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We're taking this week and next off to enjoy some holiday family time blogging-free. However, watch the site each day for a review of the year... we continue with July.

La Cocina is a non-profit organization that provides commercial kitchen space and business resources to help low income women (mostly recent immigrants) take their small, home-based food businesses legit.

For example, the lady that sells tamales from her cart outside the 24th St. BART station could apply to the program, receive help writing a business plan, advice on packaging, nutritional information and marketing and begin selling her tamales at the farmers market, Bi-rite, Rainbow or maybe even Whole Foods.

I recently met two of the women in the program and tried their wares. Both had really strong products that were entirely unique and swoonily delicious.

This recipe comes from my moms Serbian family. Its a barely sweet, yeasted bread filled with dates, honey and walnuts. Its made only at Christmas in my family, so it has the specialness of any once-a-year family food tradition.

I still have a humiliating memory of my parents getting caught gleaning the walnuts for the bread from a roadside orchard when I was about 7. I was sitting in the car. And no, we werent that poor. I think it was sport. Despite this childhood trauma, I still love this bread and make it every year. This is actually my aunts recipe. My mom discovered a short cut recipe that was never as good. My favorite way to eat this bread is toasted for breakfast with lots of butter.

This versatile spread-sauce-dip combines buttery artichokes, tangy green olives and capersall spiked with red chili flakes and accented with refreshing mint for a sun-drenched Mediterranean vacation in December.

Dinner last night was a plain cheese American Flatbread pizza topped with Jimtown Stores Artichoke Spread, matchsticks of Fra Mani Salumi, and crumbled Bucheron as an accent cheese. Not bad for a make-do December dinner.

This intriguing item is billed as an Indoor Cooker. Problem is, its not a commonly seen item and the seller gives no indication what one would cook indoors with it.

So lets guess. Its obviously sterno-fueled and the vessel and plate below seem like they could work for Hot Pot. The other picture the seller provided looks to my hopeful eyes like its mounded surface could work for Vietnamese tabletop grilling. How fun! The piece is in good shape and for the price, why not give it a whirl?

And don't forget to post your own listings at The Kitchen's classifieds by clicking that pretty yellow button to the right.

OTHER COOKS' STUFF
• Collector Wines for $ various
• Baccarat - Pair of Equinox Tumblers in original box for $150
• KitchenAid K45SS Classic 250-Watt 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White for $99
• 4 spice racks for $12
• Wedgewood "Blue Jasper" Tea Cup for $50
• Half Size Fridge for $20

Thanks, Craig!

Were addicted to kitschy trays and dishes that are definitely not for everyday use.

Since theres no sense in collecting stuff and leaving it in a drawer, and these dishes are perfect for appetizers, we like to throw a drinks party once a year that lets us pull out our collection of dishes and serve nothing but hors doeuvre. Its not too late to plan an impromptu New Years Party!

Mix and match. Pick and choose. Just try to balance the offerings with foods of different textures and flavors. Make sure there are vegetarian options and everything doesnt have cheese in it. Click through for a collection of fun and easy cocktail food ideas weve gathered over the years.

Tis the time for holiday cheer and also for feeling queer. (in the head or belly or wherever this years virus settles)

Food is always a good way to show love, but never more so than when the recipient of said love (and food) is under the weather.

Being sick can make us feel like babies and yearn for our mothers. The bland, soft comfort foods of childhood are some of our most powerful food memories.

What with all the running around, shopping, making homemade gifts and attending holiday parties, theres not a lot of time for everyday kind of nourishment. Bloggers to the rescue. Heres a sampling of survival dinner strategies for these last two weeks of December.

Over at Albion Cooks, weve got an easy, thrown together kind of tasty pizza with goat cheese sauce and vegetables.

Madeaters larder is stocked with plenty of food. Heres a shot of Raclette with pickled vegetables.

A nourishing soup with tofu and buckwheat noodles has both easy and healthy covered. Brought to us by Food and Paper.

Check out Cooking with Amy for an easy Brie & Bacon Fettuccini made with stuff you might just have laying around in your refrigerator.

These gorgeous parsnip and carrot latkes from Gluten Free by the Bay are maybe a little more labor intensive than the rest of the bunch, but I couldnt resist, they look so good. Make them and add a salad and theres dinner.

Rapini or Broccoli Raab is my idea of a perfect cooking green. Its sturdy, pungent and versatile. It has a slightly sweet flavor tempered with a turnip-like pungency.

