But it was the tart, earthy, tingly, subtly sweet notes provided by the sumac and Aleppo pepper that made such a lasting impression. Extra-virgin olive oil, yogurt and feta cheese are dietary mainstays, along with seasonal produce, legumes, whole grains and lean proteins. Made from deep-red Halaby chile peppers, Aleppo pepper is named for the Syrian city where it once grew in abundance. Dukkah, a blend of nuts, seeds and warm spices, makes a savory, crunchy topping on everything from soups to salads. Baharat is just one of a combination of warm spices that can punch up a chicken dish the Mediterranean way.

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Persons: CNN —, Suzy Karadsheh, Ionut Groza, ”, ” Michelle Lee, Karadsheh, el hanout, ” Karadsheh, “, It’s, ” Susan Puckett Organizations: CNN, Karadsheh, The Atlanta Locations: Aleppo, Atlanta, Eastern, Europe, North Africa, Syria, Turkey