In praise of dry toast

October 19, 2008 - 2:55 PM by

cholent-s.jpg There’s nothing quite as daunting for immigrants to Israel from North America as going to the home of the Israeli parents of your daughter’s significant other.

Sure, after 23 years here, I feel as Israeli as the next Dudu, but there’s something about those natives born here from ethnic origins like – Iraq for instance – that’s just sooo Israeli, that I couldn’t even begin to approach it.

We’d already met Y’s parents on a couple occasions, once when we hosted them for a Yom Ha’atzmaut barbecue, and a couple times at the airport dropping off and picking up the young couple leaving and arriving from a two-week adventure in the US.

But this was the first time we were going to their home – on their turf, with their customs. It felt a little like the boyfriend’s family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when they’re invited to meet the extended Greek clan.

Y’s parents weren’t barbecuing a sheep on the front lawn, but they were vivacious, offering tons of delicacies, and there were lots of them – brothers, babies, girlfriends and even a feisty grandmother, who probably had fought Arabs in the War of Independence with her bare hands.

I always thought we were a pretty upbeat, vivacious family of our own, but after spending an afternoon with Y’s family, I began to feel like Ian Miller’s ‘dry toast’ family.

bundt.jpgWhen the heaping platefuls of Iraqi hamin (cholent) was passed around, I received the honor of getting a big calf’s leg. The father said ‘you’ll love it, the meat is so tender’. Well, it felt a lot like fat, or jelly, to me. So I pretended to move it around on the plate and take a stab or two at it, before leaving it on the side with a defeated look on my face.

I guess it’s now our turn to invite them over next time. Maybe we’ll make a nice bundt cake…

Tags: , , , , , , , , , • Category: Food, General, History and Culture, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life 

Comments

2 Comments on In praise of dry toast

  1. Nicky on Sun, Oct 19th 2008 3:34 PM

    2. My parents from England had the same experience when they met my in-laws – originally from Morocco. My husband is one of six children – all but two with families of their own.
    It was a loud, raucous dinner with so many people, so much noise and so much food and drink.
    After many copious salads, they started bringing out the next course and my mother turned to me and said: “I thought we’d already eaten the main meal!”

  2. Sol on Sun, Oct 19th 2008 6:25 PM

    3. Very funny, I hope the happy couple are doing well.

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