[Sca-cooks] Labneh as a substitute for "cream cheese"

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Judith wrote:
>On 13 Dec 2009, at 12:50 PM, Ana Vald?s wrote:
>  > I had labneh with pita bread, olive oil and zathar in Damascus last month,
>  > it was wonderful!
>  > It's the typical Palestine/Middle East peasant breakfast. Zathar is made of
>  > thyme and other herbs and it tasted wonderful together with the lebnah and
>  > the olive oil!
>  > Ana
>
>Any relation to za'atar, which is predominantly hyssop, sesame 
>seeds, and a handful of other dried ground herbs?

Take a look in Stefan's Florilegium. We've had long complex 
discussions of zatar (many and various Romanizations) over the years.

Zatar is an herb. But exactly which varies regionally throughout the 
Levant, although they're generally related.

There is also the blend of stuff called zatar, which is composed of 
zatar herb, sesame seeds, and...

...well, 'cuz there are regional variations in the blend, not just in 
what herb is used, but whether it includes salt or not, whether it 
includes sumac or not. And the blend usually doesn't include olive 
oil. That may or may be added when zatar is used.

The herb zatar is period, although it is translated various ways. The 
blend of zatar, sesame seeds, and... whatever, is, to the best of my 
knowledge, not period.
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita