Thursday, June 18, 2009

Buy Israeli food

Last week I wrote about the South Bay Mobilization's call to pressure Trader Joe's to get rid of Israeli goods. I wasn't too pleased - here in Chinatown we've had all kinds of crap from the no-fur and PETA crowd and other big-nosed busybodies all frazzled at something, and usually the people who end up suffering from politically motivated anti-merchant actions are not the self-satisfied middle-class white people. Judgemental prigs.

By the way - would you dumb tourists and rednecks mind awfully NOT photographing the fish stores and food markets? We aren't here for your amusement, we actually live here.
Thank you SO much, and have a NICE trip back to Podunck. Bye now.


In any case, it turns out that the nineteenth and twentieth of June have become "buy Israeli Products Day".


BUY ISRAELI PRODUCTS DAY
June 19 & 20, 2009.


Here are links to some posts about the know-it-alls behind the Trader Joe's divestment campaign.
[That being the South Bay Mobilization, Kate Bender Rafael, and Yasmeen Qureishi, among others - Kate Bender Raphael was supposedly involved in that little incident last year in which Israeli food products were sabotaged - which would be a crime if substantiated - and is known for her insistence that breaking glass and trashing offices counts as "non-violent protest". She's an uber-creep.]


SOLOMONIA
http://www.solomonia.com/blog/archive/2009/06/when-in-doubt-trash-a-supermarket/index.shtml

QUOTE: Bold and courageous activists in Pittsburg then turned ugly on the company they had previously tried to cajole (sound familiar?) and walked into a Trader Joe's shop where they proceeded to pull Israeli goods and/or shove their usual misinformation into the hands of customers before being tossed out of the store for trespassing. Undeterred, the BDS community throughout the land called for a national day of de-shelving Israeli products on June 20 (this coming Saturday). One hopes that before they get started they realize the two ways of performing such de-shelving (other than buying all the couscous for themselves) would involve (1) shoplifting, a locally prosecutable criminal offense or (2) defacing said Israeli products to make them unsellable, which turns out to be a prosecutable federal offense under the US Product Packaging Protection Act of 2002.
[End quote]

Take note of that, you trolls - defacing products in the stores is a FEDERAL OFFENSE! And please remember that the next time you go into Chinatown. Being emasculated by an angry shopkeeper (even, perhaps especially, you, ms. Kate Bender Raphael) might be the very least of your problems.


ELDER OF ZION
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2009/06/moonbats-going-after-trader-joes.html

QUOTE:
The obvious thing to do is to make sure you buy Israeli products from Trader Joe's on the 19th and 20th and let the store managers know that you appreciate the fact that they make such products available.
[End quote]

The proper way to "de-shelve" is to buy as much as possible. That more than anything else says appreciation. Smack a pro-Palestinian noodnik on the way out.


DIVEST THIS!
http://www.divestthis.com/

QUOTE:
Divestment debates are ongoing matters at many "Mainline" Protestant churches. I’ve talked before about how anti-Israel divestment resolutions, begun by local churches, find their way to national forums (notably the Presbyterians and Methodists who meet every few years within quasi-democratic frameworks to vote on resolutions submitted from "the field"). While these resolutions get routinely voted down at a national level by whopping majorities, that seems to just give local activists the go-ahead to try to re-craft their rejected calls for resubmission two or four years hence.
[End quote]

Wanna bet that the "local activists" belong simultaneously to several different denominations? It's probably just the same five bigots in each region, who have nothing better to do, and believe themselves divinely chosen to judge each and every one of their neighbors. Which, in its own way, is very Protestant, very Christian - missionaryism uncleverly disguised.


BLUE-TRUTH
http://www.bluetruth.net/2009/06/fight-bds-movement-shop-at-trader-joes.html

QUOTE:
The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement is an tactic from the anti-apartheid effort now adopted by the anti-Israel groups in the US and Europe. Of course, it completely ignores the actual fact, which is that Arabs in the State of Israel have citizenship and full and equal political and civil rights.
[End quote]

See, Israel is more diverse, by a VERY WIDE MARGIN, than any of the Arab countries. And the Arabs don't appear to like anybody but themselves - except, of course, for the Philippinas and other female guest-workers whom they rape at the drop of a hat in the Gulf States, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia - and would you care to guess about the perpetrators of a very large number of violent sex crimes in Europe?
Here in San Francisco, the Arabs count as the worst racists and bigots, especially as far as the Chinese are concerned. You will NEVER hear an Arab say anything good about Chinese-Americans. They discriminate, they sneer at our accents, and they cheat. And many of them are the worst tenants in the world - they make twenty-something dummies from the Midwest look good; that .... takes some doing.
They are rude, crude, and venal.
Plus Arab-American teenagers are sexist pigs. Absolute unmitigated swine.

