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The Sheba spice blend is Lev Sercarz's interpretation of Ethiopia's traditional berbere mix, which the chef says has also become popu- lar along with the North African spice blends. Interest in African f lavors overall, it seems, is growing beyond the geographic borders of the northern region. U.S. companies like Oregon's Ahara Rasa Ghee, makers of f lavored clarified butters sold online and in specialty food stores, created a traditional Ethiopian-style butter product called Niter Kibbeh to offer alongside their creatively f lavored ghees. "It was important to us to make this recipe authentic, but also make it our own," says founder/co-owner Andrea Shuman. Recognizing the culture of clarified butter throughout North Africa and the world, she says they plan to release other ghee-related products, such as a limited run of Moroccan smen, a fermented, f lavored butter commonly used in couscous. When developing their new Kitchen & Love Caulif lower Quick Meals, Cucina & Amore, San Pablo, Calif., looked for special sauces that would both differentiate from existing ready-to-eat meals and comple- ment the mild, nutty, and bitter undertone of caulif lower. "The sauces had to be bold," says Amanda Lee, the company's international buyer. "Millennials are much more willing to take risks and are socially aware of what is trending," she says. With the Moroccan Vegetable Harissa Caulif lower Quick Meal, she says the hardest part is that harissa can be spicy and some consumers are not risk takers, so they had to design their recipe with only a mild kick of heat. The product has had a great response and in general, they have seen a huge rise in the demand of more international food options such as North African-inf luenced products. "The unifying elements across North Africa are olive oil, lemons, olives, wheat, goat, lamb, and dried fruits. Nuts, figs, dates, prunes, and apricots make regular appearances in savory dishes; legumes like chickpeas, fava beans, and lentils form the base for prized dishes; and wheat bread is a daily staple, often as quick-cooking flatbreads." NORTH AFRICAN GLOSSARY • B'stilla: a traditional Moroccan savory pie made with pigeon • Baharat: a warm, all-purpose Middle Eastern spice blend popular in Egypt, made with black pepper, cumin, coriander, and cloves • Brik pastry: a popular Tunisian street food where a thin pastry is filled and deep fried • Dukkah: an Egyptian condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts, and spices • Harissa: a fiery chile paste and condiment from Tunisia • Kosheri: an Egyptian lentil and rice dish • Nitter Kibbeh: traditional Ethiopian-style butter • Ras al hanout: a cumin-heavy spice blend from Morocco • Smen: a fermented, flavored butter commonly used in couscous in Morocco • Tabil: a staple spice mix popular in Tunisia and Algeria, made with coriander, caraway, and chile powder • Tagine: stew named for the earthenware pot it is cooked in • Tchoutouka: an egg- and vegetable-based dish popular in Tunisia Anna Klainbaum is a freelance writer specializing in food and beverage. PHOTO: SIMPLE CAFE SUMMER 2019 97 global cuisine