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So Darn Cute - I Had To Stuff Them!

By Laurie Moskowitz · November 15, 2010

Stuffed vegetables seem to be omnipresent here in Israel.  I see them on menus in restaurants, as an option for take-out at some of my favorite places, and I’ve been served them when dining at other people’s homes.  At one dinner, I had a terrific version of a courgette, or a lighter green version of a zucchini filled with ground beef.  I’ve also had a delicious stuffed artichoke bottom filled with meat in a celery sauce – the celery sauce being thick, savory and a little lemony, which complimented the artichoke and meat perfectly.  And recently on a trip to Bethlehem, the group I was with was served a home-cooked lunch prepared by some of the women from the nearby village we were touring.  This lunch featured an unbelievably delicious vegetarian version of cabbage, courgettes and baby eggplants stuffed with rice and covered in a tomato and yogurt-based sauce.   This last version was so good, that upon leaving, I managed to get very rudimentary ingredients and instructions, not being sure that I would ever make them, but at least wanting the ability to try.

And then as I was planning my menu for a recent Shabbat lunch – lightning struck.  First, a new friend I was hosting turned out to be vegan and second, there were these really adorable squashes at my favorite fruit/vegetable vendor.  It was the perfect opportunity to stuff some vegetables.

For a first attempt, I have to say that I was particularly pleased with my efforts.  And let me just say that this dish was not hard to make but had the added benefit of looking impressive.  Because my friend was a vegan and the rest of the meal included meat, I made a version that removed the yogurt.  I’ve included the yogurt as an option in the ingredients below, because I do believe that it gives the dish that extra level of richness that I tasted in that small Palestinian village.  The beauty of this dish is that it’s versatile and is delicious either way.

So the next time you’re at the farmer’s market or a store and faced with an abundance of entirely adorable vegetables - grab a dozen and stuff away.  You’ll be happy you did.

Stuffed Vegetables Middle Eastern Style (Vegetarian)

Vegetables: 12-14 vegetables to stuff –zucchinis/eggplant/bell peppers etc.

For the stuffing:
1 medium onion – finely diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 hot pepper (seeds & ribs removed) – finely diced
½ red pepper – finely diced
2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large handful of parsley – stems removed & chopped
1 large handful of cilantro – stems removed & chopped
Small handful of mint – stems removed & chopped (optional)
Small handful of dill – stems removed & chopped (optional)
Salt & pepper

For the sauce:
1 small can tomato paste (approx ½ cup)
1.5 cups water
1.5 cups plain yogurt
½ large can of crushed tomatoes (approx 2 cups)
More water as necessary
*If you are making this recipe parve, eliminate the yogurt and replace with water.

Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water.  Let the rice soak for 45 minutes to an hour.  While the rice is soaking, prepare the vegetables.  Hollow out the vegetables leaving enough of the flesh intact for them to hold together during cooking.  If you have very large zucchinis, cut them in half.

Drain the rice and add all of the remaining stuffing ingredients.  Mix thoroughly.  Fill the vegetables ¾ of the way full (you need to leave room for expansion as the rice cooks).  Place the vegetables in a deep covered, ovenproof pot. It’s okay if they’re layered.  If you have round vegetables that don’t layer so well, you can put them in a shallow roasting pan or casserole dish.  Mix the tomato paste with the water and pour over the vegetables.  Pour the tomatoes and yogurt over the vegetables as well.  

Cover tightly and simmer the vegetables over a medium high flame for 20 minutes.  At this point you can either turn the flame down to low and continue cooking on the stovetop or place the vegetables in the oven on 325 degrees for another 45 minutes.  Check periodically to make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot and spooning the pan juices over the top of the vegetables if they seem dry.  You can add additional water if necessary, but be conservative so as not to water down the flavor. You can serve these right away or they will also reheat nicely if being made the day before.

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Birthday in Tel Aviv - Part II

By Laurie Moskowitz · November 11, 2010

While I was originally hoping for at least one upscale culinary experience during this trip, especially given Tel Aviv’s reputation for “chef” restaurants, as they are referred to in Israel, we had promised Jake meat for lunch and so that meant kosher.  Son on the recommendation of our Hotel Manager, we found ourselves at MEATOS Grill Bar on Weitzman near the Opera House.  And while the name is not so inspired, the food – well that’s a different story.

We sat in a lovely outdoor space surrounded by trees and shade amidst dark wood and crisp white linen tables and promptly ordered way too much food.  The business lunch ran for 79 NIS and for that you got an appetizer, entrée, and a dessert.  There were so many good things on the menu that we felt compelled to try lots of them.

