Small Bites

Little Vittles

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Published: Nov 27, 2007

Catfish the way mama does it down on the bayou ... in Philly? Yessir, and only at the Down Home Diner (Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Arch streets, 215-627-1955). A generous piece of catfish is coated with cornmeal and encrusted in pecans before it's fried to an immaculate golden color. It's then smothered in a tasty remoulade, placed on a kaiser roll and served with slices of tomato, a more-than-adequate leaf of lettuce and fries. (I top it all off with Louisiana's own Crystal Hot Sauce.) The first time I ordered this sandwich, it came with fresh-cut taters, but on a return visit, I was surprised to receive fries that resembled the frozen Ore-Ida variety. Either way, the sandwich itself is killer eats. —Ptah Gabrie

Whether you're stuck in the kitchen or freezing at the game, that chill in the air means it's officially drinkin'-with-the-fam season. Try mixing up a Burnt Turkey: two parts unpasteurized apple cider and one part Wild Turkey bourbon. After dinner, whip up a Hot Toddy to soothe the nerves and help digest that third piece of pie. Steep one tea bag (black or citrus herb tea) in three parts boiling water and muddle in slices of lemon and orange that have been stabbed with a few cloves. Remove the bag, add one part bourbon, a dab of honey and stir. Serve your Toddy in a snifter and try to drink it down before your nostalgic relatives start reflecting on their generally uninteresting glory days. —Felicia D'Ambrosio

Latkes — traditional Jewish potato pancakes — are crispy, golden-brown standouts amid a gelatinous spread of gefilte fish, matzo ball soup and chopped herring. The Gershman Y, which clearly respects the power of the pan fry, has invited a slew of Center City restaurants and companies to put their own spin on it for the fifth annual Latkepalooza, the cultural center's jump-start for the Hanukkah season. While eateries like Loie Brasserie are sticking to a traditional recipe, Estia's offering a Span-o-latke made Greek-style with feta and olives; Bookbinders is stuffing theirs with smoked salmon and crème fraîche; Cabot Cheese is mixing cheddar into the shreds of fried spud. The all-ages event also includes local vendors, clowns, magicians, face painting and music by Nashirah, the Jewish Choral of Greater Philadelphia. If you're tired of plain ol' kugel, come join in on the fun. —Dana Henry

Sun., Dec. 2, 2-4 p.m., $10-$15, Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St., 215-446-3021, gershmanY.org.

Attention time-strapped parental types: Cooking breakfast is now 100 percent easier. The Organic Batter Blaster, a patent-pending aerosol can stuffed with gooey pancake batter, allows you to cook up stacks of fluffy flapjacks with nothing more than a point and a squirt. A crafty creation from a San Francisco-based company, the Blaster conveniently eliminates the batter-making mess while still offering the same doughy taste. Although the can's makeup is disgustingly similar to Easy Cheese, the founders make sure to recommend gourmet-styled creations on their Web site — the cream cheese and pumpkin recipe is a morning mouth waterer, as are the banana and Nutella pancakes drizzled with sweet buttered rum. Available at batterblaster.com. —Amy Strauss

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