T'was an early start to the day. The plan was for us to join in the early morning harvesting of grapes but that ended too early at 5.30am so we missed it. However, we still made it through a series of bumps and dirt road to the vineyards and Tabor Winery, where I had my life's first wine and cheese for breakfast. :)
But that only came after a visit to the vineyard. Michal, a 15-year veteran viticulturalist, emphasized the use of technology in Israel's agriculture sector and gave us an introduction into the 15 grape varieties produced there.
Vineyard:
According to Israeli law, grapes cannot be harvested for the first 3 years so the 5-year old vineyard is harvesting some grapes varieties for the very first time! They also need a suitable diurnal range (15 deg Celsius here) and are experimenting with many varieties.
Tabor Winery:
We then drove through the dirt road to Tabor Winery, one of the largest producers of wine in Israel (now owned by Coca-Cola). In order to produce Kosher wine (read more about what makes food Kosher here), only Orthodox Jews are allowed to touch the equipment so all of us had to be extra careful not to step on even the thin wires along the floor. We can only touch the bottle after it is corked. :)
There are 20 different wines produced here and we got a chance to taste 5 of them.
2011 Sauvignon Blanc - their flagship wine
Petite Syrah
Syrah Cabernet - very young, only bottled 2.5 months ago
Pure Cabernet
Pomegranate wine - from pomegranates, not grapes - and one of my favorites!
#1: Mahne Yehuda market Food markets have always been "my thing". In any country/ city that I visit, I'd always like to check out their local markets to get an instant feel of their local produce, prices and spices. I think it's one of the best ways to quickly get acquainted with a place's culture. So I was super (x10) excited when the morning came for us to visit the Mahne Yehuda market in Jerusalem with our food guide, Tamar. Our first stop was to see freshly baked Ashtanur (flat bread) bread from the Ashtanur Bakery (125 Agripas Street). Ash = "life", Tanur = "oven" so this translates to life from the oven as the oven gives life to bread, and the bread gives life to us. This bakery still does stuff the uber traditional way and I got a chance to make my life's first bread from scratch!! The bread keeps for 6 months and was what pilgrims etc. used to eat while they walked for months.
Boy, that oven was soooooooooooo hot, the first time I slapped my dough into the oven, I pulled out too quickly and the dough fell into the blazing abyss. My 2nd try produced the bread that I'm holding here :)
We were then brought to The Natural Choice(111 Agripas Street) where we were introduced to the new wave of organic food that is rising in popularity in Israel. This is a bakery that only uses organic and natural ingredients and is so popular, they often have pre-ordered boxes of Kosher breads and pastries to be shipped to parties in New York! Also available are gluten-free, sugar-free, spelt (low in gluten, high in protein) and preservative-free products. :)
For me, the highlight of the tour really began when we entered the heart of the market. First stop: a booth owned by The Etrog Man, a vendor, inventor, farmer, healer and spiritual advisor. Uzi-Eli Chezi is one of the most famous faces in Mahne Yehuda market. He claims that his Etrog-based juice, soaps and creams can cure any ill, O_O including helping a woman become pregnant, having an easy delivery, an abundance of breast milk, improved masculine virility and smooth cardiac function etc.
[Bottom left: Inhaling Etrog with Paco; Bottom right: Leslie getting 'blessed' by the Etrog Man]
Our tour started with him telling us the tragic story about his pet goat and all that remains of it, the goat's horns (which he now uses to bless people, see Leslie above!). The long story short is that he used to suckle milk directly from the teat of the family goat, which was then killed and eaten when the family decided to migrate from Yemen to Israel in 1948 when Israel became independent.
Amongst the citrus mists of Etrog and creams purporting to give you youth and baby-like skin, were lots of laughter and amusement. He even gave us a short demonstration on How To Be Happy - JUST LAUGH!!! as he started bellowing in laughter. It was pretty crazy. O_O
The fruit I'm holding is the famous Etrog, the yellow citron!
He then asked me to draw anything - and based on that, my future was deciphered. (lol) - He said that I'm a girl whose mouth and heart are one (in sync) and that I'm living the present and reality. I need to be free and independent in everything I do and to create. I love a warm and loving house, my home is my shrine and I am an excellent cook (lol, all the food bloggers are!). And finally, that if the universe is going to test me in my pursuits, it's like a highway with stops and I just have to press on, demonstrate desire and succeed.