So, after placing our order, the traditional salatim began to arrive.  About 7 different ones in total and while I find many of the salatim in restaurants to be average at best, these were fresh and delicious, including a particularly good roasted red pepper salsa, an avocado/egg dip (which Jake promptly declared guacamole and proceeded to eat all of) and a really spectacular cauliflower and tehina salad which I loved so much that I rushed home to make a version for which I have included a recipe.  

This was quickly accompanied by the appetizers we ordered including hummus topped with ground beef (a favorite of Steve’s), an excellent and not greasy breaded and deep fried cauliflower in a sweet & spicy chili sauce, and last but not least roasted eggplant topped with tehini and roasted red pepper.   

Despite being full when our entrees actually arrived, I managed to do justice to a delicious plate of moist and juicy lamb patties, or kabobs as they called them, sitting on more of the delicious eggplant, sticky good chicken wings with a bit of a kick, and one of the best hamburgers we’ve had in Israel yet – flavorful and cooked perfectly - not to mention an overflow of chips.  We did manage to bring home a large piece of schniztel, most of the wings, part of the hamburger, and lots of chips for later consumption.

And don’t forget that the meal included dessert so we tried two different ones and they were both worthy – a more than decent parve crème brulee as well as a strudel that came rolled like a thin egg roll and served in a glass with date honey at the bottom – a perfectly respectable sweet ending. The restaurant also brought over some lovely melon slices that were completely refreshing after the heavy meal.

By this point, we were so stuffed that we couldn’t think about any more food and we devoted the rest of the day to more sightseeing and shopping.  But as we were pulling back into Jerusalem later that night it occurred to me that I never really had birthday cake.   Well, it seems nearly impossible to find “American style” birthday cake in any of the vast number of bakeries around times.  There are plenty of great cakes and tortes and pies – but I’m looking for good old-fashioned birthday cake. So for those of you who have recommendations – please send ‘em my way.  Because a birthday ain’t really over till there’s cake.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tehina
½ head cauliflower broken into small florets and washed
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3-cup tehina
Juice of ½ lemon
Water to thin
3 garlic cloves
Large handful of parsley washed & chopped
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Using 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil, coat the cauliflower and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast the cauliflower at 450 degrees until soft and the florets are brown around the edges.  While roasting mix the sauce in a bowl.  Add the tehina, garlic, and lemon juice and stir.  Add water a tablespoon at a time until you get a smooth consistency.  You want the tehina to be runny enough to pour over the cauliflower but not too thin.  You can also add a little more olive oil here if you want.  Add the cauliflower and the parsley and mix.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.  Enjoy with pita or other bread or as part of a salad course.

A few notes:  The cauliflower dish I had at MEATOS was a much creamier consistency.  While I don’t know this for sure, I believe the cauliflower was fried instead of roasted so that it was actually softer and mushier and their ratio of tehina to cauliflower was higher. As a result, the MEATOS version had a consistency closer to a baba ganoush.  When making this dish at home, I preferred the cauliflower roasted and with some bite left to it.

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Birthday in Tel Aviv - Part I

By Laurie Moskowitz · November 8, 2010

I just returned from celebrating my birthday in Tel Aviv with the family and we managed to pack a whole lot of shopping, exploring and of course eating into the 27 hours we spent there.  And while I don’t generally recommend eating 3 full meals and snacks in that short a period of time, I was determined to try and experience as much food as possible.

Sunday – November 7
We started out the trip at the Hatachana – The Old Ottoman Train Station on the border of the Neve Tzedek and Jafffa neighborhoods.  The train station has been renovated to house a variety of boutique shops and restaurants and on Fridays an organic farmers market.  And while I didn’t see the market this time around, Hatachana also has a branch of what some are calling the best ice cream in Israel – Vaniglia.  As is the case with much of the ice cream in Israel, Vaniglia makes a version that is softer and more gelato-like than American ice cream and it is indeed delicious. After reviewing the options, I settled on a cup with pistachio (good) and halvah (outstanding), Sammy choose the very classic combo of chocolate and vanilla, of which I was the beneficiary since he decided he didn’t like the dark chocolate and l happily ate the remainder of his cone.  Steve had a very good version of cookies and cream and Jake, who is a sorbet fan, had a combo of passion fruit and mixed berry and went back for a second cone.  And yes, I know this is not particularly good parenting but it was small and dinner was still a ways off.  For those of you who are more adventurous ice cream eaters, there are plenty of flavors from which to choose – choices that day included snickers, cheesecake, rum raisin, and eshkoliot (grapefruit) sorbet, among others.  And since Monday is apparently a big wedding day in Tel Aviv, we had plenty of entertainment watching no less than 10 brides and grooms in full garb having their pictures taken at the station at dusk, while we lounged on the benches outside. For a more official run-down on The Best Ice Cream in Israel, check out an Israeli food blog that I’m liking a lot these days - Baroness Tapuzina http://www.baronesstapuzina.com/tag/best-ice-cream-in-israel/ .

