SMALL GROUP RESEARCH: Wed. DEC 7th.

Stage 1 of the Final Project:

a) Research multiple menus of restaurants that present themselves as serving Israeli or Palestinian cuisine.

For example:

Zahav dinner & drinks

K’Far Café;

Akub;

Qanoon;

Tahini (CMU);

Al Badawi;

Yemenite restaurants in Israel;

Street food in Jaffa;

b) Then, Research dishes found on the Instagram pages of Palestinian chefs and cooks like Sami Tamimi, Fadi Kattan and Reem Kassis, AND Jewish-Israeli chefs like Yotem Ottolenghi & Michael Solomonov, or Jewish cooks/scholars like Helene Jahwara Piner and Sibel Pinto.

Each menu should consist of 3 categories (and pick 3 items for each category):

• BEVERAGES
• MEZZE
• ENTREES
• DESSERTS

As you select items for your menu, research the following:

1. What is the history of the item/dish and its culinary development? By which ethnic groups (Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, Ethiopian-Jews; Palestinian-Arab Muslims and/or Christians, Bedouins, Druze) are they used?
2. How have these ingredients been shaped by socioeconomic backgrounds, gender, family practices and traditions, climate change and crops?
3. Are these ingredients used in dishes contested or disputed within the context of the Israeli/Arab-Palestinian political conflict? (similar to Falafel, Hummus etc.).
4. Are they consumed on certain occasions? Religious or cultural celebrations? Other occasions? If food items, what dishes are they used in?

We will later come back together to examine which ingredients are common to both Israeli and Palestinian cuisines, which are different, and how are they used in each, if common.

How will you research your item/dish?

a) Read article(s) about and/or watch a video about your assigned item/dish.

b) Reflect back on both of your cooking sessions in class and on the ways your researched menu ties to or differs from the items you cooked and how the visitors talked about them. Menu with Prof. Michal Nahman & menu with Chef Fadi Kattan.(will link both)

c) Each student in the group can be responsible for one of the categories: it is up to you to decide this.

What to submit?

A detailed write up of what you researched. Each group uploads their research to this assignment: each student within the group states their name next to their contribution OR researched category. Only one post per group.