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November 21, 2025

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Daytrips Israel, food, israel, MidEast, Negev, Recipes, religion, Uncategorized

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Out on a Whim. And Special Recipe!!!! 21 November, 2025

For any of you who know me, you know that although usually organized and scheduled, when the opportunity presents itself, I’m up for an adventure.

I signed up to take Hebrew lessons again. This time from Citizen Cafe Tel Aviv. Totally different approach, this time it’s just conversation. No books. No conjugations and inflections. Just street talk on Zoom classes with unlimited cafe time (chat room in Hebrew). And fun. Bimonthly they offer interesting talks in English on random subjects like cooking (fermentation anyone?), music, recent film reviews, livestream urban tours, technological developments in Israel, agricultural innovations and geology.

I took a class last Thursday night on the Ramon Makhtesh, a hugely expansive erosion crater out in the middle of the Negev Desert. So so interesting. Only 8 in the world, all in Israel, they are not impact craters (from meteors), but erosion craters.

Along the Syrio-African rift that runs along the length of Israel are tectonic plates. Millennia ago, they shifted. The present desert was flooded with water, grinding down the rock. Eventually leaving behind various strata of sandstone, limestone, marine fossils. There are tar mountains of basalt, deep red iron ore and yellow sulfur deposits as well as white chalk. In other words: gorgeousness!

I got this wild hair…. I turned and yelled at John in the next room,”Honey, can you Google when the Leonides Meteor Shower is?” They usually come around Thanksgiving. “They peak Monday night,” was the response. Mitzpe Ramon, the town at the very edge of the crater is a world-designated dark spot for astronomical observation.

Monday morning we packed our blankets and lawn chairs, thermos, and dog into the car and we were off on an adventure! BeerSheva, where our patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sojourned. I wonder what they’d think of the place now?

Past the Bedouin encampments:

And into the heart of the barren, windswept desert!

The Desert of Zin! Tsin! Sin!!! In the Bible

We had to get there by sunset… it’s all of 3 1/2 hours, but we kept stopping along the way-

The windswept mountains
Beautiful patterns by wind erosion
Deep wadis (canyons)
Nabatean city of Avdat on the Spice Route
Looks like pyramids
Not in Egypt…

We made a big stop at Sde Boker, the kibbutz founded by first Israeli president, David Ben Gurion. Ben Gurion and his wife, Paula, lived the desert and thought it was the safe spot and key to future Israeli development. He foresaw the day when the Jewish people would learn to irrigate and farm the desert and make it bloom. He wasn’t wrong.

Today his home is a national landmark, open to the public. When we visited, there were only about a million school kids on tour. I was surprised that his home was so modest!!!! And tiny!!!! Like a summer camp bunkhouse. it had a living/reception room, his personal study, teeny tiny rudimentary kitchen and two sparse and small bedrooms- one for BG and one for Paula. He only slept 2-4 hours a night: was always up working, listening to radio news, studying – so Paula had her own quarters so she could get some shut eye. When there was a visiting dignitary, she’d go to a friend’s cabin and the important guest would take her room.

He loved Lincoln the Great Emancipator
Ben Gurion desk in his personal library/office
The tiny bedroom of the President
Paula’s bedroom was a little nicer

Hurry!!! We need to check in to our hostel!

We found a really remote spot on the edge of the crater. It was much darker than anywhere else (when we first moved to Israel the sky above our home was pitch black and filled with stars. Now, with all the new construction and light pollution, we see very little). John and I – and Haggis, our yappy little long-haired dachshund, sat and waited. We looked up for over 4 hours. The sky was beautiful and the stars many. We named the constellations. We waited. It grew colder. John saw 2 shooting stars. Another hour. I saw 1. So much for the Leonides, although it was a fun adventure.

The next morning we got up early to actually see the Makhtesh. Spectacular!!!!

Spectacular lookouts
Moses & Co were here
The vastness of the desert
Now building multi million dollar homes near the edge of the crater
It’s a long way down
Yes. Ibex roam freely throughout the desert. They are very used to people.
Isrotel has crater front villas with private pools- coulda stargazed from here.
Have I told you how much this man scares me?

From Mitzpe Ramon, we made our way back to Beersheva. We kept seeing this bright flaming tower/beam in the distance – both coming and going. So we decided to check it out-

What IS that thing miles away?

How cool!!! The Eye of Sauron overlooking the wasteland of Mordor from Lord of the Rings!!!! We found it!!!!! In Israel!!! Actually it turned out to be the Ashalim Power Station. Decades ago, Elon Musk that you could take 10 square kilometers in the desert, put in solar plates and generate most of the electricity in Israel.

Ranking as one of the world’s premiere and few thermal solar stations, Ashalim is composed of 55,000 heliostats or solar panels that reflect the sun onto a huge mirror-like “Eye of Sauron” at the top of the tower which absorbs the heat and turns it into electric power.

Huge swaths of solar panels
It went on for acres
It’s very bright!!!!
Surrounded by acres of heliostats, the beam is so bright you can’t look at it directly for long-

The Ashalim Power Station used to be the tallest solar plant in the world standing at 240 meters (about 790 feet), the size of a skyscraper. However, it was surpassed by Dubai’s Noor Energy 1, with a height of 260 meters (circa 850 ft). There is another (Israeli built) solar power farm in the California Mojave Desert. The reflector on the tower generates concentrated heat which reaches up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit (over 500 °C) to spin turbines and generate electricity in high quantity. It generates enough power to keep 120,000 homes (5% of all Israeli homes) for a year fully lit. It’s green, renewable and sustainable. I hope to do a more detailed post on this and other amazing Israeli innovations shortly. All in all, it was an illuminating trip!

Now onto a completely different subject!!! Each year, when the Jewish people read the Torah story of Jacob and Esau, I get creative. Esau, a big burly, hairy, red-headed hunter and the favorite son of his father, Isaac, sells his entire inheritance to his younger brother. Jacob has cooked this amazingly tasty and great smelling lentil stew. Esau comes into the desert tent, after a long day of hunting (ibex???). He tells his brother “I’m dying. Just pour some of that red stuff down my throat!!!” Seriously. It’s what he said. I love it!!!!! Anyhoo- Esau winds up giving away the birthright to Jacob for a bowl full. It must have been delicious!!!

So, last week I worked out my own version: I wanted it MiddleEastern in flavor. With Israeli products. It had to have lentils. It had to be red. And it had to be prepared in a crockpot so I could keep it warm/hot through Shabbat. It turned out AMAZING!!!!!!! So here’s this year’s Red Stuff-

Jacob’s Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

  • 2 large carrots
  • 2 large onions
  • 6 long, thin Merguez beef sausages
  • 1 butternut squash
  • 2 1/2 cups green or brown lentils
  • 10 Medjool dates
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 2 large orange sweet potatoes
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 can large chopped tomatoes and juice
  • 1 small packet tomato paste (2-3 TBSP)
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 TBSP baharat spice (cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cumin, black pepper, cardamom)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • Pinch cayenne (to taste)
  • 1/3 cup Silan (date syrup) OR 1/4 cup honey
  • Fresh dill
  • 2 tsp salt

In a large skillet cook the sausages, removing outer casing if necessary. Reserve to plate to cool. In same pan, sauté the cubes of onions and peeled carrots – cubed to bite sized chunks. Chop the sausage into 1” thick coins. Add to crock pot. Chop bell peppers into small cubes. Put into crockpot. Peel and remove seeds from squash. Cut into bite sized cubes. Place in crockpot. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Into the crockpot. Rinse the lentils well, removing any stones or “dry stalks” and dump in crockpot. Pour in the veg stock (can use all natural bullion cubes) and dump in can to tomatoes with juice. Stir well with a big spoon. Remove the pits from the dates and chop coarsely. Scatter around crockpot. Add the spices and tomato paste. Add the Silan or honey. Stir well. Chop about 1/2 cup fresh fennel and add to crockpot last. Mix well and cover. Set the power to low and let cook for hours (overnight). Can add more water if needed. Freezes beautifully.

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November 14, 2025

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culture, food, israel lifestyle, Israeli Breakfasts, Recipes, Uncategorized

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What’s Cookin’? 15 November, 2025

Our continued heat wave broke last night. Temporarily. It finally feels like autumn, at least for the time being. The thermometer is supposed to climb back up later this week, which is such a metaphor for life here. Despite talks of peace, rockets are still being fired from Gaza into Israel; Hamas is completely refusing to disarm; a giant U.S. military base is being built here on Israeli soil just outside the Gaza Envelope; Hizbulla will not disarm, but seems to be doubling down in its attempt to stage a Northern October 7; and Iran is planning to send over 2000 missiles in its next attack. The heat never seems to abate.

Things are always on simmer at best here. And in my own kitchen, I’m always cooking something. Trying to use the freshest seasonal produce here, I think I’ve developed a California-Israeli fusion. So what was being prepared over the past week here?

Cucumber Radish Citrus Salad serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 large English cucumber
  • 6 large radishes
  • 1 Cara Cara (or Valencia) Orange
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Wash, trim ends off and slice the radishes and the cucumber. Peel and segment the orange, trying to avoid the pith or seeds. Squeeze as much orange juice onto the salad. Add the olive oil and chopped mint. Mix and serve cold as an appetizer or side, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Mediterranean Torta serves 6. Dairy

A friend of mine just came home from the hospital this week, so I made her (and myself) this fantastic dish that can be served hot or cold for any meal. It’s absolutely delicious!

