tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23816880041220957212011-07-08T05:53:25.666+03:00Life the universe and everything... Mudpies and mayhem in Jaffaajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.comBlogger1441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-79167858595611516622009-01-02T11:39:00.000+02:002009-01-02T11:39:36.139+02:00

Pick the GMO

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-26492180061293327422008-03-04T17:36:00.009+02:002010-04-03T17:45:57.317+03:00

New challenges... The past couple of months have been full of changes, challenges & hopes. Back at the end of November I quit my job of 7 years, with no prospects of a new one... That was a big change, and my immediate reaction was to sleep and sleep and sleep. I guess that was the result of stress and distress and feeling underappreciated. It also didn't help that I had been living hand to mouth

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-75810298983517110122008-03-01T10:33:00.003+02:002008-03-01T11:03:50.336+02:00

Well, not really...I treated myself to "Pork Breast" lat night, which is pretty much pork belly with a bit of rib attached. Definitely not kosher, but definitely terrific.I followed Chez Pim's advice and made myself a personalized 5 spice mixture. Cassia bark, star anise, coriander, Szechuan pepper corns, cloves, black pepper corns & a couple of dried chilis, toasted off in a pot, gently crushed,

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-33526847417047227072008-02-24T20:51:00.009+02:002008-02-24T23:16:51.005+02:00

OK, flowers are beautiful,But the beauty of this tart is that a littlegoes a very long way Towards satisfying a craving forsomething sweet and indulgent. Besides, almonds are good for you,And all the hype about this is true.Almond Tart - Courtesy of David Lebovitz,adapted from Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Shere(with some adaptations by me)Makes one 9 or 10-inch (23-26cm) tartFor the dough 1

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-7316166337195317002008-02-21T21:06:00.003+02:002008-02-21T21:38:30.227+02:00

This is a project that I have wanted to doFor a very long time.Today I finally, I got up the courage,got out my sugar thermometer,and got my cobalt blue KitchenAid whirling. MarshmallowsAdapted from French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller1 1/2 envelopes (21g) of unflavored gelatin 1/2 cup cold water 2 cups granulated sugar 2/3 cups glucose1/4 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt seeds from 1/2 vanilla

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-33288406212799134442008-02-19T22:34:00.003+02:002008-02-19T23:07:15.986+02:00

Another Rainbow... And if you look closely, there is a secondary rainbowGlowing gently on the right.Two for one!

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-4033995822663681262008-02-18T20:19:00.007+02:002008-02-18T21:20:04.645+02:00

This isn't necessarily the most interesting dinner,but it is definitely as the title suggests. It was cold and rainy outside when I decided to make dinner. Cold always makes me crave carbs, and so I decided to make one of the easiest pastas there is... Spaghetti ali oli, or spaghetti with olive oil and garlic. This is not the sort of food you eat before going out on a late night date, and

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-21786772185169949272008-02-17T11:34:00.004+02:002008-02-17T13:07:39.480+02:00

Even though it was a lovely day on Saturday,I craved something warming and homey. So I hit the books and came up with something that reminded me of lunch at the cafeteria when I was in university. The first time I ever ate cornbread was back in the days when I still had the world ahead of me, and I had not even contemplated leaving Canada. This was not something that we had grown up with at home.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-33393291952341073082008-02-14T14:22:00.004+02:002008-02-14T16:22:23.313+02:00

Today the skies opened up...and let out all of the bathwater.Which isn't usually a bad thing - I like rain. I even like going for walks in the rain. I admit to not particularly enjoying driving my scooter in the rain, but that is more a case of sheer self preservation. Israeli drivers are bad at the best of times, making the French and Italians seem calm and reserved, but on rainy days they seem

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-26537413352415589532008-02-11T18:03:00.000+02:002008-02-11T19:15:28.893+02:00

I had an interesting encounter today. It all started with a meeting I had with a business consultant from the Israel Small and Medium Enterprise Authority (an org run by the Ministry of Industry and Trade that provides assistance to new and existing businesses).I was rather astonished to find that their offices are in the New Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv. For those of you who have never been

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-78626603579315830082008-02-11T01:34:00.000+02:002008-02-11T02:30:53.147+02:00

I am so excited...I have never been quoted verbatim before and tonight I came home from a great evening to discover that someone had delved into MudPies in Jaffa, liked what they read and quoted me!To begin at the beginning, I received a phone call last week from my former boss to personally invited me to the office party in celebration of a successful merger and the official declaration of the

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-73845334358706042562008-02-09T15:16:00.000+02:002008-02-10T13:30:37.101+02:00

I went for a wander through the old city of Jaffa on Saturday. A glorious sunny day that brought the (local) tourists out in force.I love Jaffa. It is such a bundle of contradictions. And it draws such mixed reactions when Israelis hear that I live there. They act like I live in some kind of safari park in deepest, darkest Africa. Or in the middle of the most dangerous part of New York. And so on

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-24185776118404026402008-02-08T18:01:00.000+02:002008-02-09T13:06:27.113+02:00

Wandering through the Jaffa Flea Market this morning I couldn't resist taking this picture of a daddy & his daughter. I stood watching them for about 5 minutes. Daddy was in constant movement, making wonderful faces just so he could watch his daughter laugh. Of course, being Friday it was also shopping day here in Israel. After 11 years living here I still haven't managed to figure out why

