Lior

sneak peaks far right areleaves from my cereus plant and now I am off to the market!

So the gluten free pita has corn starch, potato starch, rice flour, gluten free stabilizer, salt, sugar and yeast. A basic yellow cheese here costs appr. 10$ for a kilo (2.2pounds) A fancier one is 14$ a kilo. I just bought 10 thighs and legs of chicken (the leg with the triangle part) for about 20$. Is this expensive or not? up close paving pictures:

Those are Persimmons. What a lovely idea to put a tomato in a bowl, one, for beauty! You guys have such amazing ideas and ways of expression! And thanks to everyone for the blog and chocolate compliments- I always feel, hmmmm, should I expose this or that? And then I get all these kind words. What a group!! tomatoes: Shawarma stand: I eat the pitas all the time. Ikeep them frozen and zap when I need one. They are muchbetter when eaten right away. I will go down to llok at the ingreds. Next to it is a gluten free bagella. kbjesq- thanks for supporting my mom qualities! How true and kind!!! I recall the supers there being huge and with an amazing variety of products!! And Rebeccal263, your gorgeous-so I heard- daughter is welcome. My son may be in the states in Aug to travel before going to univ!! As most post military kids do here! They start univ so late here- the usual is 22-23, some even later. I will go check prices now and ingreds!!

Thanks! Here are some chocolate pics. The ones of my basement chocoalte kitchen are from a few months ago. It is now messy and cluttered!! I gotta organize!!: Going down to the lab: me holding a shelf please don't notice all the imperfections!! my light! Those are palet d'or 70% guanaja from Valrhona. They tasted better than they looked...

Thanks! Today was 15 C considered cold. Tomorrow should warm up a bit. We had a few unusual cold spells lately, it went down to 10C here! But usually it is around 17-20 C

Now back to the supermarket. Olives like their oil, are very popular here! You are allowed to pick one to taste- I know this sounds awful- butwe are in the mideast!! At the dairy deli: Goat and sheep cheeses: Halvahs: Haman's ears for Purim holiday: Gluten free pita Typical salads: dried fruits Spreads such as organic almond butter,date spread or syrup, fig spread etrog spread (citron?).. Next we will visit the bakery!! Not a fancy cake one, just the popular one that carries rolls, burekas, croissants, rogelach etc. They were all excited and took the url to check out their bakery. They couldn't understand why they deseerved to be on the internet. And on Friday morning we will visit a Yemenite shop to buy yemenite breads for the Shabbat meal. You are all invited to share shabbat. Typically on Friday morning the university kids come home, sometimes the soldiers, and they are all excited to see each other, eat good food - whether religious or not. Here is a picture from last shabbat- we were a small group This friday we are at my in laws.

I usually buy vegies rom the green grocer, which is next to Eli's mini market. The owner and her husband are religious, therefore she has her hair covered. This is a mixed neighborhood- religious, secular, poor, middleclass and rich all live in quite close range. We always leave dry bread out by the garbage can -taboo to throwout bread. It always gets picked up. In fact I will be giving a workshop with chocolate to a group of disadvantaged kids next week. Sad but true. But have no fear, shouk day is near...

Erev Tov-good evening!! I will get bamba0peanut chip snacks and other typical things like the soup almonds to show and explain-with pleasure!! I have not yet met a kid that doesn't like bamba and about peanut allergy? Never met one yet! I have an up close of the olive branch paving and tomorrow I will get the Hamsa and a close up of the others. Thanks for all the compliments! a bit muddy-it rained yesterday... and snowed in Jerusalem and a few other areas- right side is Jerusalem left is a kibbutz: I am amazed at the lunches being similar with others and same containers!!! I thought they were Israeli containers!!! How fascinating thatwe aredoing the same thing oceans apart!! And likewise with my jar and your mom's cups!! Snow and aromas of perculated coffee?? I want some!! It sounds so comforting and cozy!! My huge garden of Eden bears huge garden of Eden flowers, and I have variousherbs growing but no fruit! I want to do fruit though! Rachel your daughter is welcome!! Our coffee is very simple. Boil a huge teaspoon of it in a small pot- we use a finjan-I'll get a picture lateron, sugar as you like, hawaiijfor coffee as you like, add water per cup and boil until it starts foaming up and there is a strong aroma, pour into cup, wait a bit for the mud to settle and drink! You can even add boiled milk to top it off. I also love fruit in my dishes! My favorite is rice with cardoman, black raisins and roasted nuts! We use olive oil in everything unless I make a deep fried dish like french fries. On salads, to fry eggs, to dip pita in-and then dip in za'atar,in Tehina, in Humous and even to take care of very dry skin!! It is the best! Little one's dinner: and a rather big treat-with TV!! Bad mom!! And I even allowed Nutella first!! Instead of cottage!! Usually cottage is first!

