Things my Shaliach Never Told Me, and Absorption into Israeli Society Step #3946

Tonight, for the first time, I tried sachlav, a middle-eastern drink (actually, it was more like a pudding) made out of milk and . . . orchid bulbs. I did not know about the orchids when I ordered. I found out about that when I got home and poked around on Google to figure out what the heck it was that I'd just consumed. At the time, I saw "warm sachlav" on the menu at The Coffee Shop, asked the waitress what that is, she mumbled something about flowers and shrugged, and I said "well, I'll try it!" I was feeling adventurous and thought "what the heck, let's go native." It's important always to try new things, shake things up, get into that Israeli spirit!

Sachlav is a little weird, but it was good. Sweet and, well, like flowers. They sprinkled coconut and hazelnuts on top. It was a nice warm puddingy-drink for a chilly Jerusalem night. A nice warm drink that I ate with a spoon.

Not soul food. Not like, say, hot chocolate. Not something familiar. But interesting. And sweet. And like flowers.