Next up - to the cheese shop!! There are more than >1000 cheeses here! and is rated #5 in the world for variety. Also available are obviously Kosher cheeses which must be made according to Jewish law. Don't miss the Swiss Gruyere (2 years aging) and the Holland Gouda (green pesto). My favorite was the 12-year old gouda, one of the oldest cheeses in the world that tastes remarkably like toffee!
I was amazed by the red and green cheeses - which's basically paprika and pesto cheese! ^_^
The vibrant, colourful market sells everything from fruits and vegetables to spices, cheese, meat, fish, clothes, bread, coffee and sweets.
That's Paco eating Helva Kingdom's fruit leather! :)
My all-time favourite Middle Eastern sweet is Helva (a sweet made from Tahini- white sesame) so just imagine my excitement when I saw rows after rows of crumbly helva at the Helva Kingdom! Man, I would totally name it Helva HEAVEN!!!! :) Now I've seen plenty of helva throughout my travel in the Middle East, but to see soooooooooooooooo many varieties all at once (cherry, coffee, expresso, chocolate etc.) was a first!
[Top: Helva, Bottom: Kugel]
We also got introduced to the Kugel, which is a baked Ashkenazi Jewishcasserole, commonly made from egg noodles, eggs, caramelized sugar and black pepper which is usually served as a side dish on Shabbat. Again, this reminded us that food represents tradition, and that Israeli food is really a blend of different cultures brought in by the Jewish diaspora.
Concluding thoughts: Mahne Yehuda currently has 450 stall vendors and in some ways, faces the pressures to remain an authentic market as summer festivals and swanky coffee houses slowly make their way in. Let's hope the market continues to keep its roots (pun intended :p), fruits and vegetables, seasonal produce, fresh herbs and olive oil and continue to keep locals and visitors alike enthralled. :)
Top Tips:
1) Buy a Mahne Yehuda tasting card for only NIS 99 that allows you to hop from one vendor to the other.
2) For a self-navigated tour of the colourful market, this is a good place to start.
Lunch at the nearby Iraqi market before trip to the Dead Sea:
Grabbed lunch at Morduch (Agripas 70), opened since 1982 and considered one of the best places in Israel for Kubbeh. Specialities here include kubbeh - fried, or cooked in 3 various soups.
Kubbeh (Kibbeh) is a traditional Iraqi Jewish food made of bulgur wheat and stuffed with minced onions and ground red meat (usually beef, lamb or goat). The best known type is shaped like a torpedo (first picture below) but can be made into spheres or patties, baked or broiled in broth (like the soups shown below).
Fried Kubbeh; Kubbeh Hamousta in yellow chamutzta soup which is sour from the abundance of chard; Marak Kubbeh Adom - literally means "red kubbeh soup" from the sweet red beet broth
The 3rd soup is not shown here but it's Kubbeh Shel Pa'am - which is very similar to Kubbeh Hamousta but with the addition of copious amounts of garlic.
Foodprinted on 5 September 2012, Wednesday #2: Souk Ha Carmel marketplace
One of the5 marketswe would visit during the Taste of Israel Adventure was Tel Aviv's Carmel market, also known as Souk Ha Carmel. It's part flea market (like our Pasar Malam), with vendors selling clothes, souvenirs, cosmetics, cigarettes etc. and part food market with fresh and dried fruits, exotic spices, local olive oil, fresh meat, fish and poultry, imported cheeses, helva and baklava etc. One interesting fruit I notice everywhere is Pomegranates! I hadn't known about the religious significance of pomegranates up till this trip. The pomegranate has been mentioned in many ancient texts, notably the Book of Exodus, the Homeric Hymns and the Quran.
To the Jews, the pomegranate is a symbol of righteousness because it is said to have 613 seeds, which corresponds with the 613 mitzvot, or commandments/ good deeds, of the Torah (Jewish bible). This is why pomegranates are eaten on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year) to wish for good deeds and a year as plentiful with goodness as the seeds of the pomegranate. The pomegranate also represents fruitfulness, knowledge, learning and wisdom. Interestingly, many Jewish scholars also believe that the pomegranate was the "forbidden fruit" of the Garden of Eden.
To the Christians, the pomegranate is a symbol of the resurrection and the hope of eternal life. Because of its abundance of seeds, it also symbolizes royalty and the church, where the seeds represent the many believers who make up one universal church. To the Chinese, it symbolizes wealth and many sons.
