Zaytoun Za’atar (80g)

Description

Za’atar is an aromatic herb mix produced from an indigenous variety of thyme that can be used as a dip, topping or seasoning. The thyme is mixed by hand with sea salt, toasted sesame and sumac.

It’s traditionally eaten with olive oil and freshly baked bread, or used to season meat, fish, or roasted vegetables.

Zaytoun is a Community Interest Company, a social enterprise founded to support Palestinian farmers through fair trade. 100% of their profits are reinvested into furthering this mission.

Why do you call za’atar a traditional Palestinian herb mix?

Every Palestinian household has za’atar in its kitchen, and for many Palestinian refugees, za’atar is a symbol of the house, village and region from which their family came. Palestinians claim that it has the ability to increase brainpower – so many a Palestinian child is sent off to school in the morning having eaten za’atar for breakfast. As sesame seeds, one of the ingredients, contain zinc, this claim has some basis; zinc is an important mineral in learning, memory and brain development.

Where does the name za’atar come from?

The mixture of za’atar takes its name from the regional herb known by the same name. Local varieties vary, as do local recipes for the mixture. The herb is known as oregano, marjoram or wintersweet.

Who makes Zaytoun’s za’atar?

Picking and mixing the herbs that go into za’atar is a skilled job often done by women, who inherit the recipes from a long line of grandmothers. Zaytoun buy theirs from Sindyanna of Galilee, where women used shade-dried za’atar leaves and use a unique recipe to create a highly flavoursome mix.