CSA Mondays

Well, once again it is Monday.

I can't believe how quickly time has passed for me since I moved to Israel. I don't know if it is because I, like everyone else in the world, am getting older, or if it is a factor of getting into a life that is more ordinary and every day blends into the next and Monday could be Thursday except for my CSA deliveries.

But that couldn't be it, because when I lived in Grand Cayman there was a weekly routine at the dive shop as well. Monday was booze cruise day - saying welcome to all of the newcomers, Tuesday was my day off, Wednesday was Stingray City day, Fridays were for goodbyes, and Saturday was get ready for the next week day. Evenings blended into one and other, going out to Georgetown or East End or up to Rum Point, sometimes out to see a movie but mainly hanging out at the bars, shooting pool and hanging out with the same people (after all there are only about 30,000 people living on the island permanently).

Speaking of diving and Stingray City, my condolences go out to the family and friends of Steve Irwin, the "Crocodile Hunter" who died today of an injury caused by a stingray barb. It truly was a freak accident.

In my (fairly considerable) experience stingrays are shy creatures who usually flee from the strange bubble blowing creatures who invade their sea. When they do become accustomed to people they are graceful, swirling hoovers, sucking food from the palm of your hand in the same way that a horse does. They don't have teeth and they are not incredibly speedy (unlike their relatives the shark). I used to have one particular favourite - Gertrude or Darth, depending on the dive master doing the introducions. Gertrude would come and sit on my chest and stare into my eyes (or, more likely her reflection in my mask). she would let me stroke her wings, which spread wider than my arms at full stretch. She seemed to particularly like it when I rubbed her white "tummy" - rather like a cat.

Thousands and thousands of people have dived at Stingray City without incident, so please don't let an unfortunate exception stop you from getting into the water.

A Digression

Firstly, I need to apologize for the fact that I haven't posted any recipes. There is a reason for this: I was taught that baking needs exactitude because it is a chemical process, whereas cooking is done according to taste and is much more an effect of alchemy, the whole being (if successful) much more than the sum of its parts. Even if I have a recipe, I usually stray from the path and add a bit more here or substitute something there. My biggest piece of advice is "if it smells good together it will taste good together". I will try to write recipes (ish) in future.

Back to the Box and Mondays ...

I came home today to the Chubeza CSA box. Good stuff!

The box, overflowing as always, contained:

• Corn on the cob
• Romaine lettuce
• Carrots
• A big bunch of basil
  

One of my vases filled with today's basil

• Zucchini
• Summer squash
• Cherry tomatoes
• Roma tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Red okra
• Yard long beans
• Sweet potatoes
• Potatoes
• Parsley

So, what to do with all of this bounty?

Well, sweet corn needs to be eaten as close to the time it was picked as possible, otherwise the sugars turn into starches and it ain't so sweet. So that was my starter, smeared with butter and a sprinkling of (you guessed it!) Maldon salt - I like its crunchiness. I used to pour salt into the palm of my hand and lick it up with the tip of my tongue. I also used to eat celery stuffed with horseradish and vinegar by the tablespoonful. I was strange when I was younger. I still am, I guess.

The next course was a pressed cod roe pate that I had made over the weekend. The idea of the recipe is:

• 1 packet of plain gelatine dissolved in 150 ml water
• 1 medium onion
• 1 tin pressed cod roe (about 200 gr) (I have only ever seen Danish brands)
• 200 ml homemade mayonaise
• 200 ml sour cream
• normal salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• pickled capers - rinsed well and drained - I like lots but only had the meagre remains of a jar
• lemon zest

In Israel they have fish gelatine so it will be Kosher Parve, which means you can eat it with milk or meat, it is neutral - religiously speaking. I have to soak it first for half an hour in 1/2 a cup of water, then bring it to 60C. Then I cool it to room temperature. Follow the recipe on your box of gelatine for dissolving it - use only the 150 ml water noted above to get to this point.

While you are waiting for the gelatine to dissolve (don't forget to stir it occassionaly) puree the onions (use a stick blender, a cuisinart, or even a box grater on the small holes).

Add everything else except the gelatine and capers and mix until completely smooth and a bit fluffier than it started (use a stick blender, regular blender, smoothie maker or cuisinart. You can also do this with a hand beater or mixer (KitchenAids preferred but not necessary) - but make sure you mash up the roe a bit first

Stick the glop into the fridge and let it chill while the gelatine cools to room temperature.

Then pour the gelatine into the glop beating/blending very thoroughly.

Stick it back into the fridge until it just barely starts to set up. Stir it around thoroughly and add the capers, then stick it back into the fridge again until it starts setting up again - it will be more set up than the first time 'round, but not jello yet.

Prepare a loaf tin - I use a disposable one because it has a nice ridgey pattern on it. If you want to get fancy there are beautiful copper fish molds. I line my tin with plastic wrap and leave the edges hanging over the sides.

Stir the glop gently to distribute the capers more evenly (they tend to sink to the bottom until setting is pretty well underway - which is about now) and pour it into the tin and even out the top a bit.