After several hours of walking around Hatachana and exploring the shops, we made our way to The Port of Tel Aviv in search of dinner.  We had chosen a Kosher fish restaurant called Bariba.  Given that this is already trending towards a long post, I will just say that Bariba is a mixed bag - there were a few good dishes, including a couple of the fishes and a gnocchi but there wasn't a reason to return anytime soon.  If you’re at the Port, and if you’re looking for kosher, and if you want something on the lighter or healthier side, then I wouldn’t rule it out, but that’s a lot of “ifs” and Bariba is certainly not destination dining with all the other options in Tel Aviv.

Monday – November 8 - Breakfast
We had chosen to stay at The Brown Hotel on Kalisher Street, on the recommendation of a friend who knows the owner.  Brown is a hip hotel in the style of a W in the states and we got a good rate given that they were still putting last minute touches on the hotel and it’s not formally open for business.  This also meant that they did not serve breakfast in the hotel yet and so Brown had worked out a deal with a café nearby.  Well, we couldn’t have done better because that café just happened to be Café Birnbaum a venerable Tel Aviv institution run by sisters Sima and Pnina Birnbaum since 1962.  Breakfast was delicious, classic Israeli breakfast – two eggs any style, Arabic salad, white cheeses (one plain and one with scallion and herbs), butter, jams, fresh bread, as well as a hot and cold drink.  Café Birnbaum also has an vast and mouth-watering array of pastries, blintzes, muffins, and cakes (we tasted their apple crumb cake which was amazing).  

And we were still there having breakfast when they were setting up their version of a “salad bar” for lunch – at least 20 different vegetarian salads and savory pies (think crustless quiche) all for one price that almost had me sitting there till lunch time.  I will be returning in short order to get my fill of the “bar,” as they call it.

      

We followed up breakfast with a walk through the flea market on Binyamin Nachalot and the Carmel Market, Tel Aviv’s “shuk” with it’s overflowing array of produce and fruit vendors and cheese shops, and butchers and olive and candy stands.  The kids enjoyed it more than Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem due to the fact that there were toys stores/stalls scattered throughout where they could spend their shekels on items they don’t need but are clearly vital to their very existence on this planet.  As for me, I never tire of being able to soak up the many colors and aromas of the market while percolating my next cooking endeavor and what I can make that will take advantage of the bounty at hand.  But alas were weren’t leaving Tel Aviv until much later that evening and so buying a lot of fresh ingredients was really out of the question.

     

After the market and a trip to the Haganah Museum, it’s hard to believe but it was nearing 1:30pm and the kids were hungry despite the candy they scored in the market.  We had promised Jake meat for lunch and off we went to find it.  Suffice it to say that the restaurant we found is worthy of its own post, so stay tuned for Birthday in Tel Aviv Part II.

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Krembo Season

By Laurie Moskowitz · November 6, 2010

I was told about Krembos back in August and then one day, as promised, they were everywhere.  First they appeared in shul at kiddush for the kids and then the next thing I noticed, there were casefuls in the store.

Brightly colored foil wrappers covering a chocolate dome filled inside with marshmallow-like whipped egg whites, all sitting on a cookie bottom. Pick your flavor – either vanilla or mocha.  Krembos come 8 to a package in a plastic container resembling an egg carton, to protect the precious contents. What’s not to like?

Krembos are an Israeli craze and they appear when the weather cools off enough for them not to melt and even then they are a short-lived phenomenon.  They will be around from late October only until February.  The name in Hebrew is literally a combination of two words “krem” and “bo” meaning “cream-in-it.”   According to the official Facebook page (yes, there is a Facebook page) http://www.facebook.com/IloveKrembo “over 50 million krembos are sold each year – an average of 9 per person in Israel.”

All I know is that my kids are happy to eat them and we are well on our way toward helping to maintain that average.  And come to think of it, there’s one left over from today’s lunch that I think has my name on it.

