Local Tastemaker: Zehorit Heilicher
Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 7:37AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
Zehorit HeilicherContinuing our series on local tastemakers, we turn to Zehorit Heilicher. We talked to her about her childhood in Israel, what flavors she is cooking with now and where to learn to cook just like Zehorit!
Q: Please tell us about your childhood in Israel - how did food play into your memories?
A: My family immigrated to Israel from Yemen and settled in a neighborhood filled with immigrants from all over the world. The neighbors shared dishes, stories and recipes and our crowded street corner was often perfumed with T’bit from Iraq, Tagine from Morocco, Matza ball soup from Russia, S’chug from Yemen - just to name a few. Once I moved to Minnesota, I longed for the flavors that were home to me. I learned how to use spices, how to recreate Middle Eastern recipes with American ingredients and how to provide my own family with flavors that will define their childhood and culture. While doing that, friends and family members became interested in learning those recipes as well. From there, the path was short to teaching others, creating my blog and even trying out a food production line for a while.
Q: You call your mother the "Kitchen Queen." How did she influence your love of cooking and entertaining?
A: My mother, who arrived in Israel as an orphan at the tender age of 5, was raised in a state-sponsored orphanage. Creating a family and caring for it was of utmost importance to her, and providing healthy and flavorful meals for us was a calling. Though we lived on my father’s sole salary as a teacher, our lives were filled with an abundance of flavors, music and laughter. My mom is a competent and intuitively gifted cook; from traditional Yemenite soup, golden and fragrant with Hawayej, to couscous from scratch, yeasted, tender chocolate cake rolls, tall and golden-brown Shabbat Kubaneh and crispy, juicy roasted chicken with pearly rice. My mouth is watering…
Orange cake
Q: Me too! What food ingredients are you cooking with in the new year?
A: Winter usually invokes two flavors for me. First is citrus which I had available to me during childhood with a short trip to our garden. Citrus offers freshness and brightness as well as Vitamin C when Minnesota can be so cold and dreary. I make everything from my Mom’s fresh orange cake, lemon rosemary chicken, Meyer lemon marmalade, grapefruit-avocado salad and more. The second flavor is Yemenite Hawayej, which is a very versatile spice mix, similar to curry powder. I use it in its traditional application in Yemenite chicken soup, as well as to season roasted chicken, potatoes, stews and more. Its warm flavor profile heats the body from the inside out and provides bold flavors in the bland winter.
Q: Please tell us about being a Tastemaker in Residence at the Spirited Table.
A: I have been fortunate to be part of Spirited Table since 2013 as a Tastemaker. It provides me with an additional platform to share my culture, recipes and thoughts. Cindi Sutter, the creator, creative mind and editor of the site has invested in creating a welcoming and inclusive place for writers and users. I have shared thoughts, recipes and information on Jewish and American holidays, on Israel, parenting, travel and more.
Q: You obviously have a lot of good food and cooking information to share. Do you offer cooking classes?
A: Yes, I do! I teach at various Cooks of Crocus Hill locations. The next class at Cooks of Crocus Hill in Minneapolis is January 25 – Mideast Vegetarian Feast. I also offer classes at the Nordic Ware teaching kitchen in St. Louis Park and private classes in person and virtually.
Q: How may we follow your news?
A: You can find recipes and upcoming classes, plus have the opportunity to communicate with me directly through my blog, MideasttoMidwest.com
