Mahleb is the dried pit of a small wild cherry, with a flavour that sits somewhere between bitter almond and sour cherry, with a floral edge that's hard to place but immediately distinctive.
It's used across Greek and Middle Eastern baking, most famously in tsoureki, the enriched Greek Easter bread, where it adds a subtle, aromatic depth that you'd notice if it were missing. Also good in lamb tagines and spiced rice dishes where a quiet fruity note makes sense.
Grind just what you need: whole seeds hold their flavour longer than ground. Once opened, store them in the freezer; like most spices with high oil content, mahleb goes stale faster than you'd expect.
Whole seeds. 50g pouch.
