In 1911, a tiny kiosk opened on Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard offering a new way to beat the dusty town’s stifling heat: gazoz. An original treat for the new city’s residents, the seltzer flavored with sweet syrup was already a staple at every soda fountain in America.
But while such treats have disappeared across the US, Israelis are reinventing gazoz, none with more panache than Benny Briga. At Café Levinsky, in Tel Aviv’s Florentin neighborhood, he layers sage and za’atar, lemongrass, geranium, melon, plums and strawberries into a glass topped with sparkling soda for phenomenal visual and flavor sensations.
Just in time for summer, Briga and cookbook author Adeena Sussman will get you whipping up Cafe Levinsky’s creations without flying to Israel with their new cookbook, Gazoz: The Art of Making Magical, Seasonal Sparkling Drinks.
As the new book launches, Benny and Adeena join us to discuss the thirst-quenching flavors that will excite your tongue, your stomach and your heart.
Adeena Sussman is the author of Sababa and the coauthor of 14 cookbooks, including two bestsellers with Chrissy Teigen. Benny Briga is the owner and chef of Café Levinsky.
In conversation with Gabriella Gershenson, James Beard Award–nominated food journalist and an editor of The 100 Most Jewish Foods and On the Hummus Route.