One of the greatest things about living in Israel is the quality of the dairy products you can find here, especially the cream. Working in four-star restaurants in New York opened my eyes to how different the dairy is outside of the States. This reality was highlighted by the fact that most of the dairy products we used were imported, butter from Holland, mascarpone from Italy, brie from France and cream from “anywhere but Upstate New York” as the executive chef used to say. We are fortunate here to have some of the best dairy - this land truly flows with milk - we’ll get to the honey part another time.

Another positive aspect about living in Israel is that circumstance enables you to provide more hands on care for your children. Many call this a drawback as the kids are home earlier from school and it seems as if all the time is “family time”. Yet, when I remember what life was like in New York; always working and seeing the kids on the weekends when I was too tired to actually spend time with them. I would not give this current life up for anything. Being in Israel forces you to raise your children better, and most jobs here are more understanding to the demanding schedules of parents.

Part of raising your kids is making sure they eat healthy and they eat well. One of my favorite foods to make my kids is an upscale version of macaroni and cheese – I call it Pasta Béchamel (it sounds chic). My kids love it and it takes less than twenty five minutes to prepare – about the same time it takes to open a box of Whacky Macs with more flavor, less chemicals, and more love. For me, this is what life in Israel is truly about

Ingredients:

· 2 pounds (1 kilo) pasta - baby shells are the best, though medium shells or ridged pasta is also okay

· 250 grams butter

· 1/4 cup flour

I like Barilla pasta - it is hard to find the small shells in Israel, so I use the ridged macaroni instead. It holds the sauce very nicely.

· 2 cups cream (15-30%)

· 1 1/2 cups milk

· salt and pepper to taste

· 1 cup finely grated Cheddar

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta (try to use the Barilla brand) according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 325° F (160° C).
3. In a sauté pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook to a the color of sand (AKA “blonde roux”).
4. Add cream. Cook until it reaches a simmer, whisking constantly.
5. Add milk. Bring to a light steam (just under simmering).
6. Add a little salt and pepper. Give it a few more whisks and turn off the flame.
7. Place mixture in a 12 x 2 1/2 inch pan, or any pan into which it will fit without making it too thick.
9. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top.
10. Bake for 10 minutes.

I promise you will never go back to the Whacky Mac.

BatayAvon!!