Dry them on a cooling rack over a sheet pan.

i always use paper grocery bags for my latkes.

I have a few cotton dish towels that I designate for this purpose. You have to wash them after each use, but it works and you will not be wasting wads of paper towels.

I use paper towels (100% recycled content) and then compost them.

I also just use my cloth rags, since I don't really use paper towels at all. I've heard rumors that oily cloths can mess up your clothes washer though - so I wash them well in the sink before putting them in the laundry basket.

I feel lucky to live in a town where I can compost my paper towels in the yard debris bin, so when it comes to jobs where the paper towel is just better, I don't worry about it so much, since we don't use that many paper towels to begin with.

Brown paper bags.

I use the brown paper bags I save after shopping in the bulk department at our local co-op.

My mom always cooled things on a previously read newspaper. It would seem like that would leach newsprint on things, but it didn't.

Instead of using a thick layer of paper towels, I use just one paper towel set over newspapers. That way I feel like the food isn't touching the ink.

Everyone can feel free to admonish me, but I think using what probably amounts to a roll of paper towels each year so you can have less oil on your latkes is really nothing to get too worked up about. Enjoy your special fried foods once in awhile without guilt. Life's too short.

My mom always used paper bags for the latkes - cut them apart, spread them out ink down, blah blah...but it looked gross to me, they reach a saturation point pretty quickly then just pool grease, I don't think it's effective I think it just looks like you're getting more grease off because it's darker. It all the years of latkes I've never found anything better than generous amounts of thick paper towels...I gave up and just go with it now. Sorry trees.

I do the cooling rack over the sheet pan. Works like a charm.

For those who said they use cloth -- is it hard on your washing machine to wash the oil-soaked clothes after use? Or is it not enough oil to be a problem for that?

blotting on a newspaper is the way i saw all the street vendors in pakistan doing it with samosas and pakoras (fried delicacies) and that is what i do in my home, too. put all our issues of the Financial Times to good use! x shayma

@ eminthekitchen - When I wash cloth, I usually do it in the dishwasher with my other dirty dishes. In the past I have also washed in my clothes washer with great results.

It helps to crumple the newspaper and partially smooth it back out whether you use a paper towel as a barrier or not. I'm with Escondido [above] in not worrying about the use of paper towels. The eco-trade off between a few paper towels and washing the cotton towels or sheet pan and cooling rack... the water, heating the water, detergent, running the washer, running the dryer... doesn't sound all that eco friendly to save a few paper towels.

Until I knew better, I used to use paper towels to drain grease from fried foods. Then I found out how great a cooling rack over a sheet/bar pan works for draining grease. No turning back for me. But, I do use paper towels after cooking bacon (in the oven) since it doesn't work well for that. But, thankfully I don't cook much bacon or fry very often.

use the paper towels, but walk to the grocery to buy the potatoes and the oil

I've also used tea towels & haven't had trouble washing the grease out for two reasons: (1) drained the majority of the grease using cooling rack b4 using the tea towels & (2) kitchen linens are always washed in hot water as a separate load.

@eminthekitchen: I use rags and have found that they can really hold the grease after use. So now I soak them in a bucket with a little bit of dishsoap and borax overnight. Drain it and throw them in the wash with your towels. Works for my handmade crochet scrubbers and cleaning rags, too.

Alton Brown said the best way to drain fried foods is on a cooling rack set on top of a sheet pan (not for eco reasons, for getting the fat away). If it's good enough for Alton, it's good enough for me. (I also usually don't have any paper towels on hand)

wouldnt the use of water, heat, and soap to clean the rags (especially if you have to pre-wash them) offset the fact that you are throwing away a few (hopefully recycled) paper towels?