Celebrating Israel's Independence

[Jason Perlow]

Starting yesterday, and thru this week, Israelis and Jews around the world are celebrating the Independence of the State of Israel.

What are your favorite Israeli dishes? For me, its gotta be Falafel and Shwarma.

[mongo_jones]

are these israeli dishes per se, jason? or just general middle-eastern dishes? or do the israeli takes on them differ markedly from other regional versions?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Thank you for this, Jason! I definitely enjoyed the lamb shwarma I had on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv, but can't find it here ... other than that I enjoy baba ghanouj, hummus and tehina on my falafel .. when it is made properly .. not often the case ...

Edited April 28, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[Jason Perlow]

are these israeli dishes per se, jason? or just general middle-eastern dishes? or do the israeli takes on them differ markedly from other regional versions?

Felafel has been referred to as the national dish of Israel -- although I think anyone would be hard pressed to say that it originated there. Certainly the Palestinians and Egyptians and Lebanese and Turkish have their own versions -- as do other Middle-Eastern countries, but in Israel felafel and shwarma are phenomenons -- the felafel "bar" restaurant concept is unique to Israel and the Israeli style of Felafel and Shwarma and their accutriments are specific to that country.

Here's an interesting article from the Slow Food website about Falafel:

http://www.slowfood.com/img_sito/riviste/s...18/falafel.html

[hillvalley]

Chocolita ice cream bars (Chocolate bar surrounded by chocolate ice cream dipped in chocolate.)

St. Peter's Fish

[bloviatrix]

What are your favorite Israeli dishes?

I have a thing for Israeli pickles. They use a different variety of cucumber and the pickling liquid is more spicy.

Then there is eshkolina, which is a grapefruit drink. I've been obsessed with this stuff since age 6.

Oh, and Israeli pretzels covered with sesame seeds.

All of these things are now imported to the states. We joke that there's no longer a need to visit Israel since we can get all our favorite foods here, now.

But the one thing you can't get are botnim americayim which is directly translated into American peanuts. These a nut (not peanut, not sure what) coated in a slightly savory candy shell. You buy them from street vendors in the shouk. I've been known to ask people to bring them back for me.

[Jason Perlow]

Israel DOES have some really good sodas. In particular, the Schweppes line of sodas that is bottled and sold there. Not sure if they still have it but they had a mean Schweppes Mango and Schweppes Strawberry.

San Pellegrino sells a soda made of Israeli Grapefruits -- called Pompelmo, thats imported into the US. Its one of the best grapefruit sodas I have ever had.

[rozrapp]

Israel DOES have some really good sodas.

When I made my one and only trip to Israel in 1965, Coke and Pepsi were not being sold there. They had, instead, something called Israeli Cola. It was -- in a word -- blech!!

[Jason Perlow]

Israel DOES have some really good sodas.

When I made my one and only trip to Israel in 1965, Coke and Pepsi were not being sold there. They had, instead, something called Israeli Cola. It was -- in a word -- blech!!

Yeah, I think its safe to say that Coke has now been successfully assimilated into Israeli culture -- those Hebrew Coca-Cola logo t-shirts are like one of the biggest sellers in souvenir shops in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

[bloviatrix]

Coke was part of the Israeli market by 1974 (my first visit). It was on that trip that I was introduced to the strange concoction of Coke and milk.

Pepsi, on the other hand, honored the Arab boycott for many years. It's for that reason many Jews still don't drink Pepsi products.

[Jason Perlow]

Pepsi, on the other hand, honored the Arab boycott for many years. It's for that reason many Jews still don't drink Pepsi products.

I did not know that.

[mongo_jones]

since some political stuff is being mentioned here i thought i'd ask this nit-picky question: isn't it the anniversary of the founding of the israel state not its independence?

also, forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere: has a new hybrid israeli cuisine emerged which incorporates the foods and flavors of not just western european jews but also those coming from parts russian, indian and spanish?

[Jason Perlow]

since some political stuff is being mentioned here i thought i'd ask this nit-picky question: isn't it the anniversary of the founding of the israel state not its independence?

Its referred to as Israeli Independence Day (Yom Ha-Atzma'ut) .

http://www.geocities.com/bnirenberg/yomhaatzmaut.html

[FoodMan]

I do not think either Falafel and Shawarma could be called Israeli foods. They are middle-eastern and have been there long before the formation of the state of Israel. I have to admit that the "falafel bar" concept does sound unique, however both of these are very very popular in LEbanon and Syria as well.

Interesting thing about the Coca Cola Vs. Pepsi thing. I remember when living in Lebanon Coca Cola could not be purchased anywhere due to the Arab boycott on it (the reason being the company opened a plant in Israel, but I could be wrong). This lasted till the early 90s I think. It’s one of the main reasons why Pepsi is so much more popular in Lebanon, it was there first.

FM

[Jason Perlow]

I do not think either Falafel and Shawarma could be called Israeli foods. They are middle-eastern and have been there long before the formation of the state of Israel.

