A Fork And A Suitcase

Saturday is the perfect time for a stroll through the Christian and Arab Quarters in the Old City.  While almost everything in Jerusalem and the Jewish Quarter is closed for Shabbat, this part of the city is full of life and noise.  Drinks and breads are being delivered.  Fresh pomegranates and oranges await becoming refreshing juices. Hot pitas are being made. The merchants display their goods and are ready to bargain.  The shops are colorful and inviting.  This is the area for cheap souvenirs or expensive antiques, whichever suits you.  It is a perfect way to spend the day, just watch your belongings and don't let some of the aggressive salespeople bother you.  It's all part of the scenery, the spice of this place. 

I first heard of this place from a TV show, I believe it was Ottolenghi's.  Took my husband here a few years ago and we have been coming back each time we are in Jerusalem. Zalatimo is one of those special places one tends to find when they are really lost.  It is very difficult to find since it is a nondescript hole in the wall (literally), that exists within the ancient Roman walls which  surround the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City. This place has been here since 1860 and has been passed down from one generation to another. The menu is very simple: Mutabak, a delicious dough filled with cheese or nuts.  The thin dough is masterfully flipped and turned.  I stood there mesmerized, it was really like watching an artist at work.  It takes a great skill to get the dough this thin. The dough is flipped and rolled till truly paper thin.    Next, cheese or nuts are added, whichever you prefer.   It is folded and placed in the oven. Once out of the

After you finish your shopping at the Machane Yehuda Market, let your nose guide you to this wonderful place that smells of chocolate, cinnamon and freshly baked dough.    Marzipan Bakery has a cult like following, for a very good reason.  Yes, they make bread, hallah, burekas, cookies and pastry.  All of it is delicious and fresh.    Inside, the intoxicating aroma weakens even the strongest of will powers.      I have tasted my share of rugelach, some pretty decent and some atrocious, and the rugelach at Marzipan is so superior to any other rugelach I have ever tried.  It is soft, gooey, perfectly flavored with either chocolate or cinnamon, not too sweet and when warm, it just melts in your mouth.  It is perfection.    These little ones are just waiting to go into the oven. The rugelach, and other pastries, are baked on these old, beat up baking trays that look like they have been around forever, and probably have.  They add to the character of the

 Why did I not know about this earlier?  We have walked down this street countless times and never noticed this really special place.  Cafe Kadosh serves dairy food and delicious, very high quality desserts.  I have had the pleasure of dining at Kadosh a few times and now, a visit to Jerusalem could not be complete without a few stops at this cozy cafe.  The decor is one of a nice Parisian bistro, one where everyone speaks Hebrew.  The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the staff friendly and accommodating.  We enjoyed beet latkes, salmon and a salad.  Everything was well seasoned and delicious.  The best, however, are their cakes and pastry.  The napoleon is so delicious that I usually stop by daily to pick one up and take it to the hotel room, for later or in case I don't care for the dessert at dinner.  It is delicious, the cream is delicate and not too sweet and the pastry is light and crispy.  It truly is a spectacular treat.   They also h

A stroll through the Jewish Quarter is something we have done as a family countless times.  Not much has changed over the years, which is so comforting.  Even though the kids are all grown up now, we still like to stop at the same ice cream store on the way to the Kotel, as we did when they were very little and could barely hold the treat.  There are a few new places to eat, a couple new shops but it is still all so familiar, so home like. The Jewish Quarter is very clean and parts of it are fairly quiet. Coming from the Jewish Quarter, this is the first view one gets of the Western Wall.  It is also a great photo spot. This is the only remnant from the Second Temple which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E.  For the Jews, this remnant of what once was the most sacred building, now is the holiest spot.  The Western Wall - Kotel ha-Ma'aravi, or Kotel, is the place for quiet reflection, prayers and giving thanks to G-d. The Western Wall is divided into

The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Muslim. The Old City was originally built by King David in 1004 B.C.E.  Over the years the Old City has gone through many changes which contributed to it being one of the most fascinating, interesting and important cities in the world. Towering stone walls, ancient buildings, holy sites, sacred atmosphere, narrow alleyways, colorful markets, different religions coexisting; those are just a few examples of why this is a place like no other.    The Old City looks beautiful in the sunshine, regal and peaceful at night and mysterious and  beautiful in the rain.  Each season has its advantages but the spring is my favorite.   The Old City has a total of eleven gates but only seven are open: Jaffa, Zion, Dung, Lion's, Herod's, Damascus and New.  The original gates are angled so one would have to make a sharp 90 degree turn to enter the city.  I have read that this was to