It is, in fact, more closely related to turnips than to broccoli, though both are in the cruciferae family like the Brussels sprouts we talked about last week.

Plunked down in the middle of The Mission with its high-end hipster boutiques, thrift stores, coffee shops and cheap burritos, Lucca Ravioli Company (unrelated to Lucca Delicatessen in the Marina) exists in a time warp of old San Francisco.

Every time I walk into Lucca, I feel giddily, ridiculously, in-love-for-the-first-time happy. The men that work there are unfailingly polite and helpful and have worked there as long as I can remember.

Last week, my sister brought me an article shed clipped out of her local paper in Forestville, CA.

Its about an organization called Kitchen Cosmology in Sebastopol, California. Theyre doing a wonderful thing--a pairing teenaged culinary arts students with local families facing serious health problems, like cancer.

Its good to avoid succumbing to holiday gluttony 24/7 so heres a little something on the lighter side to add to the Fish on Fridays category. I always forget how good, healthy and easy fish tacos are until I make them and vow to do it more often.

Theyre remarkably adaptable to any type of not-too-expensive fish you might find in your local market. You can use any kind of light fillet like sole, snapper, catfish or tilapia. I prefer saltwater species, but sometimes the freshwater farmed fish are more economical.

The textural contrast between lightly crispy fish, supple corn tortillas and soft avocado is a big part of this simple recipes success.

Now these are good. Theyre crisp and a bit spicy, a little sweet and nicely tart. Maybe even a little addictive.

I especially like these bread and butter pickles with creamy goat cheese, but theyre also quite good with chicken or tuna salad. Or right out of the container while standing in front of the fridge.

Dave Ehreth, a former high tech entrepreneur, also works his low-tech magic on a classic dillI mean a real pickle, fermented in barrels with salt, no vinegar. Theyre great too and kind of taste like half-sours to my non East Coast palate.

The seller decided he or she wasnt the cooking type after all, after buying this brand new 11-cup Cuisinart Food Processor.

Its never been used, has all its blades and goodies and would make a real nice holiday gift for yourself or someone else. A smokin good deal at $150. Think of it: Holiday Pie crusts and cookie dough, compound butters for basting, nuts for baking, So many uses this time of year.

I think this one might go fast.

And don't forget to post your own listings at The Kitchen's classifieds by clicking that pretty yellow button to the right.

OTHER COOKS' STUFF
• New 7-piece Sculptured Pyrex set for $15
• New 5-peice Oneida Bakeware Set for $25
• Wine Preservation System by PEK for $55
• New Whirlpool Conquest Stainless Steel 25.6 Cu. Ft. Refrigerator for $725
• Mini Sanyo Refrigerator for $50

Thanks, Craig!

Heres a wonderfully warming vegan curry. It's hearty and very satisfying on a cold night.

Most of the ingredients are readily available in urban areas. Some of you may already have all this stuff in your kitchens. The next time youve got a big squash sitting on your counter staring you in the face, go ahead and cook up this curry. Serve it over brown basmati rice along with sauted greens or cabbage and youve got a complete and healthy meal. I have to give credit to James Oseland and his wonderful book, Cradle of Flavor. Though there arent any recipes in it for Squash Curry, I was thumbing through it when I was inspired to create this recipe.

• Help a local farmer this weekend. Jesse Kuhn of Marin Roots Farm needs help cleaning garlic in his rustic barn. Fun while you work: Hot drinks by Marin Organic, tasty garlic treats and music by guitarist Arann Harris of The Bluebellies. Where: Marin Roots Farm, Petaluma, CA When: Saturday, December 16th 11am-4pm How Much: Free; preregistration required More Info: Call Paige at Marin Organic 415.663.9667 or email paige@marinorganic.org

• Also on Saturday, celebrate winter produce at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Winter Festival. Enjoy a cup of soup and learn about winter produce, winter cooking, winter nutrition and winter on the farm. There will be cooking demonstrations, farmer talks, nutritional information, and fascinating tidbits about California food and agriculture in the darkest and chilliest part of the year. Where: Ferry Building When: Saturday, December 16th 10am-12:30pm How Much: Free More Info: here

Were purists about our Dungeness crab. It's such a San Francisco icon. We generally eat it cooked, chilled (if we can wait) and served with melted or browned butter.

