The annual culinary festival in the Northern Negev entitled ‘From the Field to the Plate’ will take place this year during the weekends of the 29-31 May and the 5-7 June. The region – nicknamed the “grain basket of Israel” – is home to roughly 60% of Israel’s agriculture. In celebration of this achievement numerous restaurants, farms, dairies, patisseries and wineries in the vicinity will be hosting a variety of culinary experiences using the freshest, local and seasonal produce.
2014 Northern Negev Food Festival
An Experience with Yona, Moshav Pduyim: In the courtyard of Yona’s home visitors can help pick crops from the family’s vegetable garden. Yona offers numerous cooking workshops depending on the particular crop in season. During the festival visitors will be able to pick potatoes, learn how to make French fries and mash potato and enjoy a meal based on the field’s fresh produce.
Mitzpe Gvotlot: Originally serving as the Negev’s first bakery Mitzpe Gvotlot now invites children to bake bread in the bakery’s authentic oven, plant fresh herbs in a pot which they can take home with them, learn how to make bricks from mud and visit a tractor exhibition. Advance reservations are advised.
Artichoke Restaurant, Moshav Geah: Artichoke is a stunning boutique restaurant tucked away in Moshav Gea. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves high quality dishes at a reasonable price. During the festival there will be cooking classes for adults to learn how to make their own fresh pastas and raviolis and for children to make fruit cakes and fruit shakes.
Ora’s Courtyard, Moshav Maimon: Visitors can tour the stunning orchard and learn how jams are prepared from its 80 exotic trees.
Tsela Dairy, near Moshav Ein Habsor: This is a local farm which specializes in boutique cheeses from sheep’s milk. For the festival the dairy will be hosting a series of cheese-based cooking workshops led by chef Tzahi Buksheshter.
Beit Livneh, Ein Hbsor: Guests are invited into the home of Chef Nehemiah Livneh for an intimate and unique three course meal to taste his exquisite dishes and learn some culinary techniques. The ingredients are, so far as is possible, all local and seasonal: The lemonade and olive oil are freshly pressed from the lemon trees and olive vineyards growing in their back garden while the vegetables are those picked from their neighbors fields. During the festival Nehemiah’s son Tomer Livneh – owner and chef of Tel Aviv’s restaurants Saragoss and Wolf Nights – will be cooking alongside his father in their family’s kitchen. Price: 160NIS per person for adults and 45NIS for children. Bookings must be made in advance on: 0528284152. Bookings must be for a minimum of 4 persons and a maximum of 50 persons.
The Salad Trail: Visitors can attend an agricultural tour during which they can pick and taste as many of the crops ‘as they can fit in their stomachs!’ Growing in the fields can be found cucumbers, a variety of cherry tomatoes, peppers, chilies, orange, purple and white carrots and an herb garden. There is also the opportunity to have fun getting lost in the passion fruit maze and enjoy a fresh pesto-making workshop.
The Spice Field of Miriam’s Maze, Nir Moshe: Visitors can tour the spice fields filled with exotic aromas and the freshest flavors. Chef-actor workshops will teach visitors how to prepare a range of foods spiced with herbs from the maze.
General Visiting Information:
Restaurants: The restaurants in the area, Midas in Bror Hayil, Sins at the Sapir intersection, Agatha in Moshav Yachini, Patagonia in Or HaNer and Artichoke Restaurant in Moshav Geah will offer, during both weekends of the festival, special menus prepared in collaboration with local farmers and using their produce.
Guided tours: Each place can be visited independently. Alternatively guided tours to three of the above locations will take place on Friday 30 May (setting out from Yad Mordachai junction) and Friday 6 June (setting out from Bet Kama), 9:30am – 1:30pm. The tour includes sampling the Negev’s raw materials and meeting the individuals who work with them. Prior registration is required. Cost: 90NIS per person.
General enquiries: +972 52 251 0271
