If I had to pick an aromatic thread through my childhood, it would be fragrant citrus. My childhood home had several citrus trees, gracing us with fresh fruit to be picked seasonally: lemons, oranges, grapefruit, mandarins and more. Seasoning a fresh salad was as simple as running downstairs to pick a lemon off the tree. Fresh navel oranges, or plump mandarins, dewey with the last rain drops, were an easy and delicious snack. Our Moroccan neighbor would preserve the lemons, others would make citrus jam or marmalade and my Mom, she would have a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice daily, st ..read more

I am writing you from Israel, where the summer is blistering and the politics are hot. No surprises there… What does constantly surprise me is how diverse, creative and delicious food here continues to be: ever changing and evolving! Yesterday my parents, sister and I had lunch at the ancient port town of Caesarea. Sitting alongside an ancient Roman avenue, by Byzantine walls and a minaret of an old mosque, we ate contemporary food to the sound of crashing waves, enjoying the cooling effect of an ocean breeze. enjoying the ocean breeze… With a chilled crisp French Rose’ we enjoyed Seared sea ..read more

CAESAREA old port As Covid restrictions are easing domestically and around the world, you may have travel on your mind – finally! My home country, Israel, has enforced pretty strict Covid regulations, barring most non-citizen visitors and requiring testing and quarantines. It is now open and thirsty for visitors, welcoming the tourism industry back. So, if Israel is in your travel plans, here are some tips before you go. The Jordan river by Tiberius General travel tips: 1.     Passport expiration: Israel requires that your passport expiration date is no less than 6 months ..read more

Photo courtesy of jody upin @freshlycut1 I am so grateful to ModernWell and The New MPLS for hosting a beautiful event focused on Israeli cuisine and featuring my food and stories! As so many of you requested - I will be posting the recipes from the event here in installments. Bear with me, the Jewish High Holidays are upon us and I will do my best to be on top of this! So, here are the first 2 recipes: Homemade pita and Balkan Style Eggplant. Let me know what you think and enjoy!! Homemade Pita Photo courtesy of jody upin @freshlycut1 Scoop it with pita, spread it on toast, top spaghetti w ..read more

Oppressive summer heat is plaguing our planet and we are all trying to cool off! Even I, as much as I love to cook and putter in the kitchen, am reluctant to turn on my stove or my oven. So, if you are fortunate to have abundant mint and some fresh limes, make this feast for the eyes and palate and enjoy a refreshing, green and vibrant Mojito instead! With a short list of ingredients and a breeze to make with the aid of a blender, you will be sipping this cocktail in no time! Stay cool and drink responsibly! The Greenest Mojito ..read more

This lowly butternut squash gets the royal treatment in this spiced up version. Drizzled with a smokey honey glaze and roasted until caramel and tender, it then gets a sprinkling of salty feta and a touch of fresh herbs. Perfect as a Thanksgiving side or any fall dinner! Spice Roasted Butternut Squash ..read more

The year is 2022 and we are finally getting together again with friends and family. What better way to say “I missed you” then with this decadent, fudge and chocolatey cake? Every Passover I’m on the hunt for the next “best Passover chocolate cake”. This year’s winner is a recipe by Raheli Krut, whose blog I have been following for quite a while. This cake received rave reviews from all who tasted it and I received many requests for the recipe. So here it is, translated from Hebrew and adapted for the American user. Best thing about this cake? No need for mixer! All whisked in one bowl! Fudg ..read more

Citrus offers sunshine in every which way. Visually they offer a range of golden hues to combat the winter blues. In a bite they flood our palate with freshness and juice that chase away the dreariness of rain, sleet & snow. And the way they smell? They perfume our kitchens, our foods and our bedrooms, as if the sunshine they absorbed in beating directly on us. So visit your local grocer and add citrus to your home in any manner that appeals to you. I will be contemplating my bowl of mandarin oranges, Meyer lemons, pink grapefruits & navel oranges and planning how to add them to my d ..read more

Papery thin, delicate & delicious Despite some Covid-19 hurdles, I made here to Israel and I am enjoying a country that is mostly vaccinated, pretty open and almost completely back to normal. I can explore, meet friends and find new gems…Incredible feeling! Shenkin Street at the heart of Tel Aviv My Israeli friend, Lea, introduced me this week to a tiny young gem, unassumingly located on Shenkin street in Tel Aviv: K’naffe Shenkin. This sparsely and intentionally arranged shop offers authentic, handmade Middle eastern baklava and K’naffe. Owned by 2 entrepreneurial brothers, who imported ..read more

I have not met a chocolate I did not like. Milk, dark, semi-sweet, nutty, spiced, moussed, cookie, cake, ice cream cold or melted – bring it on! The blame rests on my mom’s shoulders; she made the most deeply chocolatey birthday cake (with sprinkles!) and her chocolate babka dough was airy while its filling was deeply fudgy. As if that was not enough, she’d send me to school with the Israeli version of a peanut butter sandwich – a chocolate spread sandwich. The chocolate would get melty and gooey in the Israeli heat and of course, you’d have to wash it down with some cold chocolate milk too ..read more