Making Israeli Salad

Recipes From Israel

Israeli salad is only called Israeli salad in the US.  In Israel it is called Arabic salad.  I hope someone other than me sees the irony in that.  Whatever its called, this salad is all over Israel, available in most restaurants, all falafel stands, and for takeaway at markets.  I after seeing many of my coworkers bringing it to lunch.  I decided to join them by making a large batch at home, and bundling a bowl to bring for lunch.  I usually topped it with peanuts for a well-rounded meal although that is not typical.

Your eyes, tastebuds, and body will be pleased with this colorful and healthy Israeli salad.

Making Shakshuka

Recipes From Israel

I love shakshuka so much it made my favorite Israeli food post.  Not only does this breakfast dish satisfy any rib-sticking comfort food cravings, but its also healthy.  With each serving offering one to two servings of veggies, it's a great start to a happy and healthy day.  There is no one correct way to make shakshuka.  Even in Israel I would see on the same menu three or four variations.  While the primary ingredients (eggs, tomatoes, onions, and peppers) are always present, seasoning and other mix-ins would vary.  This is how I make shakshuka.

Happy breakfast with my hearty shakshuka.

Ordering a Coffee in Israel

When an Iced Coffee is Made of Ice

Coffee is something both universal and uniquely different in most areas of the world.  Walking into a cafe in Europe, the US, or the Middle East and ordering a coffee will produce pretty different results. Israel is no exception.  In this post I want to share what I got when I ordered different types of coffee in Israel.

An Israeli version of an ice coffee at a cafe in Old Jaffa.

"The Test of the People of Israel Will Be in the Negev"

A Quote From the First Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion

Comprising sixty percent of the land space in Israel, one might think the Negev Dessert an important and heavily inhabited area of the country.  Ben Gurion (the fist prime minister of Israel) thought the Negev needed to be conquered and turned into productive agricultural land with a multitude of cities  to allow for all the the immigrants Israel would accept in the coming years.  The title quote of this post was taken from the opening speech he gave at Ben Gurion University in the northern Negev.  Unfortunately for Ben Gurion, and many could argue for Israel most of the Negev is still unconquered while Tel Aviv overflows with citizens and immigrants to the point that housing in the city is becoming increasingly unaffordable.   

An ibex outside the Maktesh Ramon Visitor's Center.

Return to Jaffa (Yafo)

The Culinary Side of Jaffa

I've previously posted about how much I enjoyed visiting the twin sisters of Tel Aviv and Yafo (Jaffa in Arabic).  Of my two months in Israel, Jaffa was the city I enjoyed the most, and as such spent my last night in Israel exploring.  It helps that Jaffa is only a thirty minute drive to the airport, our destination the next morning.  

Enjoying my crazy rice dinner, Arabic salad, and Palestinian beer at a cafe on the streets of Jaffa.  Taybeh, a beer brewed by Palestinian Christians comes in light and dark versions.

Practical Style: Scarf Fashion in Israel

Fashion Forward in the Desert

Scarves are a somewhat mandatory part of being in Israel, at least for women when it is hot outside.  Many holy areas, for Jews, Muslims, and Christians require women cover their shoulders, chest to the collar bone, and legs past the knees.  A large scarf allows us to quickly cover ourselves when needed with our having to wear cumbersome long sleeves and pants constantly.  In the desert they can also provide sun protection.  I bought a large scarf for just such occasions.  Below I show off a few ways to wear it.

Ana and I model this style she learned in Tunisia.  The extra wrap around the face (meant to protect from blowing sand) can also be worn down the back in a cape-like fashion to protect the back and shoulders from the sun.  The wound scarf on the forehead provides a bill similar to a baseball cap that prevents the sun from shinning in through the top of my sunglasses.

Israeli Favorite Meals

Salty and Sour Israeli Foods

I spent two months in Israel this summer and had enough time to sample a wide variety of traditional Israeli dishes.  In this post I outline a few of the dishes I particularly like for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.


Breakfast
Most days for breakfast I ate hummus and toast or crackers, but my hands down favorite Israeli breakfast is shakshuka.  I had shakshuka three times while in Israel, but I would happily eat it every week.  Shakshuka is a thick stew of tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers cooked on the stove.  A few minutes before finishing a divot is carved out in the stew and an egg cracked into it.  The egg cooks to desired doneness (over medium for me) in the stew.  It's delicious and homey.

Some shakshuka I had at a restaurant in Tel Aviv.

Fluorescent Snorkeling in the Red Sea

Snorkeling Day and Night

The Gulf of Aqaba has some of the best the best coral reefs in the world.  These reefs here have never been known to bleach (a process that deprives corals of their symbiotic algae and deprives reefs of their color).  These ultra healthy reefs are also in rather shallow water (less than 30 feet) making them great for snorkeling.  The nearest city in Israel to these reefs is Eilat, which is a resort town.

 Me (left) and Ana (right) snorkeling at coral reef near Eilat.