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-57352663106674678712008-02-07T11:12:00.000+02:002008-02-07T11:38:31.282+02:00

Mary Poppins is one of the seminal movies in my life. It is one of those movies that any little girl born in the early 60's saw and loved.Ok, so I am getting on in life... I even have grey hairs on my head having a love fest and procreating rapidly. But that doesn't stop me from reverting to childhood once in a while.Well before anybody knew about laughing yoga, you had the scene at Uncle

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-78063834484775461452008-02-06T13:45:00.000+02:002008-02-06T14:51:57.519+02:00

After far too long I am going to try and get back to posting. So what is new and exciting? Well, there have been a few star moments in my life recently. I went to visit family in Canada, and got to meet my 3 year old nephew for the first time!I quit my job - after seven (yes 7!) years.I am currently unemployed, but I have a small plan in the works that might completely change my life and my

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-71824047235782158522007-04-13T11:05:00.000+03:002007-04-13T11:34:06.206+03:00

And one dog...Enjoying the sunshine by the beach in Tel Aviv.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-31694527158016551832007-04-09T09:17:00.000+03:002007-04-09T10:02:23.063+03:00

I have an overriding passion… For passionfruit. These innocuous looking little balls, whether hard, shiny and firm, or wrinkled like an old crones leathery face, are filled with the most wonderfully flavoured, seedy pulp. According to family legend, a fruit salad without granadilla isn't worth eating. Even the addition of the contents of one puny, undersized fruit perfumes a big bowl of mixed

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-83348371660635569072007-04-05T21:58:00.000+03:002007-04-05T22:12:27.024+03:00

The Grass Is Ris... And the flowers, birds, bees and beetles are rioting... or bursting... And the cats are lazing, Talk about competion for time on the potters wheel...

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-22320130880504618312007-04-03T22:41:00.000+03:002007-04-04T08:41:11.822+03:00

My life, for the past few months, has been out of control.Work has completely taken over and, after long, stressful days being pulled in 17 directions at once, I have been coming home mentally and morally exhausted. Forget being creative with words, forget being creative with food, forget being creative in any way shape or form.Mealtimes have been graced with a boring monotony of spaghetti alioli

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-9570377869885138462007-02-21T00:10:00.000+02:002007-02-21T00:15:54.157+02:00

After a 15 hour day at the office there is not much to say except... Was there a sunset today??? Oh well, livings must be earned.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-58949567626240290932007-02-19T23:45:00.000+02:002007-02-20T00:11:04.633+02:00

Last Friday I was in Jerusalem... Everybody told me I shouldn't go, that there was lots of tension because of the ramp going into the grounds of the Dome of the Rock. The only tension I saw was from the very few people dashing rapidly through the square by the Wailing Wall. Prayer sayers were in the minority - a thing that I have never seen before. There were reportedly 3000 police and

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-81685378790026404622007-02-06T23:51:00.000+02:002007-02-07T00:12:18.139+02:00

This is a pancake made with some extra dough from The Bread. When I patted the dough into shape before the second rise, I decided I had a bit too much for my new little casserole, so I mixed up a lump with some milk, sugar and cinnamon and made it gloppy like normal pancake dough. Then I let it rise again, and a couple of hours later made myself some lovely pancakes. They had a completely

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-42882763977137114042007-02-05T23:32:00.000+02:002007-02-06T00:32:25.286+02:00

There's lots of spice in my life right now... Just not the right kindThe company I work for is in the midst of a merger. Personally, in terms of anything other than an increase in work for me, this means nothing. Am I getting an increase in pay? No.Am I getting additional perks? No.But all this nothing actually does mean something… My office computer and I have increased the depth of our

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-88090617975663108122007-01-28T22:34:00.000+02:002007-01-28T23:32:28.466+02:00

I have been craving some serious Chinese food recently.Food with wok hai, food that is like mother's milk,But that is not so sweet as to be mistaken for dessert. Food that will put hair on you chest (if you are so inclined)But I have yet to find that kind of Chinese food here in Israel. 1950's and '60's "Canadian-Chinese", or "Kantonese", everything flavoured with Osem Chinese style soy sauce,

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-66996914981973407272007-01-24T23:04:00.000+02:002007-01-25T00:12:42.905+02:00

I love muffins... I don't know anybody who doesn't. They are THE easiest thing to bake. Incredibly forgiving, you can measure by eye, not by gram, make lots of substitutions, make them lean and mean, full of fibre, or an embarassment of riches topped by a melting pat of butter or some heavy whipped cream. There is a very basic ratio involved, wet to dry. Once you know how to make a basic muffin

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-27322388509533616602007-01-22T22:05:00.000+02:002007-01-22T23:16:36.182+02:00

Well, birthday parties aren't what they used to be... Nowadays, they come stocked with dj's and mobile menageries, professional face painters, bouncy castles and more chemicals than you can shake a stick at (in the form of candies, chips, snacks and pop.I feel my age, and older, when I go to a child's birthday party.Because they make me remember what it was like to be small...When I was young

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-25658501141866946222007-01-20T21:51:00.000+02:002007-01-20T23:03:44.449+02:00

Beans.Are they good for your heart? Are they a magical fruit? Are they a vegetable? Well, in French they are a vegetable - legume,but only if you translate literally. Or would that then be figuratively? And are lentils a bean? Corn isn't a bean,But popcorn is always beside the beans in stores...And succotash is lima beans and corn... Are mung beans still considered beans once they sprout? Do

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-39235894439254634382007-01-17T00:01:00.000+02:002007-01-17T00:02:52.766+02:00

Hello Tal of Chicago. Thank you for participating in this years Menu for Hope. And thank you for giving me the huge compliment of choosingMy prize!These are just a few neighbourhood photographsso that you can see where your prize is coming from. These were all taken within a 5 minute stroll of my apartment. Sunshine doesn't ship too well,Otherwise you'd be getting some of that in your parcel too!

