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Israeli street food – the magnificent and humble boureka

The square shape of the bourekas tells us that they are filled with a potato filling One does not have to spend a long time in Israel to get your first introduction to a boureka. These savory stuffed pastries are everywhere You'll find them for breakfast in hotel dining halls, in countless bakeries and coffee shops, on picnics and even at restaurants that only serve bourekas. They are often eaten in Israeli homes as part of a 'light' or diary meal in the evenings. (Most households in Israel usually serve the large cooked meal at lunchtime.) More often than not, bourekas are also an integral part of the wonderful Friday or Shabbat brunch table. To be really honest however, you basically eat a boureka whenever you encounter one. They are that irresistible. If you stop to grab a quick coffee at a coffee shop, the comforting smell of the bourekas will convince you to upgrade to a 'café ve'ma afe' (coffee + pastry). Wandering through street markets, the sight of fres
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Purim in Israel

©Flavio Is it the kids who like to be dressed up for Purim or the mommies who like to dress up their kids?
One can still buy "oznei haman" in the supermarkets in Israel and so I thought that: 'Well, Purim may be over by now but one cannot have a blog about Israel without talking about Purim! "Oznei haman" (Haman's ears) by the way are special triangular shaped cookies that is eaten during Purim.



© Ron Almog Old and young, big and small like to dress up during Purim.
During Purim the Jewish people celebrate the fact that the Jews of the Persian empire were not slaughtered, as the evil Haman had planned to do. His plot was foiled by queen Esther who had the courage to approach the king to tell him about Haman's plans. Anybody who came into the king's presence without being summoned first could be put to death. (The previous queen, Vashti, was killed because she refused to appear before the king and his drunken friends). The king however welcomed Esther, listened to her story and the Jews were saved. 

Purim is celebrated in Israel by dressing up in costumes, eating oznei haman and giving friends and neighbours gift baskets filled with treats. The book of Eshter in the bible are read in synagogues. Every time the name Haman is mentioned during the reading, the children get to swing a noise maker to drown out his name.

© Flavio A cool outfit in a Purim parade.
Many towns have a Purim parade and the children have a few days of from school. Purim is often described as the Jewish carnival or Mardi Grass. The word Purim by the way comes from the word 'lots'. Haman threw lots so see on which day the Jews should be slaughtered. It turned out to be on the 14th of Adar (around mid-March).

Just think how terrified everybody must have been to learn that they will be slaughtered on a specific date. And how great the relief and joy when they learned that they are going to live! Now isn't that a good reason to have a party? Even after so many generations :).

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Israeli street food – the magnificent and humble boureka

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