eG Foodblog: Lior - Spend a week in sunny Ashkelon.

[cakewalk]

This blog is like a trip down memory lane! (Especially leaving to go watch the news, that is SO Israeli!!) I lived in Jerusalem for many years, so I can identify with a lot of your photos. (I always bought the black bread. But in Jerusalem we had Angel's bakery, so I don't know if it was the same.) And those bagella! All those wonderful sesame seeds. I still miss them, and I always get one (or more) when I go back to visit. I'm looking forward to the rest of your blog very much.

About the burekas: did you make that? (It's beautiful!)

Edited February 19, 2008 by cakewalk (log)

[Lior]

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!!

[Pam R]

I don't think I've ever seen a boureka like that - it's beautiful.

Will we get to see the shuk?

[Lior]

Tea sets:

and:

:

wine glasses made similar to glass from ancient Roman Caesaria :

[Lior]

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

[Lior]

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

[cakewalk]

Lior, what do you do with those black dried lemons? I bought some last time I was in Israel (because they looked so strange), but they're still sitting in a jar! Someone said to put them in a soup or a stew while cooking for a lemony flavor, and then remove them. Do you do this?

[Lior]

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:

Edited February 19, 2008 by Lior (log)

[Rehovot]

Wow, your SuperSol makes the one we used to go to look like a run-down 7-11! Ours had none of those gorgeous spices in bulk.

I look forward to the shuk photos.

What do your sons eat at the midnight meal? Is it a regular thing, or just on the weekends?

[Lior]

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!!

Edited February 19, 2008 by Lior (log)

[racheld]

Now, I've got major what-we'd-call-in-the-USA "Penzey's Envy." I just scrumbled through all the spice racks, seasoning packets, and lowered my sights to the Knorr's Vegetable Soup mix when I started the "yellow rice" Chris likes so much.

I ended up with a bit of turmeric, some savory, a whiff of thyme, and a handful of black mustard seeds. Sultanas and chopped cashews on top after plating.

But all THOSE for RICE!!!

[Smithy]

I do love spices and spice markets. I can almost smell the variety from here!

When you take us to shuk, please be sure to describe the atmosphere there - the people, how they interact, how (and how hard) they bargain, whether they talk with their hands or show restraint. Tell us anything else you can think of to go along with your photos!

What do you do with your bottled pomegranate syrup?

Oh, and you're off to a great start with the cat and dog photos, and your family! You certainly have a handsome son!

[Pam R]

Ilana, was that Cajun rice spices? Have you tried all of them?

But all THOSE for RICE!!!   

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For those of us in North America, Pereg sells Israeli rice spice mixes (no actual rice in them).

Can you tell us a little about the hilbe/fenugreek? How do you use it?

[Lior]

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!!

[Lior]

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:

[

Edited February 20, 2008 by Lior (log)

[Lior]

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!

Edited February 20, 2008 by Lior (log)

[Rebecca263]

Well, if my Kiddle sees that photo of your son, I'm sure she will find a way to 'need' a vist to your home!

How great it is to read about the foods that you eat. We're so used to only seeing Ashkenazi style cooking from Israel, with little bits of Middle Eastern thrown in, I've never felt very drawn to the food, until now!

Will you be showing us your cofee setup? I only add cardamom to my "Turkish"coffee (we just call it coffee), and lots of sugar- I'm really wondering about your version.

We also use a lot of fruits in our meat dishes in my family- in fact, I now make a lot of stews with beans and grains, and no meat, but still I add some fruits, for the rich taste and texture-and onions and rice, how universal can a dish be?

The funniest thing of all, my Kiddle's lunches look very similar to your Kiddles' lunches-chopped salad, half a sandwich, kiwi, even the same plastic boxes!

Tell us, please, do you use a lot of olive oil at home, or something else? I only have olive oils in my kitchen, we're on an incredibly tight budget, and olive oil is the only fat we buy.

[Kerry Beal]

I was the fortunate recipient of a box of goodies from Ilana a while back. I've been working my way though it with great delight.

Ilana, I'd love it if you would show pictures and give descriptions of some of the things you sent me for the others here on eG, because I know they would be as fascinated as I.

Particularly interesting were the 'soup almonds', the spiced tahina and the peanut butter snacks for kiddies. And the halvah is the best I've ever tasted.

[racheld]

Good Morning, Ilana!!

The snow's sifting down outside still, the percolator is sending her lovely aromas all through the downstairs, and all this sunshine and brightness coming in through the screen---what a nice way to start the day.

The pavement is enchanting, and the view of the palms must be wonderful to look out upon. Are any of your plants food/fruit-bearing?

Still inhaling those delicious spices, looking again and again.

[Alisuchi]

What a cool backyard!!!

I want to thank you also for providing shots of ancient Ashkelon...of course, you are probably used to living next to such antiquity, but for those of us in the US, it is incredibly cool to see how it is juxtaposed with a modern city...and near a beach, too I am surprised that Ashkelon does not see more tourism, as you mentioned. Sign me up

Interestingly, my family has a large assortment of these dishes (like the jar in the top left) with the same pattern! They are my mom's fave cups for making turkish coffee...and are from Romania.

[hummingbirdkiss]

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!

←

Edited February 20, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[kbjesq]

←

Six thousand miles away in the United States, my daughter took her lunch to school in the same Lock 'n Lock container!!!

[Pam R]

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.

I'm learning so much! Along with the rice mixes, Pereg also sells hawaiij (za'atar, shwarma spices, etc.), but I've never ordered it -- didn't know what it was!

And yes, like Kerry asked, can you show everybody some Israeli snack foods, like bamba? And I've been wondering -- Israelis give babies peanut snacks - are there no peanut allergies in Israel?

[Lior]

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!

[Lior]

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...