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    ‘Jerusalem makes food taste better’: Chef Moshe Basson’s Rosh Hashanah secrets

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    By Maayan Hoffman

    Copyright ynetnews

    'Jerusalem makes food taste better': Chef Moshe Basson’s Rosh Hashanah secrets

    The aromas of cinnamon, cardamom and slow-roasted lamb drift through Jerusalem this time of year—and Chef Moshe Basson swears they taste different here. The legendary founder of The Eucalyptus and author of The Eucalyptus Cookbook says the city itself seasons the food. “There is something in Jerusalem,” Basson said on a recent ILTV Podcast. “When you cook the food in Jerusalem, I really believe that it is making it better. There is something in the environment.” He says the smells, colors and food are special in Jerusalem —“you touch it, you feel it. People say they are walking in the steps of the prophets and kings. Well, you also taste it in your belly. It’s inside.” Watch these previous ILTV Podcasts: Former Ambassador: Israel Must Not Underestimate The Palestinian Issue Turning Family Crisis Into Personal Growth Inside Trump’s Treasury: Hasidic Insider Reveals All Basson founded The Eucalyptus nearly 40 years ago, originally around a eucalyptus tree he planted as a teenager. Since then, he has developed creative “biblical recipes” that rooted his cuisine—and his storytelling—in the land. Cooking in Jerusalem, he says, is his therapy. When the country’s situation weighs on him and threatens the restaurant and its legacy, his son sends him back to the kitchen because “being there will pick me up.” Once, he hosted a group of psychologists visiting Israel to learn about trauma and treatments. One well-known therapist later wrote that time at Eucalyptus felt like a “prescription for depression,” Basson said. Born in Iraq, Basson moved to Israel at nine months old after his family was expelled from their home. He grew up among other refugees, learning the flavors of his mother, grandmother and neighbors. He learned to cook from them and revels in authentic, flavorful, spice-rich foods. Arab neighbors also came to cook and eat with the family, further blending traditions. For Rosh Hashanah, the menu is always special, with quinces a traditional feature. Basson points to a centerpiece lamb baked with quinces and his “Song of Songs” apple cake—a cookbook favorite that brings together warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and cardamom. So many years later, some recipes have modernized. But they still taste of tradition—and love. Watch the full podcast

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