food of the market

"salam alaikum. wahead pizza, arba hobez"
"ma'salam. alhamdulillah. We say praise God, why? because were are alive. we are working."
"ma'salam Afife. shukran"


Look down the street from Afife's pizza and pita bread bakery and you'll see the fruit and vegetable market. Buckets of olives marinate in their oil. They also have with the best peppers here, bright orange and tasting of sugar. Today's treat was five fresh tomatoes for 1 shekel, sliced with sugar and balsamic vinegar on top.

A short walk from the market brings you to a basement filled with bags of spices and dry goods. Every color and smell imaginable overwhelms you as you descend the cement steps. I've only purchased za'atar and pistachios so far. Place the former in a bowl next to some olive oil. Dip first your pita in the oil, followed by the spice for a tasty bite. Double dipping is allowed.