intrepid photographer Marc Israel Sellem didn’t plan on making a lifelong friend over a decade ago when he went to shoot a special event at the Eucalyptus restaurant, featuring kosher but rarely consumed foods from the Bible. After photographing exotic delicacies like water buffalo, kingklip fish, and guinea fowl, Sellem was still searching for a breathtaking photo for the front page. In an impulsive move, Sellem approached chef and owner Moshe Basson and asked him to come up with something interesting for the camera.
Thinking on his feet, Basson grabbed a pair of cow testicles, doused them in oil, threw them into a scorching hot pan, and then tossed them in the air with a flourish as the pieces of meat were engulfed in flames. In an instant, a friendship was born and a cover photo was found. The two friends and we writers met up again at Basson’s iconic high-end Jerusalem restaurant in Hutzot Hayotzer on a crisp spring evening.
Basson was in immaculate chef’s whites, his signature braid neatly groomed, his voice low and melodious. We discussed his new cookbook, why we must treat our bodies well by feeding ourselves that which not only nourishes our bodies but also our spirits, and the impact of a post-Oct. 7 world.
“Don’t eat a lot of bread,” Basson cautions when piping-hot focaccia and dips, the first of many dishes, arrive at our outdoor table, nestled in a verdant corner filled with rose bushes and assorted flora – including herbs for plucking for use in the.