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-55027031085034867762007-01-16T18:35:00.000+02:002007-01-16T18:57:17.165+02:00

The Menu For Hope III prize winners have been announced. If you want to find out if you are one of the lucky winners - and aren't we all winners for having participated? then check out the list at Chez Pim and then follow her instructions for getting your prize.If you are the lucky person who will be getting the Jaffa MudPrize, then please leave a comment so I can get your details for mailing.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-46744739768309722312007-01-13T23:01:00.000+02:002007-01-13T23:24:38.206+02:00

Until I came to Israel I had only ever heard about these... I always associated them with the sea. For no other reason than their name. I never imagined that they would be so simple, Or so whimsical. Their colours are incredibly rich and intense. But for all their seeming simplicityThey are elegantly sophisticated. Nature certainly likes to play games. I love anemones.It just took me a long time

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-20274134078052830992007-01-10T23:25:00.000+02:002007-01-11T00:29:01.402+02:00

Having been severely under the weather last week I had quite alot of veggies and greens that would soon be on their last legs, and needed to be used up in a hurry. There were also some bits and pieces left over from my New Year's extravaganza dinner. Still being not quite up to my normal amount of activity, I needed to come up with some ideas that were quick, easy, tasty and not very

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-60122989050254342912007-01-09T21:21:00.000+02:002007-01-09T22:16:12.788+02:00

This is one of my favourite things... Passionfruit by any other name would still taste as sweet.In fact, when I was growing up, I knew them as grenadilla and we would occassionally get teeny tiny little cans of pulp from South Africa. These were cherished and saved until needed to make the perfect fruit salad. My grandmother used to say that fruit salad without grenadilla was like an egg without

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-57100097158261546972007-01-08T23:09:00.000+02:002007-01-08T23:19:13.497+02:00

Consider this a hint... A different perspective of one of my favourite things...And no, in spite of its looks, this is not a beached nudibranch.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-14163612132007767642007-01-07T21:16:00.000+02:002007-01-07T21:24:01.453+02:00

Believe it or not...This is one of my favourite things.Any guesses?

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-67297055129038318242007-01-06T11:26:00.000+02:002007-01-06T13:44:43.683+02:00

New Years Eve day started with a thunderstorm that didn't want to end... That didn't stop me or my intrepid aunt from going to the Carmel Market for supplies. As you can see, the shoppers stayed home, as did many of the stall keepers. However we, dressed in salopettes and raincoats, wandered around, picking and choosing, tasting and debating the merits of the various olives, cheeses, pickles and

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-39092120211698336852006-12-30T22:33:00.000+02:002006-12-31T00:20:52.660+02:00

My aunt has come to visit from Africa.But she is not the obligation of which I speak...Nor am I obliged,Beyond common courtesy and extreme gratitude,For the pomellos that appeared on my doorstep.No, what has put me under an obligation is my latestJaffa Flea Market purchase...Being sold as a job lot just behind this gorgeous old Morris was a shoebox (admittedly child-sized) filled with funky

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-20716356058350112812006-12-24T21:26:00.000+02:002006-12-24T21:46:35.562+02:00

This is Jaffa on Christmas Eve... I visit my neighbours and am given a sunflower...Wandering from church to church,there are no choirs singing, no censers being swung.Instead, busloads of tourists being taken on guided tours of the Holy Land on its holiest night. The flash of cameras, the chatter about things that have no meaning except to those chattering.Nothing earthshaking.So I walk to

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-86682016177663412632006-12-22T20:27:00.000+02:002006-12-22T20:52:05.319+02:00

On the eighth night I played around with my camera And then I did a Study in Orange... By candle light.Please note how tiny these clementines are... They fit easily into a tablespoon!Not only were they cute... they tasted great too!