Ingredients :

  • 1 pre-made pie crust dough
  • 1 large zucchini
  • 1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper (can use from a jar)
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomato pieces in oil
  • 1 can artichoke hearts
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup cream (9-15%)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Italian seasoning: oregano, rosemary, parsley, basil, chile flakes(optional)
  • Trader Joe’s Pizza Season blend (optional)

Heat oven to 350*/170*. Place pie crust dough into a greased, deep dish pie dish. Bake crust until golden brown, about 16-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice zucchini and mushrooms into thin slices. Drain can of artichoke hearts and slice the artichokes fairly thin. Arrange a layer of zucchini in concentric circles on the bottom of the pie crust. Next add strips of roasted red pepper. Now sprinkle the mushrooms across the top. Dot with chunks of sun-dried tomato in olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian herbs (dried) over the top of this layer. Now layer the artichokes on top. And sprinkle the spinach evenly over the top of the pie. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and cream until thoroughly incorporated. Pour over the pie. Sprinkle with more Italian herbs and last, the grated mozzarella. Sprinkle liberally with the Trader Joe’s pizza seasoning, if you have access to this fantastic product. Bake in 350*/170* oven for 45-55 minutes, or until fragrant and golden brown on top. Test with a toothpick or cake tester to see if inside comes out clean.

Swiss Chard in Bechamel Sauce. serves 6. Dairy

We visited my daughter in the UK and she made this for us. It was so delicious, that I had to go home and try it. It gets better after a day or two, so reheats well. This is just so tasty! True comfort food and that kick of Stilton just puts it way over the creamy top!

This was the photo I snapped just before it went into the oven….

Ingredients:

  • 2 large bunches/ 6 packed cups Swiss Chard (mangold)
  • 1 white onion
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/2 cup flour (50 grams)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup Stilton (or blue) cheese
  • Salt, pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • Fried onions (Durkee, IKEA, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350*/170*. Wash and chop the chard or mangold and set aside to drain. Rough chop the onion. In a large skillet melt the butter and sauté the onion until soft. Add the flour and stir until thickened. Pour in the milk, stirring continually. Mix in salt and pepper to taste. In a greased casserole dish, place the chopped chard. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top. Mix together with crumbled Stilton or Blue Cheese. Grate fresh nutmeg very liberally over the top of the casserole and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until nice and bubbly on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle fried onions over the top.

Corn and Romano Bean Salad. serves 4. Pareve (vegetarian)

So I had end of the season sweet corn and fresh Romano beans (the really flat, wide, buttery green beans) from our local produce delivery. Along with so many other tasty veg…. That I had to use it all up before it went off. So…..this salad is out of this world amazing! One of the best recipes to date! John and I could just east this by the bowls full all day long, it’s that great. If you try no other recipe, do this one. You won’t regret it.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ears of super sweet white corn, fresh
  • 3 cups fresh cut up Roman beans
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt, pepper
  • 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Using a sharp knife, strip the raw corn off of the cob and reserve to a bowl. On a foil-lined baking sheet, lay flat the washed and trimmed Romano beans, cut into 2 inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle about 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar over top. Roast in oven about 5 minutes, then shake the pan or stir the beans and roast again another 5-10 minutes keeping an eye on them so they do not burn. Remove from oven and let cool. Drain the can of white beans and add to the bowl with the corn. Toss in the cooled Romano beans. Dress with the vinaigrette -recipe below – mix well to incorporate and serve cold.

Vinaigrette ingredients:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 TBSP strong Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup avocado (or seed/canola) oil
  • Pinch sea salt, pepper

With an immersion blender, blend together all the above ingredients until smooth. If it seems too thick, add 1/4 cup water to thin out a bit. It should be the consistency of regular salad dressing.

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May 20, 2025

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Not for the Lactose Intolerant: Shavuot Nears. (Recipes!!!). 20 May, 2025

If anyone were to tell me there was a holiday featuring cheesecake- and all dairy products, I’d swiftly sign up. Well, the Jewish holiday of Shavuot is not QUITE that, but it makes for a great excuse to go off one’s diet for a day.

Shavuot was the fairly forgotten Jewish holiday in the States, for the most part. It came right at the end of the school year with exams and graduations; summer vacations were just beginning; there was Memorial Day weekend; Mothers’ and Fathers’ Days; weddings and birthdays… and Shavuot for us was very minor indeed. My mother served blintzes and cheesecake, but that was about it for us.

Not so in Israel. For one thing, it is one of the three major pilgrimage holidays in the Torah (the first five books of Scripture). Everyone was commanded to go up to Jerusalem to the Temple where they would bring their offerings. It was a celebration of the first fruits or bikkurim. Today in Israel it is a complete holiday, day of rest, national day where all public transportation, government offices, clinics, schools, stores are closed. It is a true holiday.

After counting 49 days from Passover, the 50th day (the root of the Christian Pentecost) marked the anniversary of the giving of the 10 Commandments on Mt. Sinai. The Children of Israel had been liberated from slavery under Pharoah in Egypt and had just begun their desert wanderings. On Day 50, they had purified themselves and were gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The entire mountain started quaking. There was thunder and lightning and wind and the people could hear the blast of heavenly shofar (trumpets). Fire came down out of the clouds, and in that dramatic movie cut, the finger of G-d wrote the commandments on two tablets for Moses to give the people. They were set to receive the Law.

O.K. All that is great but cheesecake???? In some of the more poetic passages of Scripture, the words of Torah (and the Bible) are often compared to milk. As food for growing infants, Words of Scripture nourish our souls. Also, Israel, the Promised Land, is known as the Land of Milk and Honey. Some Jewish people say we eat dairy because it was before the kosher laws came into existence and dairy is acceptable (this doesn’t really make sense to me, but whatever-). In any case, it’s a dairy fest.

Also, Shavuot marks the first great summer produce and barley harvest. In the agricultural kibbutzim, the day is marked not only with the reading of the 10 Commandments, but with agricultural parades and county-fair like vibes. The produce is abundant. Big, beautiful and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and grains are coming into market. Another family day, people dress in white and many wear floral wreaths on their heads. There is much singing and dancing and it is a time where the little three year old boys get their haircuts for the first time (upsherin). The schoolchildren put on skits and songs for their families. And there are communal picnics everywhere.

Shavuot festivities on the kibbutz

This year, I will start off the annual Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) recipe blogpost with a couple of my own. The first is a super easy, light and healthy Roasted Beet Salad. You can use crumples of feta or blue cheese for that creamy, slightly pungent burst of flavor. I use yellow and white beets (from my garden) as they have a marvelously sweet and nutty flavor, especially after roasting.

Roasted Beet Salad

Serves 4. Halavi/Dairy/Milkhig

Ingredients:

  • 4 -6 medium yellow or white beets (can use red also), peeled and topped
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup candied pecans
  • 1/4 cup pickled onions (recipe follows)
  • 1/4 cup Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette (I bring back from US, but available from iHerb)

Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Cut peeled beets into quarters or bite sized wedges. Coat in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I add a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of sage). Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and roast for about 40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. When room temperature, place beets in serving dish and top with remaining ingredients. Serve cold as a side dish.

Pickled Onions

Easy to make. I always have these on hand to add to salads and sandwiches.

In a small covered jar, slice a red/purple onion quite thinly. Cover with white wine vinegar. Add either dry herbs or pickling spice (1 tsp). I prefer the pickling spice- Can also add a slice of orange or lemon rind to boost the flavor.

Because all of the stone fruits are just coming into season and the weather is getting warmer, I usually make a big pot of fruit soup which I chill and serve ice cold as an appetizer, especially for Shavuot and Shabbat. It’s refreshing, popping with sweet flavor and loaded with antioxidants.

Chilled Fruit Soup with Vanilla Yogurt

Serves 6-8. Vegan/vegetarian/parve or dairy

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted
  • 4 red plums, pitted and halved
  • 4 peaches, pitted and quartered
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/2 cup (coconut)sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave syrup
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves.
  • 3 cups water.
  • Optional 1/2 cup sparkling white wine
  • 1 TBSP orange peel

Combine the orange juice, water and sweetener in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the fruits. Let cook for 20 minutes on medium flame, but do not boil. When fruits have softened, taste and adjust for sweetness. You can add more sweetener if you like. Remove from heat and let cool, about 15 minutes. Add in the mint leaves. Using an immersion blender, purée the fruit mixture until it is all blended together and velvety smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold with a large dollop of vanilla yogurt to mix in at table. Garnish with mint leaves and orange peel. I add about 1/2 cup sparkling sweet white wine just to juj it up even more. After all, it’s a celebration!

My rooftop garden is beginning to produce now. Large quantities of squash, Swiss chard, radishes, carrots, green beans and heirloom tomatoes. This year I’m growing 4 varieties of cherry tomatoes and 5 different heirloom tomatoes. The herbs in my baby bathtub are going bonkers. I’m ready to cook!

🍅 Tomato Ricotta Pie 🍅

Serves 4-8. Dairy/Vegetarian

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 large beefsteak type meaty tomatoes
  • 1 pre-made pie crust dough sheet
  • Olive oil
  • 500 grams (2 cups ricotta cheese)
  • 1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • 2 TBSP dried oregano
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350*F/170*C. Spray a large quiche dish with olive oil. Fit the pie crust sheet inside, press down, trim edges. prick the shell with fork tines. Place some dried beans inside as a weight. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine cheeses, egg, salt, pepper, crushed garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar and dried oregano. Mix well. Add to cooled pie crust. Top the cheese layer with fresh basil leaves. Slice the tomatoes about 1/2 inch thick. Cover the cheese/basil layer with tomato slices in concentric circles. Sprinkle with dried oregano, salt and pepper. Bake in oven about 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and tomatoes are juicy/soft. Remove from oven and let set for about 30 minutes. Can be served hot or cold.

