Israel is an amazing place to visit because of the biblical history, rich culture, beautiful sights, and, of course, the food! A new trend in travel – food tours – has made its way to Israel, where a variety of guides, gardeners, and chefs are ready to introduce visitors to all of the Holy Land’s culinary offerings.
Shuk and cook
Many different culinary tours guide visitors through the open-air market (“shuk”) in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Participants sample and shop at produce, spice, meat and fish stalls with the guidance of a chef and then cook an ethnic meal in the chef’s home or restaurant using their purchases.
Among those in Tel Aviv are Inbal Baum’s Delicious Israel and Orly Ziv’s Cook in Israel.
Baum takes groups to Carmel Market and back to her kitchen studio nearby to learn about and prepare kosher-style Israeli dishes such as herbed shakshuka, sabich sliders, flame-grilled eggplant, seasonal market salads – for example, kohlrabi, pomelo and fennel salad – and malabi custard and cardamom-laced coffee for dessert.
Baum also offers a tasting tour, Eat Tel Aviv, encompassing back-street shops and eateries in the Jaffa Flea Market, Neve Tzedek, Yemenite Quarter and Carmel Market.
Ziv, a clinical nutritionist of Greek heritage, starts her tour in Carmel Market with breakfast at hole-in-the-wall bakeries and eateries, followed by shopping and a cooking class in her Ramat Hasharon home. Participants share the abundant kosher-style Sephardi meal with Ziv’s family. On Thursdays and Fridays, the experience includes challah-baking.