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A TALE OF TWO ORANGE SOUPS

By Laurie Moskowitz · November 1, 2010

Since fall has finally arrived here in Jerusalem and it’s cool enough to actually feel like eating soup, I’ve gotten around to cooking two different “orange soups” that I have had the pleasure to eat while here in Israel.  I originally had them both during Rosh Hashanah meals – served on back-to-back nights by two different families and I requested both recipes.  The first was a more savory soup featuring red lentils (which really look orange) made by our friends Myra Clark-Siegel and her husband David Siegel.  The second was prepared by our friends the Argovs.  Yossi Argov spent 6 months living with us in Washington, DC when he worked as an Israeli shaliach at our kids’ school and we were lucky enough to enjoy a lovely Rosh Hashanah seder and meal with his family, which included a sweeter version of an orange soup for the holiday.  Both soups were so good, they became a topic of conversation for me at my Ulpan and a way for me to learn many cooking terms in Hebrew.  And while my Ulpan teacher at first literally thought I meant orange soup – as in the fruit (tapooz) – that is not the case.  Both of these are earthy, hearty, orange-colored soups that rely on a combination of carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin.  Both of them have their own texture, spice and appeal, depending on whether you are in the mood for something sweet or something savory.  They are also great vegetarian recipes as they can be made with water or pareve chicken soup base or boxed “No Chicken” broth. My kids prefer the Argov Orange Soup, largely having to do with it’s sweeter flavor base. As for me – I can’t decide, so I make them both – just not at the same meal.  They freeze beautifully and while they are lovely as part of a Shabbat or holiday meal, they can easily make a quick stand-alone dinner with some great bread.  Both are guaranteed to become family favorites.  Each soup serves about 6 people.

DAVID SIEGEL’S FAMOUS ORANGE SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion peeled and finely diced
1 very small green chili pepper finely diced (optional)
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 carrots sliced into circles (if they are really large carrots you may only need 2)
1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped
2 cups Israeli pumpkin peeled and chopped (if you are buying a piece of Israeli pumpkin you can look for one about 3x6 inches long).
1 cup red (orange) lentils rinsed and any stones removed
6 cups water
3-4 heaping teaspoons pareve or real chicken soup powder dissolved
3-4 slices of lemon peel.  Peel several slices form a lemon and make sure to remove any of the white pith or it will add a bitter flavor.
1-2 teaspoons curry powder to taste
salt and pepper

Some Notes from Myra:

• Take 1 cup of water and boil it and then add the chicken powder so it mixes well instead of getting clumpy.  Add that to the soup along with the additional water.
• Israeli pumpkin is not nearly as sweet as American pumpkin. Try butternut squash instead of Israeli pumpkin if you don't have access to it.

TO PREPARE:

1. Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat and cook the onion until soft and transparent (about 7 minutes).
2. Add the chili pepper, garlic and carrot slices and stir for about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the sweet potato, the pumpkin, and the lentils, the water (with the chicken powder), the lemon peel and the spices and gently stir it all together.
4. Cover the pot for about 30 minutes (make take a bit longer) until the veggies and lentils are soft.
5. Check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
6. Remove the lemon peel (if you like)
7. Serve with cilantro or parsley as a garnish.

ARGOV ORANGE SOUP
(This recipe is my version based on the soup the Argov’s made at Rosh Hashanah)

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 large sweet potato peeled and diced
3 large carrots peeled and diced
2 cups Israeli pumpkin diced (or other orange squash)
1 regular potato peeled and diced
6 cups water with 1 tablespoon pareve chicken soup powder added
(or 1 box ‘No Chicken” broth plus 2 cups water)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

TO PREPARE:

1. Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic and sauté 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent
3. Add the sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin and sauté for an additional 7-10 minutes.
4. Add the liquid and bring to a boil
5. Immediately reduce the flame and simmer until all the vegetables are soft and mushy – approximately 45 minutes.
6. Cool the soup.  Note – you do not have to cool the soup but it makes blending a much less dangerous experience.
7. With an immersion blender, puree the soup.  Consistency is a matter of preference.  I like it to look soft and silky.  Many people prefer it to be slightly chunkier and heartier.
8. Gently reheat the soup and add in the seasoning – brown sugar, allspice, red pepper and salt* and pepper.  Adjust the seasoning to taste.
9. Serve immediately, garnish with croutons and some parsley if desired.

• Note: If you use the powdered chicken soup mix it can tend to make things salty, so I suggest tasting before you add the salt

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Let the Cooking Begin

By Laurie Moskowitz · October 25, 2010

As the weather has only just now cooled and kitchen cooking seems more bearable, I have finally gotten around to trying some new recipes.  One of my primary goals during our six months here was to absorb the Mediterranean flavors of the region and incorporate them into my cooking, as well as to learn how to make a few of the classic dishes that I was eating as I travel throughout the country.

