Jerusalem Blog: March 2007

You may come across a Jerusalem Post article claiming that a shesek is a "cumquat."
Wrong.
Shesek, though the same size and shape as kumquats, are not citrus fruits.
Shesek have smooth skins that, when ripe, are yellow and imperfect. Their seeds are about the size of small apricot pits, but shesek seeds are smooth, slightly concave, and solid as far as I can tell. The fruit is smooth and sweet.
I have heard people claim that shesek are medlars. Actually they are loquats, so they would have to be "Japanese medlars," which, authoritative sources assure me, are not medlars at all.
Loquats are delicious. In season, they are very cheap. They do not always make it to the supermarket, possibly because markings on their skin make them look imperfect to people used to industrial fruit.

Ronald Eisenberg's "The Streets of Jerusalem" (http://www.amazon.com/Streets-Jerusalem-Who-What-Why/dp/1932687548 ) explains almost every Jerusalem street name. Who knew Afodi was an acronym? (See http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/lanes.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/windmills.html) )
Now if I could just find a book that tells what the names used to be. Shlomtsion HaMalka used to be Princess Mary and Heleneh Malka was Queen Melisandeh (I wish they'd left that Armenian princess with a street honoring her), but what was Palmakh?

The little strawberries, ecstatically juicy essence of strawberry, will spoil you for the large ones.
Because they are more fragile, I think they are less profitable for growers. I expect tasty strawberries will be increasingly rare.
A stand in the middle of Eitz Khaim Street in the shouk usually has them in bulk. As soon as you can, wash and taste them. You'll see why a kilo is not too much to buy at a time. they're good with ... but I eat them up as is, and have none left for recipes.
See also http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/abundance.html

Fage Total: Greek strained yogurt works as a substitute for gvina levana in recipes (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/cheesecake.html ) and spread on bread.
Trader Joe's and Whole Foods sell it.
It costs much less than Wuark or Fromage Blanc.

When buying herbs, I had to be careful not to mistake cilantro (http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/cilantro.htm ) for parsley.Although I like coriander, I'm not fond of cilantro. Perhaps I just don't know how to cook with it.
Large bunches of cilantro and parsley are piled next to each other in the shouk on tables at stands that sell parsely, mint, dill, cilantro, green onions, celery, and various types of lettuce year round, and sometimes parsnips.
All but the parsnips are much less expensive than in their least expensive Wisconsin seasons.
To be sure I got parsley, I could smell the wet bunch or ask, "petrozilia?"
A large bunch of mint, parsley, dill, or cilantro is about 35 cents (1.5NIS) at the stand where it is always very fresh, or two thirds that on special.

Jerusalem Blog