It’s now just over a month since circumstances led me to make my hummus, labaneh and roasted red peppers available for sale in Toronto. It began by putting some jars on a refrigerated shelf in Aba’s Bagel Bakery, not far from where I live. As they sold and people responded so positively, we increased the…

Once upon a time, some people pitied the poor cauliflower. With its pale appearance, this seemingly bland, once-humble cruciferous vegetable, traditionally served boiled and plain, suffered in the shadow of more colourful, more upbeat food items. Not anymore. In recent years, its modest status has changed, with chefs preparing it in new creative ways as…

For the latest in my ongoing series on Great Israeli Food Creators, I’m pleased to spotlight a highly talented chef now engaged in new culinary projects in Israel after making his mark in New York and Italy. Born and raised in Kiryat Motzkin near Haifa in northern Israel, Nir Mesika grew up in a large…

June 20, 2020 — Today, I have a smile on my face and a feeling of gratitude in my heart.  This after what happened yesterday when, at the encouragement of good friends Odette Levy, Michelle Muscat, Gili Merkur, Rima Biback and Karen Simpson, and with the help of my family,  I created a selection of…

For the latest in my ongoing series on Great Israeli Food Creators, I’m delighted to feature a chef in Toronto whose culinary work and the setting in which she does it command my respect. Ten years ago, Orly moved to Toronto with her family from Maale Adumim, just outside Jerusalem. Today, she’s the head chef…

Often misunderstood and under-appreciated by many people, eggplants are a major ingredient in my kitchen. Although prepared as a culinary vegetable, eggplants – contrary to misconception – are technically a fruit, as they grow from a flowering plant and contain seeds. At our Friday night dinners, eggplants are a must dish on our family table….

The Nosher, which is a wonderful online culinary publication devoted to Jewish and Israeli food, just published an excellent article about one of the great delights of the Israeli kitchen — salads. See below. When I read the article, it really resonated with me because Israeli salads have such a central place in my culinary…

Great Israeli Food Creators Mika Naor, Founder of Mika Fresh, Toronto For the first in my series on Great Israeli Food Creators, I’m delighted to spotlight a friend of mine from whom I’ve learned a lot about culinary matters. Even better, not only does Mika Naor have a special touch in the kitchen, she also…

Israelis don’t need an excuse to eat labaneh. While they savour it in all seasons, it has a pride of place on their tables on Shavuot, a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, meaning it falls between mid-May and mid-June. This year, it begins tomorrow evening. Known…

Given my insatiable passion for all things related to Israeli food, I recently had the great pleasure of co-organizing a special culinary evening in Toronto featuring Tel Aviv-based cookbook author and chef Adeena Sussman. A sold-out crowd of 180 people, many of them Israeli-Canadians, attended the event at the Schwartz Reisman Centre as part of…