Tel Aviv Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions

Search


    Search Tel Aviv Guide

     

    The Guide to Jewish Food

    		Print E-mail
    User Rating: / 6
    PoorBest 
    (6 votes, average 3.67 out of 5)
    AddThis Social Bookmark Button
    A short introduction to Jewish East-European cuisine - Not appropriate for all tastes but certainly an experience.

    No one can say that Israeli Ashkenazi food is especially delish or appetizing (some might even use more extreme adjectives). Mainly of East European origin, it's mostly food that has been cooked for quite a long time, tends to be on the heavy side and involves an odd combination of sweet and salty.  But as comfort food, East-European food is in a league of its own.

    There are some dishes that make an exception to the oddity of the cuisine, and many people of Jewish background will do their best to defend the honor of these specialties. The most famous of these are:

    • Chicken soup
    • Chopped liver
    • Krepalach (fried or steamed dumplings filled with meat or potato)
    • And Chulent (a dish of meat, potatoes, beans and onions cooked overnight)
    If prepared by a skilled cook (who must be a mother or grandmother according to the demands of tradition) such fare can be quite tasty, though the nostalgiacal element accompanying the feast might prove to change the way the food tastes. 

    In principal, this food is best on a cold winter's day, but exceptions can be made if you allow yourself a short rest after.

    Warning!

    The most infamous member of the East-European Cuisine is the "Gefilte Fish".  This is a kind of "fish-burger", served with a jelly sauce and a piece of carrot.  The Polish version demands it should also be quite sweet. 

    In short eating it is a childhood trauma for many young Israelis, but if you drown it with hot horse-radish it is tolerable. No real reason why you should find yourself eating this dish, but if you are invited to a Jewish traditional event, keep the horse-radish in mind.

    Comments (3)
    • 2010-11-15 18:55:29 |213.151.48.xxx| Guest 2  - Gelfilte Fish...Warning!!!!!!!!

      Es real, el Gelfilte Fish es traumatico para niños y grandes. Esta claro que sobre gustos no hay nada escrito, pero no es un sabor agradable que puedan disfrutar todos. Yo no lo recomiendo en absoluto, ni siquiera para saber de que se trata esto.
      No importa si lo hace un gran chef o alguien que no estudio gastronomia: El sabor es igual para los que lo prueban por primera vez, y por ultima.
      :ooo:

      • 0
      • 0
      ReplyQuote
    • 2007-08-09 15:42:53 |80.96.202.xxx| hannahmiriam  - Gefiltefish

      Honestly, I LOVE this dish.
      And talking about the rest of east-european dishes...they are extremely good but it all depends of tastes.

      • 0
      • 0
      ReplyQuote
    • 2006-03-15 11:08:06 |85.64.223.xxx| Guest  - Gefilte Fish

      What's written here is absolutely not true. In fact, a lot of people search out the old Jewish style restaurants (like Doda or Elimelech) just to eat Gefilte fish or food of that kind. It's not a childhood trauma, but a delicious plate when prepared by someone who KNOWS how to make it.

      • 0
      • 0
      ReplyQuote
    Write comment
    Your Contact Details:
    Comment:
    [b] [i] [u] [s] [url] [quote] [code] [img]   
    :D:angry::angry-red::evil::idea::love::x:no-comments::ooo::pirate::?::(
    :sleep::););)):0
    Security
    Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.
     
    Search box
    Search for hotels in
    Tel Aviv
    Arrival:
    Departure:

    Top Rated Hotels

    Tel Aviv Map

    Tel Aviv MapDownload a PDF map of Tel Aviv here and click the hotspots to get updated reviews of hotels in Tel Aviv, restaurants, attractions and more

    Top Rated Restaurants