So after a perusal through some of the great new Israeli cookbooks I have recently acquired (Israeli food written about in English) and a similarly fun but determined search online, I settled on two recipes from the blog The Hummus Recipes Kitchen, a site that is quickly becoming a favorite go-to source for Mediterranean recipes, http://hummus-recipes.blogspot.com.  For a main dish, I choose Moroccan Lamb Meatballs served with a spicy Harissa sauce and also a great Chickpea and Olive Dip that worked beautifully as part of first course of salatim that I served at a recent Shabbat lunch.

First, the shopping.  As Steve and I were walking through Mahane Yehuda, on one of the less trafficked side streets (HaCharon), we came across a really great butcher. Yaron owns the Avochatzirah Butcher shop and his stall had a beautiful selection of meat and he was happy to discuss options and cuts.  After I told him that I was looking for ground lamb, we promptly choose a beautiful looking leg.  And while it seemed almost criminal not to roast it whole, Yaron promptly cut the meat off the bone and ground it on the spot, handing me the bones separately with the instruction to save them for soup.

The meatballs require fresh spices, in particular cumin and coriander seeds, easily accessible in the market.  One note about the fresh spices.  While fresh spices really make a difference in the flavor of the dish, the recipe asks you to grind them with a mortar and pestle.  Since I didn’t have one in my rented kitchen, after 10 minutes of trying with the back of a meat mallet, I surrendered and gave them a quick whirl in the Cuisinart, leaving them not too fine which worked great.

These meatballs are easy to make.  Once you’ve prepped the ingredients it takes almost no time at all to mix and roll into balls.  Since space is at a premium in my Jerusalem kitchen and I was already using the stovetop, I decided to roast the meatballs and I’m glad that I did.  About 12-15 minutes in the oven and they came out beautifully.  I was also easily able to drain the excess fat.  The meatballs easily reheated the next day.
As a first course, I served a variety of salads and dips, including a truly addictive chickpea and olive dip.  This recipe takes 10 minutes in the Cuisinart – maybe less if you buy pitted olives – and was a total crowd pleaser.  I happily ate the remainder for lunch the next day, with some bread and a green salad.

As they say in Israel – B’tayavon.

Moroccan Lamb Meatballs
(Recipe adapted from The Hummus Recipes Kitchen post on 9-18-10  http://hummus-recipes.blogspot.com/2010/09/moroccan-lamb-meatballs-with-harissa.html, original source Good Food Magazine, September 2009)

Ingredients:
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 pound lamb ground
juice 1 lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup packed mint , most leaves chopped
2-3 tbsp sunflower oil

To Prepare:
1. Heat a heavy-based pan over a low heat. Add the spices to the pan then toast for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Crush using a pestle and mortar or place in a spice grinder until coarse. Set aside.

2. Mix the breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp water and the garlic and stir well. Add the lamb, lemon juice, crushed spices, egg and most of the mint. Season well. Mix well then shape into 16 balls. Chill for a good 30 mins.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Roast the meatballs for 12-15 minutes until brown.  Serve immediately or cool and either refrigerate or freeze. Serve with harissa tehina sauce.

Harissa-Tehina Sauce
The original recipe calls for a yogurt based harissa sauce.  Since we keep kosher, I replaced the yogurt with a simple mixture of tehina and harissa.  Prepared tehina is fairly accessible in most middle eastern and kosher stores today, and even places such as Whole Foods.  Mix 1 cup tehina with about 2 teaspoons harissa (more or less depending on your tolerance for spiciness).  Add a tiny bit of water if the whole thing is too thick or some lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a handful of chopped parsley, cilantro, and/or mint and you’re good to go.  I loved the sauce and think it really enhanced the flavor of the food.  My husband, who is a fan of heat, warns to use the sauce sparingly as to not overpower the amazing lamb.

Chickpea & Olive Dip
(Recipe from The Hummus Recipes Kitchen, http://hummus-recipes.blogspot.com/2010/09/chickpea-olive-dip-recipe.html, original source Good Taste Magazine, March 2006 by Michelle Noerianto)

Ingredients:
1 16oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tsp mild ground paprika
1/4 cup olive oil
Olive oil, extra, to serve

To Prepare:
1. Place the chickpeas, olives, garlic, paprika and oil in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.

2. Make a small hollow in the top of the dip and drizzle with a little extra olive oil, if desired. Serve with warm pita, bread or crackers as desired.

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HOTEL BREAKFAST

By Laurie Moskowitz · October 19, 2010

The last time I was in Israel was 11 years ago.  And despite the many and varied things to do in Israel, there’s one thing that I have consistently pined for when thinking about a return trip – Hotel Breakfast.  I must admit up front that I’m a breakfast lover.  I am not one of those people who eats the same thing for breakfast every day year-in and year-out.  I like variety, I like to taste the seasons, and I love breakfast food of all sorts – eggs, cheeses, fruit, sweets and breads, cereal and yogurt – savory and sweet; it’s all good.   I’d eat breakfast all day long if it were up to me.