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-66695484160642258842006-12-22T16:21:00.000+02:002006-12-22T16:53:41.573+02:00

I love this country...It is so full of contrasts, contradictions and confusion,what's not to love about it? As an example, just look at the state of nature here. Where I work there is a tree. Its leaves have almost all fallen and only the seedpods of its former summer glory are left, waiting to be knocked down by a cooperative gust of wind. Growing on the ground around it are snapdragons about

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-32460708125716919272006-12-20T22:29:00.000+02:002006-12-21T00:23:26.381+02:00

Like all old religions, Judaism is tradition heavy...Channukah traditions, like most traditions in this faith, seem to be food-centric. Family and friends gather together, light candles for eight nights and then eat themselves silly on grease laden foods such as latkes and donuts. There are, of course other things eaten, but those are the star attractions.Latkes, of course, are made at home. A

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-87480501745551427182006-12-19T23:40:00.000+02:002006-12-19T23:53:57.917+02:00

The night air was cold as I rode home on my scooter.The smell of hot oil and frying dough wafted through the air, promising sweet nothings that would momentarily sate my cravings but then leave me wanting more...It was already late and I wanted to avoid the quick fix of soufganiot. Something fairly fast and easy for dinner, but satisfying as well... 'Tis the season, after all, so I indulged

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-60905393575460039482006-12-18T23:57:00.000+02:002006-12-19T00:11:53.418+02:00

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-45080638760042829592006-12-16T22:34:00.000+02:002006-12-16T23:31:25.010+02:00

How cool is it to be able to wander around an ancient cityand be able to call it home? And what makes old Jaffa special is that it is still a living city. People live there, and work there. It isn't just a place for touristsgazing and wondering what life must have been like thereAdmittedly, the majority of it's residents are artists or retirees.But that just adds to the atmosphere.And it means

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-57534828545855034282006-12-16T14:41:00.000+02:002006-12-16T16:10:47.938+02:00

Nobody should go hungry in this world. Nobody...Like anybody who is even remotely human, I like to have affirmation. Think Sally Fields' Oscar acceptance speech "... you like me - right now, you like me!" Well, that's how I have felt every time someone has donated to Menu for Hope IIII and said they want to have a chance to win my prize. Thanks y'all (you know who you are...)There are still 6 1/2

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-19743519094377185952006-12-15T21:32:00.000+02:002006-12-16T01:18:12.159+02:00

So, how did I spend the first day of Channukah? Well, it's a bit of a story...I started my day with SistR and Jesamine (who played hookey from kindergarten) at Moti's Bureka joint, drinking strong coffee and eating a spinach bureka with homemade pickles. This is not traditional Channukah fare, but it is a big treat for all three of us!From there, I had to rush home and get all primped and pretty,

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-61089947648907292242006-12-11T22:01:00.000+02:002006-12-11T23:43:06.900+02:00

For all of you thinking about picking The Jaffa MudPie Prizeas your chosen Menu for Hope III prize, the question is... Which plate to choose?Well, to help your decision making processes, some closeups to think about.And don't forget, you don't have to be a blogger to paricipate. Anybody who lusts after one of the scrumptious prizes available just needs to jump to the First Giving donation site.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-37900686256289265862006-12-11T00:25:00.000+02:002006-12-20T23:44:22.722+02:00

The Menu for Hope III charity raffle is now on. Check out the following host sites for an amazing list of cool prizes:US West Coast: Sam of Becks and PoshUS East Coast: Adam the Amateur GourmetUS (the rest): Kalyn of Kalyn's KitchenCanada: Jasmine of Cardamom AddictEurope and UK: David Lebovitz of Davidlebovitz.comAsia Pacific: Helen of Grab Your ForkWine Blogs: Alder Yarrow of Vinography For

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-40515283631097316902006-12-10T18:59:00.000+02:002006-12-10T19:56:11.418+02:00

Well, I survived my weekend with only minor scratches fromthe beasts... Unfortunately the main reason for going to my aunt's was to help her learn how to use a computer and navigate around the WWWeb, and the tech showed up before we had returned from the trainstation and didn't bother calling her cellphone... So I will have to make the trip all over again in the near future. Which isn't really

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-61957361857479868132006-12-07T22:59:00.000+02:002006-12-07T23:47:06.139+02:00

I will be out of town for the weekend...I'm not going to be lolling under palm trees, sipping pina coladas. Nor am I going to be swept off my feet by romance and a ring... (sigh)No, I'm off to be a good samaritan and will be teaching my aunt how to use a computer. Now this may seem all fun and games, but she has never been on a computer before - she isn't old, only mid-fifties - but she has never

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-17953598772238392932006-12-06T19:34:00.000+02:002006-12-06T22:18:16.320+02:00

How many of you have noticed that Mark Bittman wrote another column on The Bread? Kind of cheating, if you ask meI think he should have had it as an addendum,but that is me being persnickety...Well, it is that time of year again, Jack Frost is nipping at the noses of northern hemispherites, Christmas caroles are filling the airwaves and spontaneous generosity pervades the blogosphere. Of couse I

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-40829404065282424462006-12-05T23:59:00.000+02:002006-12-06T01:00:01.608+02:00

Rare as hen's teeth nowadays... Ok, those aren't hen's teeth but parmesan toasts with fresh basil, garlic, olive oil and cherry tomatoes. But if you didn't know any better you could be mistaken... I don't know too many people who have managed to stay together for so long. My grandparents did, and now my aunt and uncle have reached this momentous and significant stage in their lives. My cousin had

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-2830709786639221002006-12-04T23:35:00.000+02:002006-12-04T23:54:47.074+02:00

Just a few of the different types of baklava...and all available in my neighbourhood! Regular baklava,filled with chopped pistachios and doused in sugar syrup Kadai'f pastry (shredded wheat, middle eastern style)rolled around chopped almonds and pinenuts Kadai'f nests filled with whole pistachios. Almost traditional Kadai'fe -rolls of the shredded wheat with a sweet cheese filling,coloured and

