Four Common Spices of the Eastern Mediterranean

The Romans, with their vast empire and trade networks, introduced Mediterranean spices to Europe. During the Middle Ages, traders grew wealthy providing the nobility of Europe with the foreign spices they craved; food preservation methods were not exactly efficient back then, and the spices helped mask the flavors of food that was well past its best-by date. Some spices even helped preserve the food for longer.Mediterranean spices are much easier to obtain today, of course; the dangerous over-land journey to foreign lands has been replaced by a trip to the local gourmet food store. Eastern Mediterranean spices can still lend an unusual, delicious taste to any dish. Here are a few examples:

Saffron is one of the most valuable of all spices. The spice is created from the stigma (the structure which catches pollen from the air) of the saffron crocus, and nearly all saffron crocuses in the world are grown in the region between the eastern Mediterranean and India. The smallness of the portion of the crocus used to make the saffron makes it highly expensive. The earliest mention of saffron is in an Assyrian text on botany from the 7th century B.C.E. Saffron is used to flavor meats and fish. Modern researchers are also finding that saffron may have medicinal uses.

Cumin is made from the dried seeds of the cumin plant. The seeds may be used whole or ground to a powder. Archaeologists have discovered cumin seeds at Syrian and Egyptian sites dating back to the second millennium B.C.E. In Mediterranean cook
ing, cumin might be found in almost any savory
dish. The warmth of its flavor makes cumin popular in soups, stews and sauces. Some people
also use cumin as a medicine; it is typically used to treat fevers, digestive problems, and eye disorders.

Sumac is a red or purple powder ground from the fruits of shrubs and trees in the genus Rhus. Interestingly, the edible sumac found in the Mediterranean does fall in the same genus as the poison sumac so well-known to campers and hikers in the U.S., but Mediterranean sumac is completely nontoxic and perfectly safe to eat. Sumac has a pleasantly sour, citrusy flavor. Sumac is popular throughout the eastern Mediterranean area; in Turkish cooking it is used to flavor kebabs and flatbreads, while people on the eastern shore use it in salads and hummus.

Za’atar is the name for both an herb and a spice mixture which includes that herb. Za’atar is closely related to oregano. When dried, it can be mixed with a variety of spices, including sumac, thyme, marjoram, and oregano. Sesame seeds and salt are also frequently included. Many of the recipes for the Za’atar blends are kept completely secret within families, so no one person’s Za’atar cooking will taste quite like anyone else’s. Archaeologists have found evidence that Za’atar was used in ancient Egypt, and one variety of the plant was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb.