Lebanese Cake Spice: The Secret to Falling in Love with Anise

For many years I simply could not wrap my taste buds around the flavor of anise. As a child I thought it was the Limburger of spices, evil twin of black licorice (a jelly bean buzzkill on Easter). Anise tastes sweet on its own so it would stand to reason that a child should be partial to the flavor. Add the slightly numbing and cooling effects of anise and everything becomes clear; to a kid (and some adults) anise tastes like medicine.

Anise, star anise, black licorice, and fennel have a single flavor molecule in common; anethole. Unlike the gentle warmth of cinnamaldehyde (found in cinnamon) anethole asserts itself like the embrace of an overly perfumed grand dame whose scent haunts your nostrils long after she's hugged the oxygen out of you. When anethole meets taste buds it has a tendency to linger which is why fennel and anise are great breath fresheners; chewed on their own or imbibed in a liqueur (the digestif powers of anise-flavored Arak are renown in the Middle East).

No matter how much you may dislike anise the spice is terrific if it is part of a blend used in conjunction with citrus zest and vanilla. The distinctive perfume of an Italian bakery includes anise along with a mélange of vanilla, lemon, orange and almonds. How did the Italians get sweet on anise? Food history points a delicious finger at the Moors who had an undisputed influence on the cuisine of Sicily.

Ka'ak is a classic Middle Eastern cake spice used to flavor a variety of pastry (most notable Ka'ak il Eid or Ka'ak El Abbas). Hashems Nuts and Coffee Gallery in Dearborn, Michigan sells a proprietary Ka'ak spice blend that was formulated by the owners' 90-year-old grandmother. When asked about the history of the spice blends co-owner Wassam Hashem says, "All the spice blends that we sell in the shop come from my grandmother's recipes. She got them from her mom and her mom got them from her mother which makes our spice recipes easily over 100 years old. We never change our recipes and prefer to keep them as authentic and traditional as we can."

Though Wassam won't disclose all the ingredients in Hashems Ka'ak Spice Blend (it's a family secret) the website shares the main constituents: anise, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, mahlab, sesame seeds and black caraway seed. Glass Petal Smoke's recipe for Lebanese Cake Spice Cookies is a riff on the American icebox cookie with a twist. Expect your house to smell like a bakery when these cookies are in the oven. Don't expect the cookies to last long; they have a tendency to disappear.

Lebanese Cake Spice Cookies
Recipe by Michelle Krell Kydd
Yield: 60 cookies

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (sifted)

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 ½ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

4 ounces (one stick) unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)

1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract

¾ cup organic granulated sugar

1 organic egg (room temperature)

2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Hashems Ka’ak Spice Blend

Grated zest of one large organic lemon

Directions:

·      Cut a 20 inch piece of wax paper and set aside. This will be used to chill the cookie dough.

·      Sift flour, salt, baking powder and Ka’ak spice in a large bowl. Set aside

·      In a small bowl grate lemon peel using a zester.

·      Add egg to the zest and incorporate.

·      Blend vanilla extract into the egg and zest mixture.

·      In another small glass bowl microwave the butter for 15 seconds (or enough time to liquefy without heating it).

·      Add sugar to butter and incorporate.

·      Mix butter mixture with the egg mixture.

·      Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring gently with a silicone spatula.

·      Mix the dough thoroughly with your hands. It will have a soft consistency.

·      Using a tablespoon, spoon out dough onto the middle third of a sheet of wax paper and form a 12 inch oblong roll. The dough should be one inch thick and 2 ½ inches wide.

·      Fold the bottom third of the wax paper over the dough, taking care to keep the shape of the dough to the specified measurements. Use your hands to smooth the paper over the dough.

·      Fold the top third of the wax paper over the dough and seal the dough at the ends.

·      Put the wax paper covered dough in the freezer for 1 ½ to 2 hours (or until it is firm). It should be chilled so you can slice through it (not rock hard).

·      Divide oven rack into thirds.

·      Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

·      Line two cookie trays with parchment paper.

·      Unwrap the dough on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife cut ¼ inch slices of dough and place cookies 1 inch apart on each cookie sheet.

·      Bake for 8-10 minutes, reversing trays from top to bottom and front and back to ensure even baking.

·      These cookies will be a light golden color when they are done. The edges will be a soft nutty brown.

·      Allow cookies to cool. Transfer to a wire cooling rack when they are no longer hot.

·      Store in an airtight container.

