Mahleb

Mahleb is an aromatic spice ground from the small, soft kernel that sits inside the stone of the St Lucie or mahaleb cherry, Prunus mahaleb — not from the cherry flesh itself. Pale cream and almond-shaped, the freshly ground seed smells of bitter almond and marzipan over cherry, with a sweet lift of rose, vanilla and new-mown hay. A pinch perfumes the festive sweet breads of the eastern Mediterranean — Greek tsoureki, Turkish çörek, Armenian choreg — and the date-filled cookie maamoul.