A Spice Shop in Nazareth

This is the fourth newsletter dedicated to sharing the places and people I visited during my first ever trip to the Holy Land.  

Great culinary inspiration came to me in a teeny tiny shop in Nazareth, Israel.  I was beckoned by the enticing scent of spices before I even recognized the shop’s entrance.  Following the scent, I found a small wooden door with stone steps leading me to the shop below street level.  Once inside, the inspiration began.  Big sacks of spices covered the entrance.  Large bins of spices were displayed side by side on tables throughout the remaining square footage.  Some spices were names found in my own kitchen: varieties of cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Others were less familiar to me…sumac, saffron, and spice blends like za’tar and baharat, there were many I had never cooked with like amber, whole cardamon pods, and turmeric. I also discovered enticing teas, a large variety of salts from regions in the Middle East and Mediterranean and an overwhelming variety of peppercorns, too.

I came home with almost all of the spices just listed.  And I began trying to cook with my new spices even before unpacking from my 10-day trip.  In less than an hour of walking through my front door, I had fragrant saffron rice steaming on my stove while I also enjoyed a new cup of herbal tea.  Since then, I have had fun in my kitchen creating the flavors of the Holy land that I have shared in previous newsletters like Shakshuka, Fennel Persimmon Salad and Spinach Soup with Chickpeas.  Here's another I am sharing with you today: Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Dip.  Enjoy! 

Introducing: Tent of Nations 

Daoud is a Palestinian Christian whose family runs an organic farm called the Tent of Nations.  It is located high on a hill in the West Bank (southwest of Bethlehem) and has been in Daoud’s family since 1910.  We sat at an outdoor table with a panoramic view of Area C* as we listened to Daoud’s story. He speaks of the motivation in his heart to pursue peace. He is moved to work on behalf of the Palestinian people who have lost their homes and their land and who need to hold on to hope so that they can make a difference and contribute positively to their societies even in a very difficult political environment. 

On the farm, the family has worked the land to produce olives, grapes, almonds and other crops.  But, the family has struggled to keep this land.  Fortunately, the family possesses ownership and registration papers from the early 1920’s.  Most Palestinian landowners lack the necessary paperwork to prove their ownership and thus have lost their land. Despite this proof, Daoud’s family has suffered from intentional road blocks, destruction of olive and fruit trees and a costly 28-year legal battle.  The struggle continues but his pursuit of peace continues as well. Evidence of this commitment is found on the stone near the entrance to the farm which declares, “We refuse to be enemies”. 

For more information, see http://www.tentofnations.org

*The farm is part of Area C, an area in the West Bank that is under full Israeli civil and military control since the Oslo Accords in 1995.

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