...I combined watermelon with Bulgarit...

Watermelon is a yummy summer treat in America, Israel, and probably a number of other places.  Something Israelis do a bit differently is they add a bit of Bulgarit cheese (a form of feta).  The sweet and salty is a perfect blend.  When I was visiting the States a couple of months ago, I brought the idea with me, and my mom was also a fan.

This shabbat is the first one that I will be hosting a meal in my new apartment.  I still haven't bought a plata, a hot plate to keep food hot during shabbat (during which cooking or using electricity to turn on a stove or oven is prohibited), so I am serving only cold foods, which is really perfect for a hot summer day.  I made a sushi salad (channeling Japan), a Caprese salad (channeling Italy), and a green bean salad (channeling my friend Alex).  But something was missing from the meal.  It was so Israeli when I combined watermelon with Bulgarit in soup form.  Last summer, I tasted an amazing watermelon gazpacho, and while I did not try to recreate it, I was definitely inspired by it.  Mine came out a bit zesty and totally delicious.  My roommate even said he would pay money for it in a restaurant.