Food & Drink

The cuisine of Israel reflects the multicultural nature of the country. The grandparents or great-grandparents of much of the Jewish population of Israel come from more than 120 countries spread over six continents, bringing recipes and traditions from their birth nations. As a result, the cuisine of Israel is very diverse. When in Israel, one will often hear the word kosher. This refers to food that has been prepared and served according to Judaism’s 3,000-year-old dietary laws. Eating pork and shellfish is prohibited, and so too is mixing meat ingredients with dairy ingredients. Most hotels are kosher and restaurants will have certificates outside letting patrons know if it is a kosher establishment.

Food

• Falafel: This is considered to be Israel’s number one street food and it is available everywhere. It is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both.
• Hummus: This is a dip made from ground chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Although hummus is a traditional Arab dish, it is popular in the Jewish community because it is made from ingredients that according to kosher laws can be combined with both meat and dairy meals.
• Shawarma: This is usually made from turkey meat that is sliced and marinated and then roasted on a huge rotating skewer. When it is ready to be eaten, it is shaved off and stuffed in a pita with hummus and tahina or other accompaniments.
• Gefilte fish: A traditional Jewish white fish dish, Gefilte fish is made from a poached mixture of ground-boned fish, such as carp, whitefish or pike. It is usually eaten as an appetizer.
• Shakshuka: This is a dish of eggs that have been poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chilli peppers, onions and sometimes flavoured with cumin.

Drink

Drinking water in Israel is usually fine, however, bottled water is readily available, and so too are fresh fruit juices. The most popular beers in Israel are Goldstar and Maccabee, however, many microbreweries have begun to pop up in recent years. There are over 3,000 vineyards and more than 200 wineries in Israel, with wine produced there since Biblical times. Sabra is popular chocolate and orange liqueur. When it is chilled, the chocolate taste is more prominent, while warming it brings out the citrus taste.