The next recipe is a type of Israeli “cheesecake” which is way different than the typical American version. It’s from the family of Shlomo Mantzur. Shlomo in the late 1940s, was a survivor of the Iraqi equivalent of the Holocaust, the Farhud. He made his way to Israel. As a young man, he helped found Kibbutz Kissufim on the Gaza border. He was known by all on the kibbutz as grandpa and planned social activities for the community. As the kibbutz carpenter, he taught shop at the local elementary school. They say the smile never left his face. Children loved him and his open arms invited everyone right into his heart. He always had a pocketful of pistachios or halva to spoil the children with. Always there to lend a hand with his hammer or screwdriver, Shlomo was ready to fix anything. He loved watching the old American Western cowboy movies.

At 86, Shlomo was the oldest hostage taken by Hamas into Gaza. He was brutally killed and his body was held by the terrorist group for 509 days before being returned to Israel. His wife Mazal used to make this delicious old school crumb cheesecake. It was his favorite dessert-

Shlomo Mantzur’s Favorite Crumb Cheesecake

Ingredients for the dough:

  • 7 oz (200 grams) soft butter. 1 cup
  • 4.25 oz (120 grams) sugar – little over 1/2 cup
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • Grated peel of 1/2 lemon
  • 1.75 oz (50 grams) ground almonds – 1/4 cup

For the cream:

  • 500 grams (2 cups) sweet cream
  • 1 package (80 grams) instant vanilla pudding
  • 120 grams (little over 1/2 cup) sugar
  • 500 grams ( 2 cups) sour cream
  • Grated peel of 1/2 lemon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350*/170* on convection/turbo. In the medium bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat until integrated. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until a uniform dough. Be careful not to overmix.

Spread a third of the dough on a small parchment paper lined sheet pan. Spread the remaining two-thirds uniformly and evenly in a parchment paper lined springform cake pan. Bake the sheet pan and cake pan for about 20 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and cool completely.

In another bowl whip the sweet cream with the sugar and instant pudding mix until almost firm. Fold in the sour cream, cardamom and lemon zest until completely combined. Pour evenly over the baked cheesecake. Crumble the third that you baked separately. Sprinkle it over the cream and put in fridge for four hours or overnight. At hour before serving, out in the freezer. This makes the cheesecake easier to slice and hold together.

The next dessert is one that John loves. I don’t make it terribly often, but it’s great for Shavuot. He likes to mix lemon curd in with his cottage cheese in the morning which gave me great inspiration for this simple pie.

🍋 Lemony Cheesecake Pie 🍋

Ingredients:

  • 1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust
  • 2 cups cottage cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups lemon curd
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds, sliced

In a large bowl, gently fold together the cottage cheese, and lemon curd. Pour into pie crust. Leave about 1/4 inch at top. Smooth out. Place in freezer 1-2 hours.

Remove from freezer. Spread a thin layer of remaining lemon curd over top. In a medium bowl, whip the sweet cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie or spoon in dollops around edge. Scatter toasted almond pieces over the top before serving. Keep in fridge until ready to serve. Can refreeze for about a half hour prior to slicing for ease in cutting and removing to plates.

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February 13, 2025

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culture, food, Holidays & Feasts, israel, israel lifestyle, israel. nature. spring. galilee., MidEast, Recipes, spirituality, Uncategorized

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Happy New Year!!! 13 February, 2025. Tu b’Shvat. The 15th of Shvat

Have I told you yet how much I absolutely love this country? Its customs and traditions? Today is New Year’s Day! For 🌳 🌲🌴🌵🌳! Yes. TREES!!!! How cool is this? It’s the Hebrew month of Shvat – also amazing because who else has a month Shvaaaahht??? Even saying the word makes me laugh. And the 15th of the month, during the full moon, we celebrate nature. It’s the original Earth Day without all the political hype. And of course…. We eat and drink. But more about that later.

So to quote my friend, Arky Staiman, we have this holiday where we celebrate the blossoming of the trees. They are just beginning to sprout forth right now. Here in Israel. Now listen, for those Ashkenaz Jews in the US (hello, Chicago, NewYork, DC, St Louis and Seattle), in Canada (you out there freezing your tuchuses off inMontreal and Toronto), in France, Germany, England….this holiday makes little sense. For those in the extreme South (yes, you in Tasmania! In Argentina and Brazil, even in India) you are in the throes of summer. But here in Israel, the rains have come and everything is green and the buds are shooting forth from the ground and the bushes and trees. Judaism only makes sense here in Israel.

No where else does this make sense. The trees know it’s time to blossom their beautiful flowers and it’s all connected to one place, right here, in the Land of Israel, where Judaism is connected and the holidays are connected to the Land and Nature and the People. It’s the time when people go out and the earth is soft and fruit trees (and other trees) can be planted. The early settlers in the 1800s and early 1900s took this opportunity to restore the ecology and verdure of the land by planting forests and groves.

Groups of schoolchildren were out today planting bulbs and trees in the neighborhood park. Whole congregations go out together and plant – avocados are becoming increasingly popular. A friend lives on Kibbutz Ginosar (Gennesaret) where they are planting dunams/acres of bananas this week.

Did you know fruits can be really really Kosher? That Jewish trees in Israel are circumcised??? That’s another weird one. Let me explain. A fruit tree is planted about now…15 Shvat. It is cared for and grows. The first year comes and fruit pops out. Leave it alone! Do not touch the fruit! It is not ready yet. Why? Leviticus 19:23 states

וְכִי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם֙ כׇּל־עֵ֣ץ מַאֲכָ֔ל וַעֲרַלְתֶּ֥ם עׇרְלָת֖וֹ אֶת־פִּרְי֑וֹ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם עֲרֵלִ֖ים לֹ֥א יֵאָכֵֽל׃

When you enter the land and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten.

In the fourth year of fruit bearing, the farmer would bring the fruit from those trees to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem as an offering…on Tu b’Shvat. Then the tree is circumcised, holy, set apart for eating, Kosher. Who knew? From year five onwards, the nuts, the fruits, the seeds are all good to go. Pretty wild, eh? Many farmers still abide by these Biblical laws today here in Israel – except they offer the fruits and nuts to the poor because there is no longer a Temple.

In the 1500s and 1600s, the Jewish mystics of the city of Tsfat (only 20 minutes from here) created a Tu b’Shvat Seder which has come into real popularity in Israel today. It was modeled after the Passover Seder, where different foods are eaten in a certain order, blessings said, and everything has a symbolic, deeply spiritual meaning. We have our own lovely Seder. Here’s what I do:

The table is set with a lovely bunch of fresh flowers I just picked from the neighborhood park. There is no requirement to light candles, but as this is a festive celebration I light the two candles and say the holiday blessing. We have four small glasses of wine set out – white wine, a light rosé, a darker rosé and a red. We take turns reading just like at Passover. I fill a large pitcher with rose scented or lavender scented water. There is a basin. Each person recites the prayer for handwashing and washes his hands individually.

The First Cup of Wine

This glass of white wine symbolizes winter. For a mystical twist this is the energy G-d used in creation to create the trees and flowering, seed bearing plants. We read Deuteronomy 8:7-10 and then lift our glass, say the blessing and drink the wine.

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam borei peri ha-gafen. 

Blessed are you, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Reader: For Adonai your God is bringing you into a good land. A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths springing forth in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land wherein you shall eat without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you may dig brass. And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless God for the good land, which is being given unto you (Deuteronomy 8:7-10).

The First Fruits

Did you know a nut is also considered a fruit? At this point we eat a fruit that is hard and inedible on the outside but with a softer flesh on the inside, like coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds. The hard shell is strong like our covering and protection by G-d when we walk in His ways. We become strong spiritually, but in the inside we are still tender and yielding. Today as a first course, I serve walnuts in the shell, almonds (indigenous to Israel. Aaron’s staff had budding almond flowers) and also some feta cheese.

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-etz.

Blessed are You, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the tree.

The Second Cup of Wine

The second glass of wine is a light pink rosé. It stands for springtime. It is also a mystical symbol of mercy (the white wine) mingled with a little bit of justice (the red grape juice or wine), two attributes of the Creator. We read Deuteronomy 28, the blessings and the curses for obedience and disobedience to G-d’s commandments. Then the blessing over the wine, and drink the second cup.

Reader: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall you be in the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your land, and the fruit of your cattle, and the young of your flock. Blessed shall you be in your basket and your kneading trough. Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out (Deuteronomy 28:36).

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen. 

Blessed are You, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

The Second Fruit

The second fruit(s) we enjoy are soft on the outside with a seed or pit in the center. I use olives, as they are one of the seven Biblical species indigenous to the Land. They grow everywhere throughout the Galil. It has become a sign of home. You can also use any stone fruit like cherries, apricots, peaches. I also use dates, because they grow here around Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and in Hebrew, the date palm is Tamar. These fruits remind us of the spiritual and emotional strength within us.

We read Psalm 1. We say the blessing over the fruit again. Now eat the olives or dates.

The Third Cup of Wine

The cup of late spring early summer. The wine is a deep pink rosé. It is more judgment than mercy. It is a season of growth and development. Life is always changing, but G-d remains the same.

The Third Fruit

This fruit symbolizes the first harvest. We eat fruits that can be eaten whole without peeling. What you see is what you get. It also stands for G-d’s omnipresence. Blueberries. Tomatoes. Apples and pears. Grapes. I use grapes as that is also one of the seven species. We read Genesis 1:29-31, say the blessing and consume the fruits.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

The Fourth Cup of Wine

The last glass is red wine. We are judged for our actions. As the fall comes and winter sets in, it is time to plow under the soil. The land rests. We become introspective and make things right between ourselves as people and with G-d. This glass, all red, also stands for fire, burning, purging, but not consumed like the burning bush, or the fire of the Divine Spark within us. We read the story of the burning bush in Exodus 3, say the blessing and sip the wine.

The Fourth Fruit

The fourth fruit has a touch, protective skin on the outside, but sweet, soft flesh within like avocado, citrus fruits, mangos or bananas. It symbolizes the mysteries of the world and the hidden mysteries in Scripture. We are constantly seeking to uncover deep truths and are nourished by her fruits.