Suffice it to say that Hotel Breakast was one of the major things that I was anticipating this trip.   I was seriously panicked when I thought we were going straight from Ben Gurion airport on arrival to our apartment in Jerusalem without benefit of a hotel.  And I was equally relieved when my husband informed me that we had two nights (and mornings!) before we moved in, and then just as frustrated when bad weather made us miss our flight to Israel and therefore one whole morning’s worth of breakfast (I’m still trying to figure out if I can get US Airways to pay for another breakfast somehow.)  Okay, you get it.

So, my intent was clear – eat as much good hotel breakfast as I can while I’m here and skip other meals if I have to, in order to compensate (which is not working out so well thus far but it WAS the plan).   And with a special thanks to the many friends who have come to town and have “hosted” me for breakfast at their various hotels – I have made my way so far through the Dan Boutique, The David Citadel and The Mamilla Hotel in Jerusalem, on a recent trip to Lake Kinneret – Ha’on Holiday Village, Nof Ginosaur, and Gai Beach Resort Hotel and most recently in Ein Gedi at the Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel and The Marriott Dead Sea Resort in Jordan.

My favorites to date have been The Mamilla in Jerusalem where pesto/goat cheese crepes and individual shakshuka in a tiny copper skillet won the day and Gai Beach Resort where everything was incredibly beautiful, fresh, and delicious, including exceptional cheeses and fish, burekas, shakshuka (yes more), and smoked salmon, which is actually something of a rarity on these buffets.

If you haven’t been in a while, or just want to feel hungry, here are some of the things that I think make the Hotel Breakfast just so great:

Salad Bar – In every locale, there are now many lovely bowls of fresh vegetables from which to build an entire salad, as opposed to just the cucumbers and tomatoes of years past.  From varieties of lettuces and sprouts to radishes, mushrooms, red and yellow bell peppers and so much more – you can now build an entire and beautiful salad.  For whatever reason, even the best hotels seem to put out the same two ubiquitous dressings with salad – a bland version thousand island and a sweetish creamy ranch-type flavor that I don’t get.  Just opt for the olive oil and lemon juice and you’ll be fine. There are also numerous composed salads with my favorite so far being at Gai Beach where arugula and cucumbers and tomatoes and were dressed lightly in a salad with shredded Bulgarian cheese and za’atar and other herbs.

The Salad Bar at Nof Ginosar

Dairy – The dairy still rocks and there’s even more than I remember.  I can’t resist the bowls of labneh flavored with olive oil and either za’atar or sumac, feta cheese in spicy olive oil, incredibly fresh mozzarella and cottage cheese, cream cheese with dill or spring onion, salty Bulgarian cheese and sliced and whole cheeses of all kinds.  How bad can your day be if you start it off like this?

Shakshuka – I’ve now been to three different hotels that serve shakshuka for breakfast and I’m a big fan.  I haven’t had shakshuka since my roommate’s mother in college (who was Israeli) came and made it for us one weekend.  The combination of spicy tomato sauce with poached eggs is a delicious one and it’s now my personal gold standard for hotel breakfast.

Shakshuka at The Mamilla Hotel

Hot Entrees – At most of the hotels, the assortment of hot entrees these days will make your head spin.  All of the better hotels have a station that will make eggs to order.  Just beware it’s often a really long line and if you’re particular about how you like your omelette or eggs you may want to learn the Hebrew words to convey your order. You might also find blintzes (or blintz casserole), quiches, kugels, burekas, crepes, mushrooms in sauce, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and other such items.  Better places generally equal more items and better quality.

Fish – An assortment of smoked and pickled fish is standard at almost every place I’ve been.  Sable, whitefish, herring (although unusually pink and salty) are all on hand.  In general the bigger and better the location, the bigger the selection and at the top of the scale there is generally smoked salmon.  So if you need your bagel, cream cheese and lox fix – you can absolutely find it (although bagels can sometimes be a rarity.)

Artisan Breads – The artisan bread movement has made it’s way to Israel. At every place I’ve been, there are fresh loaves that you can slice yourself, including whole grain, baguettes, raisin, olive and an assortment of rolls – plain, whole grain and seeded.  There always seem to be bags of sliced loaves for those who want more traditional toast, but I for one am whole-heartedly embracing the artisan bread trend and given the plethora of new bakeries I’ve seen, I’ll be tracking down some favorites to write about soon.

