[Sca-cooks] RE: looking for za'atar

[phoenissa at netscape.net]

Hi folks,
I have recently switched to digest format, and this is my first time replying to a digested message.  I'm going to reply to a couple of them at once - my apologies if this looks weird :-)

sca-cooks-request at ansteorra.org wrote:

>Message: 7
>Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2001 09:19:53 -0500
>From: Elaine Koogler <ekoogler at chesapeake.net>
>To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
>Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] looking for za'atar
>Reply-To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
>
>Yeah, I bought some from Penzey's.  Now are you talking about the mixture or are
>you talking about the actual spice (it's reddish brown berries so I believe it
>qualifies as a spice).

Actually, the reddish-brown berries are probably the sumac.  Zaatar itself is an herb - it's a variety of oregano.  However, the word zaatar can also refer to a spice mix of which this oregano, thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds are the main ingredients.

>
>Message: 10
>From: lilinah at earthlink.net
>Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2001 09:11:16 -0800
>To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
>Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] looking for za'atar
>Reply-To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

>In my experience, it's rather difficult to find pure zaatar. What i
>most often find in shops is the Levantine blend of zaatar herb,
>sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. Tasty if you dip some flat bread in
>olive oil and then in the zaatar.

Actually, they way you're supposed to eat zaatar is by mixing the spice mix with olive oil - then you spread it on bread.  Traditionally the oil-and-herb it's put onto a vaguely pizza-like bread round and baked - this is called "manoushi" (no clue as to the spelling) and it's fabulous.  You can also spread it on pita bread - it is great as a sandwich with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.  You can also spread it on bread with labneh ( a sort of cream cheese made from yogurt).  But in all of these cases, you mix it with oil first :-)

>I often bring it to events to have
>at lunch, along with some homemade dukkah, another
>similar-but-different blend from Egypt (hazelnuts, sesame seeds,
>coriander, cumin, pepper, salt).

Oooh, I've never heard of this before - sounds good!  Where do you find it?

>
>Since it's real hard to find zaatar by itself, i asked a friend of
>mine of Lebanese origin about it. She says that she was told that
>"Greek oregano" is either zaatar or very close to it. I found "Greek
>oregano" in a shop around here (San Francisco East Bay) recently. It
>isn't the regular oregano one finds, which is, IIRC, "Mexican
>oregano" - Greek oregano has a nicer and less coarse flavor.

Greek oregano, iirc, has long and thin leaves, not like the ergular Mexican (or Italian?) which has round, shorter leaves.

I haven't yet seen it fresh in stores - my parents were growing it at home, though, fairly successfully.  Depending on whether I stay in Berkeley this summer, I may try growing some myself if there are any seeds left at home.  My parents don't make the spice mix themselves, but you should find it pretty easily at Middle Eastern grocery stores.  I am lucky enough to have a stash of it (which we brought from Lebanon on our last trip there) in my pantry.  It's very good stuff ;)  Mistress Kay and Anahita, if you are interested in sampling some, let me know and I'd be happy to share. :-) (I won't be at any events till late January, but the zaatar will certainly last till then - if it's not mixed with oil yet, it keeps almost indefinitely).

>One of my Near Eastern cookbooks recommends blending thyme and
>marjoram and possibly a little of the "standard" oregano to
>approximate pure zaatar herb.

This sounds like it might work.  Pure thyme doesn't make the best substitute for zaatar, but it's what I usually use - so much easier to find.

Hope this helps!


Vittoria Aureli
College of St Katherine
--




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