This is just a tiny bit of our Seder. We sing songs and eat lots of great vegetarian (and I serve dairy) foods between each part of the fun ceremony. There’s a lot of deep spirituality that goes with each part and, as a result, lots of discussion.

I know it’s a bit late for you this year, but here are some recipes that we will be enjoying.

Tu b’Shvat Israeli Salad

Ingredients and Directions: Chop a variety of fresh vegetables into small diced chunks… Tomato, Cucumber, Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Carrot. Add crumbled Feta Cheese. Dress with juice from 1/2 fresh lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Gently stir in roasted, salted sunflower seeds.

Tamar’s Sweet Israeli Tabbouleh

Serves 6-8 as a side dish 4 as a lunch entrée. Vegan. (Pareve)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup bulgur
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1/4 cup pickled red onion (onion pieces swimming in vinegar with pickling spice)
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped very fine
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped very fine
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
  • 2 persimmons, chopped into small cubes
  • 1/4 cup yellow raisins
  • 1/4 cup chopped dates

Dressing ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup extra Virgin olive oil
  • Zested rind and juice of 1 large naval orange
  • 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 Tablespoons pomegranate syrup/molasses or carob syrup, if available
  • 2 tsp sumac

I tried to use all things indigenous to the land and/or part of the seven species in this cold salad. Wheat, dates grapes (raisins) pomegranates and honey for the Land of Milk &Honey. It’s so healthy, light and addictive! Very Israeli with a twist. I really do hope you make and enjoy this one!

In the meantime, plant some bulbs or a fruit tree. If you desire to bless Israel, go to https://shop.jnf.org>collections>plant-trees and plant a tree in the Land of Israel for only $18. You’ll get a gorgeous frame able certificate and can plant the tree in memory of someone who has passed away or honor someone having a special event like a birthday, anniversary, wedding or Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

🌲Happy New Year, Trees!!!🌳

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July 12, 2024

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A Short Respite & Summer Recipes

I’ve been working all morning. The house is cleaned and the food prep is almost finished except for the things I need to put into the oven. I’ve decided to take a short respite in our air conditioned bedroom (yes, it’s 92*F and our house only has two small ACs…not in the kitchen area). So for all you curious, and all who have requested recipes, this post is for you.

I like to use what I have in my garden and from the organic local produce delivery I get each week. Last week, the delivery included a ton of blueberries, so I made the most extravagant blueberry soup (cold), that John just plotzed over. He really raved about it. I made enough to last three meals. you only need a small cup or bowl for an appetizer.

CHILLED BLUEBERRY SOUP

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 TBSP blue agave syrup (or maple)
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 1 TBSP corn starch

Wash blueberries and put in a pot along with the water, orange juice, cinnamon and syrup. Over a medium stove, bring to a gentle boil and let boil very gently until the blueberries start to break open and soften, about 15 minutes. In a small bowl, add the cornstarch to a half cup of water and stir until cornstarch is thoroughly dissolved. Take the soup off of the heat blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the corn starch mix. Whisk slowly over a low heat until the soup gets a bit thicker. Let cool down and pour in quart Mason jars. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve cold with a little heavy cream and a mint sprig.

So this is a really funny story. Two years ago, in Florida, my sister-in-law bought fresh field peas that you can only find in that particular part of the state at a particular time of year. They looked like a bag of very small black-eyed peas. In the Deep South, these field peas are usually slow cooked for hours with salt and a ham hock for a smoky flavor. She boiled hers with chopped onion and liquid smoke. Pam is vegan and I keep Kosher. It’s a good match. They were absolutely delicious. I reserved ten little naked beans, dried out, put them in my suitcase and last spring (2023) I planted them. From those ten, I got enough to have my “starter seed” for this year. I’ve been babying these plants like you wouldn’t believe.

It looks raggedy, but there are the field beans at the back and front with a wild tomatillo in the center.

We’ve gotten enough peas for two meals. I boil them gently with my onions, some salt, and liquid smoke for about three to four hours. Seriously amazing. I’ve got one more harvest from them coming in a couple weeks. Two days ago, we went to a shuk, one of those Middle Eastern markets for produce and spices, and what did I find?

Lubia!!!

I could not believe it!! I’ve been working so to grow them, and there they were. Because they only grow in this one tiny county in Northern Florida, right? Here, in Israel they are called lubia. Used mostly by the Lebanese, Druze and Persians I believe. I asked a few women at the market and they cook them in stews, whole pods (yikes!) with tomatoes and onions, okra, and olives and spices. When I tried to explain how I make them, I’m sure they thought Americans were completely crazy.

Tonight we are having fish…Denis and Amnon…straight from out of the Kinneret or Sea of Galilee. If I told people I have them marinating in a maple syrup and Dijon sauce with a shot of Kentucky whisky, they’d probably deport me. John will grill them late afternoon.

Because I’m swimming in fresh garden tomatoes and zucchini at present, I made a gorgeous dish last week, that I’ve repeated for the weekend. I’ll serve it hot as a side dish tonight, but will eat it cold for lunch with a salad tomorrow.

Tomato Zucchini Puff Pastry Italiano

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
  • 2 large zucchini, sliced vey thin
  • 1 red onion, sliced very thin
  • 4 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella, Gouda, or Muenster
  • 1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
  • Italian seasoning mix

Line a jelly roll pan or lipped baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray generously with olive oil. Spread dough outs onto pan. Layer the zucchini, onions, cheese, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, over dough. Reserve enough cheese for top. Sprinkle generously with Italian season mix. Sprinkle more cheese over top. Bake at 375*F/190*C on medium rack until pastry is puffed and cheese is melted. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter. Serve hot or cold.

This week we are having chilled melon soup as an appetizer. I didn’t get a photo yet. For the person who asked about watermelon soup, just purée 1/2 a melon in the food processor, and juice of 1 lime, squeezed and some chopped mint. It’s that simple.

Today I used what I got at the shuk. It looked like a cantaloupe on the outside but about twice as big. It was some sort of fragrant muskmelon. When I cut it open it was a greenish yellow, fully ripe. Go figure. I have no idea what anything is here, I just buy what is fresh and looks interesting or good. I used up a cup of strawberries I’d frozen… I grow strawberries too and get about 1/2 cup every day. What I don’t use, goes into the freezer for smoothies.

Strawberry Melon Soup

No cooking here-

Ingredients:

  • 1 large cantaloupe, Persian, honeydew or Canary melon.
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 knob of ginger grated to get about 2 TBSP juice
  • 1 orange
  • 3 TBSP fresh mint, very finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Cointreau or Prosecco, optional

In food processor, place melon chunks, strawberries and mint. Process until fine purée. Pour into large bowl. Add juice of 1 orange, juice from the grated ginger. I squeeze the pulp until the juice flows out. If you want to be fancy, add the Cointreau (or Prosecco) for a nice flavor.

My last recipe is another favorite. To be honest, there are lots of foods John won’t even touch. Tabbouleh is one of them. It’s served everywhere here and everyone has their own special version. It’s green. It’s chopped parsley, basically. Some people add mint, cucumbers, bulgur, quinoa, scallions, lemon juice, olive oil. There are so many variations, but they are all off limits for my husband. A few weeks ago we went to a restaurant where we just had appetizers and salads. This variation of tabbouleh was served and I ate almost the entire dish. It was my absolute favorite of all the items served (nine in all). I finally prodded John enough to try a forkful. He loved it! We’ll be having it tonight as a side and again tomorrow with dinner….if there’s any left.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE TABBOULEH

Ingredients:

2 huge bunches of fresh parsley

1/2 bunch fresh mint

1 orange, squeezed

1/2 cup mixed nuts, roasted and chopped (I used almonds, peanuts, pecans and walnuts)

1/4 cup yellow raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped medjoul dates

3 TBSP silan (date syrup) or maple syrup

Wash and trim parsley so the woody stems are removed. Process in food processor until finely chopped. Remove to medium sized bowl. Wash and remove leaves from mint until you have about 1/2 a cup or a little more of packed leaves. Process in food processor until finely chopped. Remove to bowl. Add juice from squeezed orange. Add chopped nuts and dried fruit. Mix in silan or syrup. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shabbat shalom & a great weekend to all-

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June 10, 2024

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Milk & Honey

We’re leaving shortly for a few days in Yerushalayim. Meeting a friend from Vienna with a few Israelis thrown into the mix! We will be celebrating the holiday of Shavuot, which is the Feast of Weeks. Most of us have been counting the fifty days between Passover (when the Children of Israel were liberated from Egypt and Pharaoh) and Shavuot, which is when all of Israel gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai and Moses received the Ten Commandments from G-d. It also marks the death of King David.

One of the younger set of our group suggested we all hike down to the Kotel (Western Wall) at 4am for sunrise at 5:30, then hike up the mountain to David’s Tomb. Ummmmm, no thanks. I’ll pass on that one- but we will have some time in the Old City…just a little later in the morning. Then comes the feast. A picnic/party is planned for Teddy Park with lots and lots of dairy.

It’s customary to to dress in white (I told John I feel like a stay-puff marshmallow) and enjoy nature, especially decorating the home with tons of flowers and wearing flowers in a wreath around your head (again, the cute young people) as it’s the beginning of summer and the Old Testament barley harvest, which is still celebrated today. We eat tons of dairy – several different reasons on this one: Moses was given the Torah, the Word of G-d is associated with spiritual nourishment or milk; we live in the Land of Milk and Honey; it has a lot to do with Kosher laws, which are too complicated to discuss on this platform. So there! Let’s eat-

ROASTED BEETS SALAD

I use a mixture of white beets, golden yellow beets, chioggia beets and red beets that I grow in my garden. It makes a gorgeous, colorful, and healthy dish. Add in pickled red onions, which I always have on hand, some herbs and creamy goat cheese with a drizzle of balsamic. Wow! Really easy dish. Packed with nutrients.

