Cumin, Imported from Jordan

Cumin, the second most popular spice in the world after black pepper, is a culinary gem that has graced the kitchens of diverse cultures for millennia. Its warm, earthy aroma and flavor profile, with hints of sweetness and bitterness, have become synonymous with the vibrant cuisines of Mexico, India, and the Middle East. As Bedouins, we are intimately familiar with the versatility of cumin, incorporating it into our own traditional dishes like red lentil soup and hummus. The aromatic and flavorful seeds, surprisingly a fruit from the cumin plant belonging to the parsley family, are harvested by hand and come in shades ranging from brownish-yellow to black, green, and white. Cumin's origins can be traced back over 5,000 years to ancient Iran, with archaeological evidence of its use dating back to 1400 BC and earlier in Syria and Egypt. The ancient Egyptians valued cumin for its preservative properties, using it to embalm mummies, while the Greeks and Romans kept containers of the spice