toot jammin

In hebrew, strawberries are called toot.  This year we wanted to make strawberry jam, and as it was nearing the end of the season back in early april, we went and picked up a bunch from the local market.

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pretty straight forward jammin

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and of course, what is a jam session without the obligatory small child in large pot picture?

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the jam turned out super tasty.

Spring is over, summer is here

Well, yesterday was the first day of what i would call summer.  temperatures were at 36 for the second day in the row. luckily summer has not truly set in yet, its back down to lower 30’s today.

It also happens to be a holiday here currently, one where bond fires are light all around the country.  Im not sure if its do to the heat, or a bond fire, but noa’s village made national news yesterday because there was a fire raging in the forest right next to the village, and some houses had to be evacuated.  luckily the fire was contained, and i dont think any property damage was done.

sitting at home last night, noa pointed out the temperature differences between here and vancouver.  i cant complain.

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Challa

Noa and I asked her grandma to let us help/mostly watch her make the weekly Challa bread one weekend.  she graciously said she would wait to make it later in the morning, so that we could come over and watch.

as soon as we got there, we got the yeast started.  one of the types of yeast they have here is a wet clay looking yeast.

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once the yeast was added to a packet of flour, then you add the water

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and now you sit and wait for an hour while the yeast activates.

so after sitting around and relaxing, back to work.  we added milk and an egg

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and you knead it together, and then add a load of melted butter till thing is slippery as something really slippery.

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then you go off and sit for another hour to let the dough rise. and that it did.

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so then came the cool part.  she split into one big and one small challa.  and then each part is separated into 4  evenly sized balls, and rolled into logs.  those are then braided

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super cool.  she braids these together so fast.  i had no idea what was going on.

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and bam, theres the 2 challas together.

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they then get an egg wash, and SECOND bam, they are done after baking.

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They are so tasty.  we have yet to try to make one ourselves, but that’s coming.