Épices de Cru Koseret

In a nutshell: Similar to oregano but with a more lemony taste, sprinkle over vegetables and roast chicken.

Koseret (Lippia abyssinica) is an Ethiopian herb that grows wild around Africa. Known also as the Ethiopian lemon bush, verveine d'Afrique and kussay, it is often compared with oregano, but the plant is more similar to verveine (lemon verbena). Koseret is a common cooking herb in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and is valued for its medicinal properties in other African countries. Its herbal flavour is lightly minty, with strong lemony notes that recall Sichuan peppercorn.

Like Beso Bela, Koseret is mainly used in Ethiopian spiced butter which is used in countless Ethiopian dishes. Koseret is sometimes added to braised meat dishes or lentils, in kitfo (a beef tartare) and in soups. In other regions, notably west African countries like Gambia, Koseret is drunk like an herbal tea.

Details 5g

About Épices de Cru
Épices de Cru began in 1982 as a catering partnership between Philippe and Ethné de Vienne. Their mission was a kind of “cooking pot anthropology:” learning the secrets of family cooking around the world and applying these techniques to the needs of hungry Montrealers. The secret, they learned, was spices. Over the last two decades, Philippe and Ethné have searched for the world’s best spices, accompanied by their children, Marika and Arik. The de Viennes believe in direct sourcing spices: visiting growing regions, spending time with growers, and developing personal relationships that last decades. In 2004, they officially opened their first spice shop in Montreal’s fantastic Jean Talon market– it’s since become a mecca for foodies from all over the world. I first visited in 2008 and have been buying and using their spices on a regular basis ever since that first exciting visit. They steadfastly maintain that they do nothing original, only facilitating the exchange of culinary common sense from one place to another. But, what they do is simply quite brilliant - by providing us with the finest quality ingredients, and their superb spice mixes, we can all experiment with unusual spices and recreate delicious recipes from around the world.