Chanukah cooking centers on one main thing: oil. And when we hear that one tiny word, we might shudder in fear. What about the damage those irresistible doughnuts, latkes, all the fried this and that will do to the healthy lifestyle we've been striving for? It's OK. Indulge a bit. The smells and tastes of our holiday foods are like the pages of an old photo album, conjuring up delicious memories as we come together again to create new ones.

When I hear the word oil, a very recently created memory comes to mind. Our first winter here in Israel, we spent a couple of days exploring the North of this magnificent Land.

Up Highway 90 to the western shore of the Kineret, we picnicked by the water's edge then wound our way into mountainous vistas and past Tsefat. The drive itself was stunning but our destination was to a beautiful tzimmer near the kever (tomb) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

A tzimmer, Yiddish for "room," is actually a 1-2 room cabin with kitchenette and always, always, a jacuzzi (sometimes in the living room!). They dot the country on moshavim and farms where each usually provides a unique amenity.

These particular tzimmerim are nestled on the side of a hill on a family farm with a wonderful view of the valleys below. Originally owned by a real Israeli pioneer and bequeathed to his four sons, the farm is flourishing with orchards, vineyards, cattle and a new winery.

We drove through orchards of pear, apple, nectarine, pomegranate, apricot, cherry and olive trees in varying stages of production, many heavy the promise of their fruits. The first morning we awoke to a message from Hillel, our host/farmer, that we could help ourselves to as many cherries as we could carry, as the trees were anxious to be picked. (next column)

Bright jewels hung on branch after branch, tree after tree, their leaves whispered the utter joy of our joining them in the warm breeze.

Hillel is very proud of the farm's production and even though his English was about as good as our Hebrew, he managed to communicate the honor he felt to work the land G-d gave us, and to work with Hashem to bring beautiful, delicious and health giving foods to His people. Especially when it come to his olives.

Olive oil production, because of its recent rise in popularity for its varied health benefits, has skyrocketed in Israel and our olive oil is one of the world's most favored. The beneficial health effects are due to its high content of both monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidative substances.

Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease, has a