cooking from the heart

exhausting and uplifting...

Inherent to the Jewish culture and its identity, is food.

Embedded in our roots, is the need to feed the body, mind and soul in times of joy and sorrow. It is in these dark days of the past fortnight, food has sustained us all; it has nourished and fueled our soldiers, and become a source of strength to communities that need to feed everyone, away from home.

In a small, peaceful enclave of Northern Israel shrouded in olive and citrus trees lies The Kitchen Garden, once a welcoming vegetarian restaurant that hosted many a joyous occasion for the local community. With homemade breads and cheeses made from the milk of goats kept on this little farm, this kitchen was at the heart of a family run business belonging to Amira, who sadly passed away last month. She was a mother, wife, grandmother and friend who cooked from her heart for everyone who came to her table. This kitchen is her legacy and with deeply rooted memories inside, her daughter Smedar has opened its doors once again, to provide home cooked hot food to those serving in the army, within this region.

The volunteers are a group of mothers, grandmothers, sisters and friends, all willing cooks with a yearning to feed and nourish the troops whilst sustaining our strength to endure these bleak times. The kitchen is modest, yet full of warmth and love as together we peel, chop, fry, cook and bake for around 500 each day, from the kilos and kilos of chicken, meat, vegetables and staples, all donated to us in support of our efforts. Thankfully it all keeps on coming as we work the hours that we can, taking our cue from Smedar.

Each morning, we start each day with the warmth of a hug, before working through the day’s menu with a cup of coffee. We cater for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans, taking into consideration the importance of the Jewish dietary laws. All the meat is kosher and we have separate facilities for milk and meat, so that in all consciousness, we can feed everyone who receives it, whatever their dietary requirements. The daily menu consists of a chicken and meat main dish with a vegetarian/vegan alternative. Rice, potatoes and vegetables always accompany the mains and no meal is complete here in Israel without an array of freshly prepared salads. Cooked from traditional family recipes, this is homely cooking with plenty of flavour, and so much love.

Last week alone we made the traditional dishes of the slow, simmering meat stew, cholent / hamin, chicken rice pilaf, oshpelosh / plov, slow cooked rosemary and garlic marinated short ribs, asado and chicken schnitzels for the meat eaters. Meat free alternatives included mujadara, a lentil and rice stew with caramelised onions, bean & vegetable latkes, sesame stir fried vegetables and gvetch, otherwise known as ratatouille. Freshly prepared salads each day depend on the glut of vegetables delivered, and have included cabbage, carrot & beetroot slaw, corn, red pepper, pickled cucumber with dill, lettuce, mushroom & beansprouts and the traditional Middle Eastern salad of tomatoes, cucumber & onion. Every salad has its own pot of dressing that sits inside the box, often with a tang of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Daily vegetable accompaniments of potato & sweet potato wedges, rice with peas, fried onions and / or chickpeas are also included in the daily delivery.

So much depends on what fresh food has been delivered and how many hands are available that day, but this is not just cooking, this is a logistictical operation. Once the hot food is cooked, it is apportioned in silver foil cartons, covered with lids, labelled and placed in thermo containers to be delivered to the various places that need it. As Jewish mothers, there is always plenty of food prepared for both meat and non meat eating hungry mouths, ready for a hot meal reminiscent of home.

Catering for 500 people daily is no mean feat, and even with my catering background I am truly amazed at the quantities of raw, unprepared ingredients that are washed, sliced, fried, baked and stirred, and made into nourishing, flavoursome dishes day after day. These are unparalleled times as we work tirelessly in this modest kitchen to nurture our loved ones and give of ourselves in the best way we can. I am truly humbled by the generosity from individuals, farms and communities here in Israel and supporters around the globe for every kilo of meat, sack of potatoes, bottle of oil, grain of rice or monetary donation, allowing us to continue to provide hot food to those in the field and on the front line, as this cruel and horrific conflict enters its third week.

Even more humbling is the endless messages of thanks and appreciation we receive for the food…