Tofu-based Peanut Butter Pudding

 I maintain that there is no better flavor combination than peanut butter and chocolate. And so, when I was browsing the web, as usual, and ran into ideas for pudding made from tofu, I was rather intrigued. I mean, what can be better than pudding? Using a few food blogs for inspiration, I tossed everything into a blender and hoped for the best. Thank you to TofuBud (link) and Weelicious (link) for the inspiration (disclaimer- I have no affiliation with them, just got the idea from them).

Inspired by those fine bloggers, I kind of improvised using what I found in the fridge and pantry. Experimentation is what makes life exciting- who needs silken tofu if you have extra firm. Even though basically everyone recommends silken for desserts. And it would probably work better. Eh, this worked well. Maybe I'll try silken at some point. Who knows?

Ingredients:

• 8 oz tofu
• I used extra firm since that's all I had
• 0.5 cup smooth peanut butter
• 0.25 cup maple syrup 
• Please use the real stuff, artificial syrups just aren't as good
• 0.25 cup kefir

Recipe:

1. Toss everything in the blender
2. Blend well
3. Spoon into any sort of vessel and refrigerate for a few hours until it firms up a bit
4. Eat and enjoy

Corn Fritters

I decided to try cooking a new-to-me recipe: corn fritters. As I described it to my taste testers, it is essentially an American latke, using corn instead of potatoes. This was the first time that I've tried pan frying, and oh boy, that was a bit of an experience. I added a bit of oil to the non-stick skillet I was using, heated it up, and poured in a bit of batter. That part went about as expected. The cook time, or lack thereof, was the surprise. Let's just say the first one was a bit burnt. Still edible though, so better than the first time I tried cooking polenta...

Oh, and the funniest part of the whole operation- the flipping. When the time came to turn the first one over, I realized that I had absolutely no idea how to do so without splashing oil all over the place. Luckily, I'd caught that idea right before I tried using a wrist flick the way I do with pancakes. That would have been painful. Anyway, my solution was pretty efficient. I would use the spatula to pick it up before dropping them on the other side. As they fell, I would jump back to avoid the oil splatters. Mostly worked. And I only slipped once. Not bad. 

The end result were crispy, lightly sweet, corn-studded fritters. Out of everything that I've cooked, these probably got the most rave reviews. A dollop of sour cream served as a perfect topping. The main takeaway for me- I should figure out how to fry at some point. The jumping technique worked, but there must be a better way.

Notes: 

Some bloggers always write about sifting the flour, or room temperature ingredients, etc. I'm not like that, and it worked fine. Take that as you will. Oh, and I can't give oil temperatures and all that since I have no idea. Winging it seems to work. Lastly, I added a bit more milk to the batter as I fried since the first few seemed a bit thick. The extra milk thinned out the batter, making thinner fritters.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of corn 
• I used frozen and thawed it with some water in the microwave for 8 minutes to steam it. Canned should work as well.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.25 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• .75 cup of milk
• Adjust as needed in order to bet a pancake batter-like consistency
• Oil for frying

Recipe:

1. Heat a thin sheen of oil in pan. I used about .25 inches
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together
3. Stir in corn, trying to make it evenly distributed
4. Gradually add milk, mixing well, until a goopy pancake-batter texture is achieved
5. Spoon batter into hot oil and flip when crispy
6. Remove to a wire rack or paper towels
7. Eat and enjoy

Pho Metro (NYC)

Vietnamese food has something for everyone, and Pho Metro is no exception. For a pretty reasonable price I got a huge vermicelli noodle salad- in fact, it was too large for me to finish in a single sitting. Furthermore, the restaurant is very accommodating for dietary restrictions. They offered to replace the beef with tofu and brought soy sauce to replace the fish sauce. Our waiter, Darwin, was incredibly attentive and refilled our water as fast as we could drink it.

As for the vermicelli noodle salad- the tofu cubes were slightly fried, giving them a crispy skin to contrast the soft interior. Vermicelli rice noodles made up the bulk of the dish. They were light and very receptive to a slight bit of soy sauce and a hint of Sriracha. The bowl also came with fried spring rolls, which had a satisfying crunch. Presentation was also on point. If I was to air a single minor complaint - the ratio of vegetables to noodles was a bit off. In my opinion, a salad should be primarily vegetables, but this was excessively noodly. A single slice of cucumber, a small handful of greens, and a bit of julienned carrot do not constitute a "salad". But on the whole, I enjoyed the meal, and would definitely recommend it.

Food: 5/5

Price: 4.5/5

Service: 5/5

Israel - Day 11

All good things must eventually come to an end, and so it is with this trip as well. The return journey was to be lengthy but, as frequently happened during the trip, started out with a brief walk. I didn’t really want a heavy breakfast at 7:00, so I opted for coffee, stale challah, and sauerkraut. Sure, it might not be the most traditional breakfast, but sometimes going off the beaten path can bring new and innovative ideas. In this case, I was happy with my choices today, but I'm not sure this will be a frequent future option. 

Last night I used the last couple shekels I had to purchase what I thought was some sort of water flavoring/Gatorade powder at the nearest convenience store. I dumped the contents into my water during the bus ride to the airport only to be greeted by a very aggressive fizz, crackle, and pop. I was then told that it was the local equivalent of pop rocks. You live and you learn? At least the chocolate wafers we shared as a group while waiting in line for bag drop were fresh and crumbly, as I would expect them to be.

I had gotten up at 6:00 on Sunday Jerusalem time (23:00 Saturday EST), so by the time we arrived at the airport, got through the lengthy security process, and waited out most of the roughly two-hour flight delay, I was in the mood to grab one last Turkish coffee before heading home. Especially since u had been continuously reminded of my favorite beverage by the aromas from the cafe by our gate. So I found myself ordering black coffee and once again dealing with a barista double and triple checking that I actually wanted Turkish coffee and understood that it wasn't an Americano. Yes, I understand, thank you very much. The cardamom was barely noticeable in this brew, but I enjoyed my drink. 

By the time we took off, the original schedule had slipped from 11:40 to 13:40, so meal service began almost as soon as the initial climb ended. The vegetarian meal option came with a cold bread roll, a chopped salad, and a hot main course of rice, tomato sauce, and rice-stuffed peppers. Overall? Simple and no-frills meal which sated my needs, but wasn't anything special. The vegetables in the side salad were fresh, but the rice was a bit bland and the tomato sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking. The peppers were soft though, meaning that they were covered long enough.

The 11.5-hour long flight meant that there was a supply of pretzel packs available in the rear galley, which were the standard small pretzels that Air Canada serves as a snack. Also, a mid-flight cold snack was served along with drinks. For me, that was a bread roll with some cucumbers and tomatoes on it and a piece of halva. The vegetable sandwich was acceptable if a bit dry, but I enjoyed the halva.

A couple hours before landing it was trying for the next hot meal. At this point, it was 23:30 on Sunday according to Jerusalem time, or 16:30 EST. The main course consisted of sauteed potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini accompanied by the same white rice as before. The bread roll was also repeated from before, but this time the dessert was a citrus fruit cup with pieces of grapefruit and orange.

We landed in Toronto two hours later than initially scheduled, but that wasn't an issue since the connecting flight was delayed, then delayed again, and again. On the bright side, I used the opportunity to grab a salad. Simple fare- some spring mix and carrots, almond butter, two hard boiled eggs, and strawberries and blueberries. Didn't expect too much from a prepackaged snack box, but everything was fresh. Finally, since we were still sitting by the gate, I picked up a new-to-me flavor of PureProtein bar (review to come). When we did finally board the plane, the day caught up with me and I fell asleep immediately. Apparently, this made me one of the lucky ones since, as I was to later learn, we were held by the gate for another hour. I woke up as we touched down, just in time to see the clock reach 00:00 EST from Sunday to Monday, capping off the trip.

Israel - Day 10

 I got up a bit earlier than usual to take a walk before the daytime heat sets in. Upon returning, I was set on breakfast, but found a slightly unexpected surprise- in observance of Sabbath the coffee maker was shut down. At least there was still hot water for tea and instant coffee, even if I missed the better tasting joe. The walk has really put me in the mood to eat, so I dined on chopped salad and yogurt. It was still only 8:30, and I had some time, so a cup of tea, some chocolate pudding, and a crossword puzzle accompanied me to the patio for a couple hours. 

Lunch was at 1:30ish and some walking around Netanya worked up a bit of an appetite. Meal options were very similar to last night's options, so once again vegetables, tahini, and hummus for me. The dessert was incredible though. Since non-dairy ice cream was served alongside a slice of apple strudel. The ice cream was fine, a mix of chocolate and vanilla, and the phyllo dough was not impressive. But the apple filling more than made up for any complaints I could have. Soft, stewed diced apple in a thick apple sauce. A hint of cinnamon was the perfect highlight for it, pairing perfectly for my improvised lemon slice and mint leaf brew.

Local snacks were meant to carry us until dinner- Shabbat and COVID testing would result in a late dinner. I ended up trying something I was told was halva bread. It was sprinkled with pistachio crumbles and frankly looked a little like baklava. However, the filling tasted like tahini. It was less sweet than I expected, which is a benefit. 

When we did go get dinner, most of the group voted for a restaurant considered to be the best burger joint in the city. Since it has vegetarian options and this was our last night, I decided to join them. A regrettable decision. I ordered an "Asian Salad" with added mushrooms. I was brought a salad with chicken. When I told the waitress that I had asked for mushrooms she apologized and brought me the same chicken salad with the mushrooms added. Only issue? They still were trying to give a vegetarian a chicken salad. I pointed this out and eventually got it with just mushrooms. But... They didn't bring me the bread that it was supposed to come with. I had to ask three more times over a ten-minute span before I was given the bread. Frankly, this is just pathetic service, especially for a meal that was ~$23. If you, dear reader, ever find yourself in Netanya, do yourself a favor and DON'T GO TO REUBEN'S!

Israel - Day 9

The first breakfast in this hotel was simple but enjoyable. A small selection of vegetables, pastries, and yogurt/cheese products were accompanied by a beverage station. I was pleased with the freshness of the food, but I know that some others weren't too impressed by the selection. After breakfast, we drove to TelAviv where we had free time to explore the city for a few hours.

I love markets, and the ones here are amazing. Stalls with food, produce, spices, and teas line the street. I was excited to see churchkhela at one of the spice shops. This traditional Georgian dessert consists of walnuts and fruits. For 15 shekels? A steal. I immediately bought some to share with my friends, none of whom had tried it before. My lunch consisted of roasted vegetables, potatoes, and sweet potatoes from an Iraqi (?) food vendor. Well, the stand had a flag of Iraq, so I assumed that's what the cuisine was. The vegetables were a bit oily for my liking, but tender and flavorful. Subsequently, an hour-long silent dance tour followed, but that was much less enjoyable than actually exploring the rich culture of the city.

Once back in Netanya, I set it with the goal of familiarizing myself with the area. Along the way, I picked up another watermelon popsicle. The environment here really is perfect for them. Shabbat dinner was at the hotel but was not particularly vegetarian friendly to be honest. All the main dishes featured chicken, fish, or beef. On the other hand, hummus, beets, and cabbage are a pretty filling dinner, especially when topped off with a delicious chocolate pudding.

My sweet tooth struck again as I walked the evening streets. I stopped by the ice cream freezer of the first convenience store I passed and found some chocolate and hazelnut coated chocolate ice cream. I'd been planning on a lighter snack, but the packaging said "plombir". I couldn't remember what exactly this meant but recognized the word and had to try it. Unfortunately, after discussing this I found out that this plombir didn't match my parents' childhood recollections.

Extra Thoughts: I don't know what the secret to their hummus is here. Perhaps they add more tahini? It seems thicker and creamier than the American store-bought options. Also, whereas the hummus section in grocery stores is filled with countless flavor varieties like roasted red pepper, etc, the hummus (humusi?) I've had here all let the chickpea flavor be the star. 