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-55614673983804821242006-12-03T23:09:00.000+02:002006-12-04T00:01:41.679+02:00

Oh how we Jaffaites suffer the woes of winter. The season of winds and rain is here, but so far, they seem to have forgotten to blow and fall. There are still people who walk around in t-shirts and shorts... well at least at mid-day. This year winter seems to have taken a detour and so far we have only had one major storm. People are starting to worry about the water level in Lake Tiberias, and,

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-7445062413489521262006-12-02T19:48:00.001+02:002006-12-03T00:26:26.509+02:00

No pictures today - Blogger Beta is giving me problems...As some of you have noticed I was not posting this week - apologies proferred... work & stress got in the way. Hopefully that is done for. What has been going on? Well, I have another 2 casseroles in the kiln, they need decorating, but I have some ideas - completely irrelevant to their intended use - but why not?I have made another

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-89086155147508869442006-11-27T23:36:00.000+02:002006-11-28T00:32:15.443+02:00

No, this doesn't mean catch the zweibel. Nor does it refer to the 1970's craze for the dolls that wobbled but didn't fall down. In honour of zwiebeltag/onion day, Zorra at Kochtopf has issued an invitation to anyone interested in participating in a one off IMBB event. Well life would be pretty boring without onions now wouldn't it. How could actors cry on cue without the hidden slice? How could

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-60941786938103352902006-11-26T20:15:00.000+02:002006-11-26T22:47:16.513+02:00

That is the conclusion my friends came to when they heard I got up at 05:30 in the morning in order to bake a sweet bread that I didn't intend to eat. I love baking. Of all the culinary arts used on a regular basis by normal cooks (we aren't talking making sugar flowers, or fancy-dress food, just normal everyday stuff) baking is as close to making mudpies as you can get. Like a pot that starts

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-81718546088618584102006-11-25T16:47:00.000+02:002006-11-25T17:01:54.374+02:00

I saw this machine in the Flea Market yesterday. I have seen many old sewing machines, hacksaws with rusty blades, cellphones (of indeterminate origin), mixers, blenders, keys, pots and pans, but this, in my opinion, is one of the prettiest, and most interesting devices I have seen so far. But this ice grating machine is one that made me wish I had a bigger house. It was pure form and function,

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-76746539559119944082006-11-24T23:22:00.000+02:002006-11-25T00:40:47.711+02:00

I managed to get up this morning in time to join SistR and Jesamine on their school run. For some reason it was just plain hard for me to move out from underneath my duvet. But I did, grabbed a very quick,and very cold, shower - my fault, I'd forgotten to turn on the hot water, and climbed into the back seat with Jes. When she is in the car I am not allowed to ride up front I'm considered part of

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-48195285031813734512006-11-23T23:09:00.000+02:002006-11-24T00:06:50.221+02:00

Hip Hip Hooray - Thursday's Here I honestly don't know what got into me this week, but I have been dragging myself from bed to work to home and the computer to bed and back again, and that seems to be the sum total of my activities. Hopefully I will have more energy tomorrow when I go wandering off to the market, do my photographing, shopping, chatting and socializing, and then come home to

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-72585932096108300472006-11-22T21:52:00.000+02:002006-11-22T22:49:45.337+02:00

This is Shabazi Street in Neve Tsedek, part of the original city of Tel Aviv.It also happens to be the place with the healthfood store closest to my house. It has the most exotic name - Neroli, and though it is tiny, it is packed ceiling to floor with all kinds of goodies, dry goods, oils, organic fruit and veg, all sorts of soy products, natural cleaning stuff and even blue potato chips! The

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-60704875554356420532006-11-21T22:32:00.000+02:002006-11-21T23:18:49.404+02:00

What the heck is chutzpah? you ask...Well, it is posting a picture twice, but I have my reasons.I decided that it was time for me to participate in another blogger event, and this time I chose DMBLGIT. What that translates into is : Does My Blog Look Good In This, which is being hosted over at SpittoonExtra. I say chutzpah as well, because this is a food photo thing and well, the mystery creature

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-85370669141640601112006-11-19T21:17:00.000+02:002006-11-19T21:51:03.431+02:00

Well, I can't really complain...After all, winter here only lasts about 3 months, and yes, it is a little chilly, but I grew up knowing how to dress for the weather, so when I drive my scooter on rainy days I look alot like the Michelin Man, or the Pillsbury DoughBoy, decked out in yellow wet weather gear with 3 heavy sweaters underneath my kevlar jacket. But that doesn't mean that I don't come

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-27708991180484326612006-11-18T22:41:00.000+02:002006-11-19T00:28:00.153+02:00

A variation on a theme... Ok, maybe I have become a bit obsessed with this bread. Or maybe I have become a bit obsessed with using my own pottery to cook in. Or, just maybe, this bread is so forgiving that even with my cantankerous oven, what starts off looking completely unpromising turns into something I can be proud of.Maybe it is a combination of all three and, just to top it off, there is

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-25340480770340309762006-11-17T23:06:00.000+02:002006-11-18T00:22:04.014+02:00

