Expats in Be’er Sheva (particularly those of us from New York) need only to hear two words to convince them to flock to Bar Basaba: Brooklyn Lager. This little taste of home (that tastes close enough to how it tastes at home) is available in bottles for 27 worthwhile shekels a pop (for those of you keeping tabs stateside that’s a whopping $7.50 and a little lesson in imports, supply, and demand). Continue reading “Bar Basaba”
I’ve been in Israel for nearly three weeks now and still every time someone speaks to me in Hebrew I’m like a deer in headlights. I stare at them looking like a helpless child who might burst into tears at any moment. Only recently have I been able to at least blurt out “Anee lo madaber Ivreet†– I don’t speak Hebrew. Then they either speak to me in English or we break out into an animated game of charades. Continue reading “Through the Eyes of a Child: Reflections on Learning Hebrew”
Mexican is one of my favorite foods – meat, cheese, beans, avocado, sour cream – what could be bad? Not exactly kosher (although vegetarian bean burritos would be) and so a challenge to find in Israel. There is a Mexican restaurant in the Old City, but apparently their idea of a burrito is shawarma wrapped in laffa with some avocado. Hardly adequate. Continue reading “Mexican Night in Be’er Sheva”
My favorite thing about pomegranates – a seductive fruit if ever there was one – is that eating them is an activity in and of itself. It’s meditative. Pomegranates force you to take a moment and be mindful; it’s hard to multitask while eating one. You may get impatient and try to rush through, but the pomegranate, messy and playful, will just spit its juice at you. Continue reading “Meditation on Pomegranates”
For the first two weeks I was in Israel I made the foods that were familiar to me. Beef stew, pasta and sauce, even Pad Thai. But this week I was ready to embrace the beautiful flavors and ingredients that are so readily available to me and start creating something with some Mediterranean flavor. I’m obsessed with the figs here. They’re everywhere, they’re ripe, they’re bursting with color and flavor. I knew I wanted to do something with that. Continue reading “Embracing the Flavors of my New Home”
In New York comfort means ordering in Thai food. That was the worst part of living in the Bronx – no Thai delivery. We had to go down to 86th Street if we wanted curry puffs. I was so nervous about being deprived of Thai food that my friends Sam and Manissa cooked me a huge spicy Thai dinner for my going away party. It was the perfect send-off. Continue reading “Shortcut Pad Thai”
