Welcome to Menagerie

Oh, you're going to like this Menagerie. It's not a zoo at all and you don't have to worry about the animals eating you. You get to eat them! And delightfully sweet they are too. You see, Menagerie is a unique specialty bakery, confectionery and coffee shop.

You needn't read Hebrew to enjoy their site. Just wander from link to link and feast your eyes on the photos of the creations to be found at Menagerie. Imagine the aromas and flavors. The reality is far better than just imagining.

http://tinyurl.com/39c2vf

My son and I attended the opening evening of Menagerie in Rosh Pina (a town adjacent to and just 15 minutes traveling away from Tzfat [Safed]), which is on the old main road very close to Center HaGalil.

The tables were laden with cakes, cookies and pastries of every sort – one more delicious than the next. Wine was served too, as were samplings of their specialty soft drinks.

The atmosphere is sophisticated, yet relaxed. Erstwhile strangers initiated conversation with one another and a feeling of 'this is my kind of place' was had by all. Galit and her staff know how to make people feel comfortable and like valuable clientele.

Having tasted samples of Galit's creativity, I return to Menagerie regularly when in Rosh Pina.

The owner of Menagerie, Galit Cohen, is a sculptress as well as a master pastry chef and chocolatier. She's an artist. There is no other word to describe her talent. Each cake is a creation. Each novelty is inspired and executed with exquisite ability. And how sweet and delectable the media of her art are!

Marvelous candies are on sale at Menagerie too. Unlike the cakes, which are most reasonably priced, the candies are quite pricey.

Galit does not keep her secrets to herself. She conducts many bakery workshops and invites English-speakers to attend. Among the workshops offered at Menagerie are: drawing on sugar dough, basic sculpting with sugar dough, advanced sculpting with sugar dough, decorating cookies, pastry baking, the wonders of phyllo dough, making cream puffs and éclairs, chocolate and praline making. Come one, come all! Experience the pure, childlike joy of sculpting in sugar, chocolate and cream. It's a fantasy come true.

Menagerie is under Rabbinical Kashrut Supervision.

The phone number is (04) 693-5703.

I'm sure that you, like me, will enjoy every minute there and wish to return often.

Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat, Israel