Israel - Day 8

Pre-dawn wake up and a sip of the sweet Bedouin tea. A dark buzz ride to Masada. As day broke, a 20-minute walk took us to the top of the plateau where we watched the sunrise from across the Dead Sea. Aside from food, I also love history, so the UNESCO World Heritage Site captured my imagination. The ancient ruins are a witness to might, bravery, and countless lives. To avoid rambling, I'll have to limit myself to recommending a visit there. We descended via the Snake Trail, a 40ish minute walk down the serpentine route. Breakfast had been prepackaged and eaten on the bus during the move to the beach at the Dead Sea.

There, the density of the water made it as easy to float as people said it would. The seabed is covered with salt crystals. Out of curiosity, I picked one up and licked it, but in addition to the saltiness, there was a rather unpleasant taste. The water also had that unpleasant taste. Would not recommend either. The Dead Sea Mall has a nice cafe where I ordered a falafel shakshuka for lunch. This is a traditional Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached in tomato sauce, which in this case came with a few falafel balls and a chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. It also came with a choice of dark or white bread. I chose the former and was pleased with the decision.

The next stop on the trip was TelAviv, but we are starting in nearby Netanya. A long bus ride ensued but was made shorter with a nap to compensate for the early wake up. In the middle, a bathroom stop at a cafe let me try a popular local drink which I had seen in many places, but never got around to trying. It is called frozen coffee and is probably best described as a blended sweetened iced coffee, making it into a slushy blend. I wouldn't consider this a replacement to a nice black coffee, but as a tasty snack on a hot day, it definitely hits the spot.

Arrival at the next hotel was welcome- we were all sticky and disgusting from the Dead Sea, even though we rinsed with the beach showers. Those just don't work as well as a proper shower with shampoo. Anyways, after freshening up and getting settled in, we went into town for dinner and a night out in Jaffa. The meal at Dr. Shakshuka was delicious and I'm not afraid to admit that I ate way more than I intended to. Fresh pita, amazing hummus, great vegetables... All my favorites. I was told that Dr. Shakshuka is a local celebrity chef in a way and is well known in Israel. Welp, I'm here to report that the food holds up.

Afterwards, as I strolled around Jaffa's bustling nighttime flea market (which contrary to its name is a lively restaurant and cafe area in the evenings) in search of a place to sit down and polish off the night with some tea, I stepped into a nice ice cream shop. There, I was offered tastes of the best flavors according to the vendor’s opinion. Two were pretty good, but the richness of the creme brulee flavored one blew me away. I hadn't planned on dessert but couldn't resist buying a combination of the creme brulee and the ever-great Belgian chocolate. The best way to describe the ice cream would be almost gummy. It was thick, pliable, and delicious without being overwhelmingly rich or saccharine - it struck the perfect balance.

Israel - Day 7

In general, the part of Jerusalem we're staying in has a very southern European feel to it. Reminiscent of Barcelona. When I walk around in the morning, I am geared by the early city bustle, the aroma of coffee and pastries wafting from the many cafes lining the street.

Last breakfast on this balcony. Watermelon and cottage cheese, washed down with some great cinnamon tea. Light and nutritious breakfasts are great for the hot environment I'm in. Afterwards, it's time to toss out bags on the bus and for the old city of Jerusalem. Lovely city, full of history, and a great experience.

For lunch, we returned to the market. It was bustling with activity. All around produce vendors and meat/fish vendors hawked their products. Fresh fruits and vegetables go for much better prices than the grocery store. Vendors selling spices, teas, and dried fruit eagerly vie for your attention, offering samples in the hope that you buy some (and let's just say they're pretty effective, their teas are delicious and will be accompanying me home). Small food stalls tried offered hot falafel, shawarma, pita... The small stand I stopped at sold me freshly made hummus, warm pitas, and falafel that they finished frying after I paid- less than a minute from oil to my mouth. Then, to finish up the meal, I found a coffee stand and had some cardamom-spiced Turkish coffee. Note: when you try ordering black coffee as an American tourist, they always think you want an Americano, even though when locals order black coffee, they're offered Turkish. Always need to clarify. Oh, and a fresh fruit cup for dessert, at much better prices than you find at American supermarkets.