Ingredients:

  • 8 beets of varying color (if you can find the different varieties, if not, use red beets)
  • 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Fresh thyme
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Pickled onions (recipe follows)
  • 1 small log goat cheese
  • Balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 200*C/400*F. Peel beets, cut in quarters, place in heavy aluminum foil. Sprinkle with olive oil and a tiny pinch sea salt and fresh pepper. Add in the rosemary sprigs and a few fresh thyme sprigs. Close up the foil and roast on a baking sheet for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Place in serving bowl. Sprinkle on top about 1/4 cup pickled onions. Dot with chunks of goat cheese. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top of the salad. Throw in a few extra thyme sprigs and marigolds petals for extra color.

PICKLED RED ONIONS:

Thinly slice 1 red onion. In a (covered) bowl, combine 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1 tbsp pickling spice, 1 TBSP honey or sugar. Add in onion. Cover and let marinate in fridge for at least an hour before using. Great on salads and sandwiches or on the side with cheese and crackers.

MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER SALAD

Another easy one to make. Very filling with protein as well. This looks as fabulous as it tastes, is great to pack up for picnics or outdoor barbecues. It’s a great side for grilled fish and chicken, as well as being a win for the vegetarian crowd.

Ingredients:

  • 1 500g jar (Cara Mia) artichoke hearts marinated in oil and Italian spices
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 small red/purple onion
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup torn basil leaves
  • Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup thinly shaved Parmesan cheese

In a serving bowl, dump the entire contents of the artichoke hearts, oil and all. Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse well in a colander under cold water. Drip drain.Add to serving bowl. Add in halved tomatoes and thin slices of onion. Sprinkle on basil leaves, salt, pepper, and additional Italian seasoning, if desired. Top with thinly shaved Parmesan pieces.

THE BEST OF SUMMER SALAD

Another beautiful summer platter that we just love. It’s colorful and delicious, wholly satisfying as it combines sweet, salty, savory, crunchy and creamy. I serve this with grilled fish… beautiful for a potluck!

Ingredients:

  • 2 large nectarines
  • 2 large peaches
  • 3 large (heirloom) tomatoes
  • 6 radishes (I use a variety of red and white)
  • Extra virgin olive in
  • Sea salt/black pepper
  • Balsamic vinegar, 1TBSP
  • Silan (date syrup) or honey 2 TBSP
  • 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
  • Torn basil leaves, fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 large Burrata (mozzarella) ball
  • Optional: purslane leaves (high superfood in antioxidants)

Preheat oven to 200*C/400*F. Cut fruit into quarter slices, place in foil, sprinkle with a tiny bit olive oil and sea salt & pepper. Wrap tightly and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Reserve the ‘juice’ in a separate small bowl. Just before serving, arrange a platter with the fresh burrata in the center. Around the mozzarella ball, artfully arrange the tomato and fruit slices. Sprinkle radishes around and sprinkle the nuts over the top. In a small bowl with the reserved fruit juices, add in the Balsamic vinegar and the silan or honey. Add in a pinch more salt and pepper. Mix well and pour over the top, especially over the cheese ball. Scatter some thyme and basil leaves over the top and serve immediately.

    A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about an engagement party we went to. After we sat down at our tables, the salatim were served. These are a bazillion little dishes of salads served like tapas with fresh vegetables or bread/pita. it’s a very typical MidEastern thing. You can expect to have at least six different types of eggplant: mashed roasted eggplant, baba ganoush, eggplant in barbecue sauce with roasted veg, caponata, spicy eggplant dip, etc. Then there are the cabbage dishes, both red and white: cabbage in mayonnaise, cabbage with salt and lemon, pickled cabbage, roasted cabbage, etc. The pickled vegetables of all sorts- tomatoes, turnips, carrots, corn, you name it and they’ll find a way to pickle it. And all kinds of different versions of tabbouleh. And the fishes. Smoked salmon for the boring Ashkenaz, fish in spicy tomato sauce, pickled fish pieces, smoked trout tails…Then there was THIS!!! I have absolutely no idea what the name of it was, but my friend and I sat eating it by the shovel full. I promised her I’d deconstruct it and send the recipe out. So Gila, this one is for you- enjoy!!!

    Ugly but Amazingly Refreshing!

    I have no idea what to name this one. It just looks kinda gross. But who’da thought? Something this ugly could be so delicious you can’t stop eating it. Maybe I should call it crack salad??? It’s really inexpensive to make, especially if you grow your own herbs. It’s incredibly densely packed with nutrients. Low cal. Filling. Satisfying. Light and refreshing on a hot summer day. Great for the urinary tract (TMI!)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 bunch parsley, washed, remove longer stems (2 cups, processed)
    • 1/2 bunch fresh mint, washed, leaves removed from stems
    • 3 small scallions/green onions.
    • 1 Granny Smith apple
    • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
    • 2 TBSP red fruit or raspberry vinegar
    • 2 TBSP silan (date syrup) or honey
    • 2 TBSP water

    In a food processor, pulse the parsley and mint leaves until chopped up really well. Place the chopped leaves in a serving bowl. Very thinly slice the white/light parts of the scallions and add to bowl. Add in the dried cranberries. Finely chop the apple and add to the mixture. In separate bowl, combine the vinegar, sweetener and water and stir thoroughly to combine. Pour over salad. Mix all ingredients well to coat. Cover. Refrigerate for an hour and then serve.

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    January 19, 2024

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    food, Golan Heights, israel, israel. nature. spring. galilee., MidEast, Recipes, Sabbath/Shabbat

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    Friday edition War update 19 January, 2024

    It’s Friday. The day for cleaning the house and cooking not only tonight’s festive Shabbat meal, but food that will take us into tomorrow (I do no food prep on Saturday) and have lots of leftovers for the week. As usual, jets are strafing the sky overhead and we’ve been told by the home front Minister of Defense to expect major escalation in the North. Batten down the hatches. Like Scarlett O’Hara I, too, will say “Oh Fiddlesticks! I’ll worry about that tomorrow.”

    We took Max back up to his base early this week for a day of training. John & I decided to make a day of it, despite the cold and spotty weather, and beer off into the Golan Heights. We’d make it a day trip. It was just what we needed to clear our heads.

    Since the winter rains have started, the green has appeared!!!
    The higher we climbed into the Heights the foggier it got
    We saw lots of military activity. Love this photo!!!
    And of course, Golan grass fed Angus
    So wild and beautiful up here!!!
    Remnants of Syrian bunkers overlooking Israel (1948-1967) used to shoot the Israeli farmers in Hula Valley
    Have no idea where these originated or why they were left behind, but it made for an interesting photo
    Storm clouds gather over the mountains of Lebanon in the distance. I pray it’s not a portent-
    John stands on an old Syrian redoubt
    Old rusty pickup. This place reminds us of the Wild West. It’s so rustic and rocky
    I love this old monastery from Crusader era. I want to buy this shell of a property and restore it
    Standing on the Heights looking towards the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret)

    Of course, I took the opportunity to buy fresh picked farm stand produce!!! I picked up a huge bag of apples as well as gourds, citrus, peppers and other things to supplement what I’m pulling from the winter garden. The next day I made apple butter (12 jars) because we can’t find that here. John picked the mandarins off our tree and I put up 8 half pints for my China Coast Chicken Salad (because we don’t have canned mandarins).

    In case you haven’t figured out… enough of bad news – it’s recipe day!!!

    Our garden is doing well with all the rain. Beets (golden and chioggia), carrots, radishes and lettuces are at peak and I’m still getting tomatoes, beans and broccolini.

    Is this gorgeous or what???? Look at all those colors!!!

    So I gathered up my beets, including white beets and bull’s blood (deep crimson heritage variety- no blood, I promise) and roasted them in foil with rosemary, olive oil, sea salt and thyme sprigs). Wrapped them up in a cozy foil blanket and roasted them on a sheet pan on 400*F/200*C for about an hour. They came out tender and earthy!

    We ate some straight for dinner, but then I blended the rest with a chicken stock to make the most decadent and delicious riff on a hot borscht soup. Simple simple simple recipe (I freeze chicken, beef and vegetables stock for later use. I use all my scraps and don’t let anything go to waste). if you want to keep it vegan, use veggie broth. It works just as well, and if you keep kosher, you can then add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt to your hot soup.

    While 2 large packets of beets were in the oven, I also roasted a tray of gourds. We get all kinds of funky gourds I’ve never seen before. These were small grapefruit sized gray pumpkins; something that looked like an enormous acorn squash on steroids, and an orangey-grey lumpy thing that was smaller than a pumpkin but way to big for any other kind of squash. I just cut them up and sprinkled olive oil, coarse sea salt, garlic powder and rosemary and sage on top. Covered the jelly roll pan tightly with foil and let the heat do its magic-

    Gourd Salad With Techineh Drizzle

    So on a bed of fresh picked lettuce, I put some of the sliced of roasted gourd, half a red onion, sliced, 1/4 cup dried cranberries (no sugar or preservatives), 3 chopped pitted dates, about 1/4 cup chopped almonds aand chopped walnuts (altogether), you can sprinkle fresh pomegranate arils on top.

    For the dressing, I mixed 1/4 cup techineh (tahini!?!?), with the juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 TBSP) and about 2 TBSP honey… I don’t measure. Drizzle on top of the salad. It’s really really delicious!

    Usually, this time of year John and I like to go foraging… the Northern forested hills and meadows fill up with wild asparagus and celery and all sorts of greens after the rain. However, most of the roads have been blocked by the army and with Hizbulla launching UAVs and missiles right and left, it’s just not safe, so we’ve found other places closer to home. We take small hikes into the southern hill country.

