Gastronomic Ideology

Have to run out in a few minutes to get the Shabbat challot and cookies just in from the Sderot bakery (where the Kassams get shot to from Gaza so we're trying to give them some income); the cherries from Amona orchards (where 200 people got beaten up last year trying to prevent 9 houses from being destroyed); the blueberries we ordered from Kedumim (in the Shomron, thankfully quiet right now but happy for the encouragement in their new venture) not to mention the dates from the Jordan Valley that I picked up this week, too. We seem to do a lot of ideological eating, or what you can call committed consumerism. This is in addition to the usual purchases we make in our area to make an effort to support local businesses, and I still go out of my way to find Gush Katif lettuce and herbs as they build new hothouses and attempt to re-establish their markets.

The highest level of charity is actually to help someone earn an honest and respectful living, so this is win-win. It's just lucky that I live in the land of milk and honey, imagine if I was in England. Boiled beef would probably make a renegade leftist out of me.

While on the the subject of milk and honey: I was advised a few weeks ago by a naturopath to eat goat's milk products instead of cow, good for the blood and digestion. I happen to love dairy food (in general cows have nothing to fear from me, I'm not a big meat eater) so I figured I wouldn't cut out the moo-moo completely but add something of the Bill Broagin (sp?) variety to my day. I found a brand of yogurt- with lots of fruit- from G'vaot Olam, a ranch in the Northern Shomron (natch, see above) that I can stomach, but it's definitely an acquired taste. I had some for breakfast today about an hour before a 50 minute spinning class. Let's just say that I won't be following that time frame again, since I ended up, er, reacquiring the taste during class. Live and learn.

Concerning honey, wouldn't it be nice if Israeli scientists figured out why so many bees are going to their celestial hives. Seems that 10 billion (!) have died in the US alone recently and the ramifications for crops they pollinate- nothing important, just wheat, for starters- are potentially devastating. I know, I know, the biblical honey associated with the Land of Israel is actually from dates, but I already mentioned them in another context. Sheesh, some people are such pedants.

Hot in Judea on this erev Shabbat and beginning of new month of Tammuz. Hotter in Gaza, though. More on that another time, me thinks the subject is not flash in the pan. Speaking of which , off to put up the soup, will try to post again later.