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Benny Briga: the proprietor and founding father of Cafe Levinsky
A must-try location within the Levinsky Market after Tavlinksy in Tel Aviv is Cafe Levinsky. In the warmth of an Israeli summer time, that is positively a spot you wish to cease at. Ever heard of a gazoz? This is the drink to attempt at Cafe Levinsky. Ask Benny Briga about it, the founder and proprietor of Cafe Levinsky.
Benny Briga opened Cafe Levinsky as a result of he liked nature. He liked how nature blooms stunning and scrumptious fruits which he remembers plucking off of bushes as a child. Benny wished to unfold the pleasure of nature to others, which led him to open Cafe Levinsky.
After ending within the army and touring the world, Benny settled down in Tel Aviv. After exploring the hospitality trade and opening his personal restaurant, Benny reevaluated his profession and wished to open a spot that allowed him to put money into his childhood delights. He opened the tiny store and acquired a tank of CO2 and commenced storing all kinds of herbs and flowers within the tiny nook store in Florentin in Tel Aviv. He started storing all it in jars with sugar water and making gazoz.
What is gazoz?
Gazoz is a bubbly seltzer drink made by the fermentation of fruit. (Like beer, Ethiopian honey bee, wine). The gazoz that Benny sells is non-alcoholic, all-natural, and extremely nutritious. Similar to soda, gazoz is refreshing and makes the proper beverage within the warmth of the summer time.
Gazoz goes means again was initially invented in Tel Aviv in 1909 and has been a preferred beverage ever since. Each gazoz that Benny sells consists of macerated fruit, syrup, and a few sort of herb, relying on the gazoz of your selection. For instance, the “Green Almond” gazoz is product of arugula flowers, recent lemon verbena, lavender, and dried licorice root stick. It is fermented with inexperienced almonds and syrup, and topped by seltzer and ice.
Benny made me an apple gazoz, which tasted recent and candy. Once you end your gazoz provides free seltzer refills.
The apple gazoz with sustainably made straw and spoon
Sustainable practices
Cafe Levinsky additionally practices sustainable measures of service. For starters, the straws are all pure as a result of they’re made out of apples. You may even eat the straws after you completed your gazoz. In addition, the spoons are made freed from plastic. Benny additionally composts at his farm in Jaffa the place they develop all the substances used within the cafe.
A sustainable studio
Benny took me into the studio proper across the nook from the store have been the fermentation magic goes down. The stunning studio is stuffed with jars stuffed with all types of issues, from fruits to herbs.
One of the oldest of which is six years outdated: the “Quince” is from 2017. A quince is a sort of apple that when cooked turns into pink. Benny thinks it’s higher the longer one thing is fermented. Some jars are fermented with sugar and water, whereas others are fermented with salt and vinegar. He additionally makes use of anaerobic fermentation and cardio fermentation.
Each day, he ferments one thing new for the gazoz, consistently having new and engaging issues for his prospects. He additionally has a big selection of alcohols which are that can be purchased from the bottle from 5% to 7% alcohol.
Inside of Benny’s fermentation studio within the Levinsky Market displaying the array of alcohols he fermented
The Quince fermented fruit is the oldest within the studio