    For Shabbat, I just finished making the most amazing, gluten free, vegan brownies Israeli style. They are rich and chewy and use… techineh!!! For this, if you can find the all natural, unbleached brown Techineh (Ethiopian), it adds another layer of awesomeness.

    Gluten Free Israeli Brownies

    Prep Time:15 minutes Cook time:25 minutes

    Pareve

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup Techineh (unbleached, natural with sesame hills, if possible)
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice… sweet navel or Valencia
    • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, good quality
    • 1/3 cup coconut OR almond flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 360*F/170*C. Grease a 9X9 baking dish. Wash orange well. Cut in half. Remove the peel from one half (eat slices of orange). Juice the other half, removing any seeds. In large bowl, add Techineh, eggs, syrup and sugars, orange juice and combine well (I use a simple wire whisk) until smooth and glossy. Gently fold in cocoa, flor, baking soda and salt. Combine until dry incorporated into wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into pan and smooth out. Bake for 25 minutes until top is set but brownies are not dried out. Remove from over and let cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Cut up orange rind into thin thin sliver bits. Reserve about 3-4 TBSP. For a festive look…edible and delicious…. I scattered the Orange rind along with some dried edible rose petals and chopped pistachios.

    Have a lovely Shabbat-weekend. And remember to pray for peace-

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    May 11, 2023

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    Lavender Fields Forever

    The rains and winds and chilly days are hopefully behind us here in Israel. It’s tiyuulim weather! In Hebrew a tiyuul is best described as a day-trip, and Israelis are crazy about them. I’d heard about Azizo Lavender from a friend who brought us the most heavenly lavender liqueur, so we decided to drive way up in the highest parts of the southern Golan Heights. The mountains were still spring green and the wildflowers were in full bloom making splashes of pinks and purples over the ridges and wadis. On a high plateau overlooking the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), we finally pulled into Azizo Farms just outside the tiny moshav of Kanaf.


    In the center of a field of row upon row of different varieties of blooming lavender is the Azizo visitor center. We were met by the owner, Lilach Assraf, who welcomed us with cups of lavender lemongrass tea and lavender shortbread. Can you say heaven???? John and I sat on the expansive terrace cafe and listened to Lilach tell the history of the farm and business. It started in 1985 with 11 men, all friends who had served in the IDF together. They were going to start a new agricultural community on the wild plateaus of the Golan. Lilach and her husband, Dan, lived on a nearby moshav (village) while they built their homes and plowed the fields around what was to be Kanaf. They started with orchards of plums, pears and grapefruit. One day, another of their army buddies, a lone soldier from France, came to them with a proposal. Norn had just returned from working on a lavender farm in Provence. He was looking for a few daring, open-minded farmers willing to set out on a new course: lavender.

    In 1987, 15 acres, about 60 dunams, of French lavender were planted along the Syrian border. The volcanic soil would be perfect as well as the hot days and cool nights. The plants needed little water and drip irrigation was put in. The amount of flowers produced was surprisingly enormous and the quality of the essential oils was the highest on the spectrum. They made and sold the oil and sachets filled with the dried seeds. The venture grew and grew to include the purchase of more dunams and marketing of more products sold within Israel. The original farmers still worked in other fields, holding onto “day jobs” with the lavender being a side business. Then in 1992, everything was “gone with the wind. It was the end of the world, complete heartbreak for us,” recounts Lilach. After severe rains and flooding followed by the most intense heatwave and drought, all the lavender dried up. What to do? Lilach and Dan made the decision to persevere.

    They traveled the world – to France, Hungary, Bulgaria, the United States, to visit other lavender growers. The Israeli Volcanic Research Institute was called in to examine the Golan soil. More irrigation was installed and more dunams were planted with heat tolerant, high yield varieties. Now six different types are grown and new cultivars are being tested. The Assrafs used to pay the teenagers on the moshav to harvest the crops, but now they have a special lavender harvester. Lilach took us and two other couples on a guided tour of the farm and explained the process and manufacturing. We went into the drying room. The smell!!!!! The lavender stalks hang for weeks in a special atmospheric controlled room as they dry, preserving the oil content. Dan and Lilach re-engineered a chicken plucking machine into a device that separates the dried seeds from the stalks. All the distillation is done on site, the oil separated from the hydrosols (water), and both used for different products. The distilling machinery was purchased in Bulgaria, famous for the distillation of its famous roses in the manufacture of perfume. The Assrafs called in Professor Nativ Dubai of the Neve Yaar Agricultural Research Center to confer on varieties of lavender suitable for the climate that would produce highest yield of flowers per plant and the highest concentration of essential oil.

    There is a classroom on site at Azizo Lavender for demonstrations, experimentation and projects for different ages. Throughout the year schoolchildren visit the farm to learn about the distillation process. They learn about all the different uses of this herby flower from medicinal to cosmetic to culinary. The ‘King of Essential Oils,’ lavender is antiseptic and anti inflammatory, so can aid in burns, headaches, digestive issues, skin problems, insomnia and is an anti-anxiety remedy. Azizo produces the finest soaps, candles, lotions, balms, oils, diffusers and sachets. The list is quite lengthy. Beehives have been placed adjacent to the fields, and now lavender honey is also part of their venture. Lavender fruit jams, lavender liqueur, lavender syrup, lavender chocolate! Azizo Farms has teamed up with DeKarina Chocolates to produce the chocolate and the liqueur. Powdered lavender is jarred for culinary uses. Herbes de Provence, their secret blend of Israeli herbs with lavender, mint, thyme, oregano and other dried spice is also available in the shop, which has been open daily for six years now.

    After over 40 years farming lavender, Dan and Lilach have finally given up their secondary jobs. All of their time is now devoted to Azizo Lavender, which has also become part of the eco-tourism industry in the Golan. Everything they do is sustainable and environmentally friendly. No pesticides are used in the growing and no chemicals are added in the production process. All of the labor from fieldworkers to cafe and gift shop employees live on Moshav Kanaf or the surrounding area. The gift shop is, of course, loaded with all things lavender. I bought a case of the liqueur. Now that summer is almost here, it’s amazingly delicious on vanilla ice cream, melon, or in a drink made with a tablespoon of the nectar with a spritz of soda water. I bought some sachets, a candle, and the ground dried seeds to use in cooking. John got a pot of bug balm for insect bites and a little vial of the essential oil for our diffuser. We ended our tour by splitting a small pizza with dried lavender sprinkled on top… it was very different, and very good. And we had the lavender ice cream for dessert. It’s definitely a place we will return to with guests. The views are spectacular and the hospitality “welcoming Israeli.” Admission is free.

    Lilach’s Lavender Shortbread

    Lilach served her cookies with a pot of lavender lemongrass tea. So easy to make, you just put a teaspoon of lavender and some dried lemongrass in a teapot, pour hot water over and let steep 5 minutes. The result is quite soothing and can be served both hot or over ice on a summer day. The tea stands on its own and needs no sweetener. The cookies were crisp and buttery—

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 11/2 cups butter at room temperature
    • 2/3 cup white sugar
    • 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
    • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh lavender or 1 Tbsp dried lavender (organic)
    • 1 Tbsp finely chopped lavender leaves
    • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup cornflour (cornstarch in the US)

    Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Mix in the lavender. In another bowl, stir together the two flours. Add to the ‘wet’ ingredients. Mix together well until all ingredients are combined. On two sheets of waxed paper, form the dough into two logs. Roll up and place in refrigerator at least one hour until quite firm. Preheat oven to 325*F/160*C. Remove dough logs from fridge and slice into coins. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes until just turning slightly golden. Remove from oven. Let cool. Keep in covered tin for about 2 weeks. These also freeze well.

    Lavender Honey Glazed Grilled Chicken

    We had friends over for the holiday of Lag b’Omer, when it’s traditional to make bonfires and eat grilled food (it’s often the food that goes with these holidays). We celebrate the creation of Light and the Divine Light that entered the world. It also commemorates the death (Feast Day) of the great Rahsbi, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the 2nd century Talmudist. Anyway, we had a barbecue with friends and I served grilled green beans from my garden and butternut squash and chicken glazed with lavender honey. Rather than buy the honey at Azizo, I made my own. It’s really easy and I use it on/in tea, cooking, over yogurt or ice cream and as a glaze. It imparts a lovely fragrance and flavor.

    To make the honey, I steeped whole fresh lavender leaves and flowers in 2 cups of honey. I put it in a saucepan and heated it on medium heat on the stove and just let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes. The kitchen smelled so good!!!After the honey cooled, I strained the liquid back into the jar. No need to refrigerate.

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 2 kg (4 lbs) chicken..I used breasts, each one halved (thighs/pargiot) work well too
    • 1/2 cup lavender honey (see instructions above)
    • 1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
    • 1 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped fine
    • salt & pepper

    This is so easy to make. Rinse and pat dry your chicken pieces. Salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the honey, vinegar and rosemary. Pour over chicken, reserving a bit for the glaze. Refrigerate the chicken and let marinate about an hour before grilling. Grill each piece over a high flame to sear, then lower to medium high heat. Grill chicken about 6 minutes each side. In least minute of grilling, brush with the honey glaze. You can sprinkle dried lavender or some of the chopped rosemary over the top to serve.

    Some of the lavender drinks I’ve been “playing around” with are Lavender Lemonade: freshly squeezed lemon juice, some water and the lavender honey to taste. Last night before bed I made a Lavender MoonMilk: I heated a can of coconut milk and added the lavender honey to flavor. It was a nice end to the day, and I think I’ll try using that same recipe to make an ice cream by putting it in the ice cream maker and then freezing. When I was in England, I discovered their London Fog Tea, which became my go-to drink. It soothed try soul – between the cold, wet weather and everyone driving “on the wrong side,” it kept my nerves in check just to sip and smell.The London Fog was Earl Grey tea, a spot of milk, and lavender simple syrup.

