زعتر [zaatar]: one of the dearest Arabic words to my heart that refers to either 1) thyme which is a very aromatic and rich herb widely used, fresh or dried, in the Levantine cuisine or 2) a beautiful blend made of dried zaatar, sumac, salt, and sesame seeds as main components yet with different recipes varying from one kitchen or cook to another. You will find zaatar almost in every Palestinian, Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian household and it is usually, and proudly, served with the finest of olive oil for fresh bread to be dipped into both for breakfast or at anytime of the day, really.
levantine cuisine 