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.

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.

Rum Raisin Scones

Some flavor combinations speak for themselves; rum raisin is one of them. Though this recipe requires a bit of preparation (you have to macerate the raisins and get them good and drunk) the baking experience has an interesting perk. As the scones bake the spiced sugar and cream topping caramelizes around the pastry, leaving the baker with little bits of candy to eat once the scrumptious treats have cooled down. Talk about just desserts...

Rum Raisin Scones
Recipe by Michelle Krell Kydd
Yield: Two Dozen

 Ingredients:

•  4 cups all-purpose flour
•  2/3 cup organic cane sugar
•  4 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum-free)
•  1/4 teaspoon sea salt
•  2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cassia cinnamon (Chinese Tung-Ting variety)
•  2 teaspoons ground green cardamom
•  2/3 cup unsalted sweet butter (chilled)
•  2 large organic eggs (beaten)
•  1 cup heavy whipping cream plus 2 tablespoons Mexican vanilla extract (for wet scone mixture)
•  1/3 cup heavy whipping cream plus 1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract (for brushing hand-formed scones)
•  6 ounces Thompson seedless raisins (organic, jumbo)
•  1 1/2 cups light rum plus 1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract (for soaking the raisins)
• For topping: 1/4 – 1/2 cup Spiced Vanilla Sugar from The Savory Spice Shop. To make your own mix 1/2 teaspoon cassia cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground green cardamom, a pinch of ground allspice and a pinch of mace with 1/2 cup organic turbinado sugar.

Instructions:

•  The day before you bake the scones, fill a mason jar with raisins, vanilla and rum (just enough to cover the raisins). Keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Strain and reserve the rum for future infusions.
•  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
•  Preheat oven to 375 degrees, dividing racks into thirds.
•  In a large bowl, combine sifted flour, sugar, spices, baking powder and salt.
•  Put butter on a cutting board and cut lengthwise, forming halves. Half the halves and cut into quarters. The bits of butter should look like square buds.
•  Add butter to dry ingredients, coating well. Pinch each bud into flat petals and incorporate butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
•  In a small bowl, beat egg and vanilla. Incorporate cream (do not beat cream, gently mix). Add rum soaked raisins.
• Gently mix dry ingredients with wet ones by hand.
• Form scones by hand and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. 12 scones (4 rows of 3) will fit on each of the baking sheets. 
• Brush the tops of the scones with vanilla infused cream. Sprinkle each scone with spiced sugar.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, moving trays form top to bottom and reversing when half done to ensure even baking. The bottom of the scones should be a light tan when they are done. Serve scones warm or set on cooling racks and refrigerate/freeze for future use.

Notes:
Mexican vanilla has a rich and creamy quality that is well suited to spiced pastry. Spiced Vanilla Sugar from the Savory Spice Shop is preferred as a topping for these scones. Photograph of scones by Michelle Krell Kydd, editor of Glass Petal Smoke.

Turkey Baharat: An Otherworldly Recipe

In autumn we arrive at the fulcrum of change, from flower to fruit, from seed to vegetable, all of nature’s bounty lies before us. Pleasure is a guest at every table and in the fall, it guides the hand of the cook who has patiently waited for cooler days and the bounties of the season. The essence of cooking is transformation and it is this quality, along with our ancestral links, that permits the parting of the veil between worlds.

The preparation of food engages our senses and it starts the moment ingredients are selected. We look, touch, and smell produce before choosing what best suits need and appetite. Washing, cutting and preparing food with our hands uncovers hidden scents that lie beneath vegetal skins and membranes, revealing the defining character of fruits, vegetables and animal flesh. As food is transformed by fire a variety of aromas are released, wrapping the soul in the comfort of sweet and savory perfumes. To inhale these enchanting scents is to know time as an endless continuum of culinary delight.

