We would never have heard of mahlepi or mahleb*, a Middle Eastern spice, were it not for Greek tsoureki (photo #1), one of our favorite Easter breads.

Tsoureki, a soft, sweet and buttery braided yeast loaf, is famous for its embedded Easter eggs.

We’ve never made it because it’s a two-day process, and we never have enough room in the fridge to let the loaf rise overnight. But if you’re game, here’s a recipe from King Arthur Flour.

The traditional flavoring for tsoureki is a spice called mahlepi/mahleb. Most American bakers substitute vanilla, but for a deliciously authentic flavor, buy the real deal online.

Mahleb adds a unique cherry-bitter almond, sweet-nutty flavor that will delight lovers of marzipan.

You may like it so much, you’ll start adding mahlepi to butter cookies, muffins, pound cakes, scones and other baked goods and yeast breads.
 
 
WHAT IS MAHLEPI, MAHLEB, OR HOWEVER YOU SPELL IT*?

Mahleb is an aromatic spice that has been used for centuries† in the Middle East. It is made from the seeds of a particular species of cherry tree called the Mahaleb or St. Lucie cherry (Prunus mahaleb).

The cherry stones are cracked to extract the seed kernel, which is ground to a powder.

In addition to baked goods and other sweet foods, mahleb is in tresse cheese (jibneh mshallaleh, a string cheese from Syria.

scones. In Egypt, powdered mahlab is made into a paste with honey, sesame seeds and nuts, eaten as a dessert or a snack with bread.

In Greek cooking, beyond Easter bread it is used to flavor Christmas cake and pastries and eggy yeast cakes and cookies for the New Year, such as vasilopita (which contains a hidden coin or trinket that gives good luck to the recipient, like the Western king cake).

In Egypt, mahlab is made into a paste with honey, sesame seeds and nuts, and eaten as a dessert or a snack with bread.

[2] Whole mahleb seeds are ground into a spice (photo courtesy Migdisian | Amazon).

Look for it in Greek or Middle Eastern markets, or online.
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*The spelling in English varies based on transliteration: mahlab, mahalab, mahlep, mahaleb, etc. In Greece, it is mahlepi.

†Recipes for a seed that may be mahleb have been found in records from ancient Sumer.

[1] Set deviled eggs or Easter eggs in a planter of wheatgrass. Here’s how to grow wheatgrass from Country Girl Home.

[2] Deviled eggs in wheatgrass, at Essex Street Market | NYC.

[3] Turn your deviled eggs into chicks, with this idea from Julie Blanner Entertaining & Design.

It doesn’t have to be Easter to love this deviled egg idea (photo #2), spotted at Essex Street Market in New York City.

It’s so simple that we wonder why we haven’t seen it before.

While much fresh wheatgrass is sold in plastic trays, to be juiced at home, florists took notice of the graceful shoots and potted them in planters.

Get one, and nestle deviled eggs—or colored Easter eggs, or chocolate eggs—in the grass.

Afterwards, the planter of wheatgrass is an attractive home accent. It’s also a catnip alternative.

You also can do what many health enthusiasts do: Juice the wheatgrass and drink it for its vitamins and minerals. The straight juice has a powerful grassy taste, so many people enjoy it in smoothies.

Don’t add it to a salad, as logical as that may seem:

The grass itself is difficult to digest raw, and cooking diminishes its nutritional value.
 
 
WHAT IS WHEATGRASS?

Wheatgrass is the young grass of the wheat plant, Triticum aestivum. It grows into the tall stalks from which wheat is harvested.

Wheatgrass grows in temperate regions and can be an indoor or outdoor plant.

It grows very quickly, so if you start today, you can germinate wheat seeds and create your own planter.

We, on the other hand, are headed to the florist.
 
 
EASTER DEVILED EGGS

Tint the egg whites pink or green, and mix and match the garnishes. Here’s how.
 
 
 
 

The company operates food trucks and kiosks. If you’re hesitant to take on the carbs, give yourself a treat: They’re worth it.

