applesauce

Celebrate Hanukkah with festive foods from the Little Italy Mercato!

For potato latkes, visit Polito Farms, Sage Mountain Farm or Proios Farm, or branch out and use sweet potatoes from Vang’s Farm or try these beet and carrot latkes with veggies from Maciel Farm or Kawano Farms. Find oil for frying at Gourmet Delights of the Farmers’ Daughter, and if you’re making apple sauce see Lone Oak Ranch or Smit Orchards. Nicolau Goat Farm, Springhill Cheese Company, and our newest cheesemonger, the Cheese Store of San Diego, have your cheese needs covered. Fill your sufganiyot with your favorite flavor of Jackie’s Jam.

For the main course pick up a chicken from Spur Valley Ranch, a brisket from Son Rise Ranch or DaLe Ranch, or a wild Alaskan filet from the Salmon Slinger. Happy Hanukkah!

OIL TOGETHER NOW

Tomorrow’s Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market falls on the first night of Hanukkah, so get there before sunset and collect the farm fresh ingredients for your holiday meal.  A lot of people find Hanukkah to be a bit of a mystery; Why is it never the same time each year? Do you really get one present a night? If there are 8 nights of Hannukah why are there 9 candles on the menorah? (answers below)

Invited to a Hannukah celebration? Gift packs from California Olive make a beautiful hostess gift. Latkes, or potato pancakes, are fried in oil to honor the olive oil that burned for 8 nights to light the Temple. Think about replacing the potato with grated zucchini or winter squash from Kawano Farms, Suzie’s Farm or JR Organics, and onion from Maciel Farms. Think about using avocado oil for frying, it will let you get your latkes nice and crispy without smoking up your kitchen. Top with sour cream from Springhill farms and a simple applesauce from Smit Orchards apples. Serve warm whilst spinning dreidels. What’s a dreidel?

Oh yes, we promised you answers.Hanukkah is based on the lunisolar Jewish calendar. Traditionally, a few gifts are given on only one night of Hanukkah, but some families gift children every nigt. The extra candle on a menorah is a shamash, it’s lit first then used to light the rest of the candles. A drediel is a 4-sided top used to play a children's game, winning gold foil-covered chocolate money or gelt. Happy Hannukah!