Here are the first lights from last night.  And the menorah for tonight.

As I cook, I throw aromatic scraps and spices into this simmering potpourri.  Today’s includes mandarins, lemon, lime, apple, juniper berries, cloves, and other sweet spices.  Fragrant!

As I often do, I made my from-scratch latkes Indian-style, with cumin, turmeric, and coriander.  Sour cream on the side.

Instead of applesauce (boring), I made a fresh apple salad, with crystallized ginger, fresh-squeezed orange juice, sultanas, raisins, honey, sugar, fresh-grated nutmeg, and just a touch of grenadine.

I also made this Middle Eastern-style salad of red and green cabbage, carrots, red onions, mint leaves, lemon juice, cider vinegar, honey, sugar, olive oil, caraway seed, cumin seed, fennel seed, and s&p.

Here is our humble but festive spread, including a good dark brown ale.  Not too shabby.  Chanukah may be a minor holiday, but it’s good excuse to fest it up in the kitchen.  And drink beer.