I think this debate has been raging for a long time, Elie -- and many well known Palestinian and Arab personalites have said the same thing. However I would also say the situation is analagous to pizza and hamburgers and hotdogs becoming "American" like Felafel and Shwarma have become Israeli. The only difference is that the food was never "imported" into Israel -- its always been there and may have even originated in Palestine, its simply transcending a political boundary rather than a geographic one. Like the US Israel is a melting pot of people from a lot of cultures and the Israeli felafel customs/techniques/variations reflect all of them. Hence the differences between Felafels produced in the Yemenite or Syrian style because thats where those Jews came from. Plus, It cannot be denied that as a commercial fast food success, Israel is where Felafel is at.

[FoodMan]

I do not think either Falafel and Shawarma could be called Israeli foods. They are middle-eastern and have been there long before the formation of the state of Israel.

I think this debate has been raging for a long time, Elie -- and many well known Palestinian and Arab personalites have said the same thing. However I would also say the situation is analagous to pizza and hamburgers and hotdogs becoming "American" like Felafel and Shwarma have become Israeli. -- The only difference is that the food was never "imported" into Israel -- its always been there and may have even originated in Palestine, its simply transcending a political boundary rather than a geographic one. Like the US Israel is a melting pot of people from a lot of cultures and the Israeli felafel customs/techniques/variations reflect all of them. Hence the differences between Felafels produced in the Yemenite or Syrian style because thats where those Jews came from. Plus, It cannot be denied that as a commercial fast food success, Israel is where Felafel is at.

True, although I honestly do not know about how successful these foods are in Israel since I’ve never been and I cannot go, at least not in the near (or it seems far) future . I guess my point is that there has to be a more “Israeli” food other than these very ubiquitous items all over the middle east, you know sort of how meatloaf is certainly American, “food Item A” is Israeli. hmmm...now I need to try some Israeli style Falafel and Shawarma and see what the diffrenece is.

Elie

[Jason Perlow]

True, although I honestly do not know about how successful these foods are in Israel since I’ve never been and I cannot go, at least not in the near (or it seems far) future :smile

In Israel, Felafel and Shwarma are an industry -- there is tremendous competition among felafel "joints", each boasting about the size and variation of their felafel bars. You don't really see this phenomenon at the same scale in other Middle Eastern counties. It could also be said the felafel bar phenomenon has become something of a monstrosity, since it has now become all about how many zillion things you can stuff into a pita bread on top of your felafel. People stuff things in felafel sandwiches in Israel that you would never see anywhere else.

[Mabelline]

I was just thinking about your last comment as I read your link, Jason. I would like to hear what youall put in a felafel? Do you use any of the different Israeli addons?

I have loved everything I have tried---but since that Passover thread, I'm staying away from the candies....

[bloviatrix]

I was just thinking about your last comment as I read your link, Jason. I would like to hear what youall put in a felafel? Do you use any of the different Israeli addons?

Israeli-style pickles and fried eggplant.

[bloviatrix]

Israel DOES have some really good sodas.

I don't know if you would consider it good, but remember Kinley, there was orange and a lemon-lime flavor? It's a Coke product.

While on the topic of soda, I remember when Diet Coke was introduced in '85. You would have thought the messiah had arrived.

[JFLinLA]

I always liked Israeli yogurt.

I first encountered Nutella in Israel (yum!).

Not my personal favorite, but I always remember the cucumber and tomato salads that seemed to be ubiquitous on every table.

Schnitzel of one sort or another was always big at my aunt's house but they always had more of an Ashkenazi influence.

[Jason Perlow]

Not my personal favorite, but I always remember the cucumber and tomato salads that seemed to be ubiquitous on every table.

Schnitzel of one sort or another was always big at my aunt's house but they always had more of an Ashkenazi influence.

Israeli salad -- the tomato cucumber combo which is chopped up along with green pepper -- is a common felafel stuffing.

Also the schnitzel -- stuffed into a pita and made into sandwich and with various felafel toppings added -- is a common Israeli variant and unique to that country.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Israeli salad -- the tomato cucumber combo which is finely chopped along with green pepper -- is a common felafel stuffing.

Also the schnitzel -- stuffed into a pita and made into sandwich and with various felafel toppings added -- is a common Israeli variant and unique to that country.

One of the things which I find most engaging and intriguing about Israel is the way in which the current state is a melange of the elements from Europe and the land of Israel itself .... the schnitzel coming from Europe and the tabbouli type vegetable mix from the Middle East ... and somehow it all works ... Israel is such a melting pot of all of the lands in which the Jewish people have lived in the Diaspora ... and it all has come together in the foods we find there today.

[Jason Perlow]

I was just thinking about your last comment as I read your link, Jason. I would like to hear what youall put in a felafel? Do you use any of the different Israeli addons?

I have loved everything I have tried---but since that Passover thread, I'm staying away from the candies....

First of all I really havent found a felafel bar in the US on the scale of what you would find in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. So a lot of the things I liked to put on it in 1991 when I last lived in Israel are unavaliable here.

That being said -- fried eggplant, hummus, various hot and spicy eggplant dips, baba ghanouj, Israeli Salad, various types of hot peppers and hot pepper pastes, hot sauces, pickles. Tahini.

[richw]

That being said -- fried eggplant, hummus, various hot and spicy eggplant dips, baba ghanouj, Israeli Salad, various types of hot peppers and hot pepper pastes, hot sauces, pickles. Tahini

That sounds about right, plus Matbucha (Spicy tomato sauce), Zhoug (one of the hot sauces you mention I'm sure), pickled red cabbage, YUM!