Wednesday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. This week, due to the holiday, this column is on Wednesday. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Da LaPosta, a pizzeria, and restaurant officially opens this week at 825 Washington Street in Newton. Executive Chef/Owner Mario LaPosta, is a seasoned pizzaiolo who has over 20 years of experience perfecting the art (and championing the authenticity) of wood-fired pizza, including an apprenticeship in Naples and Rome. At da La Posta, Mario continues his “never-ending pursuit of the perfect pizza”—whether he’s eating it, or making it.

Every element of da LaPosta pizzas has been carefully selected to ensure the integrity of every pizza. From the wood-fired Marra Forni Neapolitan brick oven (which bakes the pizza in 60-90 seconds) to the flour (blended from Central Milling in Utah the oldest continuously operating company in the State of Utah since 1867), Bianco di Napoli California tomatoes, and house-made mozzarella. In addition to a traditional Margherita pizza of tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella, da LaPosta will offer a dozen other pizzas including Cacio e Pepe Pizza with Black Truffles, Bagna Cauda Pizza with Sausage & Escarole with roasted garlic and anchovies, and Pizza Fritta with slow cooked tomato sauce and grated cheese. Their mozzarella will be house-made with naturally fermented cheese curds from Pennsylvania.

Da LaPosta will also serve a carefully curated menu of Italian dishes that feature local ingredients and/or top-of-the-line Italian imports. Fritto Misto with local squash, calamari, and fresh-shucked Wellfleet oyster. Daily pasta and large plate offerings may include; Tomato mozzarella suppli, Roman-style arancini; polpette alla Nonna (Grandma's meatballs) in Sunday sauce with smoked ricotta; house-made scialatielli, a pasta typical of the Amalfi coast, made alla frutti di mare; Chicken Parmigiana made with half chicken and mozzarella di bufala.

Da LaPosta's bar program, with a full liquor license, will feature classic Italian-inspired cocktails, a wine list that takes a deep dive into the wines of Campania and Southern Italy. The beer list focuses on local craft beers.

Inaugural opening hours are dinner only, but in the next couple of weeks, da Laposta will be opening for lunch and the hours will be as follow: Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11 am-11 pm, Friday and Saturday, 11 am to midnight. closed Mondays.

2) Hanukkah starts on Sunday, November 28th and ends on Monday, December 6th. For these eight days Kane’s Donuts will be offering Sufganiyot, the mini jelly donuts traditionally eaten during the celebration of Hanukkah. These deep-fried Israeli delicacies commemorate the miracle of one night of oil lasting for eight in the ancient Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Kane’s Sufganiyot are filled plump with black raspberry jam, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and dolloped with raspberry on top.

In modern Israel, over 18 million sufganiyot are consumed in the weeks around the holiday. More people enjoy the fried treat than fast on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The Israeli Defense Forces also purchase more than 50,000 of the donuts each day of the eight-day holiday to boost the morale of its troops.

These donuts are available for online pre-order by the dozen ($25/dozen) as well as by singles for in-store pick-up during Hanukkah (November 28 – December 6). Kane’s Sufganiyot are available for pick up at their Route 1 location only and all orders must be made at least 48 hours in advance.