My dear, longtime friend, Tara, posted this among her photos on Facebook taken from one of her trips. I loved it so much that I asked her to send me an attachment. It depicts southern culture in the USA. That’s where life is a bit slower–the people warm, sincere, and friendly. And you may mistakenly think they aren’t keeping up with the conversation because their accent is long and drawn out–using colloquialisms like “fatter than a tick on a hog–but in reality, they are a step ahead of you!

I love the reverse psychology in the simple advertising above. I also love baked potatoes and ribeye steaks. Really, next to TexMex, is there anything better?

Doesn’t this look like Texas?

And this?

These were taken last week in the upper Galilee region of Israel where we stayed for a few days with friends. We also ate at two great steak houses there. Steaks to rival Texas or the corn-fed cattle of Nebraska or even the wonderful beef of Argentina–thick, juicy, and full of flavor.

We also found out that like the growing wine culture, the beef industry is making a splash here in Israel. About 40% of the cattle are raised in the north. In the past, Israel imported about 30% of its beef. They used to raise European cattle, and the losses were great because the Mediterranean climate was too difficult for the animals to survive. But Israelis,–who are very innovative in animal husbandry, irrigation science, computer technology, medicine and you name it–have been experimenting with breeding the Texas longhorn, who are more accustomed to the climate and vegetation of Israel. Read the story here.

Well, I am looking forward to returning soon to the southern states of the good ole USA, where the potatoes are $14.95 and the ribeyes, free, that is in some places…