Holy (Land) Breakfast

I am a creature of habit, and a good breakfast is one of those habits. Particularly when travelling, starting the day off with a solid helping of protein, fruit, something sweet and at times a kick of spiciness is your best bet for good attention, energy and focus. Sometimes it’s one bookend of a long day that ends with a fancy dinner, lunch typically involving breath mints and coffee in someone’s car.

My favorite breakfast in the world is the morning buffet spread in an Israeli hotel. I’m not particular about which hotel; they’re almost all universally good and plentiful and full of foods far outside the typical breakfast field. Sure, you can get cereal and eggs and pancakes, but why not start your day with Yemenite delights like yachnoon (philo dough rolled with sugar and other goodies, baked into a rare earth density of goodness) topped with a bit of schoog (oil based hot pepper sauce). It defines “hot and sweet” – all of the tastes of good Italian sausage, with the added benefit of opening your sinuses for the day.

My personal favorite is the fresh and dried fruit selection: oranges from Yafo (check your oranges in the supermarket; they’re as likely from Yafo as they are from Florida) and dates that resided on a palm tree bordering the Negev desert not too long before ending up on your plate. The difference between the dates you buy in a US market and the dates in Israel is like the difference between sushi-grade tuna in New York and a flash-frozen halibut in Iowa. Eat at the source, people, it’s always better. Add in a bit of local cheese (especially the somewhat mysterious “Safed cheese”, which I believe to be a colloquial name for a mozzarella variety), and something from the assortment of breads and pastries (there cannot be a Jewish themed breakfast without danish; it’s in the Talmud) and you’re full, content and ready to wash it down with coffee so thick it’s chewable.

Pictures from the road as this week’s travel takes me to Tel Aviv (with a chocolate infused stop in Zurich).

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