ISRAEL-THE IMPORTANT STUFF



A Moshiko Falafel- Ben Yahuda Street, Jerusalem

AHH! The important stuff: Falafel and beer. Hey, it's hot during the summer months in Israel! Lazy afternoons at an outdoor falafel stand enjoying a cold Goldstar beer and a falafel pita is a perfect way to enjoy a good round of people watching while enjoying the national dish.

I know many would argue that Shwarma (spit roasted chicken or lamb on a pita) is a more sophisticated culinary endeavor, however I favor the simplicity of the falafel. It's a concept pounded into my head by the French chefs I once toiled under: if you can't repetitively execute basic culinary skills that result in a balanced, seasoned and enjoyable dish then you are a fraud or in French kitchen parlance, a shoemaker. Anyone can bury perfectly good meat, fish and vegetables with ridiculous amounts of numerous conflicting flavoring agents to impress their guests, but a real cook wishes to respect the natural essence of a product, marry them with supporting texture and flavor and thus create a dish that stimulates the senses and brings joy to the diner. A cook, therefore, can't hide when preparing falafel. The chickpea mixture must be seasoned and flavored to the exact point that offers interest yet blends well with traditional condiments. The classic two-step frying technique (blanching in oil until partially cooked and frying again later at a higher temperature when the order is placed) is a must in order to maximize external crunch while eliminating sogginess. The pita must be fresh, as they all are in Israel. The condiments vary by individual taste but include cucumbers, tomato, hummus, various cabbage preparations that southerners would call slaw, pickles and an optional hot sauce. The slaw comes in a few variates: sweet, acidic and made with purple or white cabbage. I favor the purple sweeter version and use the pickles as the acidic component.

Moshiko is an outstanding Falafel / Shwarma stand located on Ben Yahuda street in Jerusalem. The guys working there are fun and highly skilled. Most want to use their English when a non-Hebrew speaker (Me) approach the counter. Although one cashier there refused to speak English to me one night, which was fine, until he accidentally short changed me and was so embarrassed he broke out in perfect English with a slight NYC accent. Everyone smiled and laughed and from then on, all my visits to Moshiko were greeted with a variation of "do you want the usual?"