Going back to basics: How should we proceed with our latke making?My friends from the band Pariah Beat were in town, and a celebration was in order. What better way to celebrate than to have a food party? I decided to reinvent an old favorite: the latke.

Now, I love a good latke as much as the next girl, but I don't love feeling sick afterwards. Those suckers are heavy, oily, and loaded with carbs. I wanted to give the latke a healthy new twist, but I needed help. Since my friends were able to transform groups of surly hipsters into dancing divas at their shows, I knew that they could help me to transform a Jewish classic.

Apple salsa: Mexican-Jewish fusion at its finest. I turned to the Moosewoods cookbook for inspiration. Sure enough, they had a recipe for "baked potato cakes." While I was at it, I wanted to transform the traditional side dishes as well. Forget applesauce and sour cream. With so many fruit salsas out there, why not make apple salsa? I used my own salsa recipe and chose Moosewood's recipe for cottage cheese chèvre spread to compliment the meal.

With my friend's help, the food was ready in no time. The recipes were easy to follow, and the food was delicious. So, readers, round up a good group of friends, some classic ingredients, and feel free to try these recipes at home.

Click here for a scan of the Herbed Cottage Cheese Chèvre Spread.
Click here for a scan of the Potato Cakes.