Oregano is magical. I used to hate it with a passion; it was really the only herb that I could not stand. I attribute this hatred of oregano to the dried “stuff” found in shakers at Italian pizza places. Why is it that we like to shake that over our delicious pizzas? When everything else is so fresh, why the large dry flakes? Anyway, nowadays oregano has a special place in my heart.
My feelings about oregano started to change when I first ate it in Mexico. My grandmother serves it sprinkled over warm queso panela, where it accentuates the light flavor of the cheese. The first time I saw her prepare that botana, I could feel my heart start to palpitate. Why ruin a nice melted cheese with oregano? But when I tried it I realized that Mexican oregano has a much different flavor, because it is a bit more earthy and fungal.
The real transformation from me being an oregano hater to an oregano lover happened when I was in Lebanon and ate real za'atar on man’ouche for the first time. The salty and piquant seasoning quickly became my favorite seasoning, and I realized that what made it so magical was the wild oregano that substantiated it. The quality of the wild oregano was much better than that of the large Italian flakes, as it is really gathered in the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean.
I became curious about the herb and wanted to see how it did in different combinations. Last year I played around with the Turkish dessert Mühallebi, and made it with oregano as a flavoring. My friend Theresa fell in love with my “oregano pudding” and so did I. This summer Emma made lots of ice tea with oregano from Jordan. We could not stop drinking it. On Monday I bought wild oregano, which is also known as za’atar, from Hawthorne Valley Farm at the Greenmarket. They are Jordanian and have the best organic foods, including yogurt, butter, produce, and tons of fresh herbs. I had to work on my demo recipe for next week, which will be an apple salad with herbs and olive oil. I used the oregano in the dish and could not believe how delicious it was. That same night I decided to do some home skin care treatments, and slathered honey and oregano on my face. I got a bit in my mouth and loved the combination of the sweetness with the herbs. And finally, last night I had goat milk yogurt with honey and oregano, and it was the best thing I have put in my mouth this week. As a side note I would like to mention that I combine two types of goat milk yogurt- I eat the thick Beltane Farm yogurt with the much looser Patches of Star. The combination of thick and creamy with loose and light makes for superstar texture.
If you can find fresh oregano at the markets, or better yet, the za’atar I mentioned at the markets, you are set for a week of herbal heaven.