The past two weeks have been interesting indeed. When we first moved here we met a lovely family, refugees from the Lebanese conflict. The entire family lived in Southern Lebanon for generations. At the end of the conflict, the United States pulled out (during Reagan) after the marine barracks were blown up in Beirut. Shortly thereafter, the Israelis who were fighting off what would then become Hizbullah terrorists, also evacuated, leaving a vacuum. Rumor spread among the communities in Southern Lebanon that the Israelis were offering safe harbor for war refugees, but the gates to freedom would be open for only a very short period (about two days). Avraham and Paula, a recently married young couple, packed a couple suitcases and fled.

Since then, they’ve learned Hebrew, started a business (a popular bakey specializing in wedding cakes and desserts), and raised a family….four beautiful daughters and a son, just like us. Three of the girls have red hair just like my daughters. And they even bear a striking resemblance to them. All the girls have done their army or community service and are now in university. Channah is now engaged to be married in October. And I had decided to throw her a beautiful bridal shower.

So last month I went to their apartment to tell them of my intention. When I said “I want to throw Channah a bridal shower” (they all speak ‘English’), they looked at me as if I lost my mind…a usual occurrence with them. And Jenny started laughing hysterically. “You want to do WHAT??? You will take my sister to the mikveh??? With her friends???” (A mikveh is ritual immersion bath flowing with spring water that Jewish women use for family purity purposes, and always before the wedding). “You throw her into water? That is what Americans do?????” They were all uproarious.

I could tell I was in trouble. No, there would not be any water involved. They would come to my house with their girlfriends…no men involved… and we would give the bride a flower crown, gifts, blessings, and have an English Tea. There was nothing familiar about this. No comprehension. I showed photos of English tea parties. I explained this is very popular in America. In England they might be called hen do’s. Nothing. Blank stares.

Alright. They would come over to my house and I would do a trial run, so to speak. I worked for two days. I made little tea sandwiches:curried egg salad on cranberry-walnut sourdough, deviled eggs, pimento cheese on sourdough, cucumber and radish sandwiches, smoked salmon bites on pumpernickel with herbed cream cheese, watermelon cubes with cut outs for mozzarella balls drizzled with balsamic. I baked banana bread and zucchini bread, which you don’t find here. Wild berry scones with crème fraiche. A cheese board. Brie en croute with apricot chutney. I took out my plate stands and beautiful plates and tea cups. It was all quite lovely. All set for 1pm. They called at 2:15. Heavy traffic. 45 more minutes (they live in Tiberias). Finally just before 4pm they arrived. They looked at the lovely table and exclaimed, “Oh, Tamar!!!! Why you make us breakfast?” Peels of laughter.

I knew this was not going to work. It was a complete clash of cultures banging frantically against each other. When I go to their house there is always a meat heavy spread with Kubbe soup, meatballs on skewers, grilled chicken, heavy chicken or beef and rice dishes, eggplant dishes, pickled vegetables, bowls of mejaddra (rice and lentils with spice and fried onions), humus, pita. Nothing like this. As they say, “It is what it is.” I tried.

It’s now mango and lychee season here in Israel. Stone fruits are coming to an end and last week the figs arrived at the markets. I love fig season. We made the most delicious fig and mascarpone ice cream…it’s now in the fridge chilling and waiting to go in the ice cream maker. Last night I made a salad with bulgur wheat and figs. It’s sooooo good! I love the chewy, nutty bulgur. Lemon juice and rind as well as fresh basil and parsley make it bright. The feta adds a bit of creamy saltiness. This is super easy to make and very healthy Mediterranean eating.

Mediterranean Bulgur Salad

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 small red/purple onion diced finely
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, rind scraped and then juiced
• 1/3 cup feta crumbles
• olive oil, extra virgin
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 6 large figs, washed, stemmed, quartered
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces.

Heat 2 TBSP in skillet over medium heat. When shimmery, about 1 minute, pour in bulgur. Stir to coat bulgur with oil. Sauté about 3 minutes. Pour water over bulgur and bring to a boil. Reduced heat and cover pan. Let sit until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and pour into large bowl. Heat the pan again and toast the walnut pieces, about 1 minute. Set aside. Dice onion and place in bowl. Chop up parsley and basil and put in bowl. Zest lemon rind into bowl. Juice the lemon and remove the pips. Pour into bowl. Drizzle about 1/4 cup olive oil over bulgur. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Mix salad well to distribute ingredients. Fold in crumbled feta cheese. Gently fold in 5 of the figs that have been quartered and the toasted walnuts. Garnish with remaining fig quarters, some feta and basil. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve.

Since we’re ‘in the Mediterranean’ I have another recipe o share with you. I’ve been dying over this one. Seriously amazing and I’ve had nothing like it. In the last few months, three of our couple friends have been on cruises to the Greek islands and to Cypress. Rachel brought back a little jar of skordelia. It’s a spread of ground almonds and garlic that we use on fresh challah bread on Friday night. Oh my goodness!!! I deconstructed the recipe, looked up similar ones (it’s usually made with potatoes??), and came up with my own. We just couldn’t bear that jar going empty. So here goes.

Skordelia spread 🇬🇷

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup extra Virgin (best quality mild) olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

In food processor, chop up the almonds so they are a coarse ground NOT a meal or powder. Place into bowl. Stir in olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, salt and rosemary. I like to microwave the spread for about 15 seconds before serving. Warning: seriously addictive.

Now back to the figs. I’ve been roasting them with balsamic and putting them on top of a simple arugula salad with blue cheese. I’ve stuffed them with feta or blue and roasted them. Made fig chicken, ice cream and we eat them raw. Even made a figgy bourbon drink. The season only lasts 2-3 weeks then it’s gone for another year, so…. The last recipe I’ll share with you is a gorgeous dessert- so elegant and easy to make. I must admit John and I ate it for breakfast the next day.

Fig Tart in Puff Pastry

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 1 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• 12 fresh mission figs, fresh

Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Place defrosted puff pastry sheet on foil covered and oiled or Silpat on baking sheet. In small bowl, mix together mascarpone cheese, honey and thyme. Spread over pastry. Stem figs and slice lengthways into thirds. Place over the cheese mixture. Using a pizza cutter or sharp, wet knife, slice into 6 squares. Bake for 10 minutes until pastry is golden and cheese melts. Can be eaten warm or cold.

Last week, John and I drove up to Kibbutz Kfar Blum in the Hula Valley to meet my cousin and her family. They were visiting Israel and I hadn’t seen them in decades. It was wonderful visiting with them and catching up on all the family news (my mom and her dad were sibs). Over the years and continents, I’d lost contact with that side of the family. So this was a warm, long-overdue meeting. Anyways…. We had dinner at the kibbutz. If you ever come to Israel, the hotel and some kibbutz dinners are crazy good. An entire buffet of culinary delights!

I thought I’d share just some of it with you. The salads!!!! Platters of grilled veggies! They had a fish bar with fresh caught from the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) fish and numerous toppings. Meats and chickens prepared in various ways. A bread station. My husband caught up with the dessert stands…. Various non-dairy delights including a flan, crème brûlée, chocolate lava cupcakes and chocolate peanut mousse – all made with plant-based milks. Incredible!