Verdict: Souk Ha Carmel is rather small, unexciting and pales starkly in comparison to Mahne Yehuda. But I bought my life's first date juice and fig juiceand OMG, they are SUPER AMAZING!!!!! ^_^ and that alone, is worth the trip. :)
Foodprinted on 6 September 2012, Thursday #3: Old city of Jaffa - the new port marketplace and local tastings The Jaffa port is known in biblical lore as the site of Jonah's unfortunate swallowing by a whale, but in modern times it is better known as a hotspot of avant-garde art, cutting-edge restaurants, and now, a brand-spanking new market that aims to satisfy the hungriest of shoppers. Oh, and it's air-conditioned too (!!!), a respite from the heat of the Middle East.
Hayarok (The Green) features organic produce, mostly sourced from villages in Central Israel. I got the idea of putting coconut oil into my vegetable blends from them, and bought some chia seeds and chlorophyll too!
Port 19 features fine sausages, from charcutier Alan talmor, complete with picked cabbage and mustard. Yum! :-)
Jaffa Juice offers refreshing, freshly squeezed seasonal fruit juice (orange, lemonade, grapefruit, beetroot, carrot, pomegranate, lemon-ginger, rimonana- pomegranate and nana mint) to quench parched shoppers' throats, especially with its ultra good location right at the door leading to the sunny riverside port.
Knafeh at the Port: I had the best Knafeh, a traditional Arab cheese pastry soaked in sweet syrup in Nablus, Palestine where it originates from. But this one at Jaffa, made by Danny Phillips and Mati Zadok comes pretty close. It resembles a nest of ultra fine strings of noodles, spread with soft cheese and topped with more pastry. Often, crushed green pistachios adorn the top to garnish (see pic below).
Hummus Abu Ismail is opened by two brothers from the Hummus Younis shop on Tel Aviv's Ibn Gvirol Blvd. I was largely of the view that all hummuses taste the same, and you can't really go wrong with them. But whoaaaaa, the hummus here is actually really, really smooth and good!! Apparently the secret is in blending the chickpeas with ice. :) They sell hummus with toppings like ful (fava beans), masbaha (hummus with tahini), hummus with ground meat and also falafel, labaneh (yogurt cheese) and homemade pickled veggies.
Zilber Deli bar is a sandwich shop using Zilber sausages from the Zilber meat factory that specializes in non-kosher salami since 1938. We got to sample the roast beef, corned beef, chicken breast, proscuitto, ham, bacon...mmmmmmm, I like! :)
There are also boutique chocolate shops, spice shops, more helva stalls (!!!), wine shops, fancy kitchen gadgets store and a tapas bar to name a few of the interesting things in the market. I think it's well worth a visit for something different before it starts getting popular with the crowds!
There are 5 markets we visited in total. Read about#4 marketin Nazareth here and #5 market in Old Jerusalem.
After Nazareth, we drove to Ein Kamonim agricultural farm in the Lower Galilee - which was my life's first visit to a goat farm!!! Imagine my excitement, okay - now multiply it by 100x! :)
OMGGGGG...Look at how much milk the goats are carrying! That must hurt! Thankfully they are milked twice a day :)
Ein Kamonim has the largest herd of Alpine goats in Israel (1000 of them!) after a discovering a breed of Alpine goats that produce 1000 liters of milk as opposed to the 140 liters produced by goats native to Israel. 600 were kept in the farm, while 400 were allowed to roam freely in the mountains as apparently the latter produces a better quality of milk.
Did you know that the quantity of milk produced was as such? : Cow milk > Goat milk > Sheep milk.
Ein Kamonim is also one of the first dairies in Israel to produce boutique cheeses onsite. Hard cheeses take 3 years to mature, whereas fresh cheeses can be enjoyed all year round. Cheeses (especially white cheeses) are very popular in Israel, especially at breakfast and this is partly because Kosher lawstates that meat has to be eaten separately from dairy. So cheese becomes a convenient substitute source for (meat) protein at breakfast.
Goat cheese tasting (feta, spanish, paprika, herbs - bay leaves, hagalil flagship cheese, old cheese - very strong and spicy, mustard -grey mould, lactid cheese - dripping with water, very fresh!) , and Goat milk Yogurt! (pretty nice actually, I was expecting a much stronger taste)
For desserts (and to clean our palette), we were served an assortment of divine homemade icecream - passionfruit, raspberry, strawberry, grapefruit and coconut.
