Twelve Things: November's Bread

One of my favourite things about travelling is eating the local cuisine and back in 2011 I got a taste for the delicacies of Israel. One thing I can't get out of my mind is the aubergine starter from Puaa, the vintage-styled cafe in Jaffa flea market. I was so excited to receive Jerusalem by Yotam Ottelenghi from Lauren for my birthday, full of delicious recipes to try and stories about the history of food from this polemic part of the world.

The first thing I wanted to have a go at was the krantz cake or babka. My attempts at bread in the past  haven't been 100% successful but I thought I'd give it a try. The sweet dough was prepared the night before and left to rise in the fridge overnight. To my delight it had risen, so I got on with preparing the chocolate sauce for the middle. After spreading it across the rolled out dough, you roll it up, slice it down the middle (serrated edged knives really help), plait the two pieces over and place in a loaf tin ready to rise some more, before baking. I must admit I was super pleased with how it turned out, and I think those who tasted it were pretty happy too. Definitely one to give a go, and once my Christmas present of a KitchenAid arrives, there'll be no stopping me!

PS. Don't you think Lottie, the local cat who liked to pop by and sleep on our chair, matches the krantz cake?!

Looking back: in January I started to learn to swing.

In February we learned how to make pasta.

In March I sewed some curtains.

In April I planted herbs.

In May I started running.

In June I learnt to knit Fair Isle.

In July I planned a party.

In August I experimented with chocolate.

In September I started a new job.

In October I knitted a cardigan.

TLV: Delightful Details

Images snapped by Ben and Sara

TLV: Architecture

Old Jaffa, Bauhaus Tel Aviv, Bright beach hotels, Gaudi-esque apartments, religious Jerusalem.

TLV: Spending Sheqels

The Flea Market in Jaffa is open throughout the week though mainly on Tuesdays and Fridays. There are bric-a-brac stalls and permanent vendors, such as shoe makers, Aladdin's caves of everything that comes to your imagination - hundreds of hanging scissors - and trendy homewares.

Nahalat Binyamin is an arts and crafts market which we wandered through on Friday. You can buy from delicate glass vases to faces carved into wood.

Ha Kamel is the food in Tel Aviv which is open early everyday. The sight and smells of the fresh fruit, veg and herbs is incredible as well as spices and teas. Baklava, pastries and sweets are also for sale.

Gavriel by Rubi Israeli is a homewares store, a bit like Laura Ashley but a tad more vintage. Alongside crockery and vases, there is jewellery, globes and even an old car. I bought a cute glass cup and saucer for just 10NIS (£2!)

Sabon started off in Israel but now has shops around the world - except in the UK! It's interior is like an old chemists shop and sells gorgeous products.

The Farkash Gallery in Jaffa has a massive range of vintage posters, many from El Al airlines and tourism artwork. I got one of a woman working on a kibbutz.

The Palais Des Thes on Dizengoff is an upmarket tea shop which sells a variety of loose teas and beautiful Japanese teawares. We were greeted with a mango tea taster too.

...and that's just a taster!

Images 1&2: Jaffa Flea Market 3: Jersularm Arab Quarter 4: Ha Kamel market 5: Rubi Israeli

TLV: Mmm Food

Puaa was our first stop when we arrived in Israel. Sitting in the Flea Market in Jaffa, this was the point when I realised Tel Aviv was one trendy place! The interior is shabby chic and you can purchase whatever's around you. We were greeted by mini kegs of hot cider and I chose aubergine with bread to start which was delicious.

One evening we went for drinks at HaMaoz. It's supposed to be like the inside of an apartment, and we sat and enjoyed drinks on the front porch. The staff were really friendly - and helped me figure out the currency when I tried to pay with the equivalent of 3p!

 The search for hummus was one of our main aim's for the trip. The Wallpaper City Guide recommended Aba Gil's for organic hummus (as well as Puaa). We were not disappointed, and felt happily stuffed after. But that didn't stop us from finding...

Max Brenner's chocolate emporium! Like stepping into Willy Wonka's factory, were just expecting a chocolate shop, however we were invited to sit down and choose from a seriously chocolatey menu. I had chocolate milk whilst Ben ate a jar full of chocolate goodies with hot sauce to pour over it. So good!

After a long day in Jerusalem, we went wandering into Tel Aviv and came across Rustico on Rothschilds. It was full to the brim. We sat at the bar over looking the kitchen and saw our dishes being made fresh -  I had cream, lemon and spinach pappardelle. Delicious!

On our final night we ate a Suzanna in Never Tzedek. They serve great traditional Israeli food and I had a baked filo pastry wrap with aubergine and goat's cheese.

All in all, Israel does good grub!

Images 1: Ice cream in Jaffa 2: Hot cider in Puaa 3: Ha Maoz commercial 4: Max Brenner chocolate 5: Aba Gil's organic hummus

TLV: Chic Cyclists

TLV: Street Art

In hidden spots throughout Tel Aviv there are Banksy-esque images, philosophical statements and indecipherable symbols. None of those scrawly tags you see round here!

Land of Juxtoposition

City, sea, greenery, desert - Israel, we discovered, is certainly a country of oxymorons. Young and trendy; historical and 4000 years old; modern and secular; traditional and orthodox. I'm not entirely sure what I expected, having always heard negativity and danger in the media, but I think we discovered a country with so much to offer. It's somewhere I'd most definitely visit again!...(and here come the posts of what we got up to!)
1: Tel Aviv looking towards Jaffa   2: Gamla and the Sea of Galilee   3: Massada and the Dead Sea

Holy Land

Last night my friend Ben and I booked flights for a trip to Israel. My dad works there sometimes and I think it's a great opportunity to visit a country that I wouldn't originally have thought to. There are so many places to visit, such as biblical sites as well as interesting modern architecture. I can't wait to wander round markets, and see the young hip Tel Aviv that I've heard so much about. Here's a travel guide, one about architecture and to see the style too!

Images: 1. Sea of Galilee flickr 2. streetswalker