A Taste of Israel: Photos From a Food Tour

Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold is the Executive Editor of Cubby, and one of Apartment Therapy Media’s first full-time editors from way back when. She was The Kitchn's founding Design and Lifestyle Editor as well as Managing Editor of Re-Nest, Apartment Therapy’s late '00s green living site. She now thinks a lot about design, kids, and designy kids' things. She lives with her two daughters and their father in St. Paul, MN.
published Aug 17, 2012
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

What is Israeli cuisine? This was the question on everyone’s mind during my 5-day Israel food tour in late June. My co-adventurers were all food bloggers as well, and we each came to Israel with vague notions of what to expect during our time there (lots of hummus and tahini!) but without a clear sense of what we were in for. Here’s a quick look at what we experienced:

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

The state of Israel is only 64 years old, but the history is ancient, and the food a bonafide melting pot of different cultures and cuisines. Janna Gur, author of The Book of New Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey (a beautiful cookbook and a terrific resource for what is known as “new” Israeli food) sums it up this way in her forward:

A society of immigrants from more than 70 countries, Israel is constantly changing, and so is its cuisine. The food culture that has evolved is one of dynamic cross-fertilization between numerous influences. Arab and Jewish, Eastern Europe and North Africa, religious and secular, new immigrants and old-times, locals and foreigners. They all work together to create a synergy that is Israeli food today. Fusion is the essence and the journey goes on.
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Cambria Bold)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

The biggest surprises (and delights) of my eating experiences: small salads with almost every meal piled high with fresh vegetables, grains, toasted nuts, and a variety of herbs, served alongside green olives and marinated fish; amazing breakfasts that included hearty breads served with a white, tangy yogurt cheese spread, butter, and preserves, bowls of smooth hummus topped with cucumbers and tomatoes, more vegetable salads and savory pastries, spicy tomato shakshuka, and a seemingly unending variety of yogurts and milks. Oh, and tahini. Did I mention tahini? It was the star ingredient at every meal, often served raw or with olive oil, a sprinkling of herbs, and warm pitas.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Burning sage! An end-of-the-meal ritual at one place we ate.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

More Posts From My Food Tour:
• How To Make Stuffed Grape Leaves with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce
• A Food Tour of Israel: Machne Yehuda Outdoor Market in Jerusalem
• The Making of Mutabak at Zalatimo, Jerusalem: An Old Family Recipe Survives
•

Preparing for Shabbat: A Visit to a Challah Bakery in Bnei Brak, Israel

(Images: Cambria Bold)

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