When Marc and I downsized about three years ago, we left behind the dining room table that fit 16, numerous pots and pans, tablecloths and other accoutrements of hosting large groups. We thought that the days of entertaining large family gatherings were over, with no more deck and no more yard and a large house to spread out in.

However,  all the stars seemed to be aligned for a family Hanukkah gathering with Rebecca and her family coming to stay for a few days beginning on December 21st.

Oh, no!  They would not arrive until the evening. We’d have to celebrate with a ninth night of Hanukkah.

I heartily advise improvising as we did. If Rebecca in France can celebrate Thanksgiving on the Saturday after its traditional date, we in Montclair can extend the spirit of Hanukkah to another night. Although we did not light an extra candle, we kept our electric menorah lit in the window, said shechecheyanu  and set up the latke bar.

The invitation read “Please join us at the Latke Bar on Monday, December  22 about 6 p.m. to celebrate the 9th night of Hanukkah and enjoy a visit between our American and French families.” The Latke Bar, of course, was the kitchen counter. However, we all had a good laugh when one of the New Jersey cousins confessed to thinking that Latke Bar was a local restaurant. She googled the name because there was no address in the invitation.

Hmm…Might be a good idea for a pop-up next Hanukkah.

The granite counter groaned under the weight of the latkes and their trimmings. We had traditional applesauce and sour cream ( creme fraiche for a richer taste and Tofutti for our vegan cousin); brie and fig jam for those with a continental taste; pico de gallo, avocado and cheddar for those who wanted a TexMex flare to their latkes; whitefish and lox, capers and cream cheese for the deli-delite crowd; sweet potato latkes and chutney for a more exotic taste;  mozzarella, basil and tomato for a taste of Italy, and a few extra toppings to complete the bar along with vegan chili.

For the cooks out there, a latke bar is a fairly easy way to entertain. Except for the latkes, most items are ready to serve as is. Your imagination and supply of small serving dishes are the only limitations.

Everyone had a wonderful time, clean up was easy and we discovered that even without our large table, we could fit at least 14 people in our home and still have room not to trip over daughter Melanie’s dog, Maru.

In the end, it was the people, not the place, that made the holiday special.

Related book: Erica Perl, The Ninth Night of Hanukkah. When Max and Rachel can’t find their Hanukkah supplies in their new apartment, neighbors help with creative substitutes. They create a special ninth night celebration to thank everyone.

Vegetarian/Vegan Chili (serves 4-6 generously)
Adapted from Cookie and Kate Homemade Vegetarian Chili

Chili is a very forgiving dish. Feel free to change the proportions of ingredients, add more spice, and play around with garnishes.

INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped,
1 large red bell pepper, chopped,
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1&1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 28-ounce can or 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes with their juice
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
1-2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, red wine, or lime juice, to taste
Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream or creme fraiche, grated cheddar cheese, etc., including vegan versions of sour came and cheddar.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
2. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
3. Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, the drained beans, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 30 minutes.
4. (optional )Remove chili from the heat and discard bay leaf. Transfer 1&1/2 cup of chili to a blender, making sure to get some of the liquid portion. Blend until smooth (watch out for hot steam), then pour blended mixture back into the pot.  Or blend briefly with an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher until it thickens.
5. Remove bay leaves if not done already. Add cilantro. Stir to combine and then mix in vinegar or lime juice to taste. Add salt to taste.

Serve in bowls with garnish of choice.

NOTE: If possible make a day ahead for best flavor. Keeps in refrigerator for 4 days and can be frozen.