The Levantine spice system — built around the specific blends and single spices of the Eastern Mediterranean — reflects the region's position on the ancient spice trade routes. Allspice (baharat), cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and sumac are the primary spices; the specific Lebanese 7-spice blend (baharat), the za'atar blend, and the regional variations across the Levant produce a spice vocabulary as specific and regionally differentiated as the Indian masala system or the Moroccan ras el hanout tradition.
The Levantine spice system — its primary blends and their applications.
LEVANTINE CULINARY TRADITION — DEEP EXTRACTION