من حقولنا: السماق والنعناع

## Sumac, From the Shrub

Sumac is one of those ingredients people buy in a jar without ever thinking about where it comes from. It comes from a shrub — clusters of deep-red berries that ripen in late summer and autumn, then are dried and ground into the tart, crimson powder that finishes a fattoush or a plate of onions.

We grow it. The berries are harvested ripe, dried, and ground — and freshly ground sumac is brighter and more sour than the dull, oxidized powder that has sat on a shelf for a year.

## Mint, Cut Fresh

Mint barely needs an introduction in a Lebanese kitchen — it goes into tabbouleh, labneh, tea, and a dozen other things. What it needs is to be fresh. Mint wilts fast and loses its oils faster.

Growing our own means cutting it close to when it is used, instead of watching it fade through days of handling.

## The Thread

Sumac and mint are small things — a sprinkle, a garnish. But they are exactly the things that taste flat when they are old. Growing them ourselves is how we keep them sharp.