Jams and Spreads – When I was 16 and first came here on a trip with my synagogue’s Confirmation Class, hotel breakfast was usually a really hard roll and some very bright pink jam of unknown origin.  Well, unbelievably, this week I came across the pink jam and when I asked one of the chef’s about it he told me that it was cherry.  It didn’t taste like cherry – it just tasted like a mixture of red fruit that was exceptionally sweet.  But the good news is that there is now also an unbelievable assortment of other jams and preserves that are delicious and far surpass that pink stuff of years past.  From carrot marmalade to eggplant jam to beet preserves (unusual texture but really tasty) to the ever-delicious chocolate spread – there is no lack of something to put on all that good bread!

Kid Appeal – I know I wasn’t paying attention 11 years ago, but this time around I couldn’t help but notice the kid appeal.  And let’s face it – kids really do like a buffet.  Jake, my eight year-old, loves the ability to help himself to items of his liking and 6 year-old Sammy has quickly followed in his footsteps.  From pancakes with a choice of maple or chocolate syrup (or both, in Sammy’s case), hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, flavored yogurts and pudding, assorted sugar cereal, chocolate milk, pastries, and various melons on hand, feeding your kids well at hotel breakfast is now a breeze.  And for those with more adventurous palates – it’s also a good place to try new things.

So I will continue to eat hotel breakfast and try to stick to my plan of not eating so much at other meals.  Maybe since the novelty has finally worn off somewhat, that will work now.  But I would love recommendations of your favorite places to try.  Many places serve a large buffet breakfast on Friday as well, since many people are actually off on Friday these  days, so I’ll be checking out those options, as well.  And if you’re like me and choose hotels based on whether or not they have good breakfast, then by all means check-out my ratings below.  I’ll continue to update as I go.

RATINGS
3 Forks            Excellent, everything I hoped for and more!
2 Forks            A totally worthy breakfast, would eat there again, although not a destination spot based on the food.
1 Fork              Don’t do it – not worth the calories.

3 Forks
The Mamilla Hotel - Jerusalem
The David Citadel – Jerusalem
Gai Beach Resort – Tiberias
Marriott Dead Sea Resort - Jordan

2 Forks
Nof Ginosaur – Lake Kinneret
Dan Boutique -  Jerusalem
Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel  - Ein Gedi

1 Fork
Ha’on Holiday Village – Lake Kinneret

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Eating my way through Jordan

By Laurie Moskowitz · October 14, 2010

We recently came back from an unbelievably great trip to Jordan and in particular, Petra. We were lucky enough to go as part of the National Jewish Democratic Council & The Solomon Project, who were here on a mission, which also took the logistics out of our hands. As is always the case, when we take a trip like this, my mind immediately turns to the food and what I can look forward to on that front. Suffice it to say that Marc Stanley, NJDC’s lay leader and veteran of several other trips to Petra, knows and likes good food and as a result we were in extremely good hands. His good friend H.E. Senator Akel Biltaji, the former Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, took exceptionally good care of us, with great food, a first-class hotel stay and army drivers not afraid of either high speeds nor Jordan’s winding mountain roads.

This was a two-day trip with the first evening spent overnight at The Dead Sea Marriott – a true 5-star resort.  We were greeted upon arrival with a red carpet welcome, cool towels to wash our hands and face, and mixed fruit juice. We also had large and lovely fruit platters in our room, which excited the kids to no end for some reason, that is, until they found the mini-bar. After swimming and drinking by one of the resort’s many pools, we were hosted that evening, first for cocktails on an upper patio, and then at the hotel’s Italian restaurant – Il Terrazzo. On the patio, we watched first the sun and then the new moon set behind Israel’s Judean hills, as both nearby Jericho and distant Jerusalem lit up across the Dead Sea from us.

While it was slightly surreal to be at an Italian restaurant in the middle of the desert, the setting was equally lovely. Outside, on a terraced patio, also overlooking the water, we were entertained first by Sen. Biltaji, then by a wedding DJ spinning all the same tunes for a Jordanian wedding reception you’d here at any similar reception in the States. The food – right, this is about the food – the food was delicious and the chef went out of his way to create a great meal, including a lovely first course of a mozzarella and basil salad, focaccia with green salad and arugula with mushrooms and parmesan cheese. This was followed by a mushroom or lobster risotto (your choice, depending on your kashrut observance), pasta, vegetables, and a beef tenderloin dish. The wine was poured liberally. They even brought pizzas over the kids. Given the amount of food and the flow of wine – I went to bed around 11 full and slightly tipsy.

