The star is on the tree at Rockefeller Center, Salvation Army bells jingle on every corner, and the scent of pine needles permeates the streets of New York. But while everyone else is trimming their trees and decking their halls, the shorter days and yuletide decorations make us think of an old Beard House tradition—the Latke Cookoff. This annual event of amateurs and professionals ran from 1996 to 2001, and our own executive vice president Mitchell Davis won the inaugural potato playoffs. For this TBT, we’re featuring an artist’s rendering of Mitchell in his moment of victory, along with his winning recipe, which can also be found in his cookbook, The Mensch Chef. The secret to his spuds? His mother Sonny’s ratio of one onion for every two potatoes. And as everyone knows, you don’t argue with a Jewish mother. Check out the recipe here.