Fattoush

View from Old Yafo

(ingredients for two): 

I am not of Arabic descent, nor do I claim to be an expert in Arabic cuisine. I do, however, enjoy replicating delicious dishes that I enjoy around the world. This specific recipe comes from a fabulous Fattoush salad that I enjoyed at the Balloons Pizza Restaurant in Bethlehem. Tried and tested, my recipe tastes *almost* as good as theirs.

Enjoy my recipe for this simple, refreshing, Mediterranean salad.

For the Salad:

3 cups chopped green leafy lettuce (preferably the green tops of romaine)

1 medium tomato (or a handful of cherry tomatoes)

2 small Persian cucumbers 

1 small purple onion

Optional:

1/2 Bell Pepper 

1/2 cup fresh mint 

1/4 cup sliced red raddishes 

For the Croutons:

1 small whole wheat (or any) pita

Sumac (pictured)

Zaatar (pictured)

olive oil 

Sumac (Red) and Zaatar (Green)

For the Dressing: 

Juice of one and one half lemon 

Olive Oil

Salt

Sumac

Zaatar (Hyssop) 

Instructions:

1. Wash all of your vegetables. 

 2. Chop all of your vegetables and thow into a big mixing bowl

 3. Add Sumac (about 1 tablespoon) , Zaatar (1-2 tablespoons), and salt (to taste) to your salad

 5.  Add Olive Oil (I just drizzle for a few seconds) and freshly squeezed Lemon Juice.


Side Note:  For whatever reason, no matter how hard I tried, my salads were always lacking something. So I once asked a friend of mine how to make authentic Arabic salad, and invited him to make it for me so that I could learn. First, he was not afraid to drizzle as much olive oil as needed in order to dress the salad. Second, he added salt (When you think you've added enough, add more!). Third, he said, "God gave us two hands for a reason", and proceeded to toss the salad with his hands, making sure that every last piece of beautifully diced vegetable was coated with perfect amounts of seasoning, lemon juice and olive oil. Bottom line, when you cook never be afraid to "infuse" your dishes with your uniqueness!

Making the Croutons:

 1. Prepare your ingredients.

2. Cut Pita bread into thin strips. I like using a food scissors because it gives me control and precision when cutting the pita in strips.

 3. Season bread strips with Sumac, Zaatar, and Kosher Salt. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the strips, and toss.

 4. Bake the strips at 150 degrees Celsius (or 300 degrees Fahrenheit). Make sure that you pay close attention to the pita strips. Olive oil has a much lower burning temperature than other oils, which could cause your pita chips to burn fast. It is always better to bake the chips at a lower temperature for longer than to blast them at a high temerature. If you decide to bake at a high temperature, make sure you keep your eyes on the chips at all times, removing them immediately if they begin to burn.

Transfer your salad to a serving bowl, and top with pita chips

My Fattoush Salad

Enjoy!

It Doesn't Have to Be This Way...

"Through Love, and Not Hatred, Do You Bring People to Torah"

At the Beit Shemesh Rally on December 27th, 2011

       Recently there have been some pretty intense dialogs in Israel regarding the recent encroachment of the extreme Haredi factions on the social rights of women. Women have been photoshopped out of community publications, women have been demanded to move to the back of the public bus,  little religious girls have been spat on and called "whores" on their way to school because they were, at the ages of 6-12, apparently viewed as sexual objects by grown men and therefore chastised for their less than "modest" dress code.

     While it is true that perpetrators came from a fringe group of only 150 families in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh, the ramifications that their actions have are far reaching and spiritually damaging for each and every Jew.  When events like this happen, they creat a rift in the trust that people have in one another. When a non-observant person sees that people who are  supposed to be emissaries of their religion act in such a shameful way, a part of them breaks off from the rest of their people. In this case, the "secular" Jewish Israelis are furthermore justified in their break from Judaism, and most of all, Torah values.

      Every year, hundreds if not thousands of young Israelis flock to India in search of a spiritual experience; looking for guidance, wisdom, inner peace, and serenity. Many find themselves through taking up residence in ashrams, through psychedelic drug use, or through turning to other religions such as Buddhism, Hari Krishna, and even Christianity. For a reason, these young Israelis feel that what they search for cannot be answered by Judaism. I don't blame them. If someone who was supposed to be the epitome of Torah and Jewish Observance instead showed hatred for me or a group I identified with, how could I be expected to want to come closer?

      To the extremists, to the religious fanatics, to those who envoke the name of Torah when in reality they distort its teachings, or the men who impose religious coercion upon the less observant around them, I remind you: Through love, and not hate, do you bring people closer to the Torah.

Day Trip to Beit Zayit

Day Trip to Beit Zayit (Jerusalem) 

"Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white." - Mark Jenkins

Stairwell to Nowhere, Jerusalem Forest

As I set out from the hustle and bustle of Tel Aviv on a cold Tuesday Morning, I prepare myself for what will be a "hike" through the Jerusalem Forest behind the neighborhoods of Givat Sha'ul and Har Nof. I'm not sure what will await me, but I'm ready to take on the challenge.

We arrive at a bakery, adjacent from one of the largest flour mills in Israel. The building is reminiscent of an old, colorless Eastern European structure from the Cold War era. Our group gathers and sets off for Beit Zayit, a Moshav outside of Jerusalem. 

Our path is through the forest of the JNF's "Jerusalem Forest" trail. The trail is filled with an abundance of holy fruit- carob trees, almonds, olives and figs. I close myself off from the rest of the world and connect with the beauty that is often overlooked in nature. As I make my way, I see power lines running through the valley. A perfect scene, plagued with the reminders that we have developed ourselves to the point that even a forest cannot fight back with its own beauty. 

And yet, I keep thinking of my happy place, a green meadow with trees and flowers. I wait for it to come, yet as I wander into the unknown I can only rely on my imagination to bring me to my connection with the universe. And then as I turn the bend, I arrive. 

Meadow

As I appreciate the sense of calm around me I am drawn to the beauty of a little cone, 

Pine Cone

one of which I would usually kick to the curb in an urban setting. I pick it up,and at once see the swirls of magic that God has created in this little vessle for spreading seeds of the earth. 


We continue on our way, towards Beit Zayit, coming closer to our end destination. I see homes in a small village, something reminscent of a quaint mountain town, teeming with serenity. On each corner is a plant, a tree, a connection with the Almighty. Shades of reds that come from the earth dot the village.

Street in Beit Zayit

As we arrive at our final destination, an organic meal awaits us, based on grains, vegetables, and fruits. Atop a camp fire is an old style iron pita taboun. Each person takes some dough, shaping their pitas and setting it on the fire. For me, my first plain pita wasn't anything special. I needed to fuse the tastes of my journey. As I put my second  pita on the taboun, I added sea salt, olive oil, the flesh of a tomato, and vision. Half way through my pita fell into the fire, but I just dusted it off,  flipped it over, and cooked other side. 

Home Made Pita

Little did I know, when my pita met the earth and ashes of the fire wood, it was no accident. As I took my first bite, the earth had infused my creation with hers. Each bite brough forth the crisp, fiery flavors and smells of the living earth, and I was at one with my source. 

Welcome

Dear friends,

       Some of you may know me, some of you may not. I came up with the idea to start sharing my ideas, recipes, and travels with you. I believe the key to happiness lies in the ability to connect with others, see the world through many different lenses, and appreciate the beauty all around us. So, I welcome you to my journal. Whether it be daily or weekly, there will always be something here that inspires me, and I hope will inspire you too.

The Mediterranean Coast

All my love,
The Wandering Drew