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    February 16, 2023

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    Cooking and Convalescing

    To update all you loyal readers: this is the eighth attempt at publishing this blog, as I’ve had nothing but glitches with this WordPress site. So let’s hope all goes well this time. My husband, John, underwent an extensive surgery last month and was set to be transferred to a convalescent hospital almost two weeks ago. Our health care group would only pay for four hospitals in the North (the periphery). All were overcrowded, understaffed and not as clean as I’d like. So we petitioned the doctor to let John do shikum at home. We’ve had a nurse come to show me how to do wound care and apply dressings and give medications; a physical therapist who gave exercises (that turned out to be way to advanced at this time); a social worker and a dietician.

    Together with the dietician, we worked out a specific meal plan with foods that are low in acid and fiber, are easily digestible, high in protein and soluble fats, red meat free, grain and seed free, salt free, cruciferous veg free…. Plus I wanted to serve him a diet high in probiotics and prebiotics to replace his gut flora. He lost 22 pounds, so they wanted to put him on Ensure and other highly processed drinks and shakes. I wanted to keep the diet as natural as possible. Yes! Challenge accepted!

    Healthy recipes here we come! As soon as we got home, I made a 48-hour bone broth in the crockpot. I took beef bones with the marrow, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaves, ginger, peppercorn, garlic and cooked it until the marrow was completely melted into the soup. High in protein, probiotics and collagen, super delicious, it would be a base for other soups once strained and frozen. There was zucchini mushroom soup, chicken soup with matzah balls, potato leek soup and two varieties of the quintessential Israeli Marok Katom orange soup, so named for its bright orange color. Every household has their own version of orange soup which uses any of an assortment of orange veggies and spices. I made one of a large bag of peeled carrots, a peeled sweet potato and water with some cloves and nutmeg. My favorite (I’ve given the recipes in past blogs) uses a sautéed onion and peeled apple slices with roasted sweet potato, butternut squash and carrots. This gets a can of coconut milk, grated orange peel, a hefty tablespoon of curry powder and water. All the soups are well blended with an immersion blender until creamy.

    For breakfast John I make a smoothie. I like to buy as local and as fresh as possible… from our local farmers. We are so blessed to have free-range goats and goatherds throughout the Galilee. Fresh goat milk products are amazing- not at all ‘goaty’ or ‘wild’ tasting. The milk is very mild, sweet, and easily digestible. We have more than a few artisanal goat dairies in the vicinity, so I eat a cup of goat yogurt every day and use it in smoothies. Recently, I found a new superfood called fonio. It’s high in protein and minerals and low glycemic. The closest I can describe it is that it is a bit like cream of wheat when cooked as a breakfast food. I add a scoop of PB (peanut butter) protein powder that I order from the States, goat yogurt, cinnamon, honey and banana. It’s very tasty!

    Roasted, peeled beets are extremely high in antioxidants and iron. Another superfood. You can find them prepackaged in the supermarkets (and in the US, at Trader Joe’s). I developed this recipe with a couple Israeli/ Mediterranean twists. I use a goat feta that is very very low in salt and very firm and mild. It comes in a block submerged in water, and can be cut into smaller cubes. Hopefully you will be able to find something quite similar. Fresh dill is found in many recipes here, as is mint. The two together make this salad really fresh and the dressing is a twist on the Israeli lemon juice and olive oil.

    Mediterranean Beet Salad

    Ingredients:

    • 3-4 medium beets, roasted & peeled, or 1 pack pre-cooked beets
    • 1/2 cup goat feta, as fresh as possible
    • 2 TBSP freshly chopped dill leaves
    • 1 TBSP freshly chopped mint leaves
    • Vinaigrette , recipe below

    In a large bowl cut the roasted beets into bite sized cubes. Add the fresh feta, cubed. Add mint and dill. In a small bowl mix together the vinaigrette until it forms a creamy emulsion. Pour over salad and mix thoroughly.

    Vinaigrette ingredients:

    • Juice of 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
    • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 TBSP Dijon mustard
    • 1 clove garlic, crushed


    I’ve made a big casserole of Mac and Cheese from scratch, and several egg dishes including this one quiche. Usually coming up with new recipes is successful, but there are occasional flops. The tuna quiche was one of those disasters. It was crustless with a sliced potato base. I loaded it up with spinach, peeled finely grated carrots, cheese, and a lovely custard. Coming out of the oven it looked absolutely glorious, but it smelled and tasted like cat food. It was pretty gross, and the neighborhood felines had quite a treat. So much so, that I believe I’ve made a new friend. She comes around to my kitchen window every morning now.

    Eggs have become a really important part of John’s diet. After all these years, I just found out he hates hard boiled eggs by themselves. Who knew? I love that after over 40 years together, we are still discovering new things about each other. He loves fluffy scrambled eggs, in Hebrew – mitgushgeshet. It reminds me of the Netflix “Somebody Feed Phil” episode where his father insists on fluffy eggs. It’s even on Max’s tombstone: But are they fluffy? I’ve come to love the Israeli chavitah pronounced kha-vee-TAH. Its origins are from kibbutz days. They were made in the main kitchen en masse for the agricultural workers. The scrambled eggs are cooked very flat and very crispy then folded into a rectangle. That way they could be quickly put between pieces of bread, wrapped up and taken into the field. The IDF soldiers are still fed this way in the field. Add an Israeli salad of chopped cucumber and tomato with a drizzle of olive oil and a spritz of lemon juice and you’re good to go.

    Fluffy and loose for John
    Flat & crispy for me


    Israeli Chavitah

    Ingredients:

    • 1 TBSP butter
    • 2 eggs
    • splash of milk
    • 3 TBSP assorted fresh herbs, chopped finely. I used parsley, cilantro, dill and chives
    • 2 TBSP finely chopped red onion, optional
    • 1/4 cup feta cheese cubes or crumbles

    Melt butter on medium high flame in medium sized pan. Scramble the eggs with a splash of milk. Finely chop all the herbs and the onions. The onions should be a teeny, tiny, mince. Put the eggs into the pan and let sit. The edges should brown slightly. As bubbles for they can be popped. Sprinkle half the herbs on the eggs, which should be undisturbed and completely flat. Flip the eggs and let brown slightly on the other side. As they are cooking, sprinkle the feta and remaining herbs and onions over top. Fold the edges over so the eggs look like a rectangle or fold blanket. Slide onto the plate. It can also be put into a sandwich with a sh ear of cream cheese and mustard. Really!!!! Try it. The combo is surprisingly good!

    The next recipe is a variation of my mother’s salmon loaf recipe. So it’s a real comfort food to me as well as being protein rich and high in Omega fatty acids. I used canned salmon, which is easy to find here and much cheaper than fresh. It’s boneless and skinless, so there is little waste. The dish can be served hot or cold and makes the best sandwiches the next day. In the photo below are my Mrs. Meyer’s products. I order them from the States because they are my favorites. They do a fantastic job, are ecologically friendly, and the scents are heavenly… it’s a bit of a comfort of home for me.The loaf pan was made by my son, Max, when he was 14 and took a ceramics class. It’s one of my favorites. My dill is in a little earthenware crock from England. That’s how fresh cream used to be delivered in the late 1800s….it’s just so sweet! I’d been looking for one for decades and found it in Scotland for £6 at an antiques store.

    Salmon Loaf

    Ingredients:

    • 3 200g cans boneless, skinless salmon, drained
    • 1 medium onion, chopped finely
    • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated finely
    • 1 egg
    • 1/3 cup ketchup
    • 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
    • 2 TBSP chopped fresh dill

    Preheat oven to 170*C/350*F. Line a loaf pan with parchment/baking paper. In a large bowl combine all the above ingredients, mixing with your hands, until it quickly comes together. The mixture should be moist and malleable, but not overly wet. If it seems too loose, add a bit more panko breadcrumbs. Place in the loaf pan and form into loaf. Make a deep well down the center and fill with ketchup. Bake for about 40 minutes and salmon is gently browned on top. Garnish with extra dill sprigs. Enjoy!

    My pour neighbors have been totally helpful and understanding. My next door neighbor went and bought a little chair for the shower. Other Friday of Shabbat, he brought over a full dinner. Complete with challah, wine and candles! It was the sweetest thing ever.

    Our other neighbor, a Ukrainian refugee who is living with her host family, brought over a wonderful Apple Charlottka, which was kind of like a pancake, but different. She serves it with a dollop of sour cream. Amazing! I got the recipe and made one after this was rapidly devoured. It’s really easy to make, and the ingredients were on John’s diet list.

    Ukrainian Apple Charlottka

    Ingredients:

    • 3 green cooking apples
    • 3 red cooking apples
    • 1/freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 TBSP sugar (I use coconut sugar)
    • 4 cup yogurt
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour)
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (you can use regular, but this is low glycemic)
    • 1 tsp almond extract
    • 1/4 cup melted butter
    • 3 TBSP white or sanding sugar

    Preheat oven to 200*C/400*F. Line a springform pan with baking/parchment paper. Peel the apples and slice thinly. In a medium bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar. In a large bowl, mix the eggs and sugar until thick and lemony yellow. Mix in the yogurt and almond extract. In separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Whisk to incorporate the air and make light and fluffy. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir until smooth. Fold in the apples. Pour into the pan and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden. Remove from oven. Pour the melted butter over top and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the cake. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven. Loosen the pan. Remove ring after 10 minutes. Let rest until transferring to plate.