Gently tap the tin on the counter to get rid of bubbles, put a sheet of plastic wrap over the top and fold the sides up and over (like wrapping one side of a parcel). Stick it back in the fridge and ignore it for at least 8 hours.

Serve it any way you like - personally I like it with tomatoes and lettuce on baguette, but I also eat it plain.

So that was my Monday night dinner, leftovers and organics. Could I ask for more? No!

From the Ridiculous..

I was just reading Karakia Coast and he had a link to a very funny blogpost that had me lol, so much so that I had to read it twice.

This is most certainly one very serious man's expression against over-protectionism. Check it out...

To the Sublime...

VeuveClicquot at Sugar Delerium has tagged me for Melissa at The Traveller's Lunchbox joint project (read - not quite a meme) for 5 things you've eaten and think that everyone should eat at least once before they die.

Oh dear... and thank you!

What makes me smile the most as I put it into my mouth? What do I roll around on my tongue, gently nudging every single tastebud until they yelp with pleasure? What makes me sit back with a tear in my eye and think "Now I can die?"

This is a very tough decision, there are so many things out there that evoke gut reactions, and so many things that, when eaten, bring back memories that are almost more vivid than the day they happened.

Food, which is essentially, salt sweet bitter sour and umami, has a sixth element that alot of people forget, the smell factor. Not only does this add all of the nuances that are lacking with the 5 standard food flavours, but it is also the strongest of the five senses linking us to our memories.

After much deliberation and many walks down memory lane I have made my choices.

My Five Things to Eat Before You Die

Oysters on the half-shell with lemon - my idea of heaven would be going to an oysterbar (The Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York would be a good place to do this). Ordering a dozen mixed, slurping them down slowly, comparing textures and flavours and enjoying the fresh scent of the sea coming off of their shells, with the tang of the just spritzed lemon juice adding a filip of zestiness to round out the overall sensation. Once the dozen are demolished comes the decision of which types you should have as your main course!

Plain old tuna salad made with yellowfin tuna that you have caught that day and immediately cooked en papillote with a mirepoix, gently coated with homemade mayonnaise, spring onions, celery and freshly coarsley-ground black pepper and a dash of Maldon salt or Fleur de Sel. This is the most sublime dish imaginable, simple, homemade bring-to-school tuna salad brought to the pinnacle of lusciousness.

Uni - just out of its spiny shell - with a cool sea breeze coming in from the ocean, a fire scenting the air, hot sake, iced beers and good friends.

My mother's original Christmas shortbread cookies from my childhood - the smell of the Christmas tree mixed with the bite of freshly peeled Mandarine oranges that came in a wooden crate, competing with the buttery and sugary smell of the just baked cookies still warm from the oven - You will be 4 years old again and too excited to sleep!

Black raspberries (not to be mistaken for blackberries or brambleberries) just picked and warm from the sun - eaten out of hand, with birds calling overhead, cicadas buzzing in the bushes, dust powdering the still air, a lake down the road to be jumped into, and an endless summer just waiting to be explored.

All my foodie blog reads who I would have the chutzpah to tag for this have dedicated a post already, so if anybody reading this would like to join in, just hit the link and enjoy pondering.

Hot Fun in the Summer Sun

45 Degrees and having a blast!

What could be better than playing in the water on a hot summer's day?

Here in Israel there seems to be an innordinate number of waterparks relative to the overall population. Within about 30 minutes drive from downtown Tel Aviv there are at least 3 (including one in Tel Aviv proper). I guess this is a result of living in a near desert climate with sunshine most of the year. Some of them even have hotels associated with them. During the recent conflict in the north of the country alot of people were evacuated. The smart ones, who had children and money, moved into them - taking advantage of built in kid friendly services. Where would you rather stay if you had some rambunctious kids in tow?

I have found that there seems to be a tradition of extravagance here when it comes to celebrating openings of companies or having employee picnics. None of your "ok, we'll meet at the park for a potluck barbeque, softball and tag".

The owners of the telecom company that I work for also happen to own a major credit card company, a national chain of florist shops, clothing chains etc etc etc... They had a subsidized employee fun day at a waterpark just north of Tel Aviv on the grounds of Kibbutz Shfayim. As a token thank you to SistR for being just that, I took her and Jesamine for a day out.

We are sensible people, me and SistR, we didn't intend to pay the extortionate prices that amusement parks charge for the smallest little thing, so we brought a healthy picnic breakfast of yogurt, cucumbers, carrots, bourekas, hard-boiled eggs and fruit; we had snacks including popcorn, watermelon and Bamba (the most popular children's snack in Israel, kids start eating the stuff as soon as they can put there hands in their mouths).

To drink there was a big thermos of coffee for the big kids, diluted apple juice for Jes and lots of water for us all. Of course we bought icecreams - what is a day out without a 'scream?

