"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine." --William Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night's Dream)

I wrote earlier about the manaeesh and all its endless possibilities of toppings, among which is a most wonderful herb mix called za'atar (زعتر‎). I found myself waking up to za'atar cravings this morning and enjoyed a simple yet immensely satisfying breakfast of a za'atar manaeesh...and it inspired me to write about this wonderful middle-eastern topping. Za'atar, per se is simply dried thyme, but za'atar in the middle-east takes this humble herb to a whole new dimension. Nobody knows for sure what's put into za'atar and many have a highly secret recipe that you're only welcome to enjoy not replicate. From what I can see and taste and have been told however, it primarily consists of dried thyme, oregano, possibly mint, sesame seeds, salt, oil, spices and possibly lemon (some za'atar mixes have an lovely tang to them). The mix is also sometimes called za'atar wa zait; zait meaning oil in arabic. Dried herbs are often underestimated, and most people (myself included) save the dried stuff only for that emergency meal when the fresh stuff has run out and there's no time to run to the store. So really, za'atar is quite a surprise in the intensity of flavour that it hits you with! It might have something to do with the spices (I still haven't figured out what they might be). The ones I like best are usually mildly salty and tangy with a texture close to crunchy (possibly comes from perfectly toasted sesame) and a strong herby taste. Za'atar wa zaitoon (olives) is another perennial favourite - the delicate black olives perfectly compliment the strong herb and spice mix. Finally, adding some fresh parsley or mint and tomato (za'atar wa zaitoon wa khodor) just balances the equation perfectly with the cool, thirst-quenching properties of the tomato and fresh herbs refreshing the palate in between bites of the strong, salty, tangy herb mix....ahhh pure bliss....

Sometime last year, I discovered another less widely known use of za'atar - as a tea (also known as thyme tea)! It all started when I turned up to work with a cold, and everyone decided they had to offer their personal remedies. I'm not sure if it fits the bill for the long sought after remedy to the common cold, but it did make my office smell like a fresh herb garden, and I suspect my nostrils cleared up just to indulge in the wonderful aroma. With a touch of honey, hot water and a za'atar tea bag you can almost feel your office whooshing away and yourself transported into a beautiful swing overlooking a sunny garden, with a cool breeze blowing in your hair and birds chirping in the trees...

"Where the wild thyme blows"...Shakespeare sure got this one right...

Till next time folks!