Ground Mahleb, Ground (also spelled mahlepi, mahaleb, or mahleb spice) comes from the pit of a wild cherry and has a delicate cherry-almond aroma with a floral, slightly bitter edge. It's a beloved staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern baking—think Greek tsoureki, Armenian choreg, and Turkish holiday breads—where just a small pinch mixed into the dough gives a subtle marzipan-like fragrance. It also turns up in certain cookies and shortbreads.

• Start small: a teaspoon or less per loaf is usually plenty, since too much mahleb can turn bitter.
• Mix it directly into the dry ingredients before combining with wet ingredients for even distribution throughout the dough.
• Pair it with other warm baking spices in enriched, slightly sweet doughs for the classic holiday-bread flavor.
• For deeper background and traditional recipes that use mahleb, The New Book of Middle Eastern Food: The Classic Cookbook, Expanded and Updated, with New Recipes and Contemporary Variations on Old Themes Roden, Claudia, Vintage, Hardbound is a great reference.