Israeli cuisine is unique in that its food is a combination of many cultures. It has adopted, and continues to adopt, elements of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Most Israelis eat food that is kosher, too. This means that they only eat food that has undergone a specific preparation process, usually under a rabbi's supervision. The basic kosher laws are of biblical origin. Some rules include not eating pork and shellfish or mixing meat with dairy products. As a fun fact, did you know that Israel is the biggest consumer per capita of fruits and vegetables?
The first Israeli treat I decided to try was falafel. Falafel is a very popular street food, similar to hamburgers and hot dogs in the United States! Falafel is a deep-fried ball of mashed chickpeas and/or fava beans, usually about the size of a golf ball. A couple of these deep-fried delicacies are wrapped in a pita sandwich and garnished with many toppings, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, eggplant salad and shredded beets. But wait, there's more! To top it off, the pita sandwich is drizzled with hummus and/or tahini! If you're not feeling like eating a sandwich, falafel can also be eaten alone as an appetizer and dipped into hummus or tahini. I personally chose the sandwich, but I was given one falafel ball to try before digging into the savory treat.