After driving out to the northernmost parts of the Israeli desert, we ended up in a representative Bedouin village. The goal was to expose their culture and customs, including the tea ceremony and feeding camels. Dinner was traditional Bedouin cuisine, which is fairly traditional for this whole region. I had a plate of pita-like flatbread, hummus, and vegetable stew, but kabobs and chicken stew were served as well. The tea was black and very sweet, much like sweet tea in the American South. Bed for tonight will be a mattress in a Bedouin tent, but only after we go burn a small bonfire. 

Israel - Day 6

The breakfast fare

Is great up here

And the balcony view

Really helps too.

The new hotel has a smaller, but better breakfast selection. It's also much more vegetarian friendly. A wider array of fruits and vegetables was presented. Also, a much better tea selection was available. I haven't eaten this much watermelon and dates in a long time. The eighth (9th for USA) floor balcony makes for an impressive backdrop with its view of the city.

The day's tours were heavy, with visits to Mt. Hertzl, the Israeli equivalent of Arlington National Cemetery, and Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust memorial.

Dinner, though, was much less taxing. We went to a literary restaurant that served primarily vegetarian fare. I had the quinoa salad, the pear and arugula salad, and the beet salad, sprinkling the tahini on all three. All the salads were tasty, with contrasting textural elements and tastes. Sweet was balanced by tart, smooth by crunchy. They were well balanced and great to chase with a cup of wild berry tea.

Afterwards, as I wandered through the market, I picked up some dried pineapple. I opted for the I've without the added sugar and was met by a sweet and chewy, but not excessively so, fruit. With that and another watermelon frozen pop, the day drew to a relaxing end.

Israel - Day 5

Breakfast in the hotel is almost the same, but that isn't a complaint. I had the same as the past few days- cottage cheese with muesli followed up by fresh vegetables. However, today I specifically tried playing attention to the contrast in breakfasts between the members of my group and local Israelis. While both groups leaned pretty heavily on scrambled eggs, there felt like a fundamental difference in focus. Americans appeared to favor pancakes, while the local folks used bread. Also, the locals tended to have more vegetables than I'm used to seeing in breakfast. Having started to eat fresh vegetables as part of my morning meal, I understand and really like the tradition.

We left Tiberius and drove to Arbel National Park for a walk with some amazing views. But the next part, where we visited a Druze village to learn about them and eat lunch. The ethno-religious group has a very unique culture and world view. Oh, and they have some incredible food. My favorite dish was a mint-cucumber-tomato salad. Cabbage salad wasn't bad, but in my opinion, it would have benefited from a touch of vinegar to add a bit of acid. Hummus was great, the best that I've tried here so far. The bulgur dish was fairly good, but not as memorable as the eggplant and chickpea dish, which I wish I had gotten the name of. And the coffee... Absolutely amazing. Strong, dark, with a touch of spices... Definitely a fitting end to the meal.

We arrived in Jerusalem just before dinner. A new hotel, a new hotel buffet. Again, there was a rich variety of vegetables, both grilled and fresh. I especially liked the grilled pepper and onion combination.

Israel - Day 4

Today we left Tiberius for the day. After breakfast in the hotel buffet (same as yesterday) the group traveled to Safed. Very beautiful old city. It's amazing how some walks that were built by the crusaders are still there.

Lunch was provided individually in the old town. I checked another dish on my list by having some street falafel. It was good, but I can't honestly say that it was the greatest falafel I'd ever tried. Granted, I've had some amazing ones. One of the interesting realizations for me so far on this trip has been the importance of tahini. Previously, I only considered it in a supporting role- an ingredient in hummus or marinades. Here, it is a commonly used condiment, and I am growing to really like it.