Sometimes though, its so rainy and chilly out that we just dont want to eat a cold dinner. Thats when we roast it. Start with a cooked and cleaned crab (whether you do it yourself or pay a couple dollars more a pound to get it done). You'll want to make sure it was cooked that day, or at least the day before, if possible.

Tis the season for giving and there is much giving on the web.

First, theres the Menu for Hope organized by Pim. This is the third year running. Last year the event raised $17,000 for Unicef. This year, the recipient is the UN World Food Program. Bloggers from all over the world are participating. Prizes include experiences with famous chefs and food folks, meals from all over the world, cookbooks, tasty treats (many handmade by bloggers) and tools. Each $10 donation lets you claim one raffle ticket for a wide range of prizes. Browse for prizes on Chez Pim. Simply roll over the photos with your mouse.

Looking for a unique gift? You can order a wall calendar from Habeas Brulee. The pix are gorgeous and the recipes sound tasty.

Looking to make your own gift? How about Preserved Meyer Lemons from Pickle Girl? Better start now. You might already be a bit late for the holidays.

And the students are getting into the act. At Better Than Ramen the grad students are making caramels.

Poor Brussels sprouts. They're a love 'em or hate 'em kind of vegetable. I suspect this is mostly because they're horribly misunderstood and so often badly prepared.

They received terrible treatment in the 50s, 60s and 70s, as they were boiled down to a smelly mush. Then came the 80s backlash, when it was considered smart to undercook all vegetables. Brussels sprouts dont take kindly to that treatment either. They need to be cooked well to bring out their nutty sweetness.

Like a well-stocked bakery entices the passing sweets addict, the doublewide storefront of Kamei Restaurant Supply beckons kitchen junkies inside.

With its unparalleled selection, this is one of the best kitchen supply stores in the city. Its really two stores in one. There are rows of commercial goods like hotel pans, industrial stockpots and plain white, deep soup bowls. They also have vinegar cruets, salt and pepper shakers, syrup pitchers and anything you need to open your own restaurant.

Not so many years ago, all that was required of a great cook was that he or she know how to choose ingredients for a meal and prepare them in a way that was attractive and palate pleasing.

We're all here in The Kitchen because we love food, but thats not enough anymore. The food we purchase and prepare in our kitchens carries both political and moral baggage.

Dense, meaty Mahi Mahi lends itself well to roasting. It has a relatively high fat content that plays well with salty olives and tart citrus.

This recipe is a good one for a weeknight dinner party, or any time you want something healthy, elegant, great tasting and fast. This method will get dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Just add rice or couscous and a salad and you're all set.

Mahi Mahi is a large tropical fish that is readily available all winter. Its goes by the name Dolphin Fish in the Caribbean and Dorada in Mexico. When Pacific Halibut is in season (May-Nov) its a really good local option for this dish. Both are from well-managed fisheries.

Swiss designers make the best multi-use gadgets. (And so do ones based right here in NYC, down the street from our office, where this one was designed!) The new Nuscp is the Swiss Army Knife of measuring cups.

It measures cups, tablespoons, millileters and ounces in one handy, adjustable cup. The handle allows you to choose your measurement with a flick of the thumb and then add either liquid or solid ingredients. Capacity ranges from 1/8 to 1/2 cup, from 2-9 tablespoons, from 30-140 ml and from 1-4 ounces. The lever ensures you wont spill while transferring ingredients. Theres even a nice strong magnet for easy storage on the fridge or magnetized cabinet. $11.95-$14. A perfect stocking stuffer.

If youve ever wanted to learn more about the various tea ceremonies, heres a good start. This Kung-fu Tea Set has never been used and is still in its original box inscribed with the Chinese characters for fragrant and clear. The Kung-fu Tea originated in the Song Dynasty. In the Kung-fu ceremony, there is a special pitcher for pouring the tea and a sniffing cup for appreciating the teas aroma. This ceremony is used as a social activity to promote friendship and greet guests. Learn more about the ceremony here and here.

And don't forget to post your own listings at The Kitchen's classifieds by clicking that pretty yellow button to the right.

OTHER COOKS' STUFF
• Tatung 10-Cup Rice Cooker for $5
• Ten etched crystal and ruby wine glasses SAKS 5th Ave. for $100
• 1948 Wedgewood Stove for $500
• Silver Bullet Food Prep Gadget (processor) for $40
• Like New Kitchenaid Mixer for $100
• Tiffany & Co. Crystal Candlesticks for $50

Thanks, Craig!