My favourite day of the week. Everything was so bright and cheerful at the Carmel Market, even the tomatoes seemed to be on parade today. I didn't get alot - I don't really need anything, what with my organic CSA delivery on Mondays, but it is always fun getting little extras. Todays treat was a tiny container of gorgeous, bright orange ikura - Russian style salmon roe to be eaten on a bowl of

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-61634003608631446142006-11-17T00:44:00.000+02:002006-11-17T01:09:33.517+02:00

Well, actually, I was stood up by a blind date...Which wasn't such a bad thing, to be honest, the guy is only about 6 years older than me but sounded older than my grandparents. No spice, no zip. I've been previously traumatized by bad dates - honestly, who considers McDonald's coffee the zenith of bean culture???, so I am a sceptic when it comes to other people's choices for me. But it

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-62674808591524527962006-11-15T20:38:00.000+02:002006-11-19T21:42:42.644+02:00

Actually, I don't know if this is the right name for dinner tonight... But it sure was good.When I worked in Japan Katsudon was one of my favourite meals. What was I doing eating dinner in Japan? Well, the long and the short of it was that I worked for a major American TV station that was there to broadcast the Olympic Games held in Nagano in 1998. This sounds far more glamorous than it really

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-18676012122326594902006-11-14T23:16:00.000+02:002006-11-14T23:58:58.662+02:00

This means going crazy in British English, so please don't get me wrong! Israeli drivers have to be some of the worst I have ever encountered. They make the drivers I encountered in Cairo, Kathmandu, Delhi, Mumbai, Mexico City and New York look polite, considerate and law-abiding. The number of times per day that I have some maniac yell at me after I point my finger symbolically and shoot them

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-37376280551118929762006-11-13T22:50:00.000+02:002006-11-13T23:24:34.355+02:00

Today is CSA Monday - Hooray What arrived today? Curley ParsleyKholrabiWhite and sweet potatoesRomaine lettuce (huge)DillSpring onionsClemintine orangesTomatoesRocketCucumbersYoung lubia beans (like cowpeas or asparagus beans but sweeter)Young beet greensHaving concentrated on bread this weekend, I had a bit of a surplus of greenery and I thought I would try variations on the theme of Chinese

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-86402677173745424492006-11-12T22:15:00.000+02:002006-11-12T23:42:46.780+02:00

As I may have said before, Saturday is my Sunday...This doesn't mean that Sunday doesn't exist, it just means that while the rest of the Western World is enjoying their Sunday brunches, I am busy beavering away at work. So I enjoy my brunch on Saturdays...This particular Saturday I hankered for a genuine brunch. The smoked salmon and cream cheese, the crepes, the spinach salad... What I ended up

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-44961244951153842132006-11-11T22:12:00.003+02:002006-11-12T22:09:24.666+02:00

What do I do when I'm feeling under the weather? I make chicken soup and I bake.I saw this recipe in the New York Times and I just knew I had to try it. They said it was child proof, and seeing as I'm a big kid, and I wasn't up to anything too complicated, I figured this would be just up my alley.Knowing my weakness for fresh bread, I cut the recipe down by half and then I mismeasured the flour (

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-9629965830578100392006-11-08T21:12:00.000+02:002006-11-08T22:20:17.106+02:00

I love presents... I love getting presents, but almost better than that I like giving presents.I love the challenge of finding exactly the right present and then wrapping it up and putting on lots of curly, shiny ribbons. Maybe this is a throwback from when I was little and we always recycled the wrapping paper. Every giftgiving occassion in my house saw the same paper return again and again and

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-28362340829156997782006-11-05T21:41:00.000+02:002006-11-05T23:07:11.162+02:00

Suddenly there was an almighty crash and the building seemed to shake.Unfortunately it wasn't Snoopy dancing on the roof, nor was it thunder to go with the lightening zinging across the sky, or even a car slamming into a bus (or vice versa). Instead it was a cop's nightstick smashing our safety-glassed storefront window in frustration as a criminal used our building as an escape-route, slamming

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-73379754302036245122006-11-04T16:22:00.000+02:002006-11-04T21:12:51.709+02:00

I shot the cookie... But I didn't shoot the deputy ...My mission was to make cookies for a 5 year old's birthday party. Lots of them... So I searched for spritz cookie recipes, and then basically used the recipe that came with my gun, adapting here, playing there. This isn't the greatest recipe - it could be lighter and shorter, but for a first attempt it wasn't too bad.Dainty Tea CookiesButter 1

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-19393689660559778462006-11-04T00:10:00.000+02:002006-11-04T01:30:34.404+02:00

I love Fridays... I thought I was going to Jerusalem today, but in the end I went to the Carmel Market. I am so predictable, but honestly, who wouldn't want to go to there? It is so full of life, sound, colour, smell (not always good, but definitely always interesting) animal, vegetable and mineral. I didn't need to do any shopping, but I went to keep SistR company and see what there was to see.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-75104379931858578792006-11-02T21:44:00.000+02:002006-11-02T22:58:07.935+02:00

Meet QuassiThis is SistR's latest psycho kitty.I went up to visit today and had my legs attacked.This has been an exceptionally quiet week, just working and no time to cook.So I have survived on leftovers, and leftover leftovers. Sometimes life is like that.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-31946014030746893322006-11-01T21:26:00.000+02:002006-11-01T22:18:40.429+02:00

