Oh God, it doesn’t matter where I am, it’s oven-hot!

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This summer we are traveling in America, baby! I’d always wanted to see more of it. I’ve been living here for almost two decades and I’ve barely seen a quarter of this beautiful country. When all your family lives in Israel, you keep going back there.

I would have probably went back again instead of exploring America, but with the war and everything, I decided not to go. This made an opportunity to visit the East Coast, in states and cities I haven’t been to before.

First stop Florida to visit my husband’s family and to ship off our teenager on a cruise with my his grandmother.

Two things I highly do NOT recommend:

1. Going to Florida anytime between October to May—the heat and humidity are unbearable!
2. Going on a cruise. Period. I had a feeling both mother in law and teenager son would be terribly bored and hate it. I told them so but they didn’t listen.

Even the ocean, the only thing I like in Florida, was warm and murky with seaweed, like miso soup.

When I’m in cities like San Francisco and Paris, where the quality of the local food is excellent and the food is creative and delicious, I don’t have any urge to cook. However, in Florida I do because anything I would make is going to be healthier and cheaper. Wow, I sound like a Floridian Jewish curmudgeon, Ma’am, is anything alright?

My mother-in-law doesn’t cook and doesn’t own a salad spinner, nor counter space to dry leafy greens, so I made Greek-style salads. I need to start traveling with a Swiss vegetable peeler.

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I always travel light. Even when I travel for three months. The only problem with traveling only with a carry-on is that I can’t travel with my chef’s knife. I usually pack spices—In a daily medicine container (see video below)— and a small metal sieve so I can make my own barista-style almond milk (All I need is a decent blender and that sieve).

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Pennsylvania the beautiful

At the moment I’m visiting my dear long-time friend, Yael, who lives in a beautiful suburb near Philadelphia. I heard that the food in Philly is good, but so far I’ve only eaten at Dizengoff, Mike Solomonov’s restaurant. It was good but everything was too salty for me.

When I travel for a week, I don’t mind eating out every day. But when I’m traveling for two months, I prefer to cook my own food—it’s healthier and cheaper. Yael’s kitchen lures me in with its big island and every possible kitchen gadget you could imagine. Her neighborhood is so lush, green, and quiet that I don’t feel like going anywhere.

Next stop: New England, New Hampshire. I’ll keep you posted.

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About this salad:

This is the easiest salad to make, but you have to make sure that the cucumbers are extra firm and the watermelon is fresh and crisp. What would seal the deal is a good-quality extra virgin olive oil. My friend, Yael, does own a salad spinner, but after she had it once, she doesn’t let me make anything else.
However, don’t make too much of it, as it won’t taste as good the next day. And it’s pretty filling.

Wait, before I forget, if you love salads, simple yet different and unique salad, get my cookbook Salad Ballads. It’s selling on Amazon. I have feeling you would love it.