Israel:Culinary Adventures,Olives Avtalyon

                                       Galileat - Culinary Adventures In The Galilee

She looked into my eyes.Said I was going through Pain.Flash.I was going through pain because in my past life,I would prefer to 'hide it here' but the fact was she was to the point.As if she just read my mind.As if she knew the sufferings I had gone through.As if she knew the reasons behind all attractions I have felt through.She didn't touch my hands or utter a single word of prayer or she didn't convince me of what she said.She just spoke.Speaking ahead,she said,gifted with the power of past life regression,she has healed many.It helps in overcoming fears,understanding life.At that moment,I was more amused than shocked.It was with the certain conviction that she said that made me smile.How could she know!This was unusual.I wasn't alone,she didn't hypnotize me,but she knew..

As I wrote on Facebook on June 23rd,2014:

----

Today was an eventful day.Met Nahida at Israel who is a wonderful cook,natural therapist and architect.Believes in judaism and re-incarnation.In fact,by looking at my face she told me something about my past life (oops but!).Had cured many cancers,many many diseases in Isreal,fears which are unknown,she believes in using this as a healer to people who come.Amazing! She says she's been gifted with this since Childhood and what an amazing cook...!


---


I overheard someone say that people born in Nazareth or some jews have these supernatural abilities since birth.

..And then was the time to cook the Israeli food..That was the most sumptuous home-made meal I had.Ever in Israel.

My Culinary Adventure In Cooking Workshop,Israel
At Julis, a Druze Village,Galileat

Stuffed vine leaves

Previous Posts on Israel:

Shalom From Israel

Acre:The Crusader City

Haifa:The Temple Of Bahais

First Time Israel:Visa And Things You Must Know

All About Jerusalem

Smelling the spices that went inside,I carefully rolled in the rice tight one after the other in the vine leaves that they eat all year along.The spice mix as a filling also called Baharat consists of Cloves,Cinnamon,little bit of nutmeg and cardamom.I was told to roll in tightly or else if I cook it,it will all open up.They use slow cooking techniques.Watch the video above to know the dishes of local Israelites.

After our little trial and error.We were all hungry and wanting to hit on food.The food was a full course meal which we initially were apprehensive if we'll have so much as part of a meal but the food was extremely delicious and we had it till our last bite.

There was Salad,dishes made of Zucchini,Chicken and Fish and this place is a must visit if in Israel.It serves and teaches to cook authentic homemade Jewish food which I fell in love with then and there.The patients who come here are taught,the schools are served.

Olives In Israel :And Everything You Wanted To Know
At Avtalyon, (a village in Central Galilee) for a typical Oil Press

Sitting at the lower Gallilee with the elevation anywhere between 400-650,we came to know about a place that is the most important place in Israel when it comes to Olive oil.90% of Olive Oil production was from this region.The reason being that these Olive oil trees were not watered by anyone but nature.

The rain gods did all the good work and hence the Olive oil produced in this region had very very high natural value.

The higher the altitude the Olive trees are grown , the better the Olives are.Most of the Olive oil they make in the region stays in the region.The main consumers are Arabs mainly,and it's not exported outside Lower Galilee,not even in Tel Aviv. The quality of Olive oil is such that people from all over Israel come and buy Olive oil from this place.They make around 80,000 bottles a year using the most hi-tech Olive press.


The Arabs control 100 % of the industry of the quality of Olive Oil,they harvest and in  every town they have 4-6 major olive presses in this region.

Each year,the most and the most expensive of Olive oil is determined after the harvest and the squeeze of Virgin Olive oils based on quality.The oil itself doesn't come from the seed but from the meat of the olive.The more oil you have the less meat you are going to have around the seed.The less the quantity the better the quality.

The variety of olive that grows here is sweet,because it comes from southern Lebanon.There are 4 things that changes the quality of the Olive Oil -Elevation,Soil,the Fact that they don't water at all,Everything is organic here and its very dry.Because its very dry in the area,you don't have the flies that harms the olives.

In Oct - Jan they harvest and they work 24 hours a day.There are two different types of Olive oils - One from Black olives and another one from Green olives. Oct-Nov is the right time for the Green olives as they are very very sharp,very spicy,very harsh with their tastes.Its considered to be the best olive oil.The color of the olive oil is green.The spicier it is the bitter it is.Its more healthy.The Black olives are from Nov-Dec.The Olive Oil from the Black Varieties are very very yellow.They have less vitamins and goes to fried cooking,less for dressing the salad.

Two main things in the olives that make it healthy - First of all is the environment second is the Acidity.But differentiating it in the market is hell of a task as many replicas are available.If somebody wants to buy good olive oil then its recommended to come in Oct - end of Dec because they are actually pressing the olives and they can see with their eyes what they are doing here,and buy it.

Interestingly,Everything tastes different when you bake with Olive oil like pastries,cakes and doughnuts.

So Is Olive Oil Really Healthy?

Olive oils are basically the antibiotics of the body.It works on two main systems - 'Heart and the Blood' and the Digestive system.The top leading research center on Olive oil are in Israel.

The green olives have chlorophyll. Olive.Olive oil thins the blood and goes directly to your digestive system.Acts like honey and gives energy.

It itself doesn't have fat.Bread makes you Fat not Olive Oil.This means it cleanses the digestive system.Also the Olive oil cosmetics are rich in anti-oxidants.

Instead of Creams that you use on baby rash for Diapers,you can put olive oil.

Guys don't forget to get back their cosmetics.Talking of cosmetics,we'll talk about it more when we discuss the precious dead sea...