Here is the Issis. It is beans such as small fava beans, black eyed peas and other tiny tiny beans, spiced with a mixed spice called khawaiij. This consists of cumin, coriander ground, salt, cardamon and pepper. Then all is cooked 12 hours at night in the oven. Hawaiij also goes into black "mud" coffee, otherwise known as Turkish coffee, but this has some ginger in too. Hawaiij: Issis: a beautiful hand made Yemite basket: sneak peak: back entrance. My paving has all the traditional symbols, I did not photo all-will get to that later: fish- good luck, pommegranate-may we do good deeds like the number of seeds in the fruit and the ancient high priests had them embroidered on the cloaks according to very specific directions in the bible. I also have an olive branch and a KHamsa- a hand for good luck also!

Hi again. Some pictures of my daughter's school lunches. Here the kids have a 9:45 mid morning breakfast/snack at all schools. Schools that end late also have a lunch break, as in my daughter's school. Kids go to school 6 days a week so most schools finish at 12:45, 1:30 and some days 2:15. Every day is different. Our school is till 3:30 and On Fridays till 12:15. mid morning snack: [

Quick early morning replies. First not all those are forrice although many are. Yes one of those WAS CAJUN!! Hilbeh or fenugreek is used by the Yemenites mostly. It is soaked in water till it expandes andthen mixed into this weird wobbly jelly like consistency. It is always eaten with "yellow" chicken soup-yellow from different yellow spices seen above. A salad bowl of Hikbeh is placed on the table and then people scoop from hereinto smaller bowls near their plate. As desired, a tablespoon of Hilbeh is dumped into the soup, eaten with the soup andthen again another tablespoon is added. It is great for the heart. The problem is that sometimes you can smell it in the bathroom after you urinate (bleckh). My mother in law claims that with her one can NEVER smell anything...!! Pereg, by the way, means poppy seed! And by the way, the shuk is noisy, people yell out-"my tomatoes are best!! My tomatoes for 3 shekels a kilo! Lady!! Come I will give you the best tomatoes!!" Over food there is very little bargaining cause the prices are quite good and well, it is food, But on other items sold such as clothes there is bargaining! You offer a price and if not accepted walk away, get called back in an insulted tone and then bargain more!!

When they arehome it is a regular thing!! Yes as of late super markets have really improved!!!! Hereis one at the Dead Sea: Here is the meal before being zapped: In case you're curious, it is chicken in date syrup sauce with prunes and humous beans. Whole rice with fried onions and some white rice. And a few roasted potatoes. Good night. See you all tomorrow. I will be gone most of the day-sorry, to a chocolatier tasting and get together in Ein Vered,near Netanya, of which I will document, and from there to Jerusalem to my son in law's graduation ceremony. I will post late at night to make up for it!!

Yes! You can also cut them open and scoop out the dry stuff, powder it anduse instew, chicken dishes, rice... They are actually limes. I would cut them at least in half. There are also lighter lemons. The blacked ones are simply boiled and dried outside. The lighter ones aren't boiled: And the papricas. Morrocan paprica is mixed with oil bottom middle. Allthe reds of course are paprica:

At the supermarket! Not huge like in the states but nice anyway: Spice section: For rice: Sumac-with the scoop: Za'atar leaves (hyssop) za'atar and other north african spices ground and whole fenugreek. We will eat it with soup on Friday night! coriander and mustards Cloves and whole anise whole and ground Kurkum - Turmeric Black Persian lemons far left-anise stars

Pam I will take you to Shuk!! Check in Thursday night my time...

Tea sets: and: : wine glasses made similar to glass from ancient Roman Caesaria :

Excellent! Wow!! And super cute RIley!!!!

I toast too. So the toasted nuts get warmed up!! Ingenious!

Yes!!! Angels bakery is the same- it is the same all over Israel! I usually also buy the "black" bread!! I am glad you are traveling memory lane! It is snowing in Jerusalem! Again! Unbelievable. Yes it is Israeli to watch news!!

