Four years ago, I visited Israel for 16 days and really toured the country. I visited the Dead Sea, Sefat, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and more.  The trip included visiting many great museums, hiking, walking thru underground tunnels,  and I even participated in an archeological dig. Honestly, I didn’t stop moving.

This trip is very different. I’ve been  visiting friends, hanging out with cousins and bumping into old friends. It’s been a totally different type of vacation.

Even thought I didn’t visit any museums on this trip, I did manage to “play tourist’!!  First on my list was to visit Jerusalem and visit the Western Wall.

Did you know that many people who visit the Western Wall insert little prayers into the Wall?

I also spent some time visiting Herzeliya Beach and Tel Aviv Beach.

Proof that I’ve been on the beach and not just eating at restaurants.

While in Tel Aviv, I went to an arts and crafts fair that takes place every Tuesday and Friday called Nahalat Binyamin and purchased a gift for my kitchen!! Don’t you think this is the best gift for a food blogger?

Here’s a pretty decent view of Tel Aviv as seen from the 18th floor of the Tel Aviv Sheraton.

I’ve also enjoyed the beautiful weather. In Israel, you are always guaranteed to see the sun everyday for the entire summer. Sweet.

Can’t complain about picturesque days like this either.

 Sadly my trip has almost come to an end but I know that I will come back to visit in the near future.

For more information about Israel please visit www.GoIsrael.com

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Let’s just say that there is no shortage of amazing food in Israel. Here’s a sample of what I’ve been enjoying.

1. Shakshuka (Full House, 198 Ahuza St, Ra’anana, Israel). This dish is made with tomatoes, eggs, onions, red peppers and a special blend of spices. I asked around for the best Shakshuka in Ra’anana and this restaurant came highly recommended. See the green vegetable in the bowl? I thought it was a green pepper. WRONG. It was jalepeno. Lesson learned.

 2. Hummus. Sadly we just can’t get hummus like this in Toronto. This is the real deal. Again – it’s from Full House.

 3. Beer!! I discovered that a microbrewery does exist in Israel and it’s called Jem’s. The founder of this bar/restaurant had a dream and made it happen. Congratulations Jeremy!

  4. Root Salad. My cousin took me for a beautiful lunch in Herzilaya at a restaurant that overlooked the beach. We certainly did enjoy the atmosphere and the salald!!

6. Fatoush Salad: I ordered this salad from Bread Story, (86 Dizengoff, Tel Aviv). Again, many thanks to my cousin for the recommendation! Loved everything about this salad.

 7. Cheese:  Discovered an amazing gourmet food store in Ra’anana called Basher Fromagerie   (89 Ahuza). Naturally I gravitated towards the cheese that was not only colorful but flavorful too!

Can you tell that I’m having a great time in Israel? I only have a few days left before I continue my travels to Barcelona where I will continue my food adventures!! #happydance

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On my first day in Israel, I went to a beautiful shopping centre. However I didn’t buy anything. But when my friend took me to Eden Natural Market in Ra’anana , I couldn’t stop buying stuff.

Here’s what I went crazy for:

DRIED POMELO

DRIED ORANGE:

DRIED STARFRUIT:

OLIVE OIL WITH ZATAR:

PAPER TOWELS (my mom brought back ONE roll last year and loved it. I was smart (or am I crazy? LOL) and bought FOUR rolls) 

SALAD TOPPINGS

 I bought other stuff too: dried bananas, dried apple with cinnamon, dried pineapples and more. It will freeze beautifully and I know I will enjoy using them in recipes or serving them to guests.

Wonder what goodies I’m going to find next week when I visit Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem with @funjoel?

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Background: I went to Tel Aviv University and lived in the dorms for four years. (1984-1988). I returned to visit in 1996 and in 2009. On my last visit I went to a restaurant in Jerusalem that left such an impression on me, that it was the first thing I did in Jerusalem on my current visit. I went directly on a bus from the Central Bus Station right to Caffit, which is located in the German Colony.

Actually that’s not exactly true, I ordered a beautiful cappuccino from Aroma Espresso, that was perfectly located at the Central Bus Station and THEN got on the bus that would take me to Caffit!!

I knew exactly what I was going to order when I got to the restaurant. Check out the ingredients in this Sweet Potato Salad. 

When the salad arrived, it looked and tasted exactly like it did in 2009. Our friendly waitress told us that this salad has been on the menu for the last 12 years! I hope it’s on the menu FOREVER!!

Sadly I didn’t order anything else cause I was too full to have anything else!! Infact, 8 hours later – I’m barely hungry even though TWO of us didn’t eat the entire  salad.

If you visit Jerusalem, please put this restaurant on your list. Pretty Please!!

Caffit, Emek Refaim 35, Jerusalem, 02-563-5284

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Back for a second year, the TO Food Fest brings together top foodie-reviewed restaurants and local hidden gems into one exciting event. I thought I was going to have to miss it but MY FLIGHT GOT DELAYED which meant that I was able to go!! WOOT

Why do I like this event so much?

a) It’s a small event

b) It’s both indoors AND outdoors

c) There is NO entrance free

d) It’s a local community event. Specifically, it takes place at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto

e) There’s plenty of volunteers

f) The food vendors are a nice combo of established and aspiring chefs

g) The committee does an amazing job at reaching out to food bloggers that they discover on Yelp, Urbanspoon, Twitter etc.

Met @abeworno last year at this event and we bumped into each other again! (wearing the same colors)

Now let’s talk about what I ate, shall we?

I swear three bloggers and three forks enjoyed the FRIED CREPE from nom nom crepes.

There was no shortage of food to enjoy: Moussaka Sliders from Kafologas, Volcanic Ice Cream, and yummy street food from Babiandco!

I personally loved this one dish from Capcapkecapi and will be looking for them at the CNE. Sorry there’s no photo but I did take a picture of the sign!! I DEVOURED item #1.

Congratulations to everyone who worked on this event. Looking forward to your event in 2014 already!

For updates throughout the year, please follow them on Twitter (@TOFoodFest) or Facebook.

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I’ve never been east of Montreal before but today I had the chance to “pretend” that I was in Nova Scotia!! I simply went to the Waterfront Festival  at HTO Park in Toronto!  It’s easy to find as you can spot these giant (magnificent) Tall Ships a mile away!!

I made a be-line to the Nova Scotia Eatery, where I enjoyed a Nova Scotia Lobster Roll, Sea Salt Caramel Apples and a Wild Blueberry & Honey Lemonade.  

Not only was my tummy happy but my eyes were pretty happy too. I got the chance to enjoy  my lunch while staring at the beautiful lighthouse with the CN Tower in the background.

The Nova Scotia Eatery  will also be making it’s way to Ottawa, London and Belleville over the next few weeks. So make sure to follow them on twitter, @TasteoNS to get the latest updates or visit their website!

 I’m also super impressed that Taste of Nova Scotia is using social media to get the word out about their amazing province and the culinary adventures that they have to offer.

For more information about Taste of Nova Scotia:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TasteofNS

Twitter: @TasteofNS

Instagram: TasteofNS

For more information about The Waterfront Festival that is taking place at HTO Park in Toronto from June 20- 23, 2013, please visit their website.

Twitter: @WaterfrontFestivalTO

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Here’s a quick summary of The Stop’s Night Market:

What is The Stop Community Food Centre? Located in the west end, The Stop works to increase access to food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community and challenges inequality. The Stop  does it  all; Some of their initiatives include community kitchens, gardens, cooking classes, drop in meals, outdoor bake ovens, food markets and community advocacy.

What is the The Stops’s Night Market?  The Stop Community Food Centre’s Night Market is a teeming feast for the eyes, belly and heart. It’s also a fundraiser with great sponsors and a dedicated group of volunteers, chefs, performers and designers. Fact: 800 tickets were sold to the public,  each night (June 19 &20). They were sold out within the first two hours when tickets went on sale on May 22!

Who is there? 60 chefs, 82 food and drink vendors, 35 one-0f-a-kind food carts created by local designers.

What did I eat? (what didn’t I eat?…LOL)

From Rose and Sons: Smoked Ham and Cheese Sandwich. This sandwich rocked. 

From Ese – Aprege eggs. Isn’t this presentation gorgeous?

From The Chase: Something delicious that I failed to write down!!

What did I drink? Believe it or not I didn’t drink ANYTHING. Sad but true. I was just too busy eating and shmoozing!! #nextyear

Who is this woman? I met this woman at several Chowhound events over the last 5 years. She is such a foodie that she bought tickets for BOTH NIGHTS. #smartmove

Where does your the $50 entry fee, go to? Your $50 ticket, supports innovative anti-hunger programs. Infact each tickets helps secure 50 free drop in meals , a 3 day emergency food hamper for a family or 500 lbs of tomatoes grown in the Stop’s  3000 square foot greenhouse.

Would I go again? UM…next year I am going to go on BOTH nights. That’s how great this event is.

For more information:

Please visit: www.thestop.org

Twitter: @thestopCC

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Had another quick visit to Ottawa so I could celebrate Father’s Day with my amazing Dad. I arrived on Friday at 6:30 pm and left on Sunday at noon. However this still gave me enough time to devour these goodies!

a) CHOCO FRITO Doughnuts from SuzyQ Doughnuts (991 Wellington St. W). There are no words to describe these doughnuts. They are THAT good. Just imagine the salty, crunchy, pieces of Frito Lay with just the right amount of chocolate, on top of a yeasty delicious doughnut.  It’s a FREAKIN’ AWESOME combo. PERIOD.

b) Golden Palace Eggrolls (2195 Carling Aveune). These eggrolls are unique to Ottawa – they have burnt ends and full of pork and cabbage (not bean sprouts). I love dipping them into the hot mustard and the plum sauce. The restaurant itself is totally out of a time warp but the eggrolls are simply epic.  PS many people I know take these eggrolls back to Toronto and freeze them.

c) Candied Ginger from Michaels Dolce; (Ottawa Farmers Market). This ginger was so good that I noshed on half the packet on my way back to Toronto. I can’t stop thinking how I would like to make an apple crisp and cut these strips into smaller pieces so I could incorporate it into the recipe. I will bringing back 3 of these packets next time. One packet is NOT enough.  P.S. his jams rock as well. I encourage you to check out his website to learn more about Michaels Dolce products and where you can buy them.

d) Maple Syrup Cones (Byward Market). I did not buy one of these .75 cones on this particular trip..but I really did want to!! I have such fond memories of these cones from my childhood. Have you ever had one? On this particular occasion my tummy was not happy but my eyes were!!

e) Deep Fried Pickles and Beer from the Big Rig Brewery and Restaurant (2750 Inis St.). I’ve always wanted to try this restaurant and finally I got there!! YAY. The beer scene in Ottawa has really exploded so   I was all too happy to check out these deep friend pickles and a flight of beer, on a gorgeous Saturday evening.

When I returned from Toronto, I made a huge Kale Salad. I try to lead a balanced life. Can you tell?

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When I saw a tweet that the Loose Moose had the largest draught beer selection in Downtown Toronto – then I knew I had to go! I’m not sure I had ever been to the Loose Moose before, but having a large beer selection was a sure way to get me to visit. (#lovebeer)

My friend and I sat at the bar so we could watch a hockey game  (ok two hockey games). The Loose Moose is certainly a great place to go to watch a sports event!

Our friendly bartender was the type of bartender that every bar should have: friendly, professional and helpful. He guided us thru both the beer and food menu so we could make the right choice. Please say hi to @_ScottWilson.

Based on his recommendation, we each ordered the Woody which is described as a hamburger with American cheese, really special sauce, caramelized onion, and bacon,on foccacia. I had mine with a really tasty Caesar salad and was a happy camper. Due to the fact that I’m on a no-carb diet, I took off the bun. (sad but true)

My Caesar Salad was equally as good. It was so delicious that I wasn’t even thinking about french fries!

I paired my burger with a handful of 2 oz samples. (sadly I don’t have any photos but trust me – I had a few beers!!)

The Loose Moose has it all: the friendliest professional bartenders, great food, lots of TV’s and a well designed space…not to mention the largest draught beer selection in downtown Toronto.

For more information:

The Loose Moose  146 Front St. W. Toronto (416) 977-8840

Disclosure: I was given a $50 gift card to compensate for my meal, however all opinions are my own.

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I was invited to a Kitchen Aid event a few weeks ago called #Attached2KitchenAid. I love my Kitchen Aid but actually had no idea about these “attachments’ till this event! I discovered that my Kitchen Aid was capable of SO much more.

There’s a pasta attachment.

An attachment so you could make your own sausage.

Also there’s a citrus attachment.

Plus an attachment to make ice cream.

I swear I had no idea that my beloved Kitchen Aid could do all of the above.

The event included Chef Lynn Crawford…who is not just a talented Chef but also a hoot!

At the end of the event, we got to select whatever Kitchen Aid attachment we wanted. What a hard decision to make! But in the end I selected the pasta attachment.

Stay tuned for another blog post. However don’t hold your breath as I have NEVER made fresh pasta before so I know I’m going to be nervous and procrastinate about this. Hopefully one of my foodie friends will come over to help me. That’s about the only way it’s going to happen!! #honest.

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