They actually have arestaurant there where they've been serving the same delights (homemade goat cheeses and olive oils) for 30 years! For 88NIS, you could get a full meal complete with cheese tasting and wine, and for 57NIS, you could get a full breakfast. Don't miss it! :)
After a super long day (being only Day 2 of Taste of Israel!), I got the biggest surprise ever! We were brought to the Sea of Galilee (which felt more like a serene lake) where under the bright moonlight, an absolutely divine Poyke dinner awaited us. Poyke is essentially a stew prepared outdoors in a big cast iron pot that is of South African origin. Anything could go in there, and in the past, new bones replaced old ones and fresh meat replaced meat eaten on a daily basis.
It was a beautiful, dreamy evening with fellowship, food and fun. (oh, and shisha/ hookah too!)
When asked why the Poyke was chosen, Boaz (the organizer) said, "It really symbolized Israeli culture more than anything else on the tour. Not only is it an Israeli tradition, but it represents the melting pot of Israeli society. It is made with so many random ingredients that no one would ever expect it to blend together, but it always ends with something very tasty."That, I 100% AGREE!
Day 2 of Taste of Israel took us to Nazareth, a place that's special for me as it's the hometown of Jesus of Nazareth. I've felt God leading me closer to Him this entire summer and it's pretty amazing when I think about how I went from Bethlehemin Pennsylvania, USA to Bethlehem in Israel/ Palestine to Bethlehem (Belem) in Lisbon, Portugal all within the span of 2 months.
We first visited the Basilica of the Announciation, the largest Christian sanctuary in the Middle East. The current church was constructed in 1969 over the site of an earlier Byzantine and Crusader era church, and was where the Annunciation of Mary (Mother of Jesus) took place.
The first shrine was built in 427 AD, comprising an altar in the cave where Mary had lived but a larger structure was commissioned by Emperor Constantine 1, who had directed his mother, Saint Helena, to found churches commemorating important events in Jesus's life.
The lower of the two-storey church (Grotto of the Annunciation) was believed to be the original childhood home of Mary(Mother of Jesus) and where the angelic announcement occurred.
Throughout the basilica were mosaic murals of Virgin Mary (typical of Byzantine art) donated by every country in the world with a catholic community. It was really interesting to see the influences of cultures in these art, as evident by the Japanese portrayal of Mary and Jesus in one of the murals above.
After the church visit, we were brought on a culinary and spice tour of Nazareth.
The first stop wasDewan Alsaraya Restarantwhere we were introduced to Qatayef, a small pancake that is folded and stuffed with unsalted goat's cheese or with walnuts and cinnamon. It is then dried and soaked in syrup.
Qatayef is the dessert most closely identified with Ramadan (the holy month in which Muslims fast) and it usually ends the iftar (breaking the fast) meal enjoyed together by families each evening during sunset. During Ramadan, Abu Ashraf (owner) would single-handedly make 150kg of these pancakes A DAY. That's like thousands and thousands of Qatayefs!
Besides Qatayefs, try the Arabic coffee that Abu Ashraf makes - the taste of Cardamon is awesome!
Abu Ashraf (pictured) has been serving his famous Qatayefs to locals and well-informed tourists and by famous, I mean famous - he had loads of Lonely planets, culinary guides and documentaries to show us when we visited. :) But I think the real gem is the man himself. He was so passionate about Qatayefs, he said that when he dies, he hopes that it's while he's making Qatayefs. (!!!)
Our next stop was a hummus/ falafel joint that opened just 2.5 weeks ago:
Hummus(one of my fave foods!) - boiled chickpeas (best if soaked overnight) which are mashed and blended with Tahini (white sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It actually originates in Egypt but is now common in the Middle East.
Falafel (I don't like it that much cos' it's usually dry and oily) - deep-fried ball made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Again, this originates in Egypt and is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket and are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce and drizzled with tahini-based sauces.
[Top left: Hummus, Bottom right: Falafel]
We were also brought to theFauzi Azar Inn, a 200-year-old Arab mansion turned guest house in the heart of the Souq (market) in the Old City. Hailed by Lonely Planet as "one of the highlights of a stay in the Galilee", it's also a base for touring the Galilee and the famous 65km Jesus Trail from Nazareth to Capernaum.
Suraida Azar, one of the descendants of the Azar family (reowned as one of the richest and most powerful families in the Galilee), gave us a tour of the building. The Fauzi is a three-story building built in the 18th century which incorporated a 6m high, hand-painted ceiling (pictured), a Turkish marble floor, a magnificent main living area with panoramic views and a courtyard decorated with elegant limestone arches. The architecture is so beautiful that even Tony Blairvisited it in 2011!
Beautiful ceilings and an introduction by current owner, Suraida Azar.
