Shiksa at the shuk

One of the few new words I learnt in Israel this summer was shuk, which means the market. In Tel Aviv, Shuk Ha Carmel - The Carmel Market - is a nice place for any visitor to swing by.

The Carmel Market is probably the reason why they call Israel the land of milk and honey. Or the land of plenty. Since everything grows in that generous climate, you are bound to find all the fruits from A to Z in this place. For a Northerner like me, there are fruits that I didn't even recognize. And I'm still not sure whether sabra is in just plain simply cactus fruit in English or kaktushedelmä in Finnish.

This time, I actually tasted this thorny procude of Mother Nature. Semi-sweet but a bit rough on the teeth thanks to the seeds. Israeli citizens born in Israel are called sabras, and no wonder why. They are a bit hard to handle :).

Even though it was your typical hot July summer day, a stroll at the Carmel market is actually quite refreshing. Not only is there continuous shade thanks to the booths and their marquise, the fresh fruit juices prepared according to your wishes keep you going and contribute your five colors/half a kilo/vitamins from A to Z a day for sure. Talking about a liquid lunch that keeps you filled and is also approved by your GP...

This stuff puts the 0,99 EUR sugary, colored liquid they claim to be fruit juice at my nearby supermarket to shame.

I love going to a market like this and look in awe at all the products they sell. The fruits, the spices, all the beans and lentils, vegetables... I know where I would go for grocery shopping every weekend if I lived in Tel Aviv. And lead such a healthy life, right?! This time, I grabbed some granola, raw tahina, sweet tahina and hamsa keyrings to bring home. As for spices, I still didn't have to bother to buy a refill for some chili, as the tiny red little buggers I got at Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem last year are nowhere near to finishing. Half a chili is enough to light a fire in my kitchen.