Yes, I know that I am generalizing - bite me!


GRIZZLY GROUNDSWELL
http://grizzlygroundswell.theodoremedia.com/archives/7069

QUOTE:
Trader Joe’s, a well-known market for imported foods and wines, is now under pressure to stop selling products made in Israel (like Israeli couscous, for example). This effort is being launched by South Bay Mobilization, a leftist, activist anti-Israel bunch in San Jose, California. In addition to its letter to Trader Joe’s asking them not to sell Israeli products, this bunch is asking its members to actually go into local Trader Joe’s stores on June 20, which if you did not know, is "World Refugee Day" and "Day to de-shelve Israeli products". It appears they will do what French activists have been doing, filling their shopping carts with Israeli products (with great fanfare) then leaving them in the aisle. Neat, huh? Basically, they conduct themselves like vandals.
[End quote]

Conducting themselves like vandals? How VERY white of them. Proof positive that white folk can go "native" (how delicious!!!!), that Arabs can blend-in (hah!), and that Arab culture is warm and open to all (please reread previous comments about raping Philippinas and being sexist pigs).
Between hypocrite middle-class dunces and nasty Arab liquor-store owners and taxi drivers, San Francisco is going to hell in a handbasket.
Berkeley, of course, is already part of the BORG.
And some of those sanctimonious twats in the South Bay really need to be smacked with a rubber hose.

----------------------------------------------------

FRIDAY JUNE 19 ADDITION:

Over at
DIVEST THIS! there are two recipes for Israeli Couscous.

Israeli Couscous with Seasonal Vegetables (From The Foods of Israel Today, by Joan Nathan)

Couscous with Dried Fruits and Nuts (A traditional Moroccan Hanukkah dessert, from The World of Jewish Cooking, by Gil Marks)

http://www.divestthis.com/2009/06/what-to-do-with-all-that-couscous.html

The siteowner there has promised to post more recipes as they come in. So please go over there often for updates and further information on Israeli Couscous, and also contribute your own recipes!

Seeing as Israeli Couscous is not a traditional Cantonese ingredient (yes, we do eat EVERYTHING - we just haven't gotten to Israeli Couscous yet), nor even at all common in TaiFao (SF Chinatown), I am anxious to see what you all come up with.


I'm thinking Eight Treasures Rice Pudding...... I'm going to experiment.

22 comments:

GRANT!PATEL! said...

There are no Arabs in India. We are so lucky. An absence of Arabs is a blessing. Scarve eveneared by the total absence of Muslims. Which perhaps eventually. Sod the Pakis.


---Grant Toleranceout

Abdoul El Vandale said...

Thought you might like to know who is really behind this action.

Endorsed by:

ACTION FOR A PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN
AMERICAN JEWS FOR A JUST PEACE
ANOTHER JEWISH VOICE, SANTA FE
BAY AREA INTERNATIONAL JEWISH ANTI-ZIONIST NETWORK
BIRTHRIGHT UNPLUGGED
BDS BAYAREA
BOSTON BDS
BOSTON COALITION FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS
BREAK THE SIEGE
BURNSVILLE AND EAGAN, MINNESOTA PEACE VIGILS
CAMPAIGN TO END ISRAELI APARTHEID – SOUTHERN
CHARLOTTE 4 PEACE
GLOBAL JUSTICE PROJECT
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION SERVICE, MO
INTERFAITH WITNESS FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE
JUSTICE FIRST FOUNDATION
JUSTICE FOR PALESTINIANS
OPT OUT!
OWL’S NEST NORTH COLLABORATION
PEOPLE AGAINST HATE SPEECH
QUEERS UNDERMINING ISRAELI TERRORISM (QUIT!)
SAN JOSE PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER
SOUTH ALAMEDA PEACE AND JUSTICE COALITION

Abdoul El Vandale said...

continued...


SOUTH ASIAN COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
SOUTH BAY MOBILIZATION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
STUDENTS UNITED FOR PALESTINIAN EQUAL RIGHTS
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST US TERROR WEAPONS
THE OREGON CAMPAIGN TO END ISRAELI APARTHEID
TRI-CITY PEACE AND JUSTICE
US CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL
VETERANS AGAINST TORTURE
VETERANS FOR PEACE
WESPAC FOUNDATION
WOMEN IN BLACK, LA

Misguided individual endorsers:

TOM ABERNETHY , NY
SALMA ABY AYYASH, CAMBRIDGE, MA
KAMAL AHMED CUSTOMER, CAMBRIDGE&BURLINGTON STORES, MA
CHARLOTTE ALBRECH, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
SALEM AJLUNI, SAN JOSE, CA
YASMINE ALKHATIB, LOS ANGELES, CA
HANNAH ALLEN, AMHERST, MA
D ALWAN, OAKLAND, CA
AHMAD AMARA, HARVARD UNIV, MA
ERIC ANDERSON, LOS ANGELES, CA
JUDY ANDLER, CAMBRIDGE, MA
JAHAN ANSTAN, CA
LOUISE ANTONY, AMHERST, MA
THOMAS ASH, CAMBRIDGE, MA
DEVIN ATALLAH
TERESE ATALLAH
HIMA B, NYC, NY
MIKE BALDWIN, HAYWARD, CA
JANE BARK
SUSAN BARNEY, ARLINGTON, MA
KATHLEEN BARRY, CA

Abdoul El Vandale said...

continued...


BEN BARSON
JAN BAUMAN
KHALIL BENDIB, BERKELEY, CA
GRETA BERLIN, BOARD OF DIRECTOR, FREE GAZA MOVEMENT, LOS ANGELES CA
BOB BOWES
UMAYYAH CABLE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
ELLEN CANTAROW, MEDFORD, MA
GEORGE CAPACCIO, MA
CHARLOTTE CASEY, PRESIDENT, SAN JOSE PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER, SAN JOSE, CA
JOHN CASSEL, OAK PARK, IL
JOYCE CASSEL, OAK PARK, IL
MARGARET CERULLO, AMHERST, MA
PETER CHABAREK, EUGENE, OR
CORTNEY CHILDS, CORVALLIS, OR
DAWN CISEK
DANIEL CLAYTON, BROOKLYN, NY
SUSAN CURTISS, LOS ANGELES, CA
DEEMA DABIS
HUMA DAR, BERKELEY, CA
L DAVIDSON, WEST CHESTER, PA
WALT DAVIS, SAN ANSEMLO, CA
KATHLEEN DENSMORE, PhD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
DAVID DIXON
JACK DRESSER
SUSAN DUNCAN
MARTHA DWYER
JANET EISELEY CA
JEAN ENTINE
HEDY EPSTEIN, ST LOUIS, MO
KRISTI ERLICH
SHERIF FAM
SURA FARAJ, MILWAUKE, WI
FRANCIS FEELEY
DAVID FIELDER, BERKELEY, CA
JULIA FIGUEIRA-MCDONOUGH, PASADENA, CA
ROBERT FITZPATRICK, CHARLOTTE, NC
CHRIS FORD, LOS ANGELES, CA
MANZAR FOROOHAR, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
KARIN FRIEDEMANN, BOSTON, MA
MELISSA FROILAND, MILWAUKEE, WI
SHALINI GERA, HAYWARD, CA
PROF JOHN GERASSI, QUEENS COLLEGE, NY
ELIANE HAGOPIAN, BOSTON, MA
KATHERINE HANNA, BOSTON, MA
SWANEAGLE HARIJAN

Abdoul El Vandale said...

Continued...

KATHARINA HARLOW, MONTEREY, CA
MARTIN HARWAYNE
JANICE HAYDEN, CONCORD, MA
JEAN HAYS, FRESNO, CA
PAT HENDRICKS
CHARLIE HINTON, CA
JOSHUA HOUGH
LYDIA HOWELL, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
JAY HUBBELL, FRESNO, CA
MARY HUGHES
HAPPY HYDER, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
SUMIA IBRAHIM, NY
HAYAT IMAM, DORCHESTER, MA
MARY IZETT, LAFAYETTE, CA
A JARRAR, SAN JOSE, CA
JANE JEWELL, CA
PETER KARDAS, OAKLAND, CA
CASSANDRA KATSIAFICAS, BROOKLYN, NY
JUNE KENAGY, ALBANY, OR
REEMA KHAN, CAMBRIDGE, MA
LOU KIPNIS, SANTA FE, NM
VIDULA KIRTIKAR
VICTOR KIZASKI
ALICE KLEIN, MA
DAVID KLEIN, LOS ANGELES, CA
JEFF KLEIN DORCHESTER, MA
JANET KOBREN, OAKLAND, CA
JUDITH KOLOKOFF
JOEL KOVEL
GREG KOZICZ, BROOKLYN, NY
BADAR KUDSI, CA
JANE KURINSKY
PAUL LARUDEE, BERKELEY, CA, FREE GAZA MOVEMENT
CECILE LENEMAN
HOWARD LENOW
MICHAEL LETWIN, NEW YORK CITY LABOR AGAINST THE WAR, LABOR FOR PALESTINE NY
MARIAH LEUNG, AL NAKBA AWARENESS PROJECT
JOSEPH LEVINE, AMHERST, MA
SCOTT LINDER FREMONT, CA
MICHAEL LYON, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
SUNAINA MAIRA, OAKLAND, CA
MICHAEL MARIA, BOSTON, MA
ALICE MARSHALL, NY
IVAN MARTIN, ST LOUIS, MO
SAHAR MASUD
TANIA MAXWELL
HANNAH MEDROW, MILWAUKEE, WI
RASHA MHMOUD, BROOKLYN, NY
SERGIO MONTEIRO, LOS ANGELES, CA
DORINDA MORENO, FM GLOBAL, CA
MICHEL MOUSHABECK, NORTHAMPTON, MA
DR NANCY MURRAY, CAMBRIDGE, MA
HIRA NABI, AMHERST, MA
FARRUKH NAJMI
SHAHEEN NAZERALI, NY
DAVID NELSON
MARCY NEWMAN, CA
DOROTHY NAOR, ISRAEL
ANA NOGUEIRA, BROOKLYN, NY
KAMAL OBEID, HAYWARD, CA
DAVID OBERWEISER
IVAN OLSEN, CA
MARCELLO PETRIGH
ANGELA PRICE
REV JOHN PROCHASKA
YASMIN QURESHI, SAN JOSE, CA
MAZIN QUMSIYEH, PHD
BILL RAMSEY, ST LOUIS, MO
ANNE REMLEY, ANN ARBOR, MI
FREDERICK REMLEY, ANN ARBOR, MI
GREGORY RIENZO, CASTRO VALLEY, CA
ROSALIE RIENZO, CASTRO VALLEY, CA
JOHN ROBERTS, CAMBRIDGE, MA
KATHY ROBERTS, CAMBRIDGE, MA
PAULA ROCHELLE
JULIE RUFO, ALAMEDA, CA, TRADER JOE’S CUSTOMER
AMIN SABA, SAN JOSE, CA, TRADER JOE’S CUSTOMER
DINA SABA, SAN JOSE, CA, TRADER JOE’S CUSTOMER
FADI SABA, PRESIDENT, SOUTH BAY MOBILIZATION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE, SAN JOSE, CA
NELLIE SABA, SAN JOSE, CA
RAKSHANDA SALEEM, CAMBRIDGE, MA
CAROLYN SCARR, BERKELEY, CA
SKIP SCHIEL, FRIENDS MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE (QUAKER), CAMBRIDGE, MA
HANNAH SCHWARZSCHILD
JON SEIGE, BOSTON, MA
BILL SELL
SAHAR SHAFQAT, MARYLAND
SAID SHEHADEH, PsyD QUEENS, NY
ANNA SHENK
LENORE SHERIDAN
SNEHAL SHINGAVI, VA
MOAZZAM SHIEKH, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
CATHERINE SHINN, SAINT LOUIS, MO
SAUL SLAPIKOFF, CAMBRIDGE, MA
EVE SPANGLER
JOHN SPRITZLER
RAMKUMAR SRIDHARAN, SAN JOSE, CA
A STEK, LOS ANGELES, CA
CORNELIA SULLIVAN, BOSTON, MA
IJAZ SYED, SUNNYVAL,E CA
ALLYSON TAYLOR
JOHN THIELKING, SAN JOSE, CA
KIN TILSEN WI
SAADIA TOOR, NYC, NY
JAMES VANN, OAKLAND, CA
DONALD VEACH
NICOLE VOLZ, BROOKLYN, NY
NABIL WAHBEH
DARLENE WALLACH, SAN JOSE, CA
DONNA WALLACH, SAN JOSE, CA
KATHLEEN WANG, DIAMOND BAR, CA
LARRY WARTEL, LOS ANGELES, CA
AHMAD YAMAK, CA
NADIA YASSA, Esq, MA
JAMAL ZEID, LINCOLN, CA
MAGGIE ZHOU, ARLINGTON, MA

GRANT!PATEL! said...

You, madam, are desperate to sit on his kitchen table, aren't you?


---Grant Perspiceiver

GRANT!PATEL! said...

Why else would you be wainving so gaily pantied a rumpouse in his plate?


---Grant Obnocks

GRANT!PATEL! said...

You are attracted to the darn Dutchwallah, and seemingly would do ANYTHING to attract his gleaming attention!


---Grant Frogmeister

GRANT!PATEL! said...

It is unseemly for a young Cantonese girl to be so obsessed with an elderly Dutch Uncle. Calm your hot hot hot passions for the Cheese Whizard. Stop rendering him an oily thrill.