Next up was a visit to the Galilee Mill, El Babour, a spice mill with more than 1000 kinds of spices and medicinal herbs, and a place that speaks of Nazareth's commercial past. It was built at the end of the 19th century and provided grinding and storage for the city's farmers. When the British arrived, the Germans left and modern grinding machines from Europe were imported. The spice mill has been run for three generations by the Kanaza family, and we got to meet Tony (pictured), the friendly owner, who gave us not just an interesting tour (he spoke of how his grandfather used to grind special flour with protein for the British soldiers), but spices to bring home!
I loved how the spices, grains, nuts and fried fruits of all kinds were still bulging out from sacks lined along the floor like the good old days!
[Top: All 6 bloggers, Taste of Israel team & Staff at El Babour; Bottom: Spices!]
Oh! And I learned something new. ALERT: I initially thought the bright orange spice on the floor was Saffron, which is worth its weight in gold (literally!) and was appalled at how they left such treasure on the floor unattended. But I later learned that this was Safflower (locals call it Zaffron) (more related to Sunflower), not Saffron - so make sure you know what you're paying for! Seems like there's been many cases of Safflower posing successfully as (fake) Saffron in the Middle East!
Of the many things that left an impression on me in Israel, the deepest would be the observation of Sabbath. Which actually begins on a Friday evening and ends on Saturday evening, contrary to our typical Sabbath Sunday.
I arrived in Israel on 31 Aug (Friday) and to my surprise, everything started coming to a halt by late afternoon. The restaurant that Lior took me to started to empty out at around 3.30pm and we were one of the last to leave. As we exited, I noticed that every other shop in the mall was already closed, and the entire mall and its surroundings felt strangely quiet.
I was *delighted* to have a giant pistachio macaroon with raspberries and seared tuna mixed salad - a refreshing break from the typical Middle Eastern food I've been having for the last month.
Lior told me to have something light as we'll be having a big feast at his house, as was typical for Sabbath. Apparently *EVERYONE* in Israel goes home for dinner on Friday, so you can forget about meeting your friends, boyfriends, girlfriends... that's just the way it is. I personally found that really awesome.
[Clockwise]: 1. Challah - Jewish braided bread; 2. Chicken stuffed with Bacon; 3. Roast beef; 4. Salmon; 5. Potato pie with meat stuffing
Challah (also hallah) is a special Jewish braided bread eaten on Sabbath and holidays. According to Jewish tradition, the three Sabbath meals (Friday night, Sat lunch & Sun late afternoon) and two holiday meals (one at night and lunch the next day) each begin with two complete loaves of bread.
This "double loaf" (in Hebrew: lechem mishneh) commemorates the manna that fell from the heavens when the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years after the Exodus from Egypt. The manna did not fall on Sabbath or holidays; instead, a double portion would fall the day before. Each single loaf is woven with six strands, so together, both loaves have twelve which represent each tribe of Israel.
Foodprinted on 31 September 2012, Friday
Interestingly, my last day in Israel was exactly one week later - which was again, a Friday. With everything shutting down (including the public transport system), Boaz generously invited us to his house - where I get a privileged taste of Sabbath Friday with another Israeli family.
Notice the lighting of the the Sabbath candles (and the Challah braided bread!). This is done on Friday nights to usher in the Sabbath by the woman of the household (in this case, Boaz's mother). After lighting the candles, the woman waves her hands over them, covers her eyes, and recites a blessing.
It is a tradition to light two candles for the two important Biblical references to Sabbath: "Remember the Sabbath" (Exodus 20:8) and "Observe the Sabbath" (Deuteronomy 5:12). Besides honoring Sabbath, there's the dual purpose of creating domestic tranquility (shalom bayit).
Boaz's dad makes some incredible delicious stuffed figs with his special (secret recipe) sauce and cheese!!!
But Boaz parents' had something to see to, so after we started Sabbath together, Boaz took Leslie and I to a pretty cool restaurant for dinner (restaurants/ cafes and hospitals are just about the only places open).
[Clockwise]: 1. Seafood served with rice; 2. Goat cheese ravioli in sage butter, toasted almonds, sprouts and saint-mor cheese; 3. Chilli chicken; 4. Boaz, his friend, Leslie & I!; 5. Apple tart with icecream; 6.Cheesecake
The time with Lior and Boaz's family touched me greatly, and I'm inspired to start Family Friday - getting the entire family to spend Friday evening together - once I get home. :)
What Taste of Israel is about: Taste of Israelis organized by a group of students representing Stand With Us, a non-profit dedicated to Israel advocacy and education. The goal is to combat extremism, anti-Semitism and promote peace in the Middle East.