Notes:
Hashems sells their spices online. Glass Petal Smoke highly recommends Hashems coffee. They will be happy to grind it with cardamom for you. Hashems also sells green coffee beans with which you can make Saudi-style coffee.

In Arabic the word ka'ak means cake, but can refer to other types of pastry. Cake spice blends vary by culture and tradition. Jordanian "Sweet Spice" contains a blend of fennel and anise to support warm spices like cinnamon (this blend is available at the Super Green Land Market in Dearborn, Michigan). Penzys Chinese Five Spice Powder, Apple Pie Spice, Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cake Spice are also terrific examples of cake spice blends.

To learn more about the cuisine of Lebanon read Saha: A Chef's Journey through Lebanon and Syria by Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf.  It is one of the most beautiful and informative books of its kind.

Image Credits:
Hashems Nuts and Coffee Gallery, which opened in Lebanon in 1959, is still serving customers in the southern village of Bint Jbeil. The photo accompanying this story is of Wassam's father (holding the Oud) and his brother Ahmad (holding the tambourine). Ahmad and Wassam run the the family's store in Dearborn, Michigan. Copyright owned by Hashems. Used with permission.

Chew on This: Mastic Gum and Evergreen Flavor Notes

Imagine you are at a restaurant waiting for the bill. You are presented with a miniature plate of resinous crystals by your waiter who enthusiastically proclaims that they are, "derived from the sap of the Chios mastic tree and infused with characteristic evergreen flavor notes." He tells you it is chewing gum and hands you the bill. You start to reflect on last year's Christmas tree and don't recall eating it. Foodlore tempers reason with meaningful details that charm taste buds out of assuming the worst (i.e. this could be unpleasant, make me sick or perhaps kill me). Understanding a little chewing gum history will put the evergreen spectrum of flavor and mastic into perspective (eliminating the need for a death scene in this imaginary scenario).

In the U.S. the most popular flavor chewing gum is mint because it freshens the breath and cools the mouth with a stimulating sensation (the latter is due to the response of the trigeminal nerve to the presence of menthol molecules). Mint's flavor is a shadow of the evergreen spectrum of taste found in mastic; the original chewing gum that is also the root of the word "masticate" which means "to chew." Mastic is not as cooling as mint; it is camphoraceous, verdant, slightly woody and possesses a faint trace of floralcy. The organoleptic quality of woodiness is comparable to cedar.












Historically speaking, tree resin was the first chewing gum in several cultures. American Indians chewed resin from Picea mariana (black spruce) trees. The gum was cultivated in the same manner that frankincense has been for centuries; by cutting the bark of the tree and allowing the sap to flow and form hardened tears. Native groups in Mexico chewed chicle, a type of latex which is derived from the tropical evergreen tree Manilkara zapota. Chicle was used by Charles Adams when he created the first American chewing gum in 1869 and started a gum chewing rage in the States, much to the consternation of schoolmarms and the etiquette-obsessed.

The earliest record of tree resin being chewed as gum goes back to A.D. 50. At that time ancient Greeks chewed a resin from the evergreen Pistacia lentiscus commonly known today as mastic. Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands situated in the Aegean Sea and it is where the finest mastic in the world grows. Natives of the Mediterranean island are familiar with a religious tale attached to their precious mastiha. Saint Isidore was tormented and beheaded because he confessed to being a Christian and refused to revert to the pagan beliefs of Rome. According to legend, when the dead body of Saint Isidore was thrown among the mastic shrubs of Chios they shed tears of sorrow. These resinous tears were transformed into the healing tears of mastic.

The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides may not have had a chemistry lab, but he possessed knowledge of the bacteriostatic properties of evergreen tree resins before the advent of modern science, as did other tree resin chewing native cultures and their designated healers. Folk medicine became fact in 1998 when research at the University of Nottingham proved that mastic gum kills Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria which cause peptic ulcers. In 2006 scientists at the Hellenic Pasteur Institute identified the active ingredient as isomasticadienolic acid (a triterpenic acid which is also found in certain species of Frankincense trees).

Modern chewing gums are carbohydrate syrup-plasticizer compositions inspired by tree sap ancestors. If you want a true mastic experience you can purchase Chios mastic online or at Middle Eastern groceries (it is sometimes stocked behind the counter). Putting a tear of mastic resin on your tongue may seem odd at first, but it easily softens with the heat of the mouth and is quite chewable. The texture is slightly waxy and the flavor is woody and evergreen, possessing a gentle pine-like resinous quality. Sharawi Brothers, a 46-year-old Jordanian gum manufacturer, makes their mastic gum using mastic flavor and a modern gum base. Sharawi Brothers Mastic Gum is less camphoraceous tasting than pure mastic and has notes of lime and under-ripe orange blossom. The sweetness in the gum fades quickly, but the mastic flavor lingers.

