Israeli Cuisine

It would be easy to say it’s a mix of Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean, but it’s more than that. The Jewish people have a rich history. When it comes to cuisine, the Jewish Diaspora (dispersion of the Jews from Israel) and the return of these people brought back exotic flavors and new techniques.

These flavors and techniques came from Russia, Hungary, Germany, England, Syria, Iraq, America, and others. It’s a huge melting pot of food influence that all live happily together.

Tel Aviv plays right into any European country along the Mediterranean. Outdoor cafes, high-end restaurants, lovely beaches, pubs and happy hours are plentiful. Israeli’s also love their music. You can just see the pride they have for their country and language when they sing and dance along with it.

Israeli Beer and Wine

Israelis love their beer and they make good beer too. We never found anything that tipped the scale, like aged sours or barley-wines, but the selection they did have tasted fresh and hit all the right toasty/bright/crisp/clean/malty notes anyone would want in a beer.

We made it to a happy hour and split a bottle of Israeli Merlot from the terroir near Galilee (northern Israel). The Barkan Merlot was lighter in body than anticipated, a little earthy/fruity with a hint of spice at the end.

The Perfect Bite

It happened at breakfast. I’ve had a similar breakfast in Jordan and it’s easily one of my favorites.

Here’s what you have:

First you get a basket of warm rye and sourdough bread (Israeli bread is delicious). Then, placed in front of you are five small dishes. They contain: 1) Tamarind 2) Feta cheese 3) Hummus 4) baba ganoush (eggplant) 5) Goat Cheese. If you ordered eggs, the warm runny yolk will add another layer of richness to the bites.

Now, it’s up to you to pick whichever bite you want. Bread/Yolk/Hummus. Bread/Baba ganoush/Feta. It’s a very delightful breakfast. The fresh olive oil in the hummus sparks up your taste buds. The eggplant has a refreshing taste to it. The cheese quenches all bitterness with a sweet creaminess. The za’atar adds an almost floral spice to the bite. The tomato-cucumber salad is also light and a good palate cleanser.

Arab Cuisine

Israel has an Arab side as well. Who doesn’t love meat on a spit or a falafel ball dipped into some hummus with some fresh Israeli olive oil placed on top with some chopped parsley.

Israeli Desserts

Israeli desserts are similar to some of my favorite Jordanian desserts: Phyllo dough, honey, pistachio, and coconut go so well together.

Wrap

All in all, the food is delicious and healthy. Mediterranean with a mix of Arab. And little bit extra.