Every year, each new batch of student leaders take on a new project to help shape Israel's image abroad. This year, the winning idea was to use food, which readily connects with people all over the world, as the way to introduce Israel. I thought it was a brilliant idea as food not only reflects a culture's past, it also reflects how people view their lives.
6 food bloggers from different parts of the world were invited to Israel to experience their gastronomic adventure of a lifetime!
Top: Taste of Israel student organizers, Bottom: The 6 food bloggers! [From L-R: Paco, Leslie, Carey, Joelen, Me, Amy]
My fellow bloggers:
Participants of this 5-day gastronomic adventure were chosen based on the popularity and quality of their blogs and had to have a minimum of 100,000 followers. My fellow bloggers included CareyJones (NYC) of Serious Eats, AmySherman (SF) of cookingwithamy.com, Joelen(Chicago) of whatscookinchicago.com, Paco (Spain) - the Futuro Bloguero of lazyblog.net/ and my comrade, Leslie Tay (Singapore) of ieatishootipost.sg.
Well my newest blog obviously doesn't have 100,000 followers but how about the same amount of friends? (lol) Being both an avid traveller and foodie, I was invited to be part of the group via a serendipitous encounter in the U.S so there! I was to cover the trip from a travel & food angle! :)
I didn't know what to expect since I had no itinerary (Let go, Let flow! is the new mantra) and the closest I've gotten to anything Jewish are the Israeli global villagers I know, 2 Jewish friends and Kosher salt. But whoa, boy was I in for an adventure! :) The amazing welcome dinner at Liliyot:
I met the other bloggers over a welcome dinner at Liliyot, a unique restaurant that integrates social project into its activities (the first of its kind in Israel). It provides youth at risk/ high school drop-outs with culinary training and offers them the prospect of a career in the food services industry. That's it, that's what business is about - creating value and impacting lives.
The Liliyot Restaurant is owned by the Liliyot Group, a group of entrepreneurs who believe that allowing people to earn their living honorably while learning life skills is the way to create real change. The group also owns Liliyot Bakery and Liliyot Bistro.
[Bottom L-R] 1. Crispy rice “Bird’s nest” with salmon roe and asparagus; 2. Eggplant steak with roasted mushrooms, greens and sweet pea puree
This is my first time having a gastronomic adventure of Kosher food and I must say that Liliyot presents the modern Israeli kosher kitchen at its best, with the highest quality ingredients of meat, fresh fish and vegetables and fine olive oil, adorned with beautiful presentation.
The Starters:
[Clockwise] 1. Veal and leek tortellini in a shitake and beef fumet; 2. Salmon sashimi with cucumber and melon relish, soy pudding and herbs; 3. Sirloin tataki with roasted pumpkin, lemon cream and cucumber-tapioca relish; 4. Chef taking time off to sit with us, talk and gather feedback
Meats & Fish:
[Clockwise] 1. Grilled chicken liver with bananas, vanilla caramel, parsley and rice curls; 2. Salmon sashimi with cucumber and melon relish, soy pudding and herbs; 3. Mediterranean sea bream on red; 4. Grilled rib-eye steak with carrots, asparagus and “butter” potatoes.
Desserts!
[Clockwise] 1. Chocolate, nougat and espresso crunch with bitter chocolate sorbet; 2. Fresh fruit sorbet home made at Liliyot; 3. Italian zabaglione on “forgotten cookie” with seasonal sour fruit
The amazing feast coupled with friendly, attentive service with a strong social cause warrants a visit!
Amazing hospitality
Back at the hotel, I was amazed by the generosity of Taste of Israel's hospitality. I got a suite with fresh fruits, dates, cookies, wine and sparkling water laid out in front of me in the living room just as I entered. This alone would be quite a feast after traveling through the Middle East for the past month!
The suite also enjoyed a panoramic view of the ocean (I love water! - oceans, lakes, streams) and I was instantly reminded of my life back in Santa Monica. I had chosen to live a few blocks from the famous beach to experience the joys from the ocean that I wouldn't be able to get back home.
Naturally, I couldn't resist hitting the beach, walking on the fine sands, soaking in the sun and the fun/ life/ energy that was abound. The broad boardwalk and long beaches really reminded me of Santa Monica, USA where I had spent a few years working. Ahhhhhhhhhh, memories...