In fact, the plain waffles are so good, we don’t even need any dinges (“things,” i.e., toppings, plus beverages).

According to the company, in 2007, Albert II, then King of Belgium, mandated that the Belgian Ministry of Culinary Affairs bring authentic Liege and Brussels wafels to New York City. What passed as “Belgian waffles” in the U.S. needed a serious upgrade.

Wafels & Dinges was born, and we thank King Albert.

The dinges include bananas, dessert sauces (caramel, chocolate, speculoos/spekuloos), ice cream, maple syrup (a nod to American preferences), Nutella, pearl sugar, powdered sugar and whipped cream.

Recently, the company introduced Tofu Boost waffles, using House Foods’ excellent tofu. You can’t taste the tofu, just a delicious, crisp waffle. But if you need an excuse, call it an excuse to eat protein.

Locations of the Wafels and Dinges trucks vary, but you can call 866-429-7329 or check on Wafelsanddinges.com.

They are hand-delivered in New York City and shipped everywhere. Take a look.
 
 
> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAFFLES
 
 
ABOUT WAFFLE DAY(S)

Waffle Day began in Sweden, known as Våffeldagen. It was actually the result of pronunciation: “Our Lady’s Day,” Feast of the Annunciation, called Vårfrudagen in Swedish.

Vårfrudagen, celebrated on March 25th, sounds very similar to Våffeldagen (Waffle Day) in vernacular Swedish [source].

No one wanted to give up an occasion to eat waffles, so the new holiday, Våffeldagen, was designated to mark the beginning of spring.

A different Waffle Day was established in the U.S. on August 24th. It celebrates the anniversary of the patenting of the first waffle iron in the U.S.

The two holidays are now known in the U.S., respectively, as International Waffle Day (March 25th) and National Waffle Day (August 24th).
 
 
WAFFLE IRON HISTORY

The earliest waffle irons originated in The Netherlands around the 14th century. The waffles were baked over the fire in the hearth.

[2] Wafles & Dinges truck (photo © BillyBoy | Forums.Roadfood.com).

[3] Liège waffles, made with pearl sugar (photo © Visit Belgium).

In the 19th century, the design was adapted to be used atop the kitchen stove. In 1869, Cornelius Swartwout of Troy, New York patented a waffle iron for stove top use, consisting of cast-iron plates joined by a hinge that swiveled in a cast-iron collar (here are photos of it).

In 1891 John Kleimbach, a German immigrant in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, created a waffle iron for the Mansion House Hotel and became a traveling salesman, spreading the joy of waffles [source].

Fast forward: In 1971, Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman used the family waffle iron to experiment with the idea of a new sole for track footwear that would grip but be lightweight. He became co-founder of Nike, which helped to revolutionize athletic shoes.

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*Brussels wafels/waffles are what America generally calls “Belgian waffles,” although Belgians don’t appreciate that nomenclature. Authentic Belgian waffles are not made with pancake batter, but with a yeast-leavened dough that produces a lighter, crisper texture.

Liège wafels/waffles are made with pearl sugar, a beet sugar. The pearls burst and caramelize when the dough hits the waffle iron, resulting in a dense, sugary waffle. Liège waffles are Belgian street food; Belgians eat them plain, without toppings.

[2] Juicy Or Hazy Pale Ale with a Hazy Double IPA.

[3] Since before the category was formally named, New Belgium Brewing Company of Fort Collins, Colorado has made Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA (photo courtesy New Belgium Brewing).

[4] Similarly, Weldwerks of Greeley, Colorado has produced Juicy Bits, a New England style IPA (now to be called a Juicy or Hazy IPA).

Among other updates, the release includes three new beer styles identified in the guidelines as:

 
These styles are those that have been informally called New England IPAs (New England-Style IPAs) or Hazy IPAs. The style additions were made in response to the continuing popularity and growth of India Pale Ale.
 
WHAT’S A HAZY BEER?

The hazy component refers to a visual aspect that is cloudy, not clear (photos #1 and #2).

Hazy beers have been made for centuries. The best known:

 
WHAT’S A JUICY BEER?

