Taste Of Israel - Dinner with The Ambassador
I got an invitation from the Embassy of Israel to a dinner event!
The menu was curated by Israeli Masterchef Kobi Mizrahi and it was hosted by The Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia & Sierra Leone H.E. Ms. Shani Cooper-Zubida, who is now my new WCE. Seriously, she’s super friendly and very interesting. Plus we have the same name!
Israeli food “comprises both local dishes and dishes brought to Israel by Jews from the Diaspora. Since before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, and particularly since the late 1970s, an Israeli Jewish fusion cuisine has developed. Israeli cuisine has adopted, and continues to adapt, elements of various styles of Arab cuisine and diaspora Jewish cuisine, particularly the Mizrahi, Sephardic and Ashkenazi styles of cooking. It incorporates many foods traditionally included in other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, so that spices like za'atar and foods such as falafel, hummus, msabbha, shakshouka and couscous are now widely popular in Israel” - Google
We had the
Hrayme Fish with Tomatoes and Capiscum (Casserole made of sea fish, cooked in thick tomato sauce and bell peppers)
Shawarma on Sesame Pita with Israeli Salad (Sliced chicken on pita bread. It’s eaten rolled into a cylindrical shape or cone)
Galilee Kebab on a bed of Mashwia Salad and Green Tahin (There are many types of kebabs, but this version which got its name from its place of origin is made of ground meat molded into a ball. A mashwiya is a spicy Libyan dish that can be served either as a salad or a hot sauce accompanying barbecued meat and freshly baked bread and Green Tahin(i) is a condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds)
Falafel, Hummus and Cabbage Salad (Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. It’s very similar to our native koose. Hummus is made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic and can be eaten as a main dish, side or dip)
Apple Crumble (which is basically an apple pie) and
Dates and Nuts Lollipop (A date is a super nutritional fruit. Tastewise, its really sweet. The date/nuts are baked into the “lollipop” and eaten on a stick)
Trying new cuisines is one of my favorite things to do and I enjoyed everything - from the white wine which was some of the best I’ve had, to the shawarma, which was a a healthier yet surprisingly more delicious version of the ones usually sold here. The Hyrame fish which was very soft and not too spicy but just enough to be very delicious was a very close second.
It technically wasn’t included in the 6 course menu but the bread was amazing. Very very soft, and subtly spicy. I honestly couldn’t get enough of it.
Israeli cuisine is GREAT if you are or have ever considered going Vegan - there are a lot of plant based options. It works even better for you if you’re lactose intolerant or trying to reduce your dairy intake because about 90%, if not all, of their traditional meals are dairy free.
Needless to say, I was honestly really excited to be invited and despite being super nervous about how it would go I had a really good time.
S/O to the Ambassador and her team, Karyn and special thank you to the Accra Premium Team for such an interesting experience ❤️.
