Mahlab

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Name Variations

 * mahlepi
 * mahleb

About Mahlab
Wikipedia Article About Mahlab on Wikipedia

Mahlab, the pit of the black cherry (Prunus mahaleb), has been used for centuries in Anatolia and the surrounding areas (especially in Turkey, Lebanon, and Greece) as a sweet/sour, nutty addition to breads, cheese, cookies and biscuits. It has gained an American following with the new interest in Mediterranean cooking and is mentioned in several popular new cookbooks.

Mahleb is used in Greece for tsoureki and similar egg-rich yeast cakes and for cookies.

In Cyprus, it is used in a special Easter cheese pie or cheese cake on Cyprus called 'flaounes' (φλαούνες).

The cherry is also known as the mahaleb or St. Lucy's cherry.