Land of Milk and Honey

By Michael L Weiss

“People who love to eat are the best people” -Julia Childs

The question is, what do you get when you combine Middle Eastern, North African, Russian, German, Spanish, Persian, and Polish food cultures? Well, that is easy, it is Israeli Cooking. While I knew of the richness of Israel’s past, I was anticipating that during our travel we would have found the standard food fare typically associated with “B” level hotels that we would be staying in (a notable exception was the Scots Hotel in Tiberius a magnificent property). You might be asking what a “B” rated hotel is, quite simply better than the Marriott or Resident Inn Suites type property but less than a Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, or similar.  I had expected somewhat institutional food but how I was wrong. The food quality and quantity have been exceptional and in fact, make many of the restaurants we frequently dine in throughout the US pale in comparison.   The wait staff is another matter, maybe it’s the language barrier or the age of the servers as most are very young, but given where we have traveled to, I gladly give them a pass as the food was excellent.

In all fairness, I have a bias toward Mediterranean-style diets. Salads, vegetables, and fruit make up most of my meals now compared to the high protein meat-based diets I grew up on. A few years ago, I could/would consume a large bone-in Ribeye, a loaded baked potato, some type of appetizer, and a piece of chocolate cake for dinner several times a week. But after I retired, I decided it was time for a change. I started to eat more in the Mediterranean style, and over the last 2 years lost close to 80 pounds. My wife Cheryl started eating this way just 6 months ago and has lost 30 pounds. My intention is not to talk about eating lifestyles far from it, to each their own and boy do I love a good Hamburger or BBQ but now in moderation. 

Here in Israel at the hotels, we stayed in breakfast and dinners were buffets. Lunch was on the go, in prearranged small “mom and pop” venues.  Being no stranger to Middle Eastern meals, I knew what to basically expect, the difference however was the exceptional quality, extensive choices, and magnificent presentation of the items that were prepared. I found the most tasteful vegetables I have ever tasted, far surpassing what you can buy at Whole Foods or similar markets. The hard work and planning of the Israelis to turn desert into farmland are incredible and when we were driving in areas that you could see across international borders, Israel was green and plentiful, and the other countries seemed parched and barren. The meat, chicken, and fish were just as satisfying, the watermelons were sweet as sugar, and the array of fresh vegetables prepared with local spices came alive in your mouth with each bite. I have never seen such a selection of fresh salads each unique in their own way 

Lunch was another matter, not because of the quality but because it became very routine. While I appreciate and endorse supporting the local family operations the selection became all too familiar for me and many of my fellow traveling companions. Our choices were consistently a Shawarma (thinly sliced cuts of meat, like chicken, beef, goat, lamb, stuffed into a large piece of pita that has been steamed or heated. Inside the pita, foods like hummus, tahini, pickles, vegetables); Falafel, (ground chickpeas shaped in a small ball-like shape and fried) stuffed into a pita-like above; Chicken Schnitzel with all the items above on a plate. For the first three or four days, it was fine, but beyond that, we were all hoping for something else.

While in Jerusalem we took a trip to the local market known as Mahane Yehuda Market for short the Shuk. What does Shuk mean, quite simply an outdoor market. Here in Jerusalem, it did not disappoint, you can find the freshest fruits and vegetables, bread, bakery items, meats, chickens, and fish along with small restaurants and shops. The first time we went, we were meeting our daughter who was in Israel on a birthright trip. It was slightly past lunch, and the market was packed with people shopping for Shabbat dinner as most everything is closed starting at sundown Friday evening and do not reopen until sundown Saturday for the sabbath. The Shuk was electrifying with all people, the stalls were bursting with buyers, and the fresh food was stacked sky-high. It was our intent to just look but by the time we left, we had purchased hard-to-find spices, unique teas, and dried fruits all to take back to the states. If you are ever in Israel you must go there and see for yourself, and if you do not want to buy anything just think of it as a market and enjoy the people watching it will not disappoint.

So while the lunches became routine, with the breakfasts and dinners that we had, lunch was more a break to get off the bus and chat around tables with our friends, but don’t take my word for it, go to Israel and experience it for yourself. Israel is the land of milk and honey and yes we brought back honey too!