Behave, mincks!


---Grant Apuritanmonumental

GRANT!PATEL! said...

On the other hands, if you were to develope a fascination for my zesty prawn curry, and place your luxuriant gay rumpous on the planks of my dining table, I would indeed mind not. It would be a good thing. We can be friends. Are yyou wearing a skirt? Let us talk calmly.


---Grant Gracioushost

Fuzz Bert Fan Club said...

Grant, you are a bore. Yay! Stuff it, you peevy old drit. Yay!

And eat Israeli Couscous (ptitim)! It is very good! Have it with Pastures of Eden Feta! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Fuzz Bert Fan Club said...

You can also buy Dorot Crushed Garlic, Dorot Chopped Cilantro, Holyland Matzos, Pastures of Eden Feta Imported, and Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend.
Yay!

Moishe Slamdunk said...

Several other blogs also encourage readers to participate in Buy Israeli Products Day at your nearest Trader Joe's:

JEWS' NEXT DOR
Made in Israel

WHO IS ROSE
Israeli-Boycott Warning

BRUTALLY HONEST
Do you shop at Trader Joe's?


And here you can see what the pro-Palestinian side does:

Boycott Israeli Goods, Free Palestine!
by Free Palestine
Tuesday Oct 14th, 2008 10:26 PM
Moronic boasting
You will note that the "random" Jewish customers are actually well-known anti-Israel activists, both of whom have had run-ins with authorities in the past. Vandalizing or interfering with food products is a federal offense, by the way.

Hilloo said...

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH CHICKEN AND FETA

1 Cup Trader Joes Israeli Couscous.
1 cup pine nuts
1 package feta cheese
Half a chicken, cut into chunks.
One or two chopped tomatoes.
Parsley or cilantro for garnish.

Cook the chicken chunks in one and a half cup of water with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon for about ten minutes. Remove and drain, reserving the broth. You need a cup and a half - add water if necessary. Now cook the Israeli Couscous in the broth for ten to twelve minutes (until done).
Roast the pine nuts in olive oil till pale golden.
Mix the Israeli Couscous, cooked chicken, feta, and pine nuts. Put the chopped tomato on top of the mound. Sprinkle parsley or cilantro over to garnish.

Gandalf The Gay said...

At Weelicious, there's a recipe that looks particularly nice. Israeli Couscous Salad

Israeli Couscous Salad (Makes 6 Servings)

1 Cup Israeli Couscous
1 1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Small Yam, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1 Tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
1/4 Cup Pine nuts
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Bring the water to a boil, add the couscous and yam, cover and reduce to a simmer.
2. Cook for 12 minutes.
3. Combine all the ingredients and serve.

She also has other stellar recipes here: http://weelicious.com/index.php
Fast, easy, & fresh babyfood, toddler food (and now big kids food too!)

Gandalf The Gay said...

Marga, at Marga's Foodblog, gives the mixed couscous, garbanzo, and quinoa high marks. Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend

She says "it was cheaper than the bags of pure Israeli couscous. Most importantly, my kids love it, and I think it's probably marginally more nutritious than the Israeli couscous by itself.".

Gandalf The Gay said...

And this recipe looks absolutley scrumptious!

PEARL COUSCOUS WITH OLIVES AND ROASTED TOMATOES

Pearl Couscous with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes
Makes 6 servings

For roasted tomatoes and dressing
2 pt red grape or cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 lb)
3 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For couscous
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 1/4 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Roast tomatoes and make dressing: Preheat oven to 250°F. Halve tomatoes through stem ends and arrange, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan. Add garlic to pan and roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are slightly shriveled around edges, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Peel garlic and puree with oil, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes in a blender until dressing is very smooth.

Make couscous: Bring broth to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and stir in couscous, then simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes.
Spread couscous in 1 layer on a baking sheet and cool 15 minutes. Transfer couscous to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, dressing, roasted tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.
Do ahead: Roasted tomatoes, dressing, and couscous can be made 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
--------------------------------
I found it on http://smittenkitchen.com/ It's from Gourmet Magazine, September 2002.

Telmac said...

While I will make sure that we get some israeli food tonight, my mother happens to use dorot crushed garlic, basil, and parsley. They take easily five to ten minutes out of prep time every day.

Anal Rapist said...

Anal rape!

The back of the hill said...

Snooky - yasher koach!

Grant - shaddup.

Gandalf - see you this coming Sunday. Waer your cloak, so that you can be recognized.

Anal Rapist - huh?

Anal Rapist said...

You know who I am!

Abdoul El Vandale said...

Wow. Recipes. This makes the Israeli Couscous file complete.

Yum, baby!