Breakfast was a rushed affair the next morning. Still full from the night before, I didn’t have the same enthusiasm for hotel breakfast as I normally do, but with a three-hour drive looming ahead and lunch not until after the Petra tour, we definitely needed to feed the kids and let’s face facts: When you’re sitting in front of a lavish buffet, it’s just plain hard not to eat – or at least it is for me. So after securing made-to-order pancakes, baked French toast and chocolate muffins for the Jake and Sammy, I took the full survey. And while I was tempted by the traditional Jordanian breakfast (which had it’s own station) of cheeses, olives and vegetables, I eventually settled on a bagel with lox, promptly scavenged by the 8 year-old, and continuing on with the international theme, a breakfast burrito with eggs, black beans, and salsa wrapped in a tortilla and covered with cheddar. This was definitely a buffet worthy of a longer seating but this would have to do.

Single malt and Yerushalmi kugel



By Laurie Moskowitz · October 5, 2010

Each year on Simchat Torah, our family sponsors the refreshments at our shul -- Adas Israel Congregation in Washington -- in honor of Steve’s mother z”l, whose yartzheit typically falls on this day. It’s a nice way to honor her memory -- apples and Hershey’s chocolate bars -- a time honored favorite and crowd-pleaser.
 So it was a no-brainer for us to try and sponsor the kiddush at Shira Hadasha, our adopted minyan for the time we’re in Jerusalem. But as we have found with so many things, Israelis have their own ways of celebrating and so we adapted our custom slightly this year.


While we’re accustomed to the larger Simchat Torah celebration and kiddush reception happening on the evening the holiday starts (rather than the subsequent morning), that is not really the tradition at Shira Hadasha. The morning celebration is really what counts here and for the first time, the kehilla was holding a pot-luck kiddush as part of the festivities. So after spending time consulting with minyan kiddush “guru” Marc Luria -- we determined the best items to bring as our contributions.


Single Malt scotch topped the list. Scotch is apparently a universal language in a shul and Auchentoshan, Bowmore, and Glenlivet were clearly welcome guests. And while we didn’t really see so many flasks around, we did do our part to make up for it. Didn’t take long to down those bottles.


Alongside the scotch, we brought Yerushalmi kugel. A lot of it. This is a bonafide Israeli culinary treat. I’ve made Yerushulmi kugel before; in fact many times. You take oil & sugar and make them into a caramel, add cooked pasta, eggs, more sugar then salt and pepper, and bake. It’s always good but this version is something completely unique. We’ve found it in various take-aways or bakeries around town but the easiest place to find it in is Mahane Yehuda -- where several vendors sell it. It’s hard to describe so I’ve included a picture below, but it’s close to a foot tall and has been cooked in a round pot. Once removed it almost resembles a wheel from something out of The Flintstones. Because it’s cooked slowly at a low temperature (so that it can be left in the oven overnight and served on Shabbat) the color turns a deep caramel. It’s then sliced horizontally into thin layers and then again into big wedges. It’s sold by the kilo and we bought at least ½ an entire kugel (or about five wedges) to bring to kiddush, which fed nearly 75 people. It’s sweet, creamy, rich, and a little peppery. A perfect accompaniment to a shot of scotch.


Stay tuned as I’m determined to find someone to teach me the proper technique.
We rounded out our offering with ice cream cones for the kids -- hard to go wrong on yet another hot Jerusalem day. We got a gracious shout-out from Shira Hadasha for our contributions, but mostly we were happy to continue our tradition of sponsoring Simchat Torah kiddush and to continue honoring Steve’s mother in this special way.

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To market to market (and a “Pomegranate/Apple Salad” recipe)

By Laurie Moskowitz · September 29, 2010

For me, one of the best things about being in Israel is shopping for food. It is an entirely different experience from grocery shopping in the States, with options from small specialty stores to fancier “American” oriented grocery stores, to seriously large Israeli supermarkets, fruit & vegetable stands, mini markets (which are actually called that and spelled out in Hebrew), and of course Mahane Yehuda, the revived open air market in downtown Jerusalem, where there are 8-10 blocks filled with stalls, and shops, and cafes. Even the little café in a shack at our corner park sells fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

There are multiple parts to shopping here – the first, deciding what’s on your list. And you definitely need one. I am often side-tracked by beautiful produce or a cheese I haven’t yet tried, a giant Jerusalem kugel that you can buy by the slice, more burekas of every kind and pastries filled with warm and oozing chocolate than you can imagine, and of course the unbelievably fragrant spices that call out to be put on something… Without a list, you’re bound to get a lot of great items but not necessarily what you may need for a meal or even for a specific dish. Not that you shouldn’t take advantage of the local bounty – or ideas passed along in the market – indeed you should; just figure out how it factors into everything else you’re planningRead More >>>

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