Lamb

Before chicken, lamb and mutton were the key meats in the Palestinian diet. Shepherds were prevalent all around the hills of Jerusalem when we were children, and still are now, although to a lesser extent. Lamb is slaughtered on special occasions and is a sign of celebration — births, weddings, return of a family member — and religious holidays, such as Easter and Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice or ‘Greater Eid’). Lamb and mutton are in many ways the essence of Palestinian cooking. The best-quality lamb is sold by Palestinian butchers, a fact recognized by many chefs in Tel Aviv who regularly get their supply from them.