AUTHENTIC Jordanian and Palestinian Zaatar Za'atar, 3 Ounces Each

We are offering a pair of authentic traditional za'atars, similar but different.

Za'atar's bold flavor compliments any dish. Sprinkle a little over cut potatoes and roast. Sprinkle on cream cheese before spreading on pita or a bagel. Use in combination with olive oil and dip pita bread. Sprinkle on salmon filets and bake. The possibilities are endless! (Follow us on Pinterest for links to recipes!)

Za’atar is a name for “wild thyme” in Arabic, but it also an aromatic herbal blend of herbs. An unadulterated version would include wild thyme, sumac, sesame seeds and [possibly] sea salts. The spice originates in the Middle East, but it slowly gaining popularity in the USA. With the growing popularity comes the varieties.

Its bold flavors complement any dish. Mix white potatoes, or sweet potatoes, olive oil and Za’atar for robust roasted potatoes. Make a roasted chicken using the herb mix. Make a garlic, Za’atar and oil topping to slather on fresh salmon before baking in the over. Use it as a dip, with olive oil, and serve with pita. Try it on a bagel and cream cheese as well. And, of course, make manaqueesh, a traditional flatbread pizza (you can find our za'atar manakeesh recipe and video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkQneRc-nT0&t=22s.

In Jordan, students eat lots of Za'atar during exams as they believe it boosts their memory and improves their study habits. Now, we don't claim to be health experts or doctors, so we will not “tout” the medicinal values, but when you research Za’atar, you will read about the essential oils found in some of the herbs such as thymol and carvacrol, which are popular in herbal supplements and believed to be anti-bacterial. Thymol is used as an antimicrobial, antiseptic. It’s one of the four essential oils in Listerine.™ Carvacrol is an oil used as a cough suppressant. Za’atar is even used as a tea to aid in digestion.

The Bedouin Company follows in the footsteps of a past generation. Our maternal grandfather was a spice trader in Palestine. In the late 1940s, he was displaced from his home and joined the Bedouins in neighboring Jordan. Back then, most of Jordan was still a desert community - even Amman - so spice trading was conducted from the back of a camel. Our grandfather would go on to establish the first spice shop in downtown Amman. He also managed to fund a very new small producer which would go on to be the best spice producer in Jordan today. After our grandfather's passing, the shop closed, but the best memories and dreams live on.

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