s basically the most delicious combination ever.”
The best part about this dish, some may argue, is that you don’t even need to make the latkes yourself. Russ & Daughters not only sells their latkes for delivery around New York City, but they can also be mail-ordered across the country. (If you really want to cut down on shopping and prep time, they even offer a full “Caviar Lover’s Black and White” gift set, complete with a 50-gram tin of Hackleback caviar, an 8-ounce container of crème fraîche and five of their potato latkes.)
But one thing to remember is that when you serve these latkes, Federman advises you stick around long enough to catch a glimpse of your guests’ reactions. Personally, her favorite part of the dish is watching people’s faces when it’s brought to the table. “People just smile when they see it, because it elicits that kid in you … . There's a word in Yiddish, heimish, and caviar, while it is this luxury food, we like to keep it heimish, which is to say we don’t think it should be taken too seriously. This is a great way to serve caviar because it’s fun, it’s inviting, it’s accessible, and it looks beautiful too.”
Caviar Lover’s Black & White
Excerpted from RUSS & DAUGHTERS: 100 Years of Appetizing by Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper. Copyright © 2025 by Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books. All rights reserved. Photography by Gentl & Hyers. Illustrations by Jason Polan, LLC.
Ingredients for the Potato Latkes
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 medium Spanish onion, peeled
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
- 1/4 cup matzo meal
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups canola oil, for frying
Ingredients for Assembly
- 5 potato latkes
- 50 grams black caviar
- Approximately 1 cup crème fraîche
Preparation
1. Coarsely grate the potatoes using a box grater, then do the same with the onion. Place the grated potatoes and onion in a fine-mesh strainer set over a large mixing bowl.
2. Gently press the mixture to remove as much liquid as possible, making sure it drains into the bowl below. Let the mixture sit for 3 to 5 minutes as it continues to drain.
3. Pour off the excess liquid in the bowl, making sure to leave the starchy paste at the bottom. Add the drained potato and onion mixture to the bowl with the starch.
4. Add the eggs, scallions, matzo meal, melted butter, salt, pepper and baking powder. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
5. Heat 1/2 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
6. Form 12 latkes by gently shaping 1/4-cup portions of the potato mixture into patties about 3 inches wide and 1 inch thick.
7. In batches if necessary, brown the latkes in the oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side, adding oil to the pan as needed. Transfer the finished latkes to a paper towel. Use a paper towel to wipe the skillet clean.
8. Add the remaining oil and heat over medium-high heat to 375°F. Working in batches without crowding, deep-fry the latkes for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until golden crisp, turning once halfway through.
9. Line a baking sheet or rack with paper towels. As the latkes fry, transfer to the paper towels and season lightly with salt. Latkes can keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place on a baking tray in a 350°F oven for approximately 10 minutes, until they are heated throughout.
10. Spread crème fraîche equally over each latke. (This recipe is portioned for five.) Spoon about 10 grams of caviar on one half of each latke.
5 Kosher Sparklers for Hanukkah Celebrations
Note: The following list is a selection of outstanding and very good wines from recently rated releases. More kosher and sparkling options can be found in our Wine Ratings Search here.
GOLAN HEIGHTS WINERY
Score: 90 | $30
WS Review: Apple and lemon pith are flecked with spices and fresh ginger in this racy sparkler, which shows precision and energy. The clean finish offers a kiss of salt and mineral notes. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2030.—Kristen Bieler
RAZI’EL
Score: 90 | $90
WS Review: A mouthfilling sparkler, with a creamy feel to its notes of lemon peel and golden apple, buoyed by a soft frothiness. Warm hay, green almond and chamomile detail the palate, while bitter grapefruit pith and mineral drive carry the dry, firm finish, with lashings of salt and toast. Drink now through 2028.—K.B.
RAZI’EL
Brut Nature Rosé Haute-Judée NV
Score: 90 | $90
WS Review: White raspberry and red currant, plus lacy, floral high notes, introduce this vibrant sparkler, with a broad, creamy feel and mineral undercurrents. Quinine bitterness makes for a clean, dry, medium-length finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2028.—K.B.
GOLAN HEIGHTS WINERY
Score: 89 | $45
WS Review: Richly inlaid with firming mineral density, this offers apple and melon shot through with a tang of salinity and crackling with acidity. Shows a touch of brioche on the chalky, chiseled finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2032.—K.B.
DALTÔN
Galilee Rosé Pétillant Naturel 2023
Score: 88 | $30
WS Review: Nectarine and blood orange notes show earthy and bitter mineral undertones in this round, inviting sparkler. Clean and balanced, with singed tangerine peel on the finish, this is salty, offering just a touch of richness. A fun version, this is delicious with food or on its own. Zinfandel, Shiraz and Grenache. Drink now.—K.B.