I like looking at life from a macro point of view. Doesn't this look like something that you should be eating? And is this a fold of flesh, the pink ear of an elephant (after a bath of course), starch stiffened linen or thinly rolled out marzipan? The possibilities are endless, if you let your imagination run wild. This could be a cat's tongue or some sort of sea creature - the lips of a scallop

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-9376805997551887082006-10-31T21:46:00.000+02:002006-10-31T22:35:44.537+02:00

I walked out of my pottery class tonight. That is the first time I have done that in 4 years,going every single week. The problem is three-fold. The first, and most annoying of the problems, being that there is a new student who is desperate for attention and just never stops talking and asking everybody (especially me) for help. Ok, I can understand that this is a new skill, but in order to

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-10313126162660559052006-10-31T00:17:00.000+02:002006-10-31T00:54:48.869+02:00

I have a new cousin!Actually, MMM is an existing 2nd cousin who I have never met before. I grew up in the land of igloos, she grew up on the dark continent, and our paths never crossed until tonight. She is here on business and contacted our mutual 2nd cousin (yes, my family life is replete with 2nd and 3rd cousins 2ce removed on our distaff uncles side - this remaining in contact is a result of

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-8968164982922758572006-10-30T19:59:00.000+02:002006-10-30T20:12:39.919+02:00

My CSA is back in action!I have just come back from SistR's where we divied up the spoils.Oh joy and bliss. I love surprises.What did we get this week?KholrabiBeetsTurnipsRadishesBaby mixed lettuceParsleyEggplantsButternut squashGrapefruitsSweet and white potatoesBananasTomatoesAsparagus beansCucumbersRed and green peppersOh the things we can do... Don't those beet stalks look like rhubarb?

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-26823675497661271102006-10-29T22:05:00.000+02:002006-10-29T22:50:23.782+02:00

Hannukah is just around the corner.I know this only because Krembo have started appearing in the shops. "Krembo?" you ask, "What on earth is a Krembo". Well, they are the Israeli equivalent of a Mallomar, but way better.Standing about 7.5cm/3in tall on a simple 5cm/2in cookie base, this is no creampuff. What we have here is 115 calories of seriously whipped, vanilla flavoured, boiled meringue,

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-22684646724581126902006-10-28T23:24:00.001+02:002006-10-29T00:53:02.639+02:00

I woke up this morning to the sound of thunder. I love rainy Saturdays in Israel, I can curl back up under the covers and dream for an extra hour without feeling guilty. Sunny Saturdays I am up and out of bed by 7, puttering around, windows open and the whole day ahead of me to go wandering around the city, or to the beach, or just around the corner to Moti's for burekas and coffee. But a rainy

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-28759705876389933562006-10-27T20:14:00.000+02:002006-10-28T10:30:52.471+02:00

Last night I went to Benny HaDayag for dinner. I've been there once before on a very un-hot blind date. There was almost nothing in common between the pair of us and it was a very uncomfortable evening and I seem to have supressed all memory of the food - I think that we ended up just having the salads and then going our separate ways. So last night was kindof like the first time there for

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-655919945525316432006-10-27T00:44:00.000+02:002006-10-27T01:15:58.697+02:00

Ok, these are only the leftovers... Now imagine the real thing...More to come on this tomorrow...

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-89156870195980283682006-10-25T22:46:00.000+02:002006-10-26T00:36:19.202+02:00

The first storm of the season blew in last night. It was seriouslyone of the most spectacular lightning storms I have ever seen. When I was little, two or three years ago, I was told to count the seconds between the lightning flash and the thunder claps and then divide by 4. The number I came up with was approximately how many miles away the lightning had struck. Last night I tried doing the same

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-8770810347743815382006-10-24T23:19:00.000+02:002006-10-25T00:55:45.727+02:00

Nir Zook is my favourite Israeli chef. He is innovative but keeps within the bounds of traditions - all traditions actually. He has a sense of humour and can poke fun at himself and he is playful when it comes to his food, while remaining serious about maintaining quality and providing visual and oral excitement. When Dad was last here we went to a little auberge in the hills just above Rosh

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-12724988976714400412006-10-23T21:36:00.000+02:002006-10-23T23:24:51.747+02:00

My father is a funny man... What does this have to do with chocolate cake? Well, we checked into the Austrian Hospice in the old city of Jerusalem and the first thing he looked at was the menu for their cafe. The rooms didn't interest him, nor did the amazing view from the roof. What caught his eye was their menu.For the rest of the day, as we meandered through the bazaars, shouks, alleyways and

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-30091236840770968732006-10-22T19:55:00.000+02:002006-10-22T23:42:36.738+02:00

I apologize once again for the paucity of posts recently. My visit to Jerusalem was only partially to blame.Serious problems with my cable provider meant I had zero Internet connectivity for more than a week while they blamed my ISP (whose tech support staff honestly did their utmost to help, but to no avail). After 1 visit from a cable tech (who had already been at my place a month ago for the

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-39623716269521599792006-10-17T23:58:00.000+02:002006-10-19T19:06:00.183+02:00

My dad and I entered the old city of Jerusalem through the Jaffa gate and were immediately greeted by a cart-full of Jerusalem bagels (bageleh here). These are long, light, oval, sesame-seeded bread rolls, not to be mistaken for Montreal bagels, which are boiled in honey water and are small and heavy. We wandered through the meandering alleyways of the bazaar to the Austrian hospice, which is on

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-12996019040396621362006-10-15T22:44:00.000+02:002006-10-15T23:22:40.262+02:00

The Answer... Well personally, I thought they looked like squid eggs...But, what is pink or yellow, sweet, juicy and enormous... Kind of scary looking when viewed up close...With skin thick and protective of its treasures...Pomelos are something I only discovered after I moved here. They are pretty amazing creatures, like grapefruits on steroids, but without the bitterness.On a different note, I

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-45036384271036499162006-10-13T20:05:00.000+02:002006-10-13T20:10:49.611+02:00

My Internet cable connection is down.Thank goodness for friends who let me use their computers to let you know that I can't post right now.Hopefully I will have a connection on Sunday evening (Israel time) after the techie guy has been to visit and fixed me back up.Please forgive me.Oh, by the way, the mystery photograph is the interior flesh of a red Pomelo.

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-87352867344510985982006-10-10T05:54:00.000+02:002006-10-10T06:29:20.253+02:00

I am off to Jerusalem today, but I have a question... What is this?

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-8349290232668034762006-10-08T22:38:00.000+02:002006-10-16T21:51:51.498+02:00

My dad rang my doorbell this morning at 05:00. His plane had landed only 45 minutes earlier. Talk about waltzing through customs... However, after about an hour of talking and show & tell,I put my foot down and we both went to our respective beds for another couple of hours of sleep.I was woken by my cellphone ringing - the father of a friend had passed away and the funeral was this afternoon (

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-89746101650050229122006-10-08T00:42:00.000+02:002006-10-08T00:56:59.703+02:00

My favourite restaurant...And my favourite dinner... The Mixxxed Black Pot - a black cast iron pot filled to overflowing with mussels, baby squid - tentacles separated from bodies, which are then cut into rings, shrimp and crab. All local, all fresh, roasted in the pot along with corn-on-the-cob, sweet potato, white potato and grilled pepper, with a sauce that has grainy mustard, garlic, wine

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-40811438516549279742006-10-06T23:57:00.000+02:002006-10-07T01:50:53.221+02:00

Today is the first day of Sukkoth. I have no clue what this means except that I saw alot of people lugging palm fronds home this past week to make their Sukka, which is a little hut where the more observant eat all their meals over the next week. I think until I came here I had seen and been into one Sukka in my life. Since I have been here I have been in none, although I have now seen any number

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-77029521836380370972006-10-06T08:37:00.000+02:002006-10-06T09:04:31.312+02:00

This is one of my neighbours. In one of the local neighbourhood dives. Actually he is the manager (or owner, I am not sure which) of the local narghila hangout. Since I moved into the neighbourhood 5 years ago this storefront has had 5 different incarnations. At first it was a bourekas restaurant; then it was boarded up, then transformed into a fancy shawarmah joint; then a bourekas place again;

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-38660074401137828482006-10-04T21:40:00.000+02:002006-10-04T22:57:18.730+02:00

I don't know what they're called though... They are in season almost year 'round - except at the height of summer. I usually I just steam them and eat them with butter and Maldon salt, but tonught I felt like something a little more substantial, so I wandered the web hungry and thinking.I knew I had some cooked shell pasta in the fridge, and this morning I'd boiled some eggs a little too long {

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-8595837248488926422006-10-03T22:23:00.000+02:002006-10-03T22:27:59.866+02:00

I went to a Bat Mitzvah this evening. At the Marina in Tel Aviv.There are three major occasions that Israeli's choose to celebrate in a very public way.They are:Brit MilahBat/Bar MitzvahWeddingsI have been to one Brit Milah, and that was more than enough for me. The other two, however, I do go to if the people mean something to me. Relatively speaking I have been fortunate, I think I have been to

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-69004193135050559592006-10-02T14:45:00.000+02:002006-10-02T16:14:14.312+02:00

I was woken this morning by the sounds of silence... You would think that silence would be conducive to sleep, but no, I am used to the regular symphony that starts the mornings in Jaffa. At about 05h30 the buses start. Big rumbling diesel buses, extra long buses, buses that seem to stop outside of my windows specifically to rev their engines. But I am used to that. The trucks that have wandered

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-69047815889307008232006-10-01T15:18:00.000+02:002006-10-01T16:21:04.124+02:00

This is a post about not eating... Yom Kippur is the Fast of Atonement. You are supposed to repent and ask forgiveness from all those who you have erred against {I use the word erred because there are so many possible depths to its meaning} Really religious people fast and pray from sunset to sunset, usually going to synagogue for at least part, if not all of the time spent repenting. The less

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381688004122095721.post-45750133868817511472006-10-01T00:02:00.000+03:002006-10-01T01:32:58.956+03:00

They say that yesterday was the hottest day this summer.I was part of the fools and Englishmen brigade,strolling out in the noon-day sun. I don't know what the actual temperature was, but unlike this cat, I couldn't huddle in the shade of a car. When we finally succumbed and decided to stop for a bite and a sip at a little bistro/cafe in Nahalat Binjamin, all of the tables were clustered around

ajahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12897241079308910041noreply@blogger.com0