Jeneral Jerusalem

Old Jerusalem Geography

I am aware jeneral is actually spelled general.  But where's the fun in that?  By now I've had a few posts about Jerusalem, including posts about the Kotel Tunnels and Ramparts Walk, Old City Jerusalem Tips, and Jesus' Tombs.  This post is more about the lay out of Jerusalem and all the things I did not get to cover in the other posts.  

Important places of Christianity (the Mount of Olives back right), Islam (Dome of the Rock Mosque), and Judaism (Wailing Wall) can be seen from this vantage point.

Jerusalem Dos and Don'ts

Making a Trip to the Old City a Little Smoother

I thoroughly enjoyed Jerusalem.  Although there were a few things I wish I had understood before traveling there.  These tips I outline here.    

Do Go to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

A botanical garden with a biblical theme, the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens offer displays about plants important to Jewish and Christian Heritage.  Visitors can learn about the Seven Species of Israel, crops gifted to the Jews by God that ensured abundant food, including grapes, olives, wheat, barley, figs, dates, and pomegranates.  Alternatively, visitors can see plants species believed to have comprised the crown of thorns or burning bush.

Don't Go to the Botanical Gardens Burring a Shemitta Year

God told the Israelites to let the land rest every seven years by not growing new crops or expanding agricultural areas.  Only actions which maintain an already existing plant area allowed, like watering a tree.  The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens honor the shemitta year by not planting or watering.  There is a dearth of of flowers and color, while the ponds are either dry or more so resembling cesspools.

Adding my written promise of a good deed to an ornament in the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.  Good deeds are a requirement of the shemitta year.

A Eurpoean Style City in the Middle East: Tel Aviv-Yafo

A Weekend in a City That Doesn't Sleep

After several weekends exploring Israel's cultural and natural wonders, a group of us decided to break the mold and spend a weekend in a city where nightlife is one of the main attractions.  That is not to say we did not indulge in some historical site seeing along the way, just that it was not the original focus of our trip.

Enjoying some lunch at a patio restaurant in the Carmel Market.

See The Place Where Jesus Was Buried: Both of Them

Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Garden Tomb

A few weeks before departing for my trip to Israel my father told me he was excited that I would be able to see the tomb where Jesus was buried.  I responded I wasn't excited because the area where Jesus was actually buried was up for some dispute, after which our conversation moved on to another topic.  In reality there are two religious tourist attractions in Jerusalem claiming to be the area where Jesus was buried, maintained by different sects of Christianity: the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Garden Tomb. 

One of the stations of the Via Dolorosa (way of grief), more commonly known as the stations of the cross.  Plaques likes this note the locations of the stations throughout old Jerusalem. 

What it Feels Like to be a Buoy

Floating Around the Dead Sea

We only went to the Dead Sea because it was on our way back from Masada.  I thought I would scurrying in, pose for a photo, and then scurry out again ready to head home.  I was wrong.  We spent hours at the Dead Sea.  Friends who had been to the Dead Sea before me warned it was impossible to swim.  I am an excellent swimmer and I gaffed at their claims.  They were right; it is impossible to swim.  The water is way too dense to move through it quickly.  I basically just paddled my floating body around like raft until the extreme saltiness of it sent me to the freshwater showers in hope of stopping the itching/burning.

Enjoying the easy buoyancy of the Dead Sea with my friends.

Jerusalem: Above and Below the Old City

Kotel Tunnels and Ramparts Walk

We spent two full days exploring Jerusalem two weeks ago.  So much is packed into the streets of this ancient wall enclosed-city I decided to break our trip down into smaller snippets which highlight different experiences during our time there.  In this first post I want to relate two contrasting tours, which also marked the beginning and end of our weekend in Jerusalem: the Kotel Tunnels of the Western Wall and the Ramparts Walk.

In the northern section of the Kotel Tunnels where bedrock presides over cut stone.

Ancient Jews Were Not Afraid of Heights: Masada

The Desert Fortress Above the Dead Sea

Some areas of the world are awash with ancient ruins, like Central America.  Another area of the world, I didn't expect an abundance of ancient ruins the Israeli desert, but I was wrong.  I've already posted about the ancient ruins of Timna Park.  This week I am writing about another rather impressive set of ruins in the Israeli desert I visited two weekends ago: Masada.

The Northern Palace of the cliff top fortress Masada not far from the Dead Sea shore.

Timna Park

Home to the World's First Copper Mines

Taking in the dessert scenery of Timna Park.

Israel may be a small country, but lacking historical and geological parks it is not.  Last weekend (which is Friday and Saturday in Israel) I went to Timna Park in southern Israel to view the historic petroglyphs, climb through ancient copper mines, and hike under and around geologic marvels, after a stop at the visitor's center to watch Hebrew movie dubbed in English about the history of the park that is.  

Check Out My Summer Israel Blog

Blogging About Research in Israel

This summer I am participating in a coastal oceanography research program in Israel for two months. I and the other participants will be blogging all summer long about our research, site seeing, and cultural experiences.  As this post goes live, I will be on an airplane en route to Eilat, the city I will be based out of.  See you in the sun!

Israel Blog: http://coastalires.blogspot.com