The promise of nourishment is maternally archetypal so it should come as no surprise that when one is cooking, a window to the past opens into the present. In this space the essence of those who taught us how to cook, and those who preceded them, escapes through the steam and vapor of the cooking pot. Otherworldly inspiration isn’t a stranger to the cook. An alchemical process guided by intuition is activated when mixing disparate ingredients with the intention of creating a cohesive whole. One must be familiar with the individual essence of each ingredient and in combining them, be willing to improvise as needed. This process is not reserved for complex creations for even the simplest of dishes must make connections with previous attempts to create a specific effect.

Turkey Baharat is a recipe inspired by Middle Eastern roots. There is no paper trail behind this dish; no cookbooks, no recipe cards, no verbal recitations from a family matriarch scribbled in simple journals. I cannot attribute the inspiration to my early years at the dinner table as my childhood was colored by American tastes adopted by immigrant parents. Turkey Baharat was inspired by the smell of Arabic Baharat, a spice mixture commonly used with mutton, lamb, lentil and pilaf dishes.

The notion of Turkey Baharat, as a recipe, was instinctual and immediate. As soon as I opened the spice jar, the melding of tellicherry black pepper, coriander, cloves, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, cassia and allspice transfixed my senses with their dark, exotic beauty. Though I had never encountered this blend of spices before, there was an undeniable sense of déjà vu. I cannot say what I can ascribe this to, but I know that someone on my mother’s side of the family must have used this exact combination of spices—I feel in my heart and in my head to this very day.

Turkey Baharat
Recipe by Michelle Krell Kydd
(Serves 6)

Ingredients:
· 1 lb. ground lean turkey (7% fat or less)
· 1 medium onion, chopped
· 10 prunes, chopped
· 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
· 1 1/2 teaspoon baharat
· 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
· 1 small (10 oz.)package frozen spinach (thawed)
· 5 tablespoons tomato paste
· 3-4 tablespoons honey (light honey)
· 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
· 1 can chicken low sodium/low fat stock
· 1/2 teaspoon orange flower water

Instructions:
· Chop onions and prunes separately and set aside.
· Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet and sauté onions on a medium flame until they begin to caramelize. The chopped onion pieces should be clear and the outer edges should be a cinnamon color.
· Add the dry baharat spice to the onions and thoroughly coat them with the spice mixture.
· Slowly pour the chicken stock over the onions and stir together.
· Place chopped prunes into the pan.
· Add 1 cup of pumpkin puree and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
· Add tomato paste and blend well.
· Add pomegranate molasses and honey, stirring until they are completely dissolved.
· Add thawed spinach.
· Simmer ingredients until they approach a boil.
· Add lean chopped turkey and stir continuously, breaking up the meat.
· Allow to simmer for ten minutes with the lid on.
· Add orange flower water.
· Remove from flame and allow the dish to rest for 15 minutes, with the lid on.
· Add salt to taste and serve over couscous or rice.

Notes:

Baharat packs a touch of heat, but is not at all searing. If you are sensitive to hot spices, add an extra teaspoon or two of pomegranate molasses as its acidic nature has a neutralizing effect on heat. If Turkey Baharat is prepared in advance and allowed to sit in the refrigerator overnight, the flavors will meld beautifully.

Baharat is the most common spice mixture used in Arabic cuisine and variations exist in Israel, Turkey and other Mediterranean countries. This recipe was created with good health in mind, hence the use of lean ground turkey.

The picture featured at the beginning of this week’s article is a painting by Krista Lynn Brown entitled “Smoke Prayer”. The acrylic on canvas painting is one of many for sale on her website. Brown’s dreamy paintings are rich in imagery and symbolism, and are extremely beautiful to look at.

Memories Dreams and Reflections is the autobiography of Carl Jung, the Swiss psychologist whose memorable contributions to analysis include; the collective unconscious, the theory of synchronicity, and psychological archetypes. Jung had a profound understanding of the spiritual and his interest in esoteric sciences and dreams set him apart from Freudian colleagues.

Special thanks to Ayala Sender, editor of Smellyblog, whose inspired pieces on Sukkot and citron stirred personal food and cultural memories.