Racheld you are a poet!! Those are called bagella here and believe me, the kids and teens always buy them and munch on them to school. They are given the holy right of passing by all the others in line-they need to get to school on time after all!! Pam, my mother in law makes the jachnun-sorry! I can show it to you made as that is what I froze last week!! I will get the exact recipe and instructions for you-butit is devine believe me. Dina, my mom in law will make a dish tonight for the blog. Tomorrow morning bright and early I will go to photo it. It is also an all nighterin the oven, usually eaten for breakfast made of beans of different sorts-more on that tomorrow. The osem(!) jar is a soy sauce sans gluten!!! How observant! The cheeses are Israeli cottage cheese, 3% (light blue behind red yoghurt containerup above a bit), 5% (regular blue) the green is 9% and the white cheese is in the squarish container next to the green! Cottage cheese and white cheese are also basics here. White cheese is also in the 3,5,9% varieties and is sort of like a smooth cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is called just "Kotehj" here! Of course we have a shuk(market)! Thursday is shuk day. Now Sandy and then dinner: Eaten almost every evening by the family. Sometimes Lior has pancakes or toast which is what we call toasted cheese- we put pasta sauce on the bread or roll, cheese and then in the toasting cheese device and it HAS to be squashed very flat otherwise it isn't good! Salad, boiled egg, on left is cottage and on the right is Tehina, Humous and eggplant "on the fire" (the eggplant is done grilled on the range flame till black. Tehina and olive oil Tzfatit cheese 5% it also comes in 16% opened and cut: Humous: Some like to mix it all together-not me!! and the boys also like to eat burekas- here is one that fits in a dinner plate and is called Ziva. Made from puff pastry filled with soft cheese like above kind of and rolled up: Oh and about the dishes!!! Thanks!! The bottom shelf is a typical hungarian style from Hungary-when the family went on a back to roots trip with granddad. Above is an Israel Na'aman set. Iwill take a close up tonight for you! Oh! again! Yes it is from Bulgaria!! So very very observeantmy goodness!!! Do you all see my mess in the corner of photos also? And yes I will photo breakfast! News is on- and then I will return!!

Okay okay I, the vegetarian and gluten free soul will forget the bread pictures and go to a butcher for you-specially for you cause you are so nice. Now about the fish. I am having a hard time finding where to translate names!! What I found so far: St.Peters, Mullet, Denise, Sea Bass and Barbounia. The Luna does anice Barbounia. It is a spanish influenced style. It is in a 700 year old building. Even though there sight is in Hebrew you can look at top 3rd (from right) words click for some so so pics. http://www.luna-cafe.co.il/ I wasat a restaurant for lunch for my friend's birthday and another's for celebrating the birthof her grandchild: It is a tiny Italian one Stirred fried mushrooms in wine Mushroom soup: Salad smothered with grated Bulgarian Cheese: Antipasti We also had eggplant rolled up and stuffed with cheese in Pesto sauce, but I can't find the picture!! Tonight I will show you our standard suppers. Supper here is the lighter meal, whereas lunch is the main one. My sons also do a midnight meal and I have pictures of that too. Off to my daughter;s piano concert, but first: Winky mother cat: daughter cat Kitsy Sandy my golden retriever will come later!!

Hey thanks!! Market days are Wed and Thurs. I will goon Thurs to take photos for you. Askelon is a bit of a sleepy town. Lots of little cafes and dairy restaurants. Two very good ones are Nitzachon and Luna. I will post pictures and info for you later. The Luna is gorgeous as it is in an old arched building... Gotta run- car pool time for me!! I made palet d'or chocolates today will also post those! Bye and thanks-oh I will get back to you on the fish!

Every few months I try to organize this pantryand then I am sooo proud of the result- which lasts about a week or two! I am messy by nature I think!! Okay: This is only a partial few of the pantry I will take the rest later. Top left are the cereals. Israel never used to have them until about 15-20 years ago when there were a few kinds. Now there are quite a few! The box facing is is called "Shugi" an Israeli cereal-corn flakes with sugar kinda like Frosties in the States. Near the Life cereal box are two jars- concentrated fig syrup-no added sugar and likewise with pommegranates. Shelf below has a bottle of glucose syrup for my chocolates,granola bars, and a tin box from Russia that has goodies inside, like cookies etc. Next to that is a bag of pasta and then my recipe box- a homemade one rom decoupage -napkin glue art. And thanks for the pantry support!!

More pictures : Kitchen view freezer

Okay! Your daughter is welcome to visit here and stay with us! We often have guests coming and going-a place to sleep for free... My fridge died so I am using the one that was my mom in laws. It sat on the back porch with all kinds of frozen goods and when we had crowds it was great for storing extra food... Now it is in my kitchen until we decide which one to buy! Background fridge info! By the way, my mom in law is a Yemenite Jew, married to a Hungarian (holocaust survivor)! Quite unusual for their times- usually there were no "mixed" marriages!! People seem to always find reasons to separate themselves!! Ridiculous. So when at their house we have a variety of styles. Here in Israel, people are fanatic about their ethnic foods. Each country of origin has a very specific list of foods. All are great. Saturday morning we will eat Jachnun with eggs and grated tomatoes and salad. Jachnun if done right is great. It is a dough rolled into a croissant shape, put in a special baking pot with lid. Fresh eggs in their shells are also included. All bakes on very low heat all night for 12 hourrs. The eggs turn brown as do the Jachnun. Then the grated and herbed tomatoes are poured over it all. Yum! and messy pantry: