Turkish-Israeli ties to revive with taste of nostalgia

With a shared culinary tradition and more, there is much that unites Israel and Turkey, according to Israeli journalist Arad Nir. ‘The potential is there within, waiting to burst out when the right time will come,' he says The Israeli young woman in the commercial can fix a car and let her boyfriend go on vacation to Thailand without her. Yet neither these nor her other qualities are enough to qualify as a woman ready for marriage until she orders "Turkish coffee." The commercial on Israeli TV has been seen proof of the deep connection between the Turkish and Israeli nations despite the strains in political ties.

Turkish-Israeli relations are currently like dried vegetables; according to a prominent Israeli journalist. "Their taste is awful when they are dry. But they are still full of potential. When the cook decides that the time has come, it will be no time before they are resuscitated and become a succulent, tasty, dish," said Arad Nir.

Talking at the event, Food for Diplomacy, a series of culinary/diplomatic brainstorming dinners organized by Kadir Has University, Nir proved an impeccable choice to talk at such an occasion, since he is not only well-informed about Turkish-Israeli ties, but also Turkish cuisine. The author of a book about Istanbul's culinary culture, "The biggest restaurant on Earth," Nir admitted to being - culinary-wise - a devoted neo-Ottoman.

As he talked about Turkish-Israeli relations using culinary metaphors, the guests enjoyed Israeli dishes prepared by Ruthie Russo. Born in the United States and raised in Israel, Russo is currently the executive chef of a stylish Tel Aviv coffee brand. Russo is half-Turkish, as her grandparents emigrated from Gaziantep to the U.S. On her first visit...