They do make it work; and the batter that Lev had been so worried about turned out just fine. Still, the first time he actually immerses a batch of future doughnuts in the hot oil, the resulting noise — more bubbling than hissing — startles him so much, he nearly drops the skimmer.

"I remember now why Tatye Velvl always said he hated this holiday," he mutters, fishing the first doughnuts out of the oil. "I think he meant it not, nu? But he like, liked to say it a lot, anyway."

But he's smiling.