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    December 20, 2022

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    Let the Cooking Begin! Chanukah Edition

    Hanukkah. Hanukka. Chanukah. Chanuka. Chanukkah. Whatever. The holidays are upon us. And for many of my readers that means Advent, Christmas, New Years and Kwanzaa, Kwanza, Kwaanza, Whatever. Let the celebrations: the telling of the story, the decorating, the cooking, the presents and the feasting begin!

    We are Americans living abroad. We celebrate American style. Always did. Always will. I love decorating the house seasonally. To make the home warm, inviting, beautiful and fun no matter the occasion is always something I enjoy. And, along with our California neighbors, decorating for Chanukah was no exception. We were not competing with Christmas. It was a festive way of spreading cheer. So when we moved to Israel and put up all the Chanukah decorations (minus the 8 foot Star of David in the front yard made of shiny silver, blue and turquoise Mylar balloons lit by white up lights), our Jewish neighbors thought we were absolutely mishuggeh. Stark raving nuts!! Wow! Those Americans! I don’t care. Now, we have several Israeli friends who stop by just to see the American decorations. I am not worried about assimilation. I know we celebrate the heroism of Mattityahu, Judah, Shimon, Yochanan and the Maccabees who valiantly fought the Greeks, the Seleucids, the Syrians. They faced certain destruction of Israel, their ancestral homeland. They faced annihilation of their religion, Judaism. They saw the defilement of their sacred Temple, yet they fought on to victory. They reclaimed the Temple and saved Judaism. The commemoration of these events are recorded in the books of the Maccabees and in the writings of Josephus. We celebrate this season of Light in the darkness for eight days. Lighting the menorah/chanukiyyah; chanting the blessings; singing great songs that just get better each year; playing games and eating fried foods to remind us of the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days in the Temple.

    This year is especially great. When I was back in the States a few weeks ago, all the stores had their holiday wares out. Target had really nice kitchen towels 2/$5!!! Beautiful banners and signs. Window clings. World market had ornaments for Chanukah (OK- so I bought a ton of gorgeous fruit and veggie blown glass ornaments to hang up in the sukkah… can’t we just skip ahead to fall?). Don’t even get me started on HomeGoods, Marshalls and TJMaxx!! Sofa pillows and bathroom towels. PJs for the entire family. They even had Chanukah pet offerings, which I did not get. This time we brought back six full suitcases. Oy to the world-

    This year, we’ll try to have over a just a handful of guests: our dear Russian-Israeli neighbors. They are nuts over America and I brought back several goodies for them including the candy they requested. Chanukah jelly-bellies anyone? My old Ulpan teacher and her family. We’ve stayed in touch for years and they’ve become dear friends. Then on Thursday, our son comes home. His university has been on Chanukah break, but he’s been called up for army reserves for most of it. No matter. On Friday three of his school friends are also arriving. They are international students. One is Jewish from Argentina. One is German, and the other American, both Christian. So we’ll be doing a combined Shabbat/Chanukah/Christmas weekend for all to feel included. The more the merrier. (Please, G-d, let my back hold up!!)

    Anyway, before we dig into these glorious recipes – I’m just super excited this year! – let me show you some of our table settings past. I use my good blue and white china, which I especially love for the holidays. Before anyone makes any comments about blue and white being dairy plates…I’ve always had this as my good dishes. They are our meat holiday dishes. So, please…. For Chanukah I have my blue tablecloth. At least one Chanukiyyah/Menorah is out as a centerpiece. I use fairy lights, shiny dreidels and gold foil wrapped gelt/coins scattered about. This Shabbat, I’ll combine my white and gold dishes with the blue for a more festive feel.

    Last week I sent John to the store to get a few things. One item on the list was fresh ginger. He returned with this:

    O.K. I can’t blame him. It does look like ginger. But what the heck are these knobby things? Turns out they are Jerusalem artichokes, or what we called Sunchokes back in California. Actually here they are called tapuah Yerushalmi, or Jerusalem potatoes. They are not potatoes, and I don’t think they grow in Jerusalem, at least I’ve never seen any in the ground there, but…what to do with them???? I can’t believe I actually came up with this recipe, but it was the best, silkiest, richest, most decadent soup!!!! Please, try this one sometime this winter. You must. You won’t regret it. It’s dairy, but you can use plant-based milk if you want to keep it vegan. We always have one complete dairy day during Chanukah to commemorate the heroine, Judith. She vanquished the Seleucid army by plying their general, Holofernes, with warm milk, honey, cheese and wine until he fell into a stupor. Then she cut off his head. When the army saw her come out of his tent holding the head of their top general, they all fled. (Did you know that after the Madonna paintings this is the most widely represented piece of art in both sculpture and oil painting? Botticelli, Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Donatello, Artemesia Gentilleschi and Gustav Klimt to name but a few). Now for the recipe:

    Jerusalem Artichoke & Chestnut Soup

    Ingredients :

    • 1 leek, sliced thinly, white part only
    • 3 medium white or yellow carrots, peeled, cut in chunks
    • 4 cups sunchokes, peeled & cut into chunks
    • 2 cups (4 100gram pre-packaged) roasted chestnuts
    • 5 cups water or veggie broth
    • 2 veggie boullion cubes, if not using broth
    • 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
    • 1 large sprig (5-7 leaves) fresh sage, plus some for garnish
    • Sea salt, pepper
    • 1 cup milk or half and half (can use Rich’s large milk or cream substitute or plant milk)

    Sauté leek slices in bottom of heavy pot. When translucent, add veggie chunks and water or vegetable stock, herbs, and spices. Bring to a gentle boil, then let simmer about 30 minutes or until vegetables become tender. Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until the consistency is silky smooth. It will be on the thick side. Add the milk or milk substitute. Serve hot with a garnish of chestnuts and a sprig or two of rosemary or sage.

    Yes, I shall serve the French brisket and techineh cookies from my last blogpost on the last night of Chanukah, which is also Christmas. Hans and James, you will be well taken care of. Friday night Shabbat, we will have turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potato latkes. I’ll do regular potato latkes and applesauce on Sunday. But as an appetizer for both evenings, I shall serve these amazing Levantine meatballs with Whisky Fig Old Fashions as a cocktail. I’m calling them Levantine because they have claim not just by the Israeli, but also the Lebanese or Moroccan or Persian or Syrian. In any case, they are decidedly Middle Eastern and incredibly delicious – and easy to make. You can serve them as a main dish over rice with a green vegetable on the side. I will give each guest a small plate of four meatballs with toothpicks to enjoy before the festive meal gets underway.

    Levantine Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze

    • makes 30 ping-pong sized meatballs

    Ingredients:

    For the meatballs-

    • Large red/purple onion peeled and chopped fine, reserving 1/4 cup for glaze
    • 1 pound ground lamb (if you can’t find lamb, substitute beef, but seriously try to get lamb)
    • 2 eggs
    • 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
    • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
    • 2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp coriander, ground
    • 1 1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
    • 1/2 cup bulgur wheat (burgil)

    For the glaze-

    • 1/4 cup red/purple onion, reserved from above
    • 1 cup pomegranate syrup (found in MidEast stores) or pomegranate concentrate
    • 3 Tbsp honey
    • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tsp baharat (mixture of allspice, cumin, black pepper, ground cloves, salt, ground cinnamon)

    The first thing is to cook the glaze while all else is getting ready. In a small saucepan, add in all above ingredients for glaze. Heat over medium heat until just before a boil sets in. Then turn down heat to low and simmer while meatballs are prepared. The volume of the sauce will be reduced.

    Place uncooked bulgur in a medium bowl. Pour about 1cup (or a little more) boiling water over top and let sit. In a large bowl, combine ground lamb, onion, chopped herbs, eggs and spices. When bulgur has puffed up and absorbed the liquid, drain well with a colander. Add grain to meat mixture and mush together all the ingredients with your hands. In a large skillet, heat up a bit of olive oil until hot and shimmery. Form meat into ping pong sized balls and add to skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish. Pour reserved pomegranate glaze over top. Finish cooking by baking 20 minutes in a 350*F/170*C oven. To serve, pour a bit of the glaze over meatballs and garnish with pomegranate arils and mint leaves.

    My last recipe can be served as a hearty lunch or as a side dish. It’s pareveh, which in Kosher talk means it’s neither meat or dairy: it’s a neutral food that can be served with everything. It, too, uses bulgur, which really is a staple food here. I figure, why leave you with an open bag of bulgur, which you might not use up, so here’s another healthy, hearty dish (served cold or at room temperature). And yes, I brought back 3 bottles of Brianna’s dressing with me. Go figure-

    Harvest Bulgur Salad

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup uncooked bulgar wheat
    • 3 cups boiling water
    • 1 medium orange sweet potato
    • 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped fine
    • 1 avocado, medium ripe, diced
    • 1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
    • 2 red gala apples, diced
    • 1/3 cup Brianna’s Blush Wine vinaigrette dressing (or recipe below)

    Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Bake the sweet potato until just tender (20-30 minutes depending on size). Don’t overtake! In large bowl, pour boiling water over bulgur. Let stand about 30 minutes to puff up and absorb the water. Drain very well using a large colander. Transfer bulgur to large bowl. Peel and diced baked sweet potato. Add in chopped onion, avocado, apple and sweet potato cubes. Add in dried fruit. Mix gently just to combine. Toss with Brianna’s dressing or with dressing recipe given below.

    Vinaigrette: mix well following ingredients-

    • 1/3 cup sunflower or canola (or avocado or pumpkinseed oil)
    • 1/4 cup sweet blush or white wine
    • 1/4 cup champagne or white wine or forest fruit vinegar
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1 Tbsp honey
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 tsp allspice
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
    • juice of 1/4 onion (hack: use a garlic press to squeeze out onion juice!) and reserved pulp

    Combine above ingredients. Using funnel, pour into nice bottle. Cap. Shake well before using.

    And to all my readers out there in Blogland-