fruits
vegetables
Fruits of Paradise Everyone knows that eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge brought about the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. But what exactly was that fateful fruit? Western tradition says it was the apple. Other theories mention a fig − luscious and sexy, it would definitely fill the bill, as would a pomegranate, which looks like a treasure box laden with precious stones, or a date with its sleek skin and honey-sweet flesh. All these contenders for the “fruit of paradise” and many more flourish in Israel. Some are relative newcomers, others have been around since the dawn of civilization. Carbonized remains of figs almost 11,500 years old were recently excavated by archeologists near the town or Jericho, making them the oldest known domesticated crop. Israel is a tiny country but a long and narrow one with a variety of topographies and climates. The fruit bounty is accordingly diverse. Apples, cherries, plums, nectarines and other deciduous fruit trees as well as berries (a recent addition) prevail in the cool mountainous Galilee and Golan Heights. Move 20-30 miles south and you reach Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee) and the Jordan Valley where date palms reign supreme in the subtropical heat, with banana plantations a close second. Avocados and mangos also abound there as well as along the northern Mediterranean coastline. Farther to the south in the lower Galilee, with its softly rolling hills and relatively dry climate, olive and almond groves dot the Biblical landscape. The finest almonds in Israel are called Um-El-Fahem, and it is said that the best almond trees are
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