The application of evergreen flavors is not limited to chewing gum. In Turkey, Greece and the Middle East mastic is added to ice cream as it lends a supple texture and enhances flavor. Shatila in Dearborn Michigan sells Kashta ice cream which is made with mastic and flavored with rosewater. Mastic's presence is detected in the supple pull of the ice cream, its evergreen flavor notes sublimated by cream and delicate rose. A halwa version of Shatila's Kashta ice cream is sold in-store and is not available by mail-order. If you visit Shatila be sure to taste it; the addition of fresh walnuts and pistachios is exquisite.

Trygve Harris of New York City's Enfleurage makes a wonderful frankincense ice cream that riffs on the pine spectrum of evergreen flavor notes. It is decadent, refreshing and possesses a lingering sensual mouthfeel due to the application of food grade gum arabic which is dosed to texturize the ice cream a little more intensely than mastic. The experience of eating Ms. Harris' frankincense ice cream is akin to being kissed because of the way you have to negotiate the frozen confection when it is melting on your tongue. You have to eat the ice cream to understand this as words fall short of translating the actual experience. You also need a little luck when it comes to finding Frankincense ice cream at Enfleurage; it is only served at special events in the store. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, Ohio sold frankincense ice cream last year, but you'll have to wait until Christmas 2012 to see if they will offer their frankincense flavor again.

Now that you know the story of mastic perhaps you'll be inclined to add "evergreen" as a descriptor to your culinary lexicon via personal experience. Evergreen flavor notes began bubbling up in the foodie world a few years ago. Heston Blumenthal rocked the Christmas table in 2009 using frankincense in a holiday entree. René Redzepi, chef at the Scandinavian restaurant Noma, made evergreen notes chic in several dishes and Fir a flavor to be reckoned with (a fact not lost on Clear Creek Distilleries in Oregon which makes Douglas Fir Brandy). Drinks flavored with evergreen notes of frankincense are already finding their way into a variety of mixologists' cocktails and frankincense bitters are commercially available in the U.K.

Mastic is a refreshing member of the evergreen flavor trend and is less terpenic (pine-like) than frankincense. Skinos Mastiha. a Chios mastic-based spirit, adds a gentle but complex evergreen twist to cocktails, with a faint woody floralcy that hints at violet. Mastic's ability to affect texture in foods by acting as a gumming agent is something chefs enjoy experimenting with so you can expect to hear more about innovative culinary applications of mastic in the future.

Notes & Acknowledgements:

"Luqum al-Qadi and the Porter" is a culinary tale in The Thousand and One Nights. In this story Scheherazade spins a tale about a humble gentleman who chooses dessert over a beautiful woman. If you can relate to this story pick up a copy of The Sweets of Araby: Enchanting Recipes from the Tales of 1001 Nights by Leila Salloum Elias and Muna Salloum. You can make some terrific sweets to accompany Kashta ice cream from Shatila.

If you are a gifted in the pastry making department you might want to prepare Culinary Flavors' Mastic Scented Galaktoboureko with Kataifi Phylo. If frozen delights are more to your liking Ice Cream Nation has a great recipe for Mastic Ice Cream. The pinnacle recipe for mastic ice cream is Nordljus'  Rosewater, Cardamom and Mastic Ice Cream.

Mastihashop is the official brand and store of the Chios Mastiha Growers Association. They sell raw mastic tears, mastic water, mastic essential oil (food grade), mastic flavor extract and other mastic-related products. Glass Petal Smoke recommends Chios mastic as inferior or adulterated mastic (made from almond trees and flavored with mastic oil) are sometimes found in the marketplace.

Thanks go out to Elena Vosnaki of Perfume Shrine. It was Elena who first introduced me to true mastic gum from Chios a few years back. The flavor has haunted me ever since.

The Chios Mastiha Growers Association website is rich with information on mastic. The recipe and research sections are worth a visit.

Photo of Chios mastic tree resin from a story by Diana Farr Louis on Kerasma: Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy. [The website is no longer live.]