A trip to a kibbutz which produces liquors and a boat trip down the Jordan River later, we arrived at dinner at a restaurant serving an Arabic buffet. There was a wide variety of food presented, but two standouts to me were the mint-parsley-tahini salad and a greens-tomato-mushroom salad. Creamy tahini contrasts nicely with the slight bite that mint brings and the citrus (lemon?) juice on the second salad accentuated the tomatoes and arugula's slight bitterness. Of course, I loved the pickled red onions, but who can resist those? I know I can't. Another joy was the mint tea at the end of the meal, which always helps with digestion. 

Israel - Day 3

 A couple of sleepless nights caught up to me. Even an early bedtime didn't make the 9:30 alarm effective. At least I'm well rested now?

11:00 wake up, make myself presentable and run down to grab breakfast before group activities which lasts until lunch. The hotel lunch is pretty good, and much the same as shabbat dinner had been. Breakfast, on the other hand, impressed me with the wide variety of cultured milk products. Cottage cheese, one type of yogurt, another, and another. I made a tasting test of these products and all but one got my seal of approval. The last was too sour in my opinion.

After lunch, I continued to explore Tiberius, which is much smaller than I had anticipated. Sun was beating down, so my water bottle proved invaluable.

Things finally started to open after the sun set and shabbat ended. I tried eating at a nice restaurant, called Big Ben, with the rest of the group. The waiter took everyone else's orders, ignoring me. Three subsequent attempts were also ignored. On my fifth try, he interrupted me, told me to wait, and left. Unfortunately, after seven minutes he hadn't returned, so I ended up leaving to find a place that would serve me.

The small shawarma shop that I ended up finding was amazing. Well, at least the sides were. Can't attest to the meat. In the end, I got a nice plate with a variety of salads and vegetables and a pita right from the grill. Incredible. Then, as I meandered around the boardwalk for a few hours, I tried watermelon ice cream for the first time. Let's just say that it was so tasty, that I went back for round two.

Israel - Day 2

Picking up from where Day 1 left off - still on the airplane. Sleep was mostly elusive, but that was no great surprise. The unexpectedly pleasant part was breakfast. Once again, I had the vegetarian option. This included a potato-based scramble with a variety of vegetables, a fruit cup with honeydew and cantaloupe, and a banana muffin. The service continued to be efficient and my request for an additional fruit cup was immediately fulfilled.

Surprises continued after landing with one of the smoothest border crossings I have ever experienced. One bus ride later, and we were in Tiberias, a small town with a shocking number of construction projects underway.

Shabbat dinner was delicious- the creamiest hummus and baba ghanoush that I ever tried were served. Vegetables were flavorful and fresh. Judging by the reactions of the meat eaters, those dishes were also cooked well.

Israel - Day 1

Traveling in a group has certain downsides. After waking up at 4:30 to meet the group by 5:40 at LaGuardia, we found out that there is a downside to being early- there was another hour before Air Canada would start to accept bags. So, we waited. And then we waited more- this time in the security line. When you aren't the one purchasing tickets, things like PreCheck don't happen unfortunately.

The first leg of the trip was a short hop Toronto Pearson. There we had the wonderful opportunity to wait for a few more hours. Another major downside to groups- people are surprisingly slow walkers. If you don't pay attention... Well, better pay attention.

Service was phenomenal on the second leg, the flight to TelAviv. Although I'm used to seeing business and first-class receiving amenity kits, us economy class folks were offered packs with a mask, sanitizer, and wipes. Classy touch, even if most people aren't too concerned by viruses anymore. As I wrote this, masks were still required by the Canadian government, which further helps me feel comfortable.

To live up to my reputation, I must discuss the dinner. I ordered the vegetarian option ahead of time, and received a lentil biryani, edamame salad, dinner roll, and apple cake. The biryani was well seasoned and had some vegetables, which is nice.

I'm writing this after spending quite a while trying to sleep-but I'm really not used to going to bed at 20:30, even if it is 3:30 at the destination. Since we've crossed a few time zones, I figure that the local time is about midnight, meaning that the first day is over.