SHORT BREAKS COOKING : ISRAEL	COOKING VACATIONS

Culinary Tours of the Galilee
. . . a unique and fascinating insight into the foods, wines and people

The Galilee covers roughly the northern fifth of modern Israel - with a temperate Mediterranean climate and generous sources of fresh water, among them the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River and countless natural springs and streams.

The olive, wheat and vine - known as the Mediterranean Triad - have been the principal agricultural crops in this region since the beginning of civilization, and form the basis of Galilee cuisine to this day.

Many of the pivotal events from the Old and New Testament, as well as those of the Talmudic and Mishnaic period, took place in the Galilee - often involving food, wine and ceremonial dining.

Culinary Tours of the Galilee offers the opportunity to approach these historic and spiritually meaningful sites from a unique angle.

About one and a half hours drive from Tel Aviv and two and a half hours from Jerusalem, a one-day visit to the Galilee is easily do-able - the longer the visit, the more to discover.

Every itinerary is personally designed together with the participants according to their interests, dietary requirements and the season.  Here are two sample one-day itineraries.  Pricing will vary according to the day's program.

Taste of the Galilee:

• Begin the day at a Spice Farm to learn about - and taste - the local herbs and plants of the Galilee and their culinary and medicinal uses over history and in contemporary times. We will mix our own za'atar and sample it with fresh pita and labaneh.

• Visit an Olive Press in a stunning setting where the proprietor will lead us in a tasting of different olive oils and olives, produced from varieties characteristic of the Galilee.

• Veer far from the beaten path to a unique, family-run goat farm for a meal centering around their own cheeses, home-made breads and home-grown vegetables.

• Conclude the day with wine tasting at a winery, including an overview on the history of winemaking in ancient times, and the meteoric rise of the Israeli wine industry.

Culinary Crossroads:

• Spend the morning exploring the old market of Nazareth. We will sample the fare and meet the people who run traditional spice emporia, coffee mills and bakeries.

• Spend the afternoon with a gracious local family in their pastoral olive grove, preparing a traditional Galilee Arab meal. We will pick herbs and whatever is in season from the expansive garden, and cook in a wood-burning tab'un.

Other itineraries can include:

• Preparing a fresh-fish meal with a local family in the port city of Acco
• Galilee Cuisine cooking seminar with one of the country's leading chefs
• Galilee wineries - from family-run boutique to large-scale, internationally reputed wineries
• Picking edible wild plants (winter) and having a cook-out with a Bedouin family
• Preparing a gourmet meal with one of the Galilee's top chefs in the Artist's Colony of Safed
• A reconstructed biblical-era farm (excellent for children) with seasonal hands-on activities like pressing grapes in an ancient vat (summer)
• An introduction to the little-known but fascinating Circassian community and their distinctive smoked cheeses

Contact us to develop an itinerary for your next visit - info@galileecuisine.co.il

Abbie Rosner

Culinary Tours of the Galilee is the creation of Abbie Rosner, a freelance writer covering the Galilee's multi-cultural culinary scene. Her articles have appeared in Gastronomica, Wine Spectator and other publications (see below).

A native of Washington DC, Abbie has lived in the Galilee for the past twenty-three years, much of which has been spent exploring and enjoying the culinary traditions of her neighbours.

"I am endlessly fascinated by the variety and authenticity of the food in the Galilee - and how the people who prepare it are so intimately connected to the land and the rhythms of the seasons. We have much to learn from them."

Abbie is a member of the Upper Galilee Slow Food Convivium.