Sharawi Chewing Gum Factory is based in Amman Jordan. It is common to find two spellings (Shaarawi) of the name as is indicative in the photo of the gum included in this post. They are one and the same. The gum can be purchased at Amazon though more competitive pricing is available in Middle Eastern groceries. Photo of gum by Michelle Krell Kydd.

Shatila will ship Kashta ice cream anywhere in the U.S. There is a four quart minimum order and other flavors to choose from. Their Kashta ice cream is priced at $7.00 per quart. Once you taste it you'll be glad there are three more quarts waiting for you in the freezer.

Photograph of pastry and Kashta ice cream at Shatila by Matryoshka. Her Tumbler page is enchanting; one can literally spend hours there. Rights revert back to Matryoshka. [The Tumbler page is no longer active.]

Master of Malt Frankincense Bitters are sold in the U.K. They can be purchased online.

Skinos Mastiha can be found at upscale liquor stores. Look for it in the section where you would typically find Ouzo and Arak. Some mastic spirits are made with anise seed and taste like Ouzo. Skinos Mastiha is not in this category which makes it all the more interesting to imbibe.

The allure of the exotic plays on the notion of pleasure and undiscovered territory.  Leon Samoilovich Bakst was well acquainted with this idea and it is evident in the costumes he designed for Serge Diaghilev in the Ballets Russes' production of Scheherazade (set to the music of Nicholai Rimsky-Korsakov.). The image of the Odalisque accompanying this post evokes this notion brilliantly. It is the openness of the Odalisque and her sensual glance that invites imagination and appetite. 

UNESCO recognized Chios Mastiha as part of World Culture Heritage in 2014; two years after this article was published on Glass Petal Smoke.

The Art of Spice Blending: Lebanese Seven Spices

When it comes to adding flavor with spice home cooks regularly add a pinch of this or a pinch of that to their culinary creations. Whether you cook by instinct or prefer the carefully measured approach of a finely tuned recipe, the art of spice blending is a worthwhile indulgence. The most rewarding aspect of blending your own spices is the level of intimacy one develops with individual materials that comprise the blend, as well as resulting synergies amongst the spices. A deeper understanding of flavor transpires as does a level of sensuality that is transmitted from the hands of the cook to the palate of the guest.

Lebanese Seven Spices is a versatile mixture that can be easily made by the home cook. It can be used to season vegetables, meat or as a seasoning to coat mirepoix used in soups and stews. There are as many variations of Lebanese Seven Spices as there are cooks, but one of the best versions can be found in Faye Levy's Feast from the Mideast: 250 Sun-Drenched Dishes from the Lands of the Bible. Glass Petal Smoke cites specific spices over Levy's general choices in the formula for Lebanese Seven Spices:

Lebanese Seven Spices Blend
by Faye Levy

• 1 tbsp freshly ground Black Tellicherry Pepper
• 1 tbsp ground Chinese Cassia Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground Ginger
• 1 tbsp ground Guatemalan Cardamom
• 1 tbsp ground Sweet Hungarian Paprika
• 1 tbsp ground Coriander Seed
• 1 tbsp ground Cumin Seed (Allspice can be substituted in kind)
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg (1 tsp Chili Powder or 1 tsp Ground Cloves may be added if using Allspice in the previous step).

If you would like to marry Lebanese Seven Spices with a Middle Eastern creation, Glass Petal Smoke's Turkey Baharat will do nicely. Substitute two tablespoons of Lebanese Seven Spices for the Baharat seasoning in the original recipe and voila; you are a mistress/master of spices!

Notes:
Faye Levy's Feast from the Mideast: 250 Sun-Drenched Dishes from the Lands of the Bible book is out of print, but you can find used copies online. It is filled with excellent recipes and it a worthwhile addition to any cookbook collection. The recipe for Lebanese Seven Spices is on page 13. Ms. Levy writes a food column for The Jerusalem Post. 

The Spice House in Chicago is a great source for fresh spices. They sell spices in jars and in bags so you can purchase the amounts you need. 

Bormioli Rocco manufactures terrific glass jars in a variety of sizes in their Quattro Stagione line. Their half ounce canning jar is perfect for storing homemade spice blends. Ace Hardware sells individual jars in-store in a variety of sizes at terrific prices. P.S. Bormioli Rocco is also known for manufacturing beautiful perfume bottles.

The photograph that accompanies this post was taken by Riyaad Minty on Flicker Creative Commons with embellishments by Glass Petal Smoke. Some rights reserved.