A juicy beer is one that has aromas/and or flavors that are reminiscent of fruit juice. These flavors and aromas are also due to the type of hops (especially dry hops and late hops).

There is no juice added to the beer. Rather, it is the selection of specific hops and how they are added to the brew that creates the fruity notes. A different term was needed, however, to not be confused with fruit beers which do have added fruit.

European IPAs use hops that generate floral, herbal, pine and resin notes. Hops from the Pacific Northwest generated citrusy flavors.

Now, in addition to citrus notes, craft brewers are creating tropical fruit flavors—mango, pineapple, papaya, plus some citrus.suggestion in the flavors and aromas, which can exude citrus, mango, pineapple, passionfruit—plus stone fruit flavors.

Consider it a division between old school and new school preferences.
 
 
WHY WERE NEW NAMES ESTABLISHED?

“Juicy Hazy ales are very complex styles,” says style guide developer Charlie Papazian of The Craft Beer Association.

“After evaluating appearance, aroma, bitterness, hop characters, mouthfeel and overall balance these beers gave a consistent impression that helped frame the Brewers Association’s inaugural guidelines for three styles of Juicy or Hazy ales.”

He cites “the potential for continuing innovation and variation within the style.”

According to CraftBeer.com, the consumer website of The Brewers Association:

 
To define the new styles, The Brewers Association received sought input from brewers and competition judges, as well as industry experts. Each category has specific technical specifications and sensory aspects.

How about crostini, one of our favorite, easy-to-make nibbles. We serve them as snacks and with cocktails (including wine, beer and cider). You can also serve a couple of them as a first course, with a small lettuce salad.
 
SPRING CROSTINI INGREDIENTS

Take a selection of spring veggies and top crostini (the word is Italian for croutons, but in the U.S. it means “toasts,” as in small slices of toasted bread).

Spread the crostini with goat cheese, hummus or ricotta, and then artfully arrange a selection of these spring vegetables:

 
Add some color with:

 
We like to finish with snipped chives, but you can let guests top their own, by providing ramekins with:

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*Morels and fava beans need to be cooked. You may elect to lightly steam some of the other vegetables.

Crostini with burrata and spring peas, garnished with sliced olives and fresh herbs (photo courtesy Good Eggs).

Crostini spread with ricotta and topped with lightly cooked morels and fava beans. Torn radicchio leaves add some color (photo courtesy Il Buco Alimentari).

Bruschetta and crostini are popular hors d’oeuvres that are easy to make. They also can be served as a first course or a light meal, with salad and/or soup.

Many people—even culinary professionals—confuse the two. What’s the difference?
The answer, in brief, is the size of the slice, plus grilling versus toasting. Bruschetta (three or four inches in diameter) are cut from an Italian loaf and grilled; crostini (about two inches in diameter) are cut from a thinner loaf such as a baguette, and toasted.

Bruschetta (pronounced broo-SKEH-tuh) are grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with any variety of items. The toppings can be as simple as extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, to diced tomatoes and basil, to almost any spread, vegetable, cured meat or cheese—even fruit.

Bruschetta originated in the Tuscany region of Italy, where it is commonly served as a snack or appetizer. It may have been the original garlic bread.

The word comes from the verb bruscare in Roman dialect, which means “to roast over coals.” If you have access to a grill, grill the bread for authenticity. If not, you can toast it.

Some American manufacturers and others in the food industry misuse the term, using it to refer to the topping only and selling jars of “bruschetta” (it should be bruschetta topping). Show your superior knowledge and don’t allow the term to be distorted: The word bruschetta refers to the grilled bread, not the topping.

Crostini (cruh-STEE-nee) are croutons: not in the American sense of small cubes tossed into soup or salad, but thin slices of toasted bread.

Smaller than bruschetta, the slices are typically cut from a ficelle, a thinner baguette one to two inches wide (the word is French for “string”). The slices are brushed with olive oil, toasted and then topped with spreadable cheese, pâté or other ingredients. Plain crostini are served with soups and salads, like melba toast, or set out with cheese.