To honor the culinary contributions of the city’s Eastern European immigrants, and to celebrate the increasing relevance of “latkes” to Portland families, Krakow Cafe is hosting its first annual "Latke Cooking Competition" at 1 pm, Sunday, Nov. 22.  at the cafe at 3990 N. Interstate Avenue, the epicenter of the city's historic Polish neighborhood.

         “To paraphrase the Los Angeles Times,” says Krakow spokesperson Basia Sonowska, “’a latke is not just a pancake made from potatoes, it's a potato pancake with a poor man's pedigree, a history, a tradition and a neshamah, a soul.’”

           As Portlanders enter the worst recessionary winter in years, and must forsake costly ingredients for many meals, what more helpful food to Portllands to celebrate, than the eminently affordable, and delicious, latke?” he asks.
         Latke Competition entrants will bring prepared latkes for cooking and garnishing at Krakow Cafe that day.   The judges will include Laurie Watson of the Western Culinary Institute, Dorota Zukowska of the Polish Library Association and Krakow’s Basia Sonowsaka.

       Members of the Hora Tzrgane  band, including Jack Falk of the KBOO-FM “Yiddish Hour,” will perform klezmer music.