We were out of the house by 8:30 and had entered the park by 9am. This was actually self-protection on the grownups part - we wanted to be "outta there" by lunch time. Israeli children are generally completely out of control. There is a very laissez faire attitude here and children are indulged to an extent that I have never, ever seen anywhere else. Imagine a few thousand children getting wound up on sugar for four hours- the typical Israeli children's breakfast is a pita or sandwich spread with artificial chocolate spread - and allowed to run riot. On top of that the sound system is played at distorted full volume by an adolescent crew whose main job appears to be to jump up and start dancing at every opportunity. Self-protection, uh huh!

Admittedly they did import some Capoeira experts(?) from Brazil to give demonstrations and mini lessons, but in the 45 degree temperature we had that day they looked like they might just pass out!

And of course there were a few crimes against humanity committed!

The fun, of course was to try and let the water fall on you and to stay cool in spite of the sun...

...overall, I think we succeeded!

Of course, after all of that fun in the sun and acting like a 7 year old for most of the day I needed a dose of reality, so I met friends at the beach for dinner...

What?

"What"

was the very first word I ever said.

I think anybody would be forgiven,

when first encountering these mummified, almost black spheres,

if the first word that came to mind was

"What"?

Not the most attractive things to look at.

And who would ever think they were edible?

What are they?

Persian dried lemons

They have a dry, pungent, piquant, vaguely lemony smell.

They add an incredible depth without the overall sourness of a regular lemon.

You might say "What".

I say "Yum"!

I Love Fridays!

I love Fridays. I really, really love Fridays!

That doesn't mean to say that I don't like other days of the week, I do, but Fridays here are special. When I have lived elsewhere I didn't jump up and down at the thought of the weekend. Don't get me wrong, I love weekends, who doesn't? But here for some reason, weekends are just more "weekendy" for me.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that we are a country which, until very recently, was on the 6 day workweek (and for alot of smaller, older companies they still are). Maybe it has to do with the fact that the work day is 8:30-5:30 but they expect to get at least an extra hour out of you every day. It also might have to do with the fact that even after almost 10 years here I still find it weird that my weekend starts on Friday and that my workweek starts on Sunday, perhaps, subconsciously I feel that I am losing a day somehow.

At any rate, on Thursdays I am known at work for my little "it's Thursday - yaay!" dance. I even have people call me up to see if the dance has been done. I can be very enthusiastic about my weekends.

Friday mornings I get up early, I hate sleeping in because I get the feeling that I am wasting my free time with something far too mundane. I have a regular routine for Fridays. I make myself some good coffee and drink it while I clean house and do laundry. This way I can enjoy my little nest while I am at home. It doesn't particularly matter during the week how chaotic my place gets - and I can be the Queen of Chaos sometimes, because I am home and awake for so little time.

Then, at around 7:30 I get a call from SistR asking if I am awake yet, I have a little conversation with Jesamine, and by 8 I am upstairs being greeted by the munchkin, her mom and the 4 cats. After the usual balagan of getting out of the house we are off the the kindergarten to drop Jes off.

The highlight of the day is wandering through the Carmel Market (which will get a post or two all of its own in the near future) deciding what we will have for our respective Friday night dinners. We aren't being disloyal to Chubeza, we are just enhancing what we have left from Monday's delivery. It is also where we get our fish - my current favourite is Tilapia - any herbs , charcuterie and meat and exotica that we may need.

Sometimes we stop for a boureka at Sammy's,

and sometimes we stop for a coffee and croissant, but almost always we get a fresh juice, be it carrot, orange or my favourite - pomegranate.

Then it's back home, unload the groceries, eat lunch and preparate dinner. I smirk to myself while I potter around my mousehouse, thinking of everybody who slept in and were only now frantically doing their Friday chores in the heat of the midday sun.

If I don't go upstairs to SistR's for Shabbat dinner, then my Cactus friend usually comes by. We split a bottle of wine, methode champenoise from France or a local - Israeli wine, eat and talk.

If, like yesterday, Cactus isn't drinking then I might have a bottle of local Taybeh beer.

As always, we had a green salad using my organic lettuce and red peppers with some really luscious and creamy Bulgarit cheese (which is very similar to feta, but tends to be less acrid).

There was quinoa as the starch, and oven roasted organic butternut squash, red peppers and red okra - which turns green when it is cooked - that had been tossed in olive oil, nutmeg and cumin, and finished with Maldon salt and shredded basil.

Our main course
was chicken wings with hawaij', nutmeg, mace, chili peppers, tons of garlic and Silan

Hawaij' smells neutral like turmeric, but once it is cooked into something it takes on a wonderfully spice-laden smell that is a bit like curry but not. Silan is date syrup and is a bit like molasses, but muskier, with the distinct mouth feel of really gooey Medjoul dates.

What all that translates into is a very middle eastern version of honey garlic wings.

There wasn't really any room for dessert, but after a bit of settling down time we had

iced almond milk with a shot of Frangelico,

which, because it is so white it doesn't photograph so well, but which